Shah Jihan, the Fifth Moghul Emperor, conceived the Taj Mahal as the Mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, his favourite wife. She bore him thirteen children, dying in childbirth in 1631.
Construction of the complex began in 1631 and was completed in 1653. The Mausoleum is constructed entirely from white marble. The complex is designed on the Moghul architectural style based on – four – though the Yamuna River forms the fourth boundary, three wall and gates lie on the other sides. The design is inspired by Humayun’s Tomb (New Delhi), I’tim?d-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj, Agra) and Shah Jihan’s own Jama Masjid Mosque New Delhi).
