Conceived by the heartbroken Emperor Shah Jahan as the ultimate monument of love for his favorite wife, Agra's Taj Mahal is the de facto symbol of India. Today, few historical attractions in the world are as synonymous with romance as the Taj Mahal.  

The Taj Mahal is an enormously popular tourist attraction for Indians and visitors alike, the crowds both joyous and respectful of the tomb's serene ambience.  

Twenty thousand laborers constructed the Taj Mahal over a period of 12 years. The tomb, composed of perfectly symmetrical minarets and domes, is lavished in intricate stone inlay work that turns the main structure into an exquisite jewel-box.  

The immense sprawl of the Taj Mahal allows couples to find peaceful nooks away from the crowds—perhaps to plot their next stop in Agra.  

Located near Agra, the abandoned white marble and red sandstone palaces of Fatehpur Sikri are eerily romantic, a 16th-century "ghost city" built by Emperor Akbar. The city was abandoned when a plague swept through, resulting in a monument so beautifully preserved it appears as if it were built yesterday.  

The third UNESCO World Heritage site in the area is Agra Fort, possibly the most important Mughal fort in India. At the peak of the Mughal empire, central and northern India plus present-day Pakistan, Bangladesh, and most of Afghanistan were ruled from Agra Fort.  

The balcony of Jehangir Palace in Agra Fort is a popular location for lovers to pose for photos. The Taj Mahal floats magically in the distance across the river.  

In addition to being a vital military edifice, Agra Fort was the gilded cage where Emperor Shah Jahan lived his last eight years, deposed by his ungrateful son Aurangzeb. From here, the Taj Mahal, which the emperor had built for his beloved wife, glows a mile away in the Agra haze like a bittersweet dream.