Here is a comprehensive guide to help you plan your visit:

1. Planning Your Visit

Best Time to Go

The best time to visit is during the cooler, drier seasons, and at a specific time of day for the most magical experience.²

Special Viewing: Taj Mahal by Moonlight

For a truly unique experience, night viewing is available for a limited time on:

• The night of the full moon.

• The two nights before and two nights after the full moon.³

• Note: This is unavailable on Fridays and during the month of Ramadan.⁴ Tickets for night viewing must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance.⁵

2. Visitor Information & Tickets

Entry Gates

There are three gates for entry.⁶ The best gate to choose depends on your priority:

1. East Gate (Recommended for Tourists): Typically has the shortest security line and is closest to many tourist hotels.⁷ Best for sunrise.

2. West Gate: The main entrance, often the busiest as it is popular with domestic visitors.⁸

3. South Gate: Opens later, usually after 8:00 AM, so skip this one if you are aiming for sunrise.

3. Security and What to Bring

Security is very strict, so it’s essential to know the rules to avoid delays.

Tip: Leave any non-essential items, especially large bags, at your hotel or in the cloakrooms available near the gates for a small fee.

4. History and Significance

The Taj Mahal (“Crown of the Palace”) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river.⁹

• A Monument to Love: It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child.¹⁰

• Construction: The main mausoleum was completed in 1648, with the entire complex finished by 1653. It took the labor of over 20,000 artisans from across India, Central Asia, and Iran.¹¹

• Architecture: It perfectly blends Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Indian architectural styles, most notably through its perfect symmetry, intricate carvings, and the use of pietra dura—the inlay of semi-precious stones into the white marble.¹²

5. What to See in the Complex and Nearby

The monument is much more than just the main tomb:

• The Main Gate (Darwaza-i Rauza): This impressive red sandstone gate perfectly frames your first view of the Taj Mahal—a classic spot for a photograph.¹³

• The Charbagh (Mughal Garden): A Persian-style four-part garden that symbolizes paradise, complete with symmetrical pathways and a long reflecting pool that mirrors the monument.¹⁴

• The Mausoleum: The central white marble structure where the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are located (the real graves are in a locked crypt below).¹⁵ You must put on the provided shoe covers before stepping onto the marble platform.

• The Mosque and Jawab: On either side of the mausoleum are two red sandstone buildings: a working mosque on the west, and its architectural twin, the Jawab (answer or guesthouse), on the east.¹⁶

Other Must-See Attractions in Agra

While in Agra, be sure to visit these other sites to complete your Mughal-era experience:

• Agra Fort: Located only 2.5 km (1.5 mi) from the Taj Mahal, this massive red sandstone fort is where Emperor Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son for the last years of his life, from where he could gaze upon his masterpiece.¹⁷

• Mehtab Bagh: A garden complex across the Yamuna River that offers one of the best spots for a peaceful, spectacular sunset view of the Taj Mahal.¹⁸

• Itimad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb: Often called the “Baby Taj,” this mausoleum is an earlier Mughal-era tomb made of marble with intricate pietra dura work, which is said to have inspired the design of the Taj Mahal itself.¹⁹