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Taj Mahal, Agra
 The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, including the recently announced New Seven Wonders of the World. Situated on the right bank of the river Yamuna in a vast Mughal garden of nearly 17 hectares, the Taj is one of the masterpieces of Indian Muslim architecture, and one of the great sites of the world’s heritage. The Taj looks beautiful on full moon nights and is one of the most photographed edifices in the world.
The Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble which was brought in from all parts of central Asia. The structure combines ingredients of Persian, India, Islamic and Turkish styles of architecture. It took twenty-two years to complete the construction of this architectural wonder. As per the records twenty thousand people were employed to work on this magnanimous project, which cost the Mughal emperor thirty-two million Rupees. According to the official documents, Ustad Isa was the master architect.
The architectural complex of the Taj Mahal comprises of five main elements: the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or rest house, and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual Tomb of Mumtaz is situated inside the Taj. The unique Mughal style architecture combines elements & styles of Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic architecture. Most striking are the black and white chessboard marble floor, the four tall minarets (40 m high) at the corners of the structure, and the majestic grand dome in the middle.
The Taj complex is set around a large Mughal garden. The garden uses raised pathways that divide each of the four quarters of the garden into 16 deep-set flowerbeds. Halfway between the tomb and gateway at the center of the garden is a raised marble water tank, with a reflecting pool on the North-South axis reflecting the image of Taj Mahal. On closer inspection, it is seen that throughout the complex the lettering of the Holy Quran verses around the archways appear to be uniform. The lettering spacing and density has been customized to give this impression to the viewer. The impressive pietra dura artwork includes geometric elements & style, plants & flowers, which are common in Islamic architecture.
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