1631
A queen is lost
Mumtaz Mahal dies in Burhanpur. Her body is later moved to Agra, where a mausoleum worthy of her memory is planned.
World Heritage Quiz · Agra, India
Bing Taj Mahal Quiz – Test Your Knowledge of India’s Famous Monument
Ten questions, three precious gems to wager, and a bonus round through time. Discover the love story, the craftsmanship and the science behind the world’s most admired tomb.
Begin the quizOn the south bank of the Yamuna River in Agra stands a building so perfectly balanced that it seems to float. The Taj Mahal was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and nearly four centuries later it remains the defining image of India for millions of people. The poet Rabindranath Tagore famously likened it to a teardrop on the cheek of time.
Behind its serene white walls lies a remarkable story of devotion, engineering and artistry: thousands of craftspeople, marble hauled from Rajasthan, gemstones gathered from across Asia, and a garden designed as an earthly vision of paradise. This Bing Taj Mahal Quiz tests how much you know. Each question lets you wager one, two or three gems on your confidence, and a bonus round asks you to put key events in order.
Please note: this is an independent educational quiz. It is not created by, affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft, Bing or the Archaeological Survey of India.
The quiz
Take the Bing Taj Mahal Quiz
Before each answer, choose how many gems to wager. A correct answer wins your full wager. A wrong answer with a one-gem wager costs nothing, two gems costs one point, and three gems costs two. Finish with a bonus round worth up to four more points.
The Gem Wager
History
A Love Story in Marble: The History of the Taj Mahal
Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, married Arjumand Banu Begum in 1612. She became known as Mumtaz Mahal, often translated as “the exalted one of the palace,” and traveled with him even on military campaigns. Her death in 1631, while giving birth to their fourteenth child, left the emperor grief-stricken and set in motion one of the most ambitious building projects of the age.
1632
Work begins
Construction starts on the riverside site. Traditional accounts describe around 20,000 workers, including masons, carvers and calligraphers.
1648
The tomb is finished
The main mausoleum is completed after about 16 years of work, crowned by its great double dome.
1653
The complex is complete
The mosque, guest house, great gateway and gardens are finished, creating a complex of nearly 17 hectares.
1658
An emperor confined
Shah Jahan is deposed by his son Aurangzeb and confined at Agra Fort, where he is said to have gazed at the Taj across the river.
1666
Reunited
Shah Jahan dies and is buried beside Mumtaz Mahal in the crypt beneath the main chamber.
1983
World Heritage
UNESCO inscribes the Taj Mahal on its World Heritage List as a masterpiece of Indo-Islamic architecture.
2007
A new wonder
The Taj is named one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” in a global public poll.
Architecture
Anatomy of the Taj Mahal
The Taj combines Persian, Central Asian and Indian building traditions into a design built on symmetry and precise proportions. These are the parts quiz questions most often ask about.
- 1Finial: a gilded spire crowning the dome, mixing Islamic and Hindu decorative motifs.
- 2Onion dome: a double dome; the outer shell rises far above the inner ceiling to create its soaring silhouette.
- 3Chhatris: four small domed kiosks surrounding the main dome, a feature drawn from Indian architecture.
- 4Iwan: the huge arched entrance on each face, framed with Quranic calligraphy by Amanat Khan.
- 5Minarets: four towers of about 40 m, built leaning slightly outward, often explained as protection for the tomb in an earthquake.
- 6Plinth: the raised marble platform that lifts the tomb above the gardens and river.
- 7Calligraphy & inlay: letters grow larger higher up so they look even from the ground, alongside floral pietra dura.
Symmetry runs through the whole complex. A red sandstone mosque stands to the west of the tomb, and an identical building, the jawab or “answer,” stands to the east purely to balance it. The one deliberate break in the symmetry is inside: Shah Jahan’s cenotaph sits beside his wife’s, which occupies the exact center of the chamber.
Materials
Marble, Sandstone and a Palette of Gems
The tomb’s brick core is clad in white marble from Makrana in Rajasthan, while the surrounding buildings use red sandstone. Its walls glow with pietra dura, known locally as parchin kari, in which cut stones are fitted into carved marble to form flowers and vines. Traditional accounts list gems sourced from across Asia:
White marbleMakrana, Rajasthan
Red sandstoneQuarried in the region around Agra and Rajasthan
Lapis lazuliAfghanistan
JadeChina
TurquoiseTibet
CarnelianArabia
SapphireSri Lanka
CrystalChina
According to tradition, around a thousand elephants helped haul materials to the site. Whether or not that number is exact, moving tonnes of marble hundreds of kilometres in the 17th century was an extraordinary feat of logistics.
