Shah Jahan began the Taj Mahal in 1632 as the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, and twenty thousand craftsmen spent some two decades answering his grief in white Makrana marble. It remains architecture's most complete sentence — perfect symmetry, pietra dura✦pietra duraThe inlay of polished coloured stones — carnelian, jade, lapis — into marble, brought to its Indian summit on the Taj Mahal. Agra's artisan families…Read in the glossary ↗ inlay of carnelian and jade, calligraphy that enlarges as it rises so it reads evenly from below.
The marble changes costume through the day: pearl-grey before dawn, blinding white at noon, amber at sunset, and by full moon a pale ghost of itself. The building rewards the traveller who meets it at the right hour, with the right guide, and without a schedule pressing behind.
Visiting Well
- Sunrise entry is non-negotiable — the gates open before dawn and the first hour belongs to the patient.
- Closed on Fridays; moonlight viewings run five nights around each full moon, booked ahead.
- Mehtab Bagh, across the Yamuna, gives the sunset view without the crowds.
How Elevated India Arranges It
We enter at the eastern gate at first light with a historian guide, reach the cenotaph chamber before the coaches arrive, and return you to Amarvilas for champagne breakfast with the dome still in view.
Questions, Answered
What is the best time to visit the Taj Mahal?
Sunrise — the site opens before dawn, the light is at its finest and the crowds thinnest. The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays; October to March offers the most comfortable season.
Can you visit the Taj Mahal at night?
Yes — limited moonlight viewings are permitted on five nights around each full moon (except Fridays and during Ramzan), with tickets released a day in advance. Elevated India arranges these ahead of travel.
Journeys That Take You There
