Golden Temple

The Golden Temple To See
This grand building radiates universal tranquility, while the expertly seasoned balance between demonstrative luxury and sophisticated beauty captivates everyone who sees the Golden Temple for the first time. The name of the temple complex has been given due to the appearance of the facade, which is completely covered with a thin layer of gold plates - such design course of the old-world builders creates a feeling that Harmandir Sahib has been made exclusively of gold.
The temple is located to the north-west of India, Punjab, Amritsar city. The architecture of the sacred complex harmoniously combines the elements of Hindu and Muslim artistic styles, which is not surprising, because the Harmandir Sahib is a central temple of Sikhs,  the representatives of unusual religious movement that arose in the medium of Islam and Hinduism, but not similar to any of the existing religions.
A large artificial lake by the temple is really stunning; on a clear day Golden Temple Amristar is incredibly beautiful: reflected in its mirrored surface it doubles the golden glow of the temple. Local folks believe that this is the holy lake and its water is nothing but nectar of immortality. In order to reach the entrance to the main part of the complex, you will have to pass the long, narrow marble bridge, which, like everything else in this sacred place, filled with deep symbolism: each person that overcomes this way makes a step from sin to righteousness.
In addition to the abundance of gold and gilded decoration, the temple is richly decorated with precious stones, and marble statues. The foundation for the future sanctuary was laid in the year of 1577 by the Sikh Guru Ram Das, who digged a pond, which was to become that “nectar of immortality”. The city grew around the lake, and 11 years later the foundation stone of Harmandir Sahib was laid. In 1604 the construction of the Golden Temple was completed.