 The existence of Agra can be traced back to the Mahabharata where Agra is mentioned as 'Agrabana', an inherent part of Brij Bhumi or the land of birth of Lord Krishna. The origin of Agra is said to be in the reign of Raja Badal Singh in 1475 AD. For the first time, Agra was made the capital by Sikander Lodi, the Afghan king. Subsequently, it had the honor of being the capital of the four Mughal kings Babur, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
While Agra was the capital of Akbar, he built the Red Fort, in 1565 AD. It was initially made as a military fortress of mud and bricks on the banks of the river Yamuna. The fort is 2.5 km long with 20 ft high walls. A deep moat surrounds the fort. The buildings within the fort were the Jahangiri Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience, Diwan-i-Aam or the Hall of Public Audience, Macchi Bhawan, Angoori Bagh or the Grape Garden, Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal or Mirror Palace and Hammam or the Royal Bath. Jahangir and Shah Jahan made several additions during their respective reigns and added structures in white marble to the existing rose-red sandstone buildings.
Fatehpur Sikri is 40 km from Agra and was built by Akbar between 1571 AD and 1584 AD. It is built entirely in red sandstone but was abandoned due to scarcity of water. The capital was then shifted to Agra. The buildings within the city of Fatehpur Sikri are the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience, Diwan-i-Aam or Hall of Public Audience, Amber's Khwabgah or Private Apartments, Panch Mahal or Five-Tiered Palace, Palace of Turkish Sultana, Mariam's Palace, House of Birbal, Anup Talab, Jami Masjid or the mosque, Salim Chisti's Dargah and Buland Darwaza or the Victory Gateway.
Sikandra is 4 km from Agra and is famous for the tomb of the mighty Mughal Emperor Akbar. The architecture of the tomb reflects the personality traits of Akbar and is a befitting resting place of one of the greatest kings of India. Akbar's Tomb is one of the finest specimens of Mughal architecture, which is a remarkable blend of the architectural features of all the major styles of architecture prevalent at that time to create a unique synthesis.
Taj Mahal, one of the most photographed monuments in India, is situated on the bank of the River Yamuna in the city of Agra, once the capital of the Mughals. Taj Mahal is the crowning glory of Mughal architecture. It was built under the patronage of the fifth Mughal king, Shah Jahan, for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1631 AD and was completed in 1653 AD, taking 22 years for this monument of love to be completed. The Taj Mahal has five important architectural elements, namely, the Darwaza or the entrance gate to the monument, the Bageecha or the garden, the Masjid or the mosque on the left, the guesthouse or the Naqqar Khaana and the mausoleum or the Taj itself.
How to Reach
By Air: Agra is connected by air routes from all the major cities of India including Delhi and Jaipur.
By Rail: Agra is connected by rail routes with all the major cities of India including Delhi and Jaipur.
By Road: Agra is at a distance of 250 km from Jaipur and is well connected by bus and taxi services.
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