Pic Source

Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world and it also comes in the seven wonders list. The meaning of the word Taj Mahal is “Crown of Palaces”. This famous architecture was built by Shah Jahan, who was one of the Mughal Emperor and the son of Jahangir. Shah Jahan built this monument in the memory of his loving wife, Mumtaz Mahal. 
It is one of the best example of Mughal architecture. Its architecture is a combination of Persian, Turkish, Ottoman, Islamic and Indian architectures. Everyday thousands of people visit TajMahal to enjoy the beauty of this masterpiece. 
It is situated near the bank of river Yamuna in the city of Agra. Agra is one of the most popular cities of India, located at the west side of state of Uttar Pradesh. 
See also: Fatehpur Sikri

Some facts about Taj Mahal:

  • The time taken for the construction of Taj Mahal was twenty two years, which was started in 1632 and completed in 1653.
  • The name of the architect who designed the Taj Mahal was Ahmed Lahauri.
  • Approximately 20,000 people were assigned to build the Taj Mahal.
  • The total cost for the construction of Taj Mahal was around ₹320 million.
  • The marble used in making of Taj Mahal had come from Rajasthan, Afghanistan, Tibet and China.
  • The four minarets of the Taj Mahal were built in this way that if they fell, they would fall away from the main structure without giving any damage to the main structure.

Pic Source

Nearby Attractions: 

Apart from TajMahal, Agra houses other monuments also which inlclude Agra FortFatehpur Sikri, Itmad-ud-Daulah, Sikandra, Jama Masjid(built for Shah Jahan’s daughter), Guru ka Tal(a holy place of worship for Sikhs), Chini ka Rauza, Mariyam’s Tomb(built for Akbar’s wife), Mehtab Bagh and Keetham Lake.


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Timings: 

It opens from Sunrise to Sunset.
Closed on friday(open only for offering prayer in the mosque between 12pm to 2pm)


See also: Agra Fort

Entrance Fee: 

  • No ticket for children below 15 years.(both Indian and Foreigner)
  • For citizens of India: ₹20/- per head.
  • For citizens of SAARC countries and BIMSTEC countries: ₹510/- per head. (₹10/- by ASI and ₹500/- by ADA as a toll tax)
  • For foreign citizens: ₹750/- per head. (₹250/- by ASI and ₹500/- by ADA as a toll tax)

Note: Visitors who purchase a ticket for Tajmahal, they don’t need to purchase a full ticket if they visit any other monuments such as Agra FortFatehpur Sikri, etc on the same day. They need to purchase only a ASI ticket. They don’t required to pay a toll tax viz ₹500/- again.

Fee for night viewing:

  • No ticket for children below 3 years.(both Indian and Foreigner)
  • For children of 3-15 years: ₹500/-
  • For citizens of India: ₹510/-
  • For foreign citizens: ₹750/-

The tickets can be purchased from the booking counter located in the ASI office at Agra Circle, 22 The Mall, Agra.


Audio Guide Facility:

Available in  English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Bangla. 

Pic Source                                                                    Main entrance of Taj Mahal

Pic Source                  Interior of Taj Mahal

How to Reach:

Reaching Agra: 

Agra can be reached by any means of transport. It is well connected to all the major cities of India by roadways, railways & airways.

Reaching Taj Mahal: 

From Railway Station/Airport: You can reach Taj Mahal by taking Autorickshaw/Taxi/Bus.

  • If you are coming by bus via Yamuna Expressway or coming from Lucknow/Kanpur side via NH2, then leave your bus at water works crossing and book a Auto/Taxi to Taj Mahal.
  • If you are coming by bus from Delhi/Mathura side via NH2, then leave your bus at Bhagwan Talkies crossing and book a Auto/Taxi to Taj Mahal.

Written by

Manu Khandelwal

An engineer and a travel blogger. Loves trekking and doing bike road trips. Burger lover (want to try every burger in the world). Clinomaniac. Sports fanatic. Likes technology but not a technology addict.