English: Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, India

Built in the middle of the 16th century by the widow of the Moghul emperor Humayun, this tomb launched a new architectural era that reflected its Persian influence, culminating in the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri. The Moghuls brought to India their love of gardens and fountains and left a legacy of harmonious structures, such as this mausoleum, that fuse symmetry with decorative splendor.

Resting on an immense two-story platform, the tomb structure of red sandstone and white marble is surrounded by gardens intersected by water channels in the Moghuls' beloved charbagh design: perfectly square gardens divided into four (char) square parts. The marble dome covering the actual tomb is another first: a dome within a dome (the interior dome is set inside the soaring dome seen from outside), a style later used in the Taj Mahal. As you enter or leave the tomb area, stand a moment before the beveled gateway to enjoy the view of the monument framed in the arch.