Agra Fort

The famous Taj Mahal of India is located in a city called Agra, which at one time, was the capital of India. Located close to the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort shares the same riverbank. Dating back 2,500 years, Agra became more than a provincial city during the Mughal’s reign. At that time, the son of the founder of the Mogul empire, Humayun, was offered beautiful jewelry and various precious stones by Raja of Gwailor’s family.

During Agra’s peak days, Humayun’s son, Akbar The Great, took over control and while on the throne, the main part of Agra Fort was built, which began in 1156. However, it took almost 50 years for the fort to be completed. Interestingly, Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, was also responsible for constructing the majority of buildings within Agra Fort.

Located on the Yamuna River, Agra Fort is designed with a red sandstone wall and then several buildings on the interior. Included in the design are two gates, which are called the Amar Singh Gate and the Delhi Gate. However, when visiting the fort, you can only gain entrance into the first one. Many people are unaware that the Agra Fort is still used by some of the Indian Army, which is why the entire fort is inaccessible to the public.

Once you enter the Amar Singh Gate, you will go over a ramp, entering into the Great Courtyard. To the right is the Hall of Public Audience, known as pillared Diwan-i-Am, which was also built by Shah Janan in 1628. Then, there are the Royal Pavilions, where two beautiful mosques known as the Mina Masjid and Nagina Masjid are located, along with numerous palaces such as Khas Mahal, Shish Mahal, Shah Jahani Mahal, and the Macchi Bhavan, and then finally, the Zenana Mina Bazaar.

Many of the buildings within Agra Fort are made from magnificent marble that have intricate carvings. To ensure the rooms with marble pavilions stayed cool during the hot summer days, the walls were left hollow and then filled with running water. As you stand on the balconies within the pavilions, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Yamuna River, along with the neighboring Taj Mahal.
A little bit of interesting history is the Shah Jahan was actually imprisoned by his own son, Aurangzeb, in this very fort where he had a view of the building he had constructed for his deceased wife. History also tells us that the Shah died in the Musamman Burj tower designed with an incredible marble balcony overlook the Taj Mahal. As you travel through the many pavilions, you will find several, small gardens, all meticulously cared for.


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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