Taj Mahal Tour, Tips For Visiting

A tour of the Taj Mahal is an almost mystical experience; it is probably India's most famous monument and its icon par excellence. But it is also the universal symbol of eternal love.

There is a reason for the fame of this monument: this harmonious white building set against the blue sky is truly pure poetry. It is counted among the seven wonders of the modern world.

It is located in Agra, every year there are hundreds of thousands of people who go there for a visit, both locals and foreigners.

How to get to the Taj Mahal

Agra is located just over 200 kilometres south of the capital Delhi, so journey times by car are around three and a half to four hours, depending on traffic. If you want a comfortable journey to Agra with your family, you can book the taj mahal tour by car online!

But if you don't have a car, you can still reach the city of Uttar Pradesh by bus or train. You can take a day trip to visit the Taj Mahal, although there is more to see in Agra as well; to explore the whole city, you would need at least two full days.

Using the bus is less comfortable and also more expensive; in fact, the bus covers the same route in 6 hours, and the ticket price rises to over 400 rupees.

The history of the Taj Mahal

The meaning of the name is "Palace of the Crown. " It was built in 1630 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his delinquent wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The woman died giving birth to her 14th child (poor thing!). The emperor was very fond of his third wife and grieved greatly at her loss of her. So he decided to erect this colossal and splendid monument to honor her memory.

Unfortunately, the son who caused the death of the mother was the source of much more suffering for the father. In fact, he deposed his father from the throne and had him imprisoned in the Agra Fort.

Features of the monument

During your visit to the Taj Mahal, you will be able to appreciate some details that are not evident in the photos. The monument is built entirely of white marble from the nearby Pushkar quarries. They say that this marble has the same characteristics as Carrara marble but that it is much harder, therefore, more difficult to work with.

Each marble slab is in low relief, and some are set with precious or semi-precious stones, such as jade and sapphires. The construction of the mausoleum lasted over 20 years and employed thousands of people, and elephants had to be used to transport the marble slabs.

The symmetry that characterizes the Taj Mahal is remarkable; wherever you look at it, you will realize that everything has been designed to create absolute harmony.

Visiting the Taj Mahal: with a guide or by yourself?
Although it is possible to visit the monument independently, it is strongly recommended that you hire a guide. Alone it would be really difficult to appreciate all the details that make the building so unique.

At the entrance, you will find many people who offer to accompany you on your tour, but most of them are not official guides; as a result, they don't have good preparation to make your visit pleasant.

When to visit the Taj Mahal

Many guidebooks suggest visiting the site early in the morning to avoid the crowds of Indian tourists. But going on same day taj mahal tour during the early afternoon is also a good option, as that is the time when the light is best to fully appreciate the Taj Mahal.

It is precisely in those hours that the sky is particularly blue and highlights the candid splendor of the monument. This will allow you to take excellent photos.

But even a sunset at the Taj Mahal has its charm; if you have the time to stop until the sun goes down, you will enjoy a fascinating and certainly unforgettable show.