Attraction
Red Fort
Shah Jahan's red sandstone citadel, completed in 1648, with audience halls, palace pavilions, gardens and several museums inside a UNESCO-listed complex in Old Delhi.
Humayun’s Tomb
The 16th-century garden tomb of the emperor Humayun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose red sandstone and marble design set the pattern later followed by the Taj Mahal.
At a glance
- Type
- Mughal garden tomb
- Area
- Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India
Good to know
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Charbagh garden
- Site museum
Why we recommend it
Humayun's Tomb is the first great garden tomb of the Mughal dynasty and, for many visitors, the most rewarding monument in Delhi. It was commissioned by Bega Begum, the first wife of the emperor Humayun, after his death, and built between 1565 and 1572 to designs by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, whose son Sayyid Muhammad completed it. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
The tomb stands on a raised platform at the centre of a charbagh, a Persian-style garden of about 30 acres divided into four parts by walkways and water channels. The building combines red sandstone with white marble used for the dome, the cladding and the carved screens, and its scale, symmetry and double dome established a model for later Mughal mausoleums that reached its height with the Taj Mahal in Agra.
A major restoration by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture with the Archaeological Survey of India, finished in 2003, brought the gardens and water channels back into working order, and conservation has continued since. The complex holds several other buildings, so take time to explore. Isa Khan's tomb, built in 1547 for a noble of the Sur dynasty, sits on the path in from the west entrance, which passes through Bu Halima's garden. Inside the main enclosure is the Barber's Tomb, dated to around 1590, and the Arab Serai, a resthouse built for the workforce. The blue-tiled Nila Gumbad stands just outside the boundary.
The site museum near the entrance explains the history of the dynasty and the restoration, and displays the original finial from the top of the dome, which fell during a storm in 2014 and was replaced in 2016.
Allow two hours for the tomb, its gardens and the museum. Late afternoon light is particularly good on the sandstone, and the lawns are a pleasant place to sit. Families, couples and photographers all enjoy it, and it is generally calmer than the Red Fort.
The tomb lies in Nizamuddin, close to the dargah of the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, whose presence was one reason for the choice of site. Purana Qila lies a short distance to the north.
Humayun’s Tomb FAQs
Who built Humayun's Tomb?
It was commissioned by Bega Begum, Humayun's first wife, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and his son Sayyid Muhammad.
When was it built?
Construction ran from 1565 to 1572.
Is Humayun's Tomb a UNESCO site?
Yes, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993.
How is it related to the Taj Mahal?
Its garden setting and design set the pattern for later Mughal royal tombs, which culminated in the Taj Mahal.
What else is there to see in the complex?
Isa Khan's tomb, Bu Halima's garden, the Barber's Tomb, the Arab Serai and the site museum, with the Nila Gumbad just outside.
How long should I spend there?
About two hours for the tomb, the gardens and the museum.
When is the best time to visit?
Late afternoon, when the light is warm on the sandstone and the heat has eased.
What is nearby?
The dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya is close by and Purana Qila is a short distance to the north.
What is the garden layout?
A Persian-style charbagh of about 30 acres, divided into four parts by walkways and water channels.