The Taj Mahal attracts 2 to 3 million visitors every year with more than 200,000 from overseas, making it the most popular tourist attraction in India. Most tourists visit during the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourist must either walk from the carparks or catch an electric bus.

The Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India must be one of the most magnificent and wondrous monuments created by man. We have been there and regard it as literally breathtaking, being the most beautiful, astonishing and inspiring sights that we have had the privilege of beholding. The focal point of the monument is constructed in white marble extravagantly inlaid with semi-precious stones and with calligrapher verses from the Quran (Koran).

Major parts of the surrounding construction are built from sandstone, distinctively colored red, in keeping with many other notable buildings of the district and period. The architectural style is Persian but possibly surpasses any other of similar style at any time, in any part of the world, displaying an incredible intricacy of form and decoration throughout its huge entirety. It has become quite understandably a major tourist attraction and the area caters for international sight-seeing visitors with travel facilities, accommodation and formal tours. Yet none of this commercialization detracts from the impressive spectacle. That summarises what the Taj Mahal is, but lets move on to recount why its there and how it became so exceptional.

Taj Mahal History :

Mumtaz and Shah Jehan were married in 1612 A.D had 14 children together. The Empress Mumtaz used to accompany her husband in his military campaigns, and it was in Burhanpur in 1630, that she gave birth to her last child, after which she died. So great was the Shah Jahan's love for his wife Mumtaz, that he ordered the building of the most beautiful mausoleum on Earth for her, The Taj Mahal.

As soon as construction work began in early 1630, sculptors, masons, craftsmen, and calligraphers were called from Persia, Ottoman Empire and Europe to work on construction of the Taj.

The architectural complex of the Taj Mahal comprises of five main elements: the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or rest house, and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual Tomb of Mumtaz is situated inside the Taj.

The unique moghal style architecture combines elements & styles of Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic architecture. Most striking are the black and white chessboard marble floor, the four tall minarets (40 m high) at the corners of the structure, and the majestic grand dome in the middle. On closer inspection, the lettering of the Holy Quran verses around the archways appear to be uniform.

The lettering spacing and density has been customized to give this impression to the viewer. The impressive pietra dura artwork includes geometric elements & style, plants & flowers, which are common in Islamic architecture. The level of sophistication in artwork includes a 3 cm decorative element containing more than 50 inlaid gemstones.
 

How to reach
 

Air  Agra is easily accessible from all the parts of India by air.
 

Rail One can easily reach Agra by rail routes.
 

Road Agra has well connected road networks, which are linked to all the major destinations of Uttar Pradesh and nearby state.