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Agra is known throughout the world as the home of the Taj Mahal, built by the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r 1628 - 1658). Yet Agra it also harbors several other fascinating relics of the Mughal period, and alternated with Delhi as the capital of their empire. The Agra Fort was built in the reign of Akbar (r 1556 - 1605), extended under Shah Jahan, and finally completed in the reign of Aurangzeb (r 1658 - 1707) when the empire was in severe decline.
With a population over 1m, Agra is today one of the larger cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated on the Yamuna River 160km (100mi) downstream from Delhi.
Gateway to Taj Mahal, completed 1648. The eternal monument to love, built by Shah Jahan to honor his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died at age 39 while given birth to their 14th child. |
The most famous part of the Taj is the tomb, with its four minarets. The dome is of central Asian origin, perfected by he Mughals in the tomb of Hamayun in Delhi 90 years earlier. |
View of the gardens from the tomb, looking toward the gateway. The watercourse divides the gardens into four quadrants in accordance with the four rivers of paradise: water, milk, wine, and honey. |
On either side of the tomb are two identical buildings; the one facing Mecca is a mosque, while the other was used as a guesthouse. |
Detail of the door at the entrance to the tomb. The inscribed verses are from the Koran. |
A second view of the tomb. The four minarets are each 41.6m high, and are of a style which became associated with Mughal architecture. The Taj took nearly 22 years to build, employed a workforce of 20,000, and nearly bankrupted the Mughals. |
A street in Agra. A view that tourists who arrive in tour buses probably don't see. |
Scene near the entrance to the grounds of the Taj. A pig roots through a canal filled with raw sewage. |
Another Agra scene. Definitely a good place to be in case you need anything fixed! |
Amar Singh Gate, the entrance to the Agra Fort, built by Shah Jahan in 1665 to commemorate a noble from nearby Jodhpur. |
The Jahangiri Mahal, built by Akbar and completed in 1570. |
View of the interior of the Jahangiri Mahal, built under Shah Jahan. |
The Mussaman Burj (Octagonal Tower), which may have been used as the emperor's bedroom as it faced the Yamuna River. |
Detail of stone carving found throughout the Agra Fort. |
View of the rear of the Jahangiri Mahal. |
View of the exterior walls, looking toward the Yamuna River. |
An interior courtyard in the Jahangiri Mahal. The architectural detail is largely inspired by Hindu motifs, yet the Mughal rulers were Muslim. |
The Macchi Bavan (Fish Enclosure), which faces the Diwan-i-Khas. This was where dignitaries would await their audience with the emperor. |
The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience, 1637), where the emperor held court facing the Macchi Bavan. |
Inside the Diwan-i-Khas. The interior was inlaid with tapestries and carpets, and the marble pillars are inlaid with semiprecious stones. |
Map courtesy of Mapquest. |
