How many small domes adorn the main entrance gate of the Taj Mahal? The answer is 22.
These small domes sit along the roofline of the Great Gate, the monumental red-sandstone entrance on the southern side of the Taj Mahal complex. Their repeated forms create a visual transition between the outer courtyard and the formal Mughal garden beyond.
The number is traditionally said to symbolize the 22 years taken to complete the Taj Mahal complex. Construction began under Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after the death of Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. The principal mausoleum was completed earlier, in 1648, while surrounding buildings, gardens, and outer areas were finished by 1653.
A common mix-up is confusing these 22 small domes with the four white marble chhatris around the mausoleum’s central dome. Those four are part of the tomb itself; the 22 smaller domes belong to the entrance gate. The gate also carries Qur’anic inscriptions in black stone inlay, prepared by the calligrapher Amanat Khan Shirazi.