 The romance of the world s most famous building still astonishes in its power and beauty .In addition to the Taj Mahal ,Agra houses the great monuments of the red fort and the I ‘ Timad – ud-Daulah, but to experience beauty and have to endure the less attractive sights of one of India s least prepossessing towns .Like Delhi, agra stands on the right bank of the river Yamuna .The polluted conditions of the river is a reminder of defect that agra today is one the Uttar Pradesh s largest and most industrialized Cities .Numerous crafts and service industries have flourished ,associated with the large tourist traffic- hotels and transport ,carperts ,pietra dura work in marble , zari embroidery and leather – but there are also many small –scale engineering industries visitors are subjected to a barrage of high power selling .Despite it all ,they experience still unmissable .you can avoid some of the hussle by staying at bharatpur or fatehpur sikhri and visit Agra for the day.
SIGHTS
Taj Mahal
Completed in 1653 A.D., The Taj Mahal built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz. Finished in by Marvel, it is perhaps India most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monuments took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, Masons and Jewellers to built and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa, The Taj Mahal the bank of the Yamuna river. It can be observed like a Mirage from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is a masterpiece of symmetry, Seeming to be floating in the air from a distance, and each revealed as an illusion experienced as one enters through the main gate. The verses of Holy Koran as inscribed on it and at the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to built. The Taj Mahal has been built on a Marvel Plateform that stands above a sandstone one. The most elegant dome of the Taj, with diameter of 60 feet, rises 80 feet, over the building and directly under the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's tomb has been erected next to hers by his son .
Agra Fort
Another world heritage site in Agra. Agra's dominant structure, the Agra Fort (sometimes called the Red Fort), was built by Akbar in 1565. The red sandstone fort was renovated and converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time, and reworked extensively with marble and pietra dura inlay. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque, the Diwan-e-Am and Diwan-e-Khas (halls of public and private audience), Jehangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (mirrored palace), and Musamman Burj.
The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort in 1565 A.D., although additions were made till the time of his grandson Shah Jahan. The forbidding exteriors of this fort hide an inner paradise. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. It has a total perimeter of 2.4 k.m., and is ringed by double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by bastions. A 9 mt. wide and 10 mt. deep moat surround the outer wall.
Fatehpur Sikri
The Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fatehpur Sikri about 35 km from Agra, and moved his capital there. Later abandoned, the site displays a number of buildings of significant historical importance. A World Heritage Site, it is often visited by tourists to Agra.
IMPORTANT FACTS
Accessibility Local Transport – Taxis, Buses.
By Air Nearest airport is 200km away at New Delhi.
By Rail Well connected to New Delhi , Jaipur, Amritsar .
By Road Agra is directly linked by all road with New Delhi , Jaipur .
STD Code 0562
Population 1,259,979
Climate Summer max. 42O c min. 35O c Winter max.14.5O c and min 4O c.
Best season Oct - Mar
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