Taj_Mahal

Taj Mahal Taj Mahal, a mausoleum in Agra, India, regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had it built in memory of his wife, Arjumand Banu Bagam, known as Mumtaz Mahal (Persian for “Elect of the Palace”), who died in 1631. Building commenced about 1632. The mausoleum was complete by about 1643 and the surrounding complex of buildings and gardens was complete by about 1653. Situated on the southern bank of the Yamuna River, the white marble mausoleum is composed of four identical facades, each containing a large central arch 33 m (108 ft) high. A large bulb-shaped dome, over 73 m (240 ft) tall, rises over the center, with four smaller domes surrounding it. The building is raised on a square podium with a minaret (tower) at each corner. It is flanked by two red sandstone buildings—a mosque and its replica, mahal, each, mausoleum, large, ft, four, building, about, tomb, through, taj, surrounding, side, shah, sandstone, red, raised, over, one, muslim, mumtaz, marble, jahan, gate, garden, elaborately, died, containing, complete, center, carved, buildings, yamuna, world, wife, white