One of the most recognized buildings in the world is the Taj Mahal which represents the Islamic style of architecture. One of the wonders of the world, this extraordinary building is visited by over 60,000 tourists a day! The shimmering white marble reflects light and keeps off the heat. The white color of the building represents the Muslim color of mourning.

The Taj Mahal is set on a beautiful sight of land located on the bend of the Yamaha River. Shah Jahan began building this great architectural achievement in 1631.  When visitors enter the garden, the first thing they see in the center is a long reflecting pool. The rectangular pool of the Taj Mahal has water channels that intersect. In fact the Taj Mahal is built using a "four garden plan", called a Carbagh. This is well known in Persian architecture.  It is said to be a work of harmony built according to the Islamic model of "The Mythical Garden of Paradise." You enter the walled complex through a gateway; a structure three stories high made of sandstone. With an octagonal room in the middle there are smaller rooms on each side. 

The mausoleum is a two storied cubical building with beveled edges set within a rectangular grid. The tomb is beneath the main onion dome. The dome in the middle is known as the great dome. The dome creates a bulb-like effect thinning out to a spire with a crescent on top. Built on a plinth, this large marble platform is almost seven meters high. The mosque, tomb, and guest house sit on the actual platform. At each corner is a minaret topped by finials.   The tomb is octagonal and sits in the middle.  Four small halls surround it much like the four minarets at the corners of the platform. The iwans which are the recessed portals look like peaked arches rising to a point in the center. There is a large iwan in the middle, which is beautifully decorated with precious, semi-precious jewels and other colored stones. There is inlaid stone in the form of flowers and calligraphy from the Koran. These stand out against the white marble. Known throughout the world for its beautiful architecture, the Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India, of beauty and of enduring love.