Taj Mahal

New Seven Wonders of the World

The Taj Mahal rises on the south bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, a white marble mausoleum commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after the death of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. Construction, usually dated from about 1632 to the early 1650s, drew on thousands of craftspeople and on materials gathered from across India and beyond: marble from Makrana in Rajasthan, red sandstone from nearby quarries, and semi-precious stones set into the marble in delicate floral designs. The Persian-influenced complex follows strict symmetry. A forecourt and gateway open onto a charbagh garden divided by water channels, leading the eye to a high plinth where four slender minarets frame the central tomb and its double dome. Flanking red sandstone buildings, a mosque and its mirror-image jawab, balance the composition. Verses from the Quran are inlaid in black calligraphy around the arches, scaled so the lettering looks even from far below. Inside, the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and, later, Shah Jahan sit in an octagonal chamber screened by carved marble lattice, while the true burial places lie in a lower level. Today the monument is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of India’s most visited places. Visitors walk the garden, climb the platform and watch the marble shift from soft grey at dawn to cream at midday and rose at sunset. Crowding and air quality are real concerns, so early visits and patience help.