The construction of Taj Mahal began in 1631 and ended in 1648 AD. Twenty thousand workers are said to have worked on it daily for seventeen years.

Scholars held different views about the main architect of the Taj. Available evidence has, however, proved that it was Ustad Ahmad Lahori, Shahjahan's official master builder, who designed the Taj complex and was awarded the title of Nadir-i-Asr (Wonder of the Age) by the Emperor.

The Taj exemplifies the classical phase of the Mughal architectural style.