A magnificent mausoleum of colossal yet perfectly symmetrical proportions in Delhi bordering River Yamuna, Humayuns Tomb was built for Emperor Humayun, the 2nd ruler of the Mughal Empire. The imposing edifice which is the first garden tomb in India as well as the oldest significant example of Mughal architecture is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Humayuns Tomb inspired several subsequent mausoleums including the Taj Mahal. Its construction spanning a decade from 1562-1572 was directed by Humayuns wife, the Persian Bega Begum. The mausoleum was designed by a Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath and manifests noticeable signs of Persian influence.
The building is surrounded by a walled, square garden divided into 36 square portions by a system of waterways. This is in accordance with the Islamic belief that paradise is at the center of a garden with flowing water. The octagonal tomb is built over a colonnaded platform. Humayuns cenotaph and that of his queen are installed in the high central chamber. An enormous double dome reaching a height of 42.5m surmounts the tomb. Constructed mainly of red sandstone, black and white marble have been used for variation. Humayuns Tomb contains beautiful decorations of inlaid tile-work, and intricate stone and marble carvings manifesting the great heights reached by Mughal craftsmen and their attention to detail.
The mausoleum also contains the graves of a few other renowned Moghul personages including Hamida Begum, the mother of Akbar and the last Moghul ruler, Bahadur Shah II. Protected by the Archeological Survey of India, Humayuns Tomb is maintained in befitting grandeur.
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