At dawn, you want to the see the Taj from the front; at sunset, it's the view from across the river that dazzles. Agra's largest surviving Mughal garden, Mehtab Bagh (adult/under 15yr ₹300/free) covers 25 acres, facing directly across to the rear elevation of the Taj.
Its sprawling planted beds provide a rare calm space in Agra, but most visitors only have eyes for the Taj, rising across the river. The gardens in the Taj are perfectly aligned with the ones here, and the view of the Taj from the fountain directly in front of the entrance gate is a classic. If you come for sunset, arrive 30 minutes ahead so you can reach the viewing point in time to catch the show. At other times, the fruit trees, flower beds and ruined fountains make this a pleasant spot to wander and escape the traffic fumes of downtown.
The park, originally built by Emperor Babur as the last in a series of 11 parks on the Yamuna’s east bank (long before the Taj was conceived), fell into disrepair until it was little more than a huge mound of sand. To protect the Taj from the erosive effects of the sand blown across the river, the park was reconstructed.
