Agra Fort

Agra Fort is a Mughal fortress of red sandstone and white marble on the bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, a short way upstream of the Taj Mahal. Akbar rebuilt it from 1565, and later emperors filled it with palaces and mosques. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, it suits anyone visiting the Taj who wants the story of the emperors who built it.

From brick fort to Mughal citadel

An older brick fort called Badalgarh stood here, held by Rajput rulers and then by the Lodi sultans; Sikandar Lodi made Agra his capital. When Akbar arrived in 1558 the fort was in ruins, and he rebuilt it in red sandstone over about eight years from 1565, which is why it is sometimes called the Red Fort of Agra. The chronicles say some 4,000 builders worked on it. The fort covers about 38 hectares on a crescent plan with its straight side along the river. Its walls rise about 70 feet and run for some 2.5 km. Of its four original gates, two were later walled up; the southern Amar Singh Gate was first called the Akbar Gate, and the northern part of the fort is still used by the Indian military.

Sandstone and marble palaces of Akbar and Shah Jahan

Akbar's grandson Shah Jahan finished the work and replaced several sandstone buildings with white marble, so the two materials sit side by side. The Jahangiri Mahal, built by Akbar as the women's quarters and named after his son Jahangir, holds a large stone bowl carved with Persian verses that local lore says held rose water. Beside it stands the palace associated with Jodha Bai. The Khas Mahal is said to honour Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan's eldest daughter, and the Sheesh Mahal, the "glass palace", has walls inlaid with tiny mirrors.

The Diwan-i-Am was the hall of public audience and the Diwan-i-Khas the hall of private audience. The Peacock Throne was kept here until Shah Jahan moved his capital to Delhi. The Nagina Masjid served the ladies of the court, the Mina Masjid is believed to have been Shah Jahan's own, and the Moti Masjid can be seen from outside.

Shah Jahan's captivity in the Musamman Burj

After losing the war of succession, Shah Jahan was held in the fort by his son Aurangzeb from 1658 until his death in 1666. The octagonal Musamman Burj, on the largest riverside bastion, is where he is believed to have spent his final days looking across the river to the Taj Mahal, his wife's tomb. The view from its pavilion is still the highlight of a visit.