Musamman Burj - Shah Jahan's Last View of the Taj

Musamman Burj - Shah Jahan's Last View of the Taj

Photo: Hiroki Ogawa, CC BY 3.0 (cropped)

A stop on Taj Mahal and Agra: A Self-Guided Visit, a free self-guided tour.

This graceful octagonal tower of white marble stands on the fort's river wall. Akbar first built a tower here in red stone, and Shah Jahan rebuilt it in marble in the 1630s, with inlaid flowers like those at the Taj and a view straight down the river.

That view became Shah Jahan's whole world. In 1658, after a bitter war among his sons, the emperor's son Aurangzeb took the throne and confined his father inside the fort. Shah Jahan spent the last eight years of his life here, until his death in 1666. He was then buried beside Mumtaz Mahal in the tomb he had built for her.

Legend says he spent his final days gazing across the water at the Taj Mahal. Nobody can know that for sure, but look out from the terraces near the tower and you can see why the story has lasted: the Taj floats on the bend of the river in the distance.

Getting here: From the Hall of Public Audience, walk east through the marble palace courtyards toward the river; the octagonal tower is on the riverside wall.

Did you know?: Shah Jahan's daughter Jahanara stayed with him during his confinement in the fort and cared for him until his death.

Photo op: From the terraces beside the tower, zoom across the river bend to frame the distant Taj Mahal through the marble arches.

Nearby: The marble terraces get very hot in the afternoon sun; carry water and wear a hat.

More on Wikipedia: Aurangzeb · Shah Jahan

Stops on this tour

  1. Taj Mahal East Gate - Where the Procession Began
  2. The Great Gate - A Frame for Paradise
  3. The Charbagh Garden - Paradise in Four Parts
  4. The Mausoleum - A Promise in White Marble
  5. Inside the Tomb - Flowers Made of Stone
  6. The Taj Mahal Mosque - Facing West to Pray
  7. The Riverside Terrace - Shah Jahan's River View
  8. The Jawab - A Building Made Only for Symmetry
  9. Agra Fort - The Hall Where the Emperor Listened
  10. Musamman Burj - Shah Jahan's Last View of the Taj
  11. Itimad-ud-Daulah - The Jewel Box Known as the Baby Taj
  12. Mehtab Bagh - The Moonlight Garden at Sunset