Completion of the Taj Mahal

Timeline

1. 1643–1647Taj Mahal construction site · AgraSince work began in 1632, tens of thousands of artisans and stonemasons under chief architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori completed the central dome, four corner minarets, and marble inlay work. Craftsmen from Lahore, Samarkand, and elsewhere contributed floral patterns and semi-precious stone inlay.
2. 1648Taj Mahal · AgraThe central white marble mausoleum and dome structure were declared finished; the sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan (later reinterred) were placed in the crypt. The symmetrical garden, mosque, and guest house were still being completed over the following years.
3. 1648–1650Agra · Uttar PradeshNews of the Taj Mahal's completion spread across the empire and overseas trade routes, becoming an iconic symbol of the state power and cultural achievement of Shah Jahan's era. Its architectural paradigm influenced later Mughal and Rajput state mausoleum traditions, and it remains a World Heritage Site today.