Does it live up to the hype? In a word, yes. You can picture it, of course, but there’s something indescribable about being in its presence — an awesomeness that can’t be captured in an image. It’s the second-most visited building in the world, and that’s a travesty because it’s leagues more impressive than the first (sorry, Eiffel Tower).

The Taj Mahal was the masterpiece of Shah Jahan, who presided over the zenith of the Mughal Empire in the mid-seventeenth century. Built by over 20,000 workers from as far afield as Central Asia and Europe, incorporating exquisite craftsmanship and thousands of semiprecious stones, it is the perfect example of the extravagance that would shortly spell the empire’s decline.

It’s rather a shame that the most beautiful monument in India should be surrounded by one of its most unlovely cities. Modern Agra has always been rather a dump, but it was given a glow-up in honour of the G20 and we are happy to report that it’s now a much more pleasant place to spend some time. It’s still not one of our favourite cities in India, but there’s plenty to do: cooking classes, bazaars, Taj-view rooftop bars and one or two spectacular hotels worth splashing out on.

The Mughals left plenty of other impressive buildings, too: Emperor Akbar’s mausoleum; the so-called ‘Baby Taj’, and the Red Fort where Shah Jahan spent his final years under house arrest (the view of the Taj from here is spectacular). If you can, give yourself enough time to visit the Taj more than once, as its moods change throughout the day.