Taj Mahal

Notes on the Taj Mahal It is located in Agra, India about 120 miles south of New Delhi

It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

It was built as a memorial and tomb for Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. He built it after she died giving birth to his 14th child.

Construction took over 20 years and began in 1631 and ended in 1653. It took more than 20,000 laborers (workers) and over 1,000 elephants to construct the Taj Mahal.

Both Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are buried there. During the reign of Shah Jahan it was known simply as the “rauza” or tomb.

“Taj” means crown. Therefore the Taj Mahal is the crowning glory of the Mahal family. It attracts between 2-4 million visitors each year.