Taj Mahal (Urdu: تاج Ù…ØÙ„, Hindi: ताज महल) is a monument located in Agra, India. Built on the desire of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir, as a mausoleum for the wife of Persian, Arjumand Banu Begum, also known as Mumtaz-ul-Zamani or Mumtaz Mahal. Its construction took 23 years (1630-1653) and is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture.