The total area of the Taj Mahal complex is 42 acres. This figure refers to the principal walled monument complex in Agra, including the mausoleum, formal gardens, mosque, guest house, gateway, and related grounds.
The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after the death of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. Construction of the mausoleum was substantially completed in 1648, while work on the wider complex continued until about 1653. Its layout reflects Mughal ideas of symmetry, axial gardens, and carefully balanced religious and secular buildings.
A common mix-up is confusing the 42-acre visitor complex with the broader historic landscape. Some studies include additional areas such as Taj Ganji, subsidiary structures, waterworks, and the garden across the Yamuna, producing a larger measurement. In standard descriptions of the Taj Mahal grounds, however, 42 acres—or about 17 hectares—is the accepted answer.