Location: India, on the banks on the river Yamuna in Agra, the capital of Mughal Monarchs.
Description: The Taj Mahal is known throughout the world for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty. It is creamy white with gold scattered in certain areas. Its curving, gently swelling dome is large and towers above the center. There are also several other slender towers surrounding it. The Taj Mahal is taller than a modern 20-story building and it took 22 years to complete. A workforce of 20,000 was needed to construct it. Its natural beauty is admired by all.
History: This building happens to be one of the most spectacular sites in the modern world. It is the mausoleum of the Mughal Empress Mumtaz Mahal. As a tomb, it has no match upon earth, for mortal remains have never been housed in greater granduer. It all began in 1612, when Arjumand Banu Begam, better known by her other name, Mumtaz Muhal, married to Shah Jehan, (then Prince Khurram) the fifth mughal emperor. Mumtaz was her husband's inseperable companion on all his journeys and military expeditions, She was his comrade, his counsellor, and she inspired him to acts of charity and benevolence to the weak and the needy. She bore him fourteen children and died while giving birth in 1630. Shah Jehan was determined to perpetuate her memory for immortality and decided to build his beloved wife the finest sculpture ever. After twenty-two laborious years, and the combined effort of over twenty thousand workmen and master craftsmen, the complex was finally completed in 1648. The origin of the name the "Taj Mahal" is not clear, but it is generally believed that "Taj Mahal" is usually translated into "Crown Palace," or "Crown of the Palace."