Taj Mahal | India

Built in the 17th century, Taj Mahal is a unique combination of different styles where every single detail has a hidden meaning. In 2007 it was listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Shah Jahan built the mausoleum to fulfill the last will of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She died while giving birth to their fourteenth child, after which Shah was inconsolable for many months. Cedar trees in the gardens around the palace symbolize his sorrow. Remembering this story, desperate lovers used to go up the minarets of Taj Mahal to commit suicides by jumping down from them.

It took Jahan 22 years to build the landmark – just as long as he and Mumtaz loved each other. The project was so expensive that it almost left the country bankrupt, but today Taj Mahal is one of the most famous Indian landmarks, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.