The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum in the city of Agra, India.
The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to honor Mumtaz Mahal, his third wife. She died while bearing their fourteenth child, and Shah Jahan never really recovered from the loss.
Construction of the mausoleum was completed around 1648. The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, combining architectural elements from across the Muslim lands.
Shah Jahan was a member of the Mughal Dynasty, descended from Timur (Tamerlane), which ruled India from 1526 to 1858.
The name Taj Mahal may come from the Persian for "The greatest palace," or it may be a variant of Mumtaz Mahal's name. Literally, her name meant "the greatest," or "the chosen one."
"The Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983."
