The Taj Mahal signifying "Crown of the Palace" is an ivory-white marble catacomb on the south bank of the Yamuna stream in the Indian city of Agra. It was dispatched in 1632 by the Mughal sovereign, Shah Jahan (ruled from 1628 to 1658), to house the tomb of his most loved spouse, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the focal point of a 17-hectare (42-section of land) complex, which incorporates a mosque and a visitor house, and is set in formal greenery enclosures limited on three sides by a crenelated divider.
The Taj Mahal was assigned as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the gem of Muslim craftsmanship in India and one of the generally respected perfect works of art of the world's legacy". It is viewed by numerous as the best case of Mughal engineering and an image of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal pulls in 7– 8 million guests every year. In 2007, it was proclaimed a victor of the New7Wonders of the World (2000– 2007) activity.