<P> The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1631, to be built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum . Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 . The imperial court documenting Shah Jahan's grief after the death of Mumtaz Mahal illustrate the love story held as the inspiration for Taj Mahal . The principal mausoleum was completed in 1643 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished about five years later . </P> <P> The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal architecture . Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including the Gur - e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb, Itmad - Ud - Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi . While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones . Buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement . </P> <P> The tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of the Taj Mahal . It is a large, white marble structure standing on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an iwan (an arch - shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and finial . Like most Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Persian in origin . </P> <P> The base structure is a large multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners forming an unequal eight - sided structure that is approximately 55 metres (180 ft) on each of the four long sides . Each side of the iwan is framed with a huge pishtaq or vaulted archway with two similarly shaped arched balconies stacked on either side . This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the design completely symmetrical on all sides of the building . Four minarets frame the tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners . The main chamber houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; the actual graves are at a lower level . </P>

Where is the tomb in the taj mahal