Taj Mahal

The majestic Taj Mahal is one of the 7 new Wonders of the World. It’s in the middle of the centre of the Indian town of Agra, a little bit south of New Delhi. The building is completely made out of white marble. Construction started by the order of the 17th century emperor Shah Jahan out of love for his deceased wife Mumtaz. After 17 years of marriage, she died during child labour during the birth of their fifteenth child. This affected the emperor that much, that he promised her to never conceive another child with a different woman and to build her the most beautiful building in the world. After 20.000 workers worked on this project for 22 years, the Taj Mahal was a fact in 1653. The building is also known as “the biggest monument for love”.

The fairy-tale like Taj is not only a miracle from a distance. It is also very impressive up close, with a detailed flower pattern and decorated with gemstones. The building is completely symmetric. 58 meters high, 56 meters long and graced by an incredible garden with a long stretched pond. It’s a mausoleum for Mumtaz and after the emperor’s death his body was placed here as well.

Practical tips for your visit to the Taj Mahal

You can visit the Taj Mahal daily between sunrise and sunset. You buy your ticket at the cash registers next to the entrance after which you can stand in line in front of the entrance. Make sure that you are at the ticket desk early in the morning to avoid long queues and to see the Taj Mahal during sunrise for the most beautiful light on the white marble.
If you’re a bit in front of the line, you have the opportunity to take some pictures of this Wonder of the World without a lot of visitors blocking it, if you’re lucky.

There is no official dress code for your visit, but the Taj is an Islamic building. So if possible, make sure that you dress up in clothes which cover your knees and shoulders as a sign of respect.