Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal in Agra as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal.
Mumtaz Mahal, the emperor’s chief consort, died in 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child. Shah Jahan ordered a grand tomb on the Yamuna River to honor her, and construction began soon afterward. The principal mausoleum was substantially completed by 1638–39, while surrounding buildings and decorative work continued later.
The complex combines a white-marble tomb, a formal charbagh garden, a mosque, a matching guesthouse, and monumental gateways. Its architecture brings together Persian, Islamic, Ottoman Turkish, and Indian influences. The central dome is surrounded by four minarets, and the marble surface is decorated with pietra dura inlay and carved calligraphy.
A common mix-up is calling the entire complex simply a palace. The Taj Mahal is principally a funerary monument, and Shah Jahan was later buried inside beside Mumtaz Mahal. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and remains one of India’s most visited landmarks.