The Taj Mahal, a poem in white marble, took 20,000 skilled artisans 22 years to build. Emperor Shah Jahan had the Taj built as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Built entirely of white marble, the Taj Mahal is a stunning architectural beauty beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset, when it takes on a golden hue. Perhaps more magnificent is the Taj Mahal in light of the full moon, when it seems to glow.

A popular belief is that an identical mausoleum complex was originally supposed to be built on the other side of the river, in black marble instead of white, for Shah Jahan himself.