The Taj Mahal in Agra was built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal.
Mumtaz Mahal, the emperor's wife, died in 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child. Shah Jahan commissioned the mausoleum soon afterward, and construction began in Agra during the 1630s. The principal building was substantially completed around 1648, while surrounding structures and decoration continued later.
The complex is built mainly of white Makrana marble and includes a central domed mausoleum, a mosque, a matching guesthouse, gardens, and a monumental entrance. Its design combines elements associated with Persian, Central Asian, and Indian architectural traditions.
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum, not a palace or a mosque, although the complex includes a mosque. It stands on the Yamuna River and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.