1631–1648 CE (heritage summary dating) / South & Southeast Asia
The Taj Mahal: Courtly Patronage and Remembrance
A marble mausoleum at Agra joined royal remembrance with the artistic traditions of the Mughal court.
The story
Shah Jahan ordered the Taj Mahal at Agra in memory of his wife. UNESCO’s short heritage description gives 1631–1648, while its detailed historical statement dates construction from 1632 and distinguishes surrounding works completed in 1653. These accounts use different starting points. The white-marble monument demonstrates the court’s ability to bring materials, craftsmanship and labour together. It belongs both to personal remembrance and to the Muslim artistic and royal landscapes of Mughal India. This entry follows the summary’s date range rather than presenting 1631 as an independently settled construction date.
Elsewhere in the world
Like major courtly and religious monuments elsewhere, the Taj Mahal invites attention to the skilled labour and resources behind monumental architecture.
Dates and precision
1631–1648 CE (heritage summary dating) Ongoing process
The dates describe a process over time; the interactive timeline uses its starting point.
Representative map location
Agra · Taj Mahal
The marker identifies the principal mausoleum, not the extent of Mughal rule.
Representative coordinates · 27.175°, 78.042°
Coordinates locate a representative point for the story. They do not mean the event happened only here and do not represent historical borders.
Bibliography
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre | Taj Mahal
Sources are listed as bibliography titles, without external links. A reference does not mean every sentence or interpretation has been independently verified.