Built for 65 million rupees and completed in 1653, the Taj Mahal is an architectural marvel. (SUN/Bill Brooks)

It is an eternal symbol of a husband's love for his wife.

And lovers to this day still meet in the moonlight at one of the seven wonders of the world.

The Taj Mahal, one of the most photographed sites on Earth, was built by Emperor Shah Jehan as a memorial to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

She died in 1630 at the age of 39 while giving birth to their 14th child.

The emperor, grief-stricken at the loss of his one true love, spent the next 22 years immersed in the construction of the Taj Mahal.

More than 20,000 skilled craftsmen worked on the mausoleum which, by the time it was completed in 1653, cost a then-staggering 65 million rupees.

Enduring beauty

It was, and still is, the most beautiful monument the world has ever seen.

The gracefully proportioned octagonal structure is set at the north end of a formal, 17-hectare Persian garden.

The Taj rises 74 metres above a red sandstone base.

The "perfect" dome atop the Taj is balanced by four soaring minarets. Interestingly enough, the minarets are tilted outward, so if they ever were to fall, the dome would be spared.

Ten metres beneath the exterior dome lies another dome, built solely for the purpose of "acoustic purity."

White marble and red sandstone, silver and gold, carnelian and jasper, moonstone and jade, lapis lazuli and coral -- all were used on both the interior and exterior of the magnificent structure.

The jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen lies inside, enclosed by an octagonal screen of ornately pierced marble.

A little to one side lies the only asymmetrical feature in the Taj, the richly decorated casket of the emperor.

It was only as a result of a loving daughter the emperor was buried next to his beloved.

Shah Jehan, you see, spent the last seven years of his life imprisoned by one of his own sons.

Perhaps the most moving view of the Taj is several kilometres away from the tower in Fort Agra, where Jehan died at the age of 75, betrayed and broken-hearted.

It should come as no surprise more than 10,000 people visit the Taj daily.

The Taj is located in Agra, a city of 3 million people, located four hours by car from Delhi.

Unless you're big on road trips, I suggest you either catch a flight from Delhi or take the "high-speed" train.

Overnight stay

If you take the train, be advised, it leaves Delhi at 5 a.m. and returns near midnight.

You may wish to consider overnighting in Agra.

Before visiting the Taj, remember to call the India Tourist Office to check hours of operation. We discovered even though every book and brochure stated the Taj is open seven days a week, it was closed Mondays for cleaning.

It is also unbearably hot at midday, so you are best advised to go at sunrise or, if you're lucky, on a clear night by the light of a full moon.

As the Taj is one of the world's most popular tourist spots, regrettably, pickpockets are everywhere.

And vendors trying to sell you "real" coral or lapis are the most aggressive I've ever seen anywhere in the world.

Don't let the thought of these minor inconveniences deter a visit to one of the seven wonders of the world.

The beauty and majesty of this most spectacular of sites will leave you, if not in love, at least inspired.