Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal stands in the Tajganj district on the southern bank of the Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and is the single most visited monument in India. Shah Jahan commissioned it in 1632 as the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, and the main mausoleum was substantially finished by about 1648, with the surrounding complex completed around 1653. Visitors enter through security checks at the East, West or South gates, then pass beneath the great red sandstone gateway (Darwaza-i-Rauza), where the white dome first appears framed by the arch. Beyond lies a formal charbagh garden divided by long water channels and a raised marble pool, the classic spot for the symmetrical photograph. The mausoleum itself sits on a marble plinth flanked by four minarets and by a red sandstone mosque and a matching jawab building. Up close, the walls carry pietra dura inlay of semi-precious stones, carved floral relief and panels of Quranic calligraphy in black marble that is cleverly scaled so the lettering looks even from the ground. Inside, the octagonal chamber holds the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan behind a pierced marble screen; photography is not allowed in the main chamber, and the crowd moves in a slow single file. Shoe covers are handed out with foreign-visitor tickets, since the platform must be entered without footwear. A typical visit takes two to three hours including the walk from the gate, the garden, the platform and the small museum in the western Jal Mahal. The best vantage points are the central bench-lined pool for the symmetrical view, the side of the mosque for angled shots, and the riverside terrace behind the tomb. Crowds are heaviest from about 9AM to 1PM, especially on weekends, Indian public holidays and in the cool season from October to March. Sunrise, the first hour after opening and the last hour before closing are noticeably calmer. The monument is closed on Fridays except for worshippers at the mosque, and the mausoleum sometimes closes briefly for security reasons or in heavy fog, which can obscure the view on winter mornings.