Taj Mahal

Recently the 'Taj Mahal' was voted as one of the 'Seven Wonders of the World'.I have personally visited the 'Taj' thrice and can confidently say that it is one of the most beautiful man made structures on Earth.
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in approximately 1648. A team of designers and craftsmen were responsible for the design, with Ustad Ahmad Lahauri being the principal designer.The grave of Shah Jahan was added to it later. The queen’s real name was Arjumand Banu. In the tradition of the Mughals, important ladies of the royal family were given another name at their marriage or at some other significant event in their lives, and that new name was commonly used by the public. Shah Jahan's real name was Shahab-ud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before ascending to the throne in 1628.Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed in 1648 at a cost of 32 Million Rupees.

The Taj Mahal is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures with a beautiful persian garden besides the river Yamuna.