Who commissioned the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum in the 17th century?

Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Construction began in Agra, India, around 1632, several years after Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631. The complex was built during Shah Jahan’s reign as Mughal emperor and became one of the most celebrated examples of Mughal architecture.

The main mausoleum is built from white marble and is surrounded by a garden, mosque, guest house, and monumental gateway. Craftspeople used inlaid stone decoration, calligraphy, and carefully balanced architectural forms.

Shah Jahan was later deposed by his son Aurangzeb and spent his final years confined in Agra Fort. He was buried beside Mumtaz Mahal inside the Taj Mahal, although the placement of his cenotaph disrupts the otherwise symmetrical interior design.