Humayun’s Tomb

What it is

Humayun's widow, Bega Begum, commissioned the tomb after his death, and it was finished around 1570. It was the first great garden tomb in India: red sandstone and white marble set in a charbagh, a garden cut into four by water channels. The Taj Mahal followed the same plan decades later.

The complex holds several other tombs, including Isa Khan's, which is older than Humayun's. A long restoration by the Aga Khan Trust brought back the water channels and much of the garden. Sunder Nursery, the landscaped park next door, has its own ticket and is worth the extra hour.

Getting there

It sits on Mathura Road near Nizamuddin. Jangpura on the Violet Line is the nearest station, and from there an auto takes a few minutes. Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station is close by. There is a car park at the entrance.

When to go

Early morning or the hour before sunset, when the stone turns warm. Winter is the best season. Weekday mornings are quiet, and school groups fill it later in the day.

Good to know

Online tickets are cheaper than at the counter, and children under 15 go in free. A site museum at the entrance explains the Mughal dynasty. The Nizamuddin Dargah is across Mathura Road, a short walk away.