Famous as: 7th Wonder of the world
Located in: Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Built By: Mughal Emperor Shahjahan
Tourist Timings: 6:00AM- 7:30PM everyday, except on Fridays. Closed on Monday


The Taj Mahal Agra Information
Shakespeare rightly said,“ What is love? ‘tis not hereafter,Present mirth present laughter”.

The Taj, A Royal Creation
The Taj a prodigy of devotion and grandeur was contrived by a Mughal Emperor Shah Jhan. This was his perpetual passion and love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal that exaggerated him to structure this threnody after her death. The mortal remains of the queen and the king lies in concord down the majestic dome.
The eternal monument of love built in pure white marble rest on the banks of the river Yamuna, in the city of Agra. The phoenix of Saracenian architecture, the Taj makes India the most cherished tourist destination in the world.

History of Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal, a beautiful and finest example of Mughal architecture is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. Taj Mahal was built by the great emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal also known as Anjuman Bano. Anjuman Bano married Jahangir's third son Prince Khurram at the age of 21. In 1628 AD, Khurram became king and known as Shah Jahan and Anjuman Bano by the name of Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal died during giving birth to a child at Burhanpur. Shah Jahan decided to build a monument in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument was named as Taj Mahal, constructed on a garden site. This garden belonged to Jai Singh of Amber. Shah Jahan gave four havelis in exchange for the garden to Jai Singh. This site was chosen only because it was situated on the bank of River Yamuna and it was also very near to Shah Jahan's personal palace in Agra.
Construction of Taj Mahal started in 1633 and 20,000 workers worked for 17 years to build it. The most experienced, skilled and expert architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from across the India, Persia and Turkey to work for Taj Mahal. Several precious stones were used from different countries in Taj Mahal like agates from Yemen, corals from Arabia, garnets from Bundelkhand, onyx and amethyst from Persia. Soon after the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb and put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort. Shah Jahan is also buried in the Taj Mahal next to his wife.

Construction of Taj Mahal Agra
Taj Mahal Agra the heavenly beauty built in 1634 lies on the shores of river Yamuna. For this majestic creation 20,000 skilled craftsmen were hired and it tool almost 22 years in its construction. The architectural conglomerate of the Taj Mahal embody the main gateway, the symmetrically planned garden, the mosque and the Taj Mahal monolith. Surrounded by spacious green lawns, fountains and trimmed trees lies this splendid tomb. Mughal art and architecture summarize Taj as a most chaste figure. The main arched doorway led to two mosques and the glorified beauty, the Taj. The middle dome is erected up to a height of 213 feet. The entire arcade ‘The Taj’ carved out with ethereal sculpture is festooned with glossy lay out of flowers and script engraving precious gems such as agate and jasper giving an diverting charisma to its splendor.

Architecture
Taj, the seventh wonder of the world is a exquisite amalgam of Hindu architecture of pre- Islamic India and Mughal architecture. The Hindu coliseum is assimilated with a versatile combination of motifs from Persia and Turkey.Amanat Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher of Taj Mahal, his name can be read on the gate of the Taj.

Ustad Ahmad from Lahore, a Persian engineer-astrologer was the designer of this chef d’oeuvre as it was traced out from the manuscript called this Diwan-i-Muhandis in 1930.

The Divine Beauty
The spiritual grandeur of the Taj Mahal reveals when the pure sterling glitter of moonlight splurges on the magnificent white marble structure. Even the sparks of golden sunrays falling on Taj will leave the tourist mesmerized also a perfect creation of fantasy and a leisured location for lovers who baptized in blooming romance. The majestic beauty of the Taj will culminate your esoteric perceiving with charming eminence.

The angelic elegance has made the Taj the most quixotic, charming tourist destination of the world.

How to Reach Taj Mahal
By Air: Daily domestic flights from Delhi to Agra are available from Delhi airport. Kheria Airport in Agra is only 6 km away from city. Taxis and Auto are available from airport to city at nominal rates.
By Rail / Train: Agra city is well connected by excellent train services from all the major cities. Delhi provides three fast trains to Agra which are The Shatabdi Express (2 hrs), Taj Express (2.5 hrs), Intercity Express (3 hrs). The major railway stations of Agra are Agra Cantt Railway Station, Raja-ki-Mundi Railway Station and Agra Fort Railway Station.
By Road: All the major cities and states are well connected by express highways to Agra. There are non stop a/c and non-a/c bus services from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Gwalior, and Jhansi. One can also hire private transport like taxis from travel agents at very nominal prices. The distance from the major cities are:
Mathura (Pilgrimage Destination) - 56 kms.
Bharatpur (Bird Sanctuary) - 62 kms.
Gwalior (Historical Destination) - 119 kms.
Delhi (Capital City of India) - 202 kms.
Jaipur (Cultural & Historical Destination) - 234 kms.
Khajuraho (Historical Destination) - 395 kms.

Hotels near Taj Mahal
Being the most important and popular travel destination of India, Taj Mahal is visited almost by every fourth traveler coming to India. There are several hotels near Taj Mahal which solves the problem of accommodation for the visitors. These hotels are well known for their hospitality. There are lots of luxurious world class hotels as well as budget and economy hotels in Agra. Some of the best hotels in Agra near Taj Mahal are:
Jaypee Palace Hotel - Agra (5 Star Deluxe)
Taj View Hotel (5 Star)
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra (5 Star)
Welcomgroup Hotel Mughal Sheraton (5 Star)
Hotel Holiday Inn (4 Star Hotel)
Hotel Mansingh - Agra (3 Star)
Joshi Resort (3 Star Hotel)
Deedar-E-Taj (3 Star Hotel)
Mansingh Palace (3 Star Hotel)