Most
tourist visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal but Agra, once the capital of Mughal
Regime has lot more in its treasure. Less than 2 kilometers on the riverbank
of Yamuna, there crowned the poignant, the Agra Fort.During the rule of
Emperor Akbar the city of Agra reached its aggrandizement of fame. The
construction of agra fort was started in 1156 by Akbar and was completed in
1605 by his son Shahjahan. Later he constructed many structures and complex
inside the fortress. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encircles,
within its 2.5- km-long enclosure walls, the magnificent city of the Mughal
rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace
and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the
Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful mosques.
Inside complex of Agra Fort
One can access the agra fort through the Amar Singh Gate although the agra
fort has two leading gates- Delhi Gate and Amar Singh Gate. Visitors are not
allowed to have an access to the entire fort of agra, as the part of it is
nowadays used by the Indian Army, but still the agra fort has enough to give
an insight into the 16th century Mughal lifestyle.
Diwan-e-Khas : The hall of private audience was also
built by Shah Jahan. It was here that the famous peacock throne was kept
before being shifted to Delhi by Aurangzeb and finally carried away to Iran.
Diwan-e-Am : This was the hall of public hearing where
the Emperor uses to hear the appeals of the public and meet the officials.
The hall leads to the Nagina Mosque and the Ladies Bazaar where ladies of
royal house use to come for shopping.
The Octagonal Tower : Shah Jahan was imprisoned here in
this splendidly designed tower by his son Aurangzeb during last 7years of
his life. The tower use to provide the best views of the Taj Mahal across
the river Yamuna.
Moti
Masjid : Shah Jahan also built Moti Masjid a white marble structure for
his family members and court chiefs. It is one of the oldest mosques
situated in Agra, the domes of the Mosque used to shine like a pearl making
it unique in itself.
Jehangir Palace : This was built by Akbar for his
favorite son Jehangir to provide him with the comfort and luxury inside the
fort of agra.
Beside these there are other attractions inside the agra fort like Machhi
Bhawan , Sheesh Mahal, Anguri Bagh, Jahangiri Mahal and Musamman Burj
Shahjahan died in the Musamman Burj, a tower with a gorgeous marble parapet,
which arrange the most astounding views of the Taj. The most striking
feature of these marble complex were that walls were hollow and filled with
running water to provide a cooling effect. If you climb up to the balconies
in the pavilions, you will have some fantastic views of the Yamuna and the
Taj.
Important Information
Timings : open all days from 6:00AM- 5:30PM daily. From Sunrise to
Sunset.
Timings & Entry Fees : For Indians above 15 years: Rs. 20 per
head. For foreigners above 15 years: US$ 5 or corresponding to Rs.520 per
head
Accessibility
Agra City is easily accessible by Air Rail and Road transport. The agra
fort can be approached by city taxi, rickshaw or by auto-rickshaw from the
Taj.
