Size can be deceiving. The Itimad-ud-Daulah, though not of massive scale, the proof is in the details. The building is awash in details. It is rather impressive how much care went into the building. Though much has been removed over time, it still retains a great deal of its original grandeur.
The building is the final resting place of Mirza Ghiyas Beg and his wife. This Persian gentleman, a relative of Mumtaz Mahal of Taj Mahal infamy, was named Itimad-ud-Daulah (Lord Treasurer). Many of the design elements of this mausoleum foreshadow later use at its larger cousin, the Taj Mahal. The building is further significant because it was the first all-marble built by the Mughals, and also the first to use pietra dura or intricate stone inlay work.
