Taj Mahal, India

Photograph by Steve McCurry

Reflecting the passions of Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal in Agra was built in the mid-1600s as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Later he was buried beside her. Covering most of India—and known under Shah Jahan's grandfather Akbar for religious tolerance—the Mogul Empire collapsed in the early 1700s.

Photo Tip: Unusual perspectives and composition can make familiar subjects more fun.