Light & mood
Why the Taj Changes Color Through the Day
White marble reflects the color of the sky, so the Taj seems to change mood from sunrise to moonrise. Photographers often say each hour shows a different monument.
Sunrise
Soft pink
Early light warms the marble to a rosy blush, and morning crowds are usually at their thinnest.
Midday
Dazzling white
High sun makes the marble brilliant, revealing every detail of the inlay and calligraphy.
Sunset
Golden glow
Evening light turns the dome amber and orange, with long reflections in the pools.
Moonlight
Silvery blue
Under a full moon the marble takes on a cool, pearly shimmer during limited night viewings.
Fact check
Taj Mahal Myths vs. Facts
A monument this famous attracts legends. Some are romantic, some are grim, and many turn up as trick questions.
Myth
Shah Jahan planned a matching “Black Taj” across the river.
What we know
No convincing evidence supports it. Excavations at Mehtab Bagh, opposite the Taj, revealed a moonlit viewing garden instead.
Myth
The workers’ hands were cut off so the Taj could never be copied.
What we know
There is no historical record of this. Many of the same craftsmen are believed to have worked on later Mughal projects.
Myth
The Taj Mahal was built as a royal palace.
What we know
It was always a mausoleum. The name is often linked to Mumtaz Mahal herself and is usually translated as “Crown of the Palace.”
Myth
It was built in just a few years.
What we know
The main tomb took about 16 years, and the full complex roughly two decades, from 1632 to 1653.
Today
Protecting the Taj, and Visiting It Today
Keeping the marble white
- The Taj Trapezium Zone: following a 1996 ruling by India’s Supreme Court, polluting industries around Agra face strict limits across a protected area of about 10,400 km².
- Cleaner transport: fuel-powered vehicles are kept at a distance from the monument, with battery shuttles carrying visitors closer.
- Clay “facials”: conservators apply a mud pack of fuller’s earth (multani mitti) that draws out yellowing and grime as it dries.
Practical tips for visitors
- Closed on Fridays: the Taj is open every other day, from about 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes before sunset.
- Night viewing: limited moonlit sessions are offered around the full moon in small batches.
- Go early: sunrise brings soft light and smaller crowds.
- Check before you go: hours, fees and rules can change, so confirm on the official website.
Quiz smarter
Tips for Acing Taj Mahal Questions
- Remember the couple: Shah Jahan built it for Mumtaz Mahal, not Akbar or Aurangzeb.
- Separate the dates: 1631 (her death), 1632 (work begins), 1648 (tomb finished), 1653 (complex complete).
- Don’t mix up UNESCO and New7Wonders: World Heritage status came in 1983; the New Seven Wonders poll was in 2007.
- Know the materials: Makrana marble, red sandstone and pietra dura inlay.
- Spot the asymmetry: Shah Jahan’s off-center cenotaph is the famous exception.
Ready for something lighter? Try our Movie and TV Quiz for a fresh round of screen trivia, or test your knowledge of current events with the Top Stories Quiz.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bing Taj Mahal Quiz?
It is a free educational quiz with ten questions and a bonus chronology round about the history, architecture and materials of the Taj Mahal. You wager one to three gems on each answer, and every question includes an explanation. It is independent and not affiliated with Microsoft or Bing.
Who built the Taj Mahal and why?
The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. He was later buried beside her.
How long did it take to build the Taj Mahal?
Work began in 1632. The main tomb was completed around 1648, and the full complex, including the mosque, guest house and gateway, by 1653.
What is the Taj Mahal made of?
A brick core clad in white marble from Makrana, Rajasthan, with red sandstone used for surrounding buildings and inlay of semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli, jade and carnelian.
Why do the minarets lean outward?
The four minarets were built tilting slightly outward. The most commonly cited explanation is that, in an earthquake, they would fall away from the tomb rather than onto it.
Is the Taj Mahal open every day?
No. It is closed to general visitors on Fridays. On other days it opens from about 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset, but check the official website for current hours.