View from the Great Gate in northern direction to the Taj Mahal. 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 Taj Mahal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.