It was founded at the beginning of the 16th century by the
Sultan of Delhi and became the capital of the Mongol Empire when it was
conquered by King Akbar a few years later. For a century it was the most
important city of the empire and had a great boom that culminated in the
construction of one of the new wonders of the world for which receives millions
of tourists every year, the Taj Mahal.
Today it is an overpopulated industrial city located next to
the Yamuna River that suffers a high level of pollution. It preserves a strong
, beautiful palaces, museum and tombs of the Mongol era that rest in the shadow
of the great monument.
Here are the places to visit in Agra:
1. Taj Mahal
It is a museum of Mongol origin that has become the most
emblematic building in the country. King Sha Yahan ordered it built in 1631 to
bury his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth and the one he loved
deeply. Taj Mahal is built with white marble and to decorate it brought the best
artists from around the world without sparing no expense, today is one of the
most beautiful temples in the world for its architecture and its symbolic
value. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 and since 7 of 7 of 2007
it is one of the 7 New Wonders of the World , it was restored at the beginning
of the 20th century and after almost 400 years it is preserved as the first
day.
The complex consists of an access courtyard, the gardens and
the museum. To enter the site there are 3 doors leading to the large central
courtyard where the old bazaars were installed. From here you cross the darwaza
that gives access to a beautiful square garden divided into four equal parts by
water channels. The museum is strategically located at the bottom on a marble
platform, being so close to the river bank behind you can only see the horizon
and this greatly enhances its beauty. It is surrounded by four minarets of 40 m
high and inside are the symbolic cenotaphs of the king and his wife, the real
tombs are in an underground chamber that can not be visited. On both sides of
the museum there are two small mosques.
Of the 3 access doors the most used is the south, the east
is the one that has less people and the west is usually collapsed by organized
groups. The ticket offices are located some distance from the premises to
prevent the pollution of the cars from damaging the monument. At the entrance
there is a strict security control and food, tobacco, matches, mobiles and
tripods are not allowed, they can be left in a set of instructions at no cost.
* Hours: from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday closed
* Price: 750 INR
2. Mehtab Bagh
It is a park located at the back of the Taj Mahal, on the
other side of the Yamuna river, which at sunset offers incredible views of the
monument reflected in the river. It is not very safe so it is convenient to leave
it before nightfall.
* Hours: from 7:00 to dusk
* Price: INR 100
3. Red Fort
It is made of red sandstone and was built by the Mongol
emperor Akbar in the year 1565. It is considered one of the best in the
country. The original idea was to give it a military use but Emperor Sha Yahan
transformed it into a palace by adding white marble buildings. When his son
dethroned him believing he had lost his mind, he locked him for 8 years in a
room overlooking the Taj Mahal, where his wife was buried. The fort has a
double wall in the shape of an ear with a height of 20 m and a 2.5 km
circumference and has witnessed numerous battles for the control of the city.
In 1983 it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco and you can explore the red fort by travelling through Palace on Wheels train India.
• Amar Singh , is the main access gate to the fort and is
angled so that the elephants could not knock it down. It is accessed through a
drawbridge over the moat.
• Diwan-i-Am , was the public hearing room where the king
imparted justice to the population. Here was the famous Peacock Throne , which
was encrusted with precious stones, before they sacked the city and moved it to
Iran.
• Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque, named for the reflection of
the sun on the white marble of its domes, was used by the members of royalty.
• Nagina Masjid or Mosque of the Gems, was built by Sha
Yahan for the ladies of the court. It is divided into three naves topped by
white marble domes and to get there was a small bazaar where the ladies did
their shopping.
• Diwan-i-Khas , was the hall of private audiences where the
king, sitting on the Takhti-i-Yahangir , the black slab he used as a throne,
received the great personalities . It offers magnificent views of the Taj
Mahal.
• Shish Mahal , known as the Palace of Mirrors for the glass
mosaics embedded in its walls.
• Musamman Burj and Khas Mahal , were the tower and the
palace where Sha Yahan was imprisoned the last years of his life contemplating
the Taj Mahal. The tower is octagonal and is beautifully decorated with white
marble latticework.
• Mina Masjid or Celestial Mosque, is white marble and was
built by Shah Jahan for private use, has a small enclosed courtyard and three
arches for prayer.
• Yahangir Mahal , red sandstone palace built by Akbar for
his son Yahangir although it was later used by the wives of the kings. Inside
is the Hauz-i-Yahangir , huge stone bowl used as a bathtub.
* Hours: from sunrise to sunset
* Price: 300 INR, 50 INR discount if you visit the Taj Mahal
on the same day
3. Itimad Ud-Daulah
It is known as the small Taj Mahal although it can not be
compared in size or splendor. It is a white marble museum built by the wife
of King Jahangir in the year 1622 to bury his father, Mizra Ghiyas Bej, a
former Persian vizier. Its walls are decorated with precious stones and
geometric drawings, it has a large central dome and four towers at its corners.
* Hours: from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
* Price: INR 110
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