Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra

Akbar's Tomb stands at Sikandra, a suburb on the north-western edge of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, beside the old road to Delhi and Mathura. It is the mausoleum of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, who ruled from 1556 to 1605. Akbar is believed to have chosen the site and begun planning the tomb himself, and his son Jahangir completed it between 1605 and 1613.

The tomb sits at the centre of a large charbagh, a garden divided into four parts by walkways and water channels, covering about 119 acres. Herds of blackbuck deer and langur monkeys live in the grounds.

The main gateway on the south side is one of the most striking parts of the site. It is built of red sandstone inlaid with white marble in bold geometric and floral patterns, and four white marble minarets rise from its corners, an early use of this feature in Mughal India. The tomb itself is a five-storey pyramid of terraces, with red sandstone lower levels and an open top floor of white marble with carved screens. Akbar's real grave lies in a dim chamber below ground, reached by a sloping passage, while a marble cenotaph stands on the top terrace.

The design mixes Persian, Hindu, Jain and Islamic elements, which reflects Akbar's interest in many traditions. The building was damaged in the late 17th century and later restored under Lord Curzon, whose repairs were completed in 1905.

The site is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and charges an entry fee, higher for foreign visitors. It opens daily from sunrise to sunset. It is about 10 kilometres from the Taj Mahal and much quieter.

The 1688 Jat raid on Akbar's grave

Akbar's grave was opened and his remains burned on 28 March 1688, when Jat fighters led by Raja Ram Jat raided the tomb during the reign of Aurangzeb. They had failed in an attempt three years earlier. The raid stripped much of the decoration, and the monument stood damaged until the British repairs at the start of the 20th century.

Marble inlay and Persian verses on the south gate

Look closely at the south gateway before walking up the long causeway. Its panels of white marble and black slate set into red sandstone mix geometric patterns, flowers and calligraphy. The Persian verses praising the tomb were composed and carved by Abd al-Haqq of Shiraz, later known as Amanat Khan, who signed his work in three places. He went on to design the calligraphy of the Taj Mahal.

Records give the cost of the tomb as 1,500,000 rupees of the time. The main building is a four-tiered pyramid rising to about 30 metres, set inside a walled enclosure 105 metres square.

Mariam-uz-Zamani's tomb, 1 km away

The tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, Akbar's wife, stands about 1 km away. She laid out the gardens around her husband's tomb and was buried near him after her death in 1623.