Important things you must know before visiting Taj Mahal, India! By- NEETA SHARMA

# Location:

Everyone knows that Taj Mahal is counted amongst the 7 wonders of the world and needs no introduction. It is located on the bank of the Yamuna river Agra city in India. In India, “Taj” means Crown and “Mahal” means Palace; so it is also called as the Crown of the Palace and is recognized as the most romantic building in all over the world.

Other than the Taj Mahal in Agra you can also visit to other iconic places in this city. These are Agra Fort, Akbar’s Tomb, Mehtab Bagh Gardens, Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, Musamman Burj, Itmad-Ud-Daulah Tomb, Guru Ka Tal, Chini Ka Rauza mausoleum and Moti Mosque.

To read Interesting Facts about Taj Mahal: Click Here

# History:

Prior to visit the Taj Mahal you should know about its history also. Tajmahal was constructed by Shah Jahan from 1631-1648 for his third beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. She was a Persian princess and while giving birth to their 14^th child, she died. This implausible monument was built by the hard work of 20,000 artisans and hence it took 20 years to complete.

Mumtaz and Shah Jahan

Taj Mahal expands on design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal  style of architecture. It is totally made up of white marble and other material which was imported from various countries. The white marble was bought from the Rajasthan, Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, Jade & Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet and Sapphire from Sri Lanka. Therefore, while your tour to Taj Mahal you can discover the construction and unbelievable architecture of it.

# How to reach Taj Mahal?

You can go to Taj Mahal through Delhi (Capital of India) and it will take approximately 4 hours to reach the Tajmahal. It is about 221 kilometers from Delhi Airport. You can visit Agra by Bus, Train or by hiring a private taxi. After reaching to Agra Fort Railway station you can hire taxi or auto-rickshaw to reach Taj Mahal as it is just 5.2 kilometer far from there.

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# Best time to visit:

The best time to visit Taj Mahal is generally during the winter season, mainly from October to February. As it is very hot in Agra, so winter season is perfect for the visitors to visit Taj Mahal and be comfortable. Or else, Tajmahal is open all through the year and six days a week, but close on Friday.

The timing to visit Taj Mahal is between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and the nighttime to visit Taj Mahal is between 8:30 pm to 12:30 am. But, night view is offered only 5 nights in a month through full moon week, rest of the time it is not applicable at all.

Night View of Taj Mahal

# What to wear:

There is not a dress code for visiting the Taj Mahal. But as per the culture and Indian society you should wear a dress that covers your body. Means,, it should cover your legs and cleavage. Also, you should wear clothes according to the weather there.

# Entry Ticket Cost:

Taj Mahal has different entry fees for people from diverse countries such as:

For citizens of India	INR 40
For citizens of Thailand, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri-Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan	INR 530
For Citizens from countries not listed above	INR 1000
Children below 15 years (irrespective of country)	FREE

You can buy tickets from following places:

* TajMahal Eastern Gate (750 metres away at Shilpgram)

* TajMahal Western Gate (near Saheli Burj)

* TajMahal Southern Gate

# Best things to see there:

There are numerous must-see places in Taj-Mahal. These are as following:

* The enthralling exterior of the Taj-Mahal

* The Riverfront Terrace

* Tajmahal Museum

Tajmahal Museum

* The Scree and Cenotaphs

* Mughal Riverfront Garden

* Lower Tomb Chamber

* The Pishtaqs and Monumental Porches

Moreover, to stay in Agra you can choose amongst the following hotels as per your choice: