But ultimately itвЂ™s the story that is the most amazing. With its pools, its trees, its elegantly-straight pathways, it creates a sense of size that you canвЂ™t help but be impressed by. But also because of the vast garden that reaches out from the central Taj Mahal building up to the gate where you come in. Not just the size of the building itself, which perhaps looks a bit larger than it actually is because of the four tall minarets that rise up from each corner. I had expected it to be small because of all these comments, so it actually seemed impressively large to me. Perhaps thatвЂ™s why I didnвЂ™t feel that way myself. ItвЂ™s one of the sites that you travel to a region to see.ДЇor years, I have heard people say that when they visited the Taj Mahal it was smaller than expected. This is not one of those sites that you visit because itвЂ™s in the region where you are travelling. One of the reasons that the Taj Mahal and its surrounding site have captivated people for so long is because of the way the entire area seems to know where you are standing and then incorporate your position into the vista.Д®veryone knows the Taj Mahal, everyone has heard of it. The symmetry that is created in these reflections is beautiful but itвЂ™s only just one part of the layout in the entire complex, where angles and shapes are designed to accentuate this symmetry for effect. I go through to where I can see reflections of the central tomb in the long pools stretching out in front, creating even more striking images of this stunning building. I would recommend this tour from Agra or, if you just want a day trip, this tour from New Delhi.Д¬oming into the site and walking through the first main gate, I appreciate an optical illusion where the main building appears bigger at first and then reduces in size you walk forward through the portal, the opposite of what you might expect. One way to avoid missing these details is with a guided tour of the Taj Mahal. Well, some of the other details вЂ“ because IвЂ™m sure there are many that I miss. As well as the colours, I see the other details. I get to see the Taj Mahal in all of these colours, visiting in both the early morning and also in the afternoon leading into sunset. ThereвЂ™s so much thought thatвЂ™s gone into the details of the Taj Mahal that this aspect canвЂ™t be a coincidence. You have to assume that these shifting hues are intentional. And at sunset the building is a bright orange. During the day it becomes the white colour that most people expect. Just as the sun is rising the Taj Mahal turns from grey to pink. ItвЂ™s not just that there are very few people here вЂ“ although I appreciate that fact. First thing in the morning, the Taj Mahal looks different.

Taj mahal history