The Taj Mahal is situated more than 900 feet away from the entrance at the opposite end of the garden. Instead of occupying the central point (like most Mughal mausoleums) it stands majestically at the north end just above the river. Towering almost 200 feet in height, the Taj is perfectly symmetrical and constructed on a 313 square foot marble platform that stands above a sandstone one. The platform helps level the land as it slopes down to the river. Four tall minarets rise up to a towering height of 138 feet from the corners. The most elegant dome of the monument has a diameter of 60 feet that rises 80 feet over the building.

The carvings and reliefwork: At first sight the Taj can be deceptively simple, a matchless example of purity and simplicity. But as one moves closer and examines the Taj, its complex intricate design reveals itself. Nineteenth century visitors wrote that the monument seemed "built by Titans, finished by jewelers."
The main forms of ornamentation found on the Taj are: 1. Pietra dura inlay 2. Flowers 3. Hard stone carving 4. Calligraphy 5. Incised paintings.
Pietra dura was a technique where thin sections of precisely carved hard and semi-hard gemstones were laid in sockets specially prepared in the surface of marble. Semi-precious stones were thus inlaid into the marble in beautiful patterns and with superb craftsmanship
Flowers were generally seen as symbols of the heavenly realm. The Mughals always had an interest in flowers since the days of Babur the first Mughal who was an avid gardener. Shah Jehan's father Jehangir also wrote about his fascination with nature and his passion for flowers in his memoirs. Shah Jehan inherited this passion.The Taj Mahal's decoration shows that the importance of floral motifs in an architectural context was established early in the emperor's reign and later became the hallmark of Mughal decorative style.