Seventeen hectares of Mughal garden and a 10,400 sq km protection zone: the Taj Mahal on the World Heritage List

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Seventeen hectares of Mughal garden and a 10,400 sq km protection zone: the Taj Mahal on the World Heritage List

Background

UNESCO inscribed the Taj Mahal at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on the World Heritage List in 1983 under criterion (i).
It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
UNESCO says construction began in 1632 AD and was completed in 1648 AD, while the mosque, guest house, main gateway and outer courtyard were finished in 1653 AD.
Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was the main architect.
The monument stands in a Mughal garden that encompasses nearly 17 hectares.
An area of 10,400 sq km around the Taj Mahal is defined to protect the monument from pollution.

Inscribed: 1983 Criterion: (i) Garden area: nearly 17 hectares Protection area: 10,400 sq km

Why it matters for exams: The inscription year, the criterion, the builder and the architect of the Taj Mahal are standard questions.

Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank

25 October 2026 Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre

In plain words

UNESCO World Heritage List United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage List — The list of places UNESCO recognises as having outstanding universal value.