Top 5 Mughal Monuments in India

New Delhi: India has been ruled by various dynasties, kings and emperors till its independence in 1947.And each of dynasty and empire left their imprints on the land of India in the form of various arts and architecture.One of these empires was the Mughal Empire, who ruled the country for more than 200 years.The Mughal emperors were quite famous for their love for architecture and hence various exquisite monuments were built during the Mughal reign.While few of these monuments have been turned into ruins with the passing time, many of the Mughal monuments have been declared World Heritage and have turned into famous tourists' spots and the landmarks for the respective cities. Here we present you a list of the top 5 splendid Mughal monuments in India Humayun's TombLocated in Nizamuddin East near Purana Qila, Humayun's Tomb is a mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Humayun.Built by Humayun's first wife Bega Begum, Humayun's Tomb is made up of red sandstone.The construction of the begun in 1565, nine years after Humayun's death and was completed in 1572.Built in Indo-Islamic architecture, the tomb was designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, a Persian architect chosen by Bega Begum, the Humayaun's Tomb was the first garden-tomb in India and also the first structure to use red sandstone at such a scale. Humayun's Tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and has gone through extensive restoration work since then. Agra FortSituated in the Agra city of Uttar Pradesh, the Agra Fort is the symbol of Mughal Dynasty with several architectural wonders.One of the most important forts in India, the Agra Fort is the sister monument of the renowned Taj-Mahal.Built during the Mughal dynasty, the Agra Fort was constructed in around 11th century.The fort which is made up of red sand stones is also known as the Red Fort of Agra.It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who lived in the fort for quite some time.Sikandar Lodi was the first Sultan of Delhi who shifted to Agra and lived in the fort.While the fort is located on the bank of the Yamuna River, it also has a beautiful garden at the entry path of the monument.This Red Fort of Agra has also been declared as the World Heritage site by UNESCO. Jama MasjidKnown as the primary mosque of Old Deli, Jama Masjid is situated in the beginning of Chawri Bazar Road.Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the construction of Jama Masjid began in 1650 while it was completed in 1656 and was originally named as Masjid-i Jahān-Numā.The name was later changed to Jama Masjid, referring to the weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims, Jummah, which is usually done in the mosque.The best-known mosque in India, Jama Masjid three great gates, four towers and two 40 m-high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. It took over 6,000 workers for the construction of the mosque, and the cost of construction was upto 1 million rupees.The courtyard of the mosque can accommodate upto 25,000 worshippers. Taj MahalKnown as one of the best known structures in the world, Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal after her death.Built in white marble, the Taj Mahal took twenty two years for its construction from 1632 to 1653.While the architecture of Taj Mahal depicts a combination of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles of architecture, it took around 22,000 people to build this remarkable building.With the construction cost of around 32 million rupees at that time, Taj Mahal was constructed using the best quality marble from Rajasthan, Tibet, Afghanistan and China. Qutub MinarKnown as the second tallest minar of the country, Qutub Minar is made of red sandstone and marble.An Islamic monument, Qutub Minar is inscribed with Arabic inscriptions.While the construction of the minar was started by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1192 it was completed by his successor, Iltutmish. The minar is named after Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who was apparently the first Sultan of Delhi.However the fifth and the last storey of the monument was built by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1368.The minar comprises of 379 steps and reaches upto the height of 72.5 metres.The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone.The Qutub minar also features Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, which is said to be the first mosque to be built in India.