Taj Mahal, Agra, India (1632 – 1648)
In 1632, Shah Jahan I of the Mughal Empire commissioned architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori for a very special project. He lost the love of his life, wife Mumtaz Mahal, who passed away after giving birth to their 14th child. He wanted to create a mausoleum that would resemble the paradise Mumtaz Mahal was certainly living in the afterlife. Construction lasted for 22 years, but resulted in one of the most ornate, delicate buildings of the Mughal Empire.
The mausoleum would become one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal. The white marble cladding features colorful inlaid stonework. Carved stone decorations look like royal icing on a delicate cake. The four minarets and the onion dome symbolize the Mughal Muslim traditions of the Empire. About seven to eight million people visit the Taj Mahal each year.
