What is the primary building material of the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal’s primary visible building material is white marble.

The mausoleum is faced with ivory-white marble, giving it the luminous appearance for which it is famous. Much of this marble came from Makrana in Rajasthan. Craftspeople decorated the surfaces with carved details, calligraphy, and pietra dura inlay made from colored and semi-precious stones.

The answer refers chiefly to the central tomb building, not every part of the entire complex. Brick and lime mortar formed much of the underlying construction, while red sandstone was used extensively in the gateways, mosque, guest house, walls, and other structures. This is why photographs of the wider site show both white marble and red sandstone.

The marble’s color changes with the light, appearing pinkish at sunrise, brilliant white during the day, and warmer or golden near sunset. Pollution has also raised conservation concerns because staining can dull the stone’s surface. Limestone and granite are not the Taj Mahal’s signature structural finish, and red sandstone belongs mainly to associated buildings rather than the principal mausoleum.