Agra is the famous city of the Mughals which gained its importance during the reign of Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjehan. In Agra layers of history are peeled away to reveal an amazing tapestry of life - of wars waged, of great architectural magnificence and above all a testimony of the undying love of a king for his queen. Agra is unparalleled as a travel destination and this fact has been established by President Bill Clinton when he declared that the world was divided into two: those who have seen the Taj and those who have not!
Besides the Taj Mahal tour there are a lot of other important sights in and around Agra. The Agra Fort, Moti Masjid, Itmad-ud-Daula’s Tomb, Sikandra, Chini-Ka-Rauza, Fatehpur Sikri and innumerable other attractions make the city feature on every travellers must-do-sightseeing list.
 

HOW TO REACH

AIR - Agra is well connected by air, rail and roads. There are domestic flights from Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi four times a week. Take a taxi into the city centre, or book a car to receive you. check details for Agra Tours

Road - Agra is connected to Mathura (56 kms), Delhi (203 kms), Gwalior (118 kms), Jaipur (237 kms) and several other major cities. There are UP State Road Transport (UPSRTC) as well as private buses plying to and from Agra. The main bus terminus is the Idgah Bus stand, close to the Agra Cantonment station.

Train - The city has six railway stations of which Agra Cantonment is the largest. Trains from Delhi, Gwalior, Jhansi and the south arrive here, it is closest to most good hotels, and has a tourist information counter. Many tourists coming from Delhi take the Shatabdi Express, which arrives at 9 am in the morning and returns at 08:15 at night, allowing for a one-day trip.

BEST TIME TO VISIT 

The best time to visit Agra is between November and March. The temperatures are moderate and several festivals coincide with this period. UP tourism organises the Taj Mahotsav every year between 18th and 27th February. It is an arts and crafts fair held at the Shilpgram, the crafts village near the Taj Mahal. The Sharadotsav in October, is a cultural show with the country’s leading dancers and musicians performing at historical locations in the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri (39 kms) There are several other fairs like the Kailash Fair (12 kms) in August/ September and the month-long Bateshwar Fair (65 kms) in November.

PLACES OF INTEREST

TAJ MAHAL :
Situated on the banks of the River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal stands at the northern end of formal gardens. The white marble came from Makrana in Rajasthan and the red sandstone from Fatehpur Sikri.
Emperor Shah Jahan built this white marble mausoleum for his queen Mumtaz Mahal. The building aside, the Taj Mahal is one of the most glorious symbols of love. Great builder that he was, the Emperor commissioned a building that has lasted centuries to remain a thing of rare breathtaking beauty. The building was commissioned in 1631 and decorated with the landmark technique of intricate marble inlay work.
The monument was the handiwork of 20,000 craftsmen and was completed in 22 years.
Precious stones like jade, crystal, turquoise, lapis lazuli, sapphire, jade, coral and diamonds were brought from far-flung places in Tibet, China, Sri Lanka, Persia and Afghanistan. It is believed that a fleet of 1000 elephants was used to transport the material.
The Taj Mahal is open from sunrise to sunset but is closed on Fridays.

AGRA FORT
Akbar, the greatest empire-builder of the Mughals, commissioned the Agra Fort in 1565. Shah Jahan made alterations by pulling down many of the original buildings and replacing them with marble ones.
His son Aurangzeb, who was in constant conflict with local chieftains and neighbouring principalities, added the outer ramparts.The tourist entry is through the Amar Singh Gate, which was used by General Lake and his army to capture the fort. The buildings which are open to the public have some superb architectural sights. These are Diwan-I-Am, Diwan-I- Khas, Nagina Masjid, Khas Mahal, Mussaman Burj and Sheesh Mahal.

ITMAD-UD-DAULAH
Popularly known as ‘baby Taj’, this is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyath Begh, who was wazir or Chief Minister in Emperor Jahangir’s court. He became a very powerful person when Emperor Jahangir married his daughter Noor Jahan. The tomb was designed by Noor Jahan and was the first Mughal building using marble inlay work.

CHINI KA RAUZA
A kilometre away from Itmad-ud-daulah is Chini ka rauza, the mausoleum of Afzal Khan, and the son of Mirza Ghiyath Begh. The tomb derives its name from the glazed tiles (chini) on its façade. The Ram Bagh, laid out by Babur in 1528 is said to have been the resting-place of his body before it was taken away for a final burial in Kabul.

SIKANDRA
Akbar’s mausoleum at Sikandra,is Just at the gate of the city of Agra and 10 kms from the main city center. The construction of the mausoleum was started by Akbar himself, and completed in 1613 by his son Jahangir. In a way, it is a synthesis of the bold masculine red sandstone structures built by Akbar and the delicately crafted white marble buildings of Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The entrance is through a huge gateway that blocks view of the tomb from outside.

FATEHPUR SIKRI
38 kms from Agra is the deserted fort city of Fatehpur Sikri. Legend has it that Akbar, who had no son, went to the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti to seek his blessings. Soon enough, prince Jahangir was born to his Hindu wife Jodha Bai. As an expression of gratitude, Akbar shifted his capital to the new city which was build between 1569 and 1585. The city sits on a rocky ridge, with the village Sikri at its foot. However, just 15 years after it was established, the city had to be abandoned due to an acute shortage of water. . Fatehpur Sikri's sights include monuments from the times of Akbar: the Buland Darwaza and the Dargah of Salim Chishti.