Agra Fort

Located on the banks of the Yamuna 2 kms. Northwest of the Taj Mahal, designed and built by Akbar in 1565 A.D., the fort houses the beautiful Pearl Mosque and numerous palaces including the Jahangir Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am and Moti Masjid. Agra has more to offer apart from the Taj Mahal. The heydays of Agra came with the reign of Humayun's son, Akbar The Great, during whose reign; the main part of the Agra fort was built. But then, Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, erected most of the buildings inside the fortress.

The high red sandstone ramparts of this great monument stretch for almost 2.5 kilometres, dominating a bend in the river Yamuna. Emperor Akbar laid the foundation of this majestic citadel and it developed as a stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. Shahjahan constructed the graceful Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public Audiences, made of red sandstone, in 1628. Three rows of white polished stucco pillars topped by peacock arches support the flat roof. Today, this Hall is bereft of brocade decorations, silk carpets and satin canopies that would have enhanced the elegance of the settings when the Emperor sat down with his subjects to hear their complaints.

On the banks of River Yamuna

The wall has 2 gates, the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. One can only enter the fort via the Amar Singh Gate. Part of the fort is still in use by the Indian Army and is not accessible to the public, but there's still enough left to get an insight on the way the Mughals lived. The original and grandest entrance was through the Delhi Gate, which leads to the inner portal called the Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate.

The Agra Fort houses the Royal Pavilions, which were designed to catch the cool breeze wafting across the river. Other attractions include the Macchi Bhawan or the Fish Palace, the Hammam-i-Shahi or the Royal Bath, the Nagina Masjid or the Gem Mosque, and the Zenana Meena Bazaar, where the ladies of the court would browse through goods like silk, jewellery and brocade.