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Agra History >> Hotels >>Tourist Spot >>Packages >>Shopping

Tourist Spot in Agra

Agra Fort: - This great & beautiful monument of red brickwork dominating a bend in the river Yamuna, 2km northwest of Taj Mahal was constructed by the Mughals during 1565-1571. It was Emperor Akbar who laid the foundation of this majestic citadel in 1565. The fort was ready by 1571 period of Shahjahan, Akbar's grandson. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. The fort contains splendid mosques and palaces in red sandstone and white marble built by two generations of creative builders during the time of Akbar and later Jehangir and Shahjahan.

Jahangir Mahal  : - Jahangar Maha the biggest private residence in the Fort is the Jahangir Mahal, the Palace of Emperor Jahangir. The Jahangir Mahal in Agra boasts a splendid gateway which leads to an interior courtyard surrounded by grand halls covered with profuse carvings on stone, heavily fashioned brackets, piers, and crossbeams. You can still spot the remains of decorations in gold and blue done in the prevalent Persian style. The features of the Jahangir Mahal are mixed in Transoxanian or Central Asian features such as the verandah on the east front with its high slender columns with courtyard halls styled in the broader Gujarat-Malwa-Rajasthan tradition. This tradition has been passed onto the Mughals by the architecture of Raja Man Singh of Gwalior in the early 16 th century. The palace has a hall which is called Jodhabai's dressing Room. Jodhabai was Jahangir's Hindu mother. Its design and layout is essentially Hindu. Later the palace was used by Jahangir's queen Noorjahan, the Light of the World. Jehangir was very found of wine as well as his queen whom he adored even more. The love of wine interfered in the day do day running of the Government. To help him out in administering imperial justice, Noorjahan, sat with her husband to advise him in taking decisions.

Chistis Tomb: - The Gateway buildings leads to the Friday mosque or the Jami Masjid. It is believed to be a copy of the main mosque at Mecca. Nearby is the small white marble tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti. It is ornamented with latticed screens and serpentine brackets. Shahjahan added exquiatie pieta dura work later as a mark of respect for the saint. The tomb was built over the exact spot where the holy man sat in meditation during his lifetime. Even, today, childess couples come to the tomb to seek the blessings of Sheikh Salim Chisti.
Sikandra: - Sikandra is named after Sikander Lodhi. The tomb has three-storey-minarets on its four corners. These minarets are built in red sandstone with stunning inlay work of marble.

And of course langur monkeys wait on the walkways to be fed. The mausoleum is surrounded by a beautiful garden. The Baradi palace in the gardens was built by Sikander Lodhi. On the road from Sikandra to Agra are several tombs and two 'Kos Minars' or mile stones. Sikandra was begun by Akbar and completed by his son Jehangir in 1613 AD.

Fatehpur Sikri: - This magnificent fortified ghost city was the capital of the Mughal emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1585. The downfall of this once magnificent capital of the Mughal started with the rise of the Jats when Emperor Aurangazeb left this place never to return again. The credit for preserving the ancient monuments situated here goes to Lord Curzon. Since then, these protected monuments and the environs of the city have been well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The city is rectangular in shape with nine huge gates - Delhi Darwaza, Lal Darwaza, Agra Gate, Suraj and Chandra Darwaza, Tehra Gate and Ajmeri Darwaza.

The Buland Darwaja: - The name Buland Darwaza means 'High Door' and this victory arch rises to a height of 40 meters or 175 feet. The Buland Darwaza or the gate of victory was built by Akbar in 1601 in commemoration of his victory over Khandesh and Ahmednagar in Southern India.  It is the most striking monument in Fatehpur Sikri and can be seen from quite a distance. Rising impressively towards the sky, the Buland Darwaza is approached by a series of steps.

Palace of Jodha Bai: - North-east of the mosque is the ticket office and entrance to the old city. The first building inside the gate is a palace, commonly but wrongly ascribed to Jodh Bai, Jehangir's Hindu mother and daughter of the maharaja of Amber. The architecture is a blend of style with Hindu columns and Muslim cupols. The Hawa Mahal (Palace of winds) is a projecting room whose walls are made entirely of stone lattice work.Panch Mahal: - Panch Mahal, a five storey structure is an architectural marvel. It was Akbar's personal citadel for pleasure and relaxation. Each storey is pillared and is smaller than the other. The building resembles a Buddhist temple. It tapers from the ground floor with 84 columns to its domed top supported by only four columns.