Taj Mahal: when is the facade in the sun?
Short answer: 7 Nov 2026: Sun on the main front (from the garden) 06:55–17:20, most frontal around 12:05; golden light 06:55–07:30 and 16:45–17:20.
The classic view from the garden looks north at the south front. From October to March the low sun lights that front all day. In summer the sun rises in the north-east and passes almost overhead, so the front only gets flat light around midday while the east and west sides take the morning and evening sun.
Sat 7 November 2026 · sunrise 06:34, sunset 17:32
Sun on the facade 06:55–17:20
Sun on the main front (from the garden) 06:55–17:20, most frontal around 12:05; golden light 06:55–07:30 and 16:45–17:20.
| Direct sun | Golden light | |
|---|---|---|
| Main front (from the garden) faces south, towards the gate and garden | 06:55–17:20 Most frontal 12:05 | 06:55–07:30 and 16:45–17:20 |
| East side faces east | 06:40–11:05 Most frontal 06:40 | 06:40–07:30 |
| West side faces west | 13:05–17:30 Most frontal 17:25 | 16:45–17:30 |
Hour by hour
| Time | Main front (from the garden) | East side | West side |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:30 | Dark | Dark | Dark |
| 07:00 | Golden light on the facade | Golden light on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 07:30 | Side light: strong relief | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 08:00 | Side light: strong relief | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 08:30 | Side light: strong relief | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 09:00 | Side light: strong relief | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 09:30 | Side light: strong relief | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 10:00 | Full sun on the facade | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 10:30 | Full sun on the facade | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 11:00 | Full sun on the facade | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 11:30 | Full sun on the facade | Grazing light: most of the facade in shade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 12:00 | Full sun on the facade | Grazing light: most of the facade in shade | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 12:30 | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) | Grazing light: most of the facade in shade |
| 13:00 | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) | Grazing light: most of the facade in shade |
| 13:30 | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) | Side light: strong relief |
| 14:00 | Full sun on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) | Side light: strong relief |
| 14:30 | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) | Side light: strong relief |
| 15:00 | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) | Side light: strong relief |
| 15:30 | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) | Full sun on the facade |
| 16:00 | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) | Full sun on the facade |
| 16:30 | Side light: strong relief | In shade (sun behind the building) | Full sun on the facade |
| 17:00 | Golden light on the facade | In shade (sun behind the building) | Golden light on the facade |
| 17:30 | Dark | Dark | Dark |
| 18:00 | Dark | Dark | Dark |
Plan it
Gates open 30 minutes before sunrise (closed on Fridays). For the sunrise glow, be inside the gate at opening; morning haze often softens the light from November to February.
Through the year
| 15th of | Main front (from the garden) | East side | West side |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:20–17:45 | 07:20–11:25 | 13:40–17:45 |
| February | 07:50–17:20 | 07:05–11:40 | 13:30–18:10 |
| March | 08:50–16:10 | 06:35–11:50 | 13:10–18:25 |
| April | 09:55–14:50 | 06:05–11:55 | 12:50–18:45 |
| May | 11:00–13:40 | 05:40–12:05 | 12:30–19:00 |
| June | 11:40–13:05 | 05:30–12:15 | 12:30–19:15 |
| July | 11:30–13:25 | 05:40–12:20 | 12:35–19:15 |
| August | 10:30–14:25 | 05:55–12:10 | 12:45–18:55 |
| September | 09:10–15:25 | 06:10–11:45 | 12:50–18:25 |
| October | 07:50–16:25 | 06:25–11:20 | 12:55–17:50 |
| November | 06:45–17:25 | 06:45–11:05 | 13:10–17:25 |
| December | 07:10–17:25 | 07:10–11:10 | 13:25–17:25 |
Taj Mahal light by month
Questions
What time is the sun on the Taj Mahal facade?
7 Nov 2026: Sun on the main front (from the garden) 06:55–17:20, most frontal around 12:05; golden light 06:55–07:30 and 16:45–17:20. Pick your own date above; the window moves through the year.
Is Taj Mahal better in the morning or the afternoon?
The main front (from the garden) faces south, towards the gate and garden. On 15 June 2027 it is lit 11:40–13:05; on 15 December 2026, 07:10–17:25. The east side faces east. The west side faces west.
When is the golden light on Taj Mahal?
On 7 November 2026, 06:55–07:30 and 16:45–17:20. Golden light needs the sun low and on the same side as the facade.
How is this calculated?
For every 5 minutes of the day we compute the sun's direction and height and compare it with the way the facade faces. Within 40° of straight on is full front light, 40° to 70° is side light that brings out the carving, and beyond that the facade is mostly in shade. Below 10° above the horizon the light is golden. Where cliffs or mountains stand in front of a facade, the sun also has to clear them.
Calculated from the sun's position and the facade's direction (measured from OpenStreetMap building outlines). Nearby buildings and trees can shade the lower part of a facade earlier than shown; clouds remove direct light altogether. Times are local (Asia/Kolkata).