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About the Golden Temple:

The holiest shrine of the Sikh religion, also known as the Hari Mandir, is in the centre of the old part of Amritsar. The temple itself is surrounded by the pool which gave the town its name, and is reached by a causeway. Open to all, it's a beautilul place, especially early in the moming. However, at the weekends it can get quite crowded.

Hari Mandir Standing in the middle of the sacred pool, the Golden Temple is a two storey marble structure reached by a causeway known as the Gurus' Bridge. The lower parts of the marble walls are decorated with inlaid flower and animal motifs in the pietra dura style of the Taj Mahal. Once inside the temple, pilgrims offer sweet doughy prasaad to the attendants, who take hall to distribute to everyone as they leave the temple.

The architecture of the Golden Temple is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styles. The golden dome (said to be gilded with 100kg of pure gold) is supposed to represent an inverted lotus flower. it is inverted, turning back to the earth, to symbolise the 'Sikhs' concern with the problems of this world. The dome is currently being re-covered in gold donated by the Sikh community of Birmingham, Britain.

Souce: Lonely Planet