The first substantial example of a garden tomb on Charbagh pattern with high arches and double dome was erected by Humayun's queen Hamida Banu Begam (Haji Begam) in AD 1569 at cost of 15 lakh rupees (1.5 million rupees or about $30,000 US Dollars).

The high rubble built enclosure is entered through two lofty double-storeyed gateways on the west and south. A Baradari (pavilion) occupies the centre of the eastern wall and a Hammam (bath chamber) in the centre of northern wall. The lofty mausoleum is in the centre of the enclosure and rises from a podium faced with series of cells having arched openings.

The central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph, encompassed by octagonal chambers at the diagonals and arched lobbies on the side. Their openings are closed with perforated screens. Three arches dominate each side, the central one being the highest. This plan is repeated on the second storey too. The roof surmounted by a double dome (42.5m) of marble has pillared kiosks (Chhatris) placed around it. Several rulers of the Mughal dynasty lie buried here. Bahadur Shah Zafar had taken refuge in this tomb with three princes during the First War Independence (AD 1857).

On the southwestern side of the Humayon Tomb is located Barber's Tomb (Nai-ka-Gumbad), which stands on a raised platform, reached by seven steps from the south. The building is square on plan and consists of a signal compartment covered with a double-dome.

Once past the main entry gate, you come upon a second gate.  This is the gate just prior to Humayun's Tomb.

This is Humayun's Tomb.  Similar to the Taj Mahal in purpose, however as mentioned earlier this tomb was built by the wife for her husband, the king.  It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal.  Notice the people standing in the center of the picture at the base of the tomb...it is huge!

As you enter the garden initially you see a gate to your right (located in the left of this picture).  You then find Barber's Tomb on the other side.  It was in this tomb that I got my first taste of Indian hospitality.  As I first entered the gardens, I looked around for some sort of map (because that's what you would expect to find in the states), however there wasn't one.  A man standing inside the gate asked if I need a guide, and I declined (because I didn't want to pay any more money than I had to).  You see most of the sites in India have one rate for locals and another rate for foreigners.  Here for example it was 20 Rupees for locals (about 40 cents) and 250 Rupees for foreigners (about $5).  At the Taj Mahal it's even worse, something like 40 or 50 Rupees for locals (80 cents to a dollar) and 750 Rupees for foreigners (around $15).  So anyway I figured they had enough of my money already so I started off on my own.  I was then quickly met by a gardener, who explained in his broken English that he would show me the way.  I declined, and he said, "it okay, I working."  So I figured he was probably going that way anyway and was just going to show me how to get there.  I followed.  When we arrived at the Barber's Tomb (seen on the right of the picture above and in the next two pictures below), he walked inside with me and pointed to the largest stone casket on the floor and said, "Father" and the name of the person, then he pointed to the casket next to it and said, "mother" and her name.  He then proceeded to point to the three smaller caskets and said, "three children, two girls, one boy" (or something like that).  And then he cupped his hands around his mouth and made a high pitched "oooooooo" sound, which echoed in the dome shaped tomb, and then he said, "echo." :)  Then he started walking around the room and pointing to things and saying things, mostly in Hindi, but there was an ocassional word in English.  And then he'd move to a different part of the room and say something, again mostly Hindi, but a couple of English words.  After about 5 minutes of this I realized he was saying the exact same thing in Hindi over, and over, and over again.  LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND IT!  I finally said thank you and told him I was going to take some pictures, and as I started to leave he stopped me and stuck out his hand and said, "money?"

I was a little confused...what had he done to help me?  I didn't even understand what he was saying.  So I told him I didn't have any money for him and tried to walk away...but he followed.   He started saying, "Money?  Change?"  So I figured I've got some change..."here you go."  As I handed him the 6 Rupees (in coins) that I had in my pocket, that's about 12 cents.  He didn't like that so he handed it back and kept asking.  Finally I ended up giving him 70 Rupees ($1.40) and he left.  That's probably more than he makes in a whole day!  Some Indian hospitality!

For those of you who are tired of reading by now...you can skip the next part. :)  I found it humorous when I finally arrived at Humayun's Tomb (further into the garden) and this old lady came up to me and said, pointing to the largest casket, "Father" and his name.  Then she pointed to the smaller one next to it and said, "Mother" and her name.  And guess what she did next...she cupped her hands around her mouth and went "ooooooooooo" and said, "echo"....DUH of course it's an echo.  I said, "No thank you!" and quickly walked away.

And then (yeah there's more!) when we were at the Taj Mahal with our own tour guide there was a man there, who had a flash light, showing people how the marble walls with the inlayed gem stones were transparent.  And next thing you know, "oooooooooooooo" ... "echo" ... Jay (my co-worker) and I wouldn't pay the guy for that, so our tour guide ended up giving him some money!  I couldn't believe it.  Every where you go the people want to do something stupid and get paid for it, but then when the average national income, per capita is only $2,200...can you blame them?

This is a picture of Barber's Tomb.

Another picture of Barber's Tomb, from inside of the mosque that sits just across the way from it.

Here is a picture of the mosque, from under the overhang of Barber's Tomb.