The Taj Mahal was built between 1632 and 1648 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1592 - 1666) in memory of his third wife; Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture 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; and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.