The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1632 to honor his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. Construction took over 20 years and incorporated Persian and earlier Mughal architectural influences. The white marble mausoleum sits in the center of a large garden divided into quarters by walkways and contains false sarcophagi of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan, along with their actual tombs below. Its symmetrical design and use of carved white marble established it as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.