This major landmark and symbol of India was finally completed in 1653 after 21 years of construction. The ivory-white, richly decorated tomb served as the mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the favourite wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, and for the emperor himself. The building in the left background of the photograph is a mosque belonging to the complex. The Taj Mahal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.