<P> The Taj Mahal ( / ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl / , more often / ˈtɑːʒ / ; meaning Crown of the Palace ) is an ivory - white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra . It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor , Shah Jahan ( reigned 1628 -- 1658 ) , to house the tomb of his favourite wife , Mumtaz Mahal . The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17 - hectare ( 42 - acre ) complex , which includes a mosque and a guest house , and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall . </P>
where in india is the taj mahal located
south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra