Agra
 Agra
has long been renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal. This has often
overshadowed the fact that this royal Mughal has, in addition to the
legendary Taj, many magnificent monuments that epitomize the high point
of the Mughal architectural achievement. Not even Delhi the seat of
kings and emperors for over a thousand years, can boast such a heritage
of architectural and cultural splendor from the golden age of the Great
Mughals.
The Chosen City
Agra was the chosen city of the Mughal emperors during the early years.
It was here that the founder of the dynasty, Babar, laid out the first
formal Persian garden on the banks of the River Yamuna. Here, Akbar, his
grandson, raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort. Within its
walls, Jehangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens. Shah Jehan
embellished it with marbled mosques, palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid
white marble. At Sikandra, on the outskirts of Agra, Akbar built his own
garden mausoleum. And at Fatehpur Sikri he created a whole new city - a
leap of the imagination that made real a unique concept of planning and
design and gave expression to a style of architecture that was a perfect
blend of Islamic spatial concepts and the Hindu genius for decorative
sculpture. Across the river, Jehangir's gifted queen, Noor Jehan,
designed an exquisite marble-inlaid tomb for her parents. But Agra's
crowning glory remains the Taj Mahal, a monument to love built by Shah
Jehan in memory of his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal.
Accommodation at Agra:
Write to
us for Agra Hotels
Weather and Best Time to Visit:
Agra has a warm temperature throughout the year. But the best time
is September to March.
Prime
Attractions at Agra
-
Taj Mahal
-
Agra Fort
-
Fatehpur Sikri
-
Mathura
Access to
Agra
Air:
Daily air services connects Agra from Delhi, Khajuraho
& Varanasi.
Rail: Express trains from Delhi, Mumbai,
Bangalore,
Chennai also halt at Agra.
Road:
Very well connected to Delhi (205 kms) and Jaipur
(220 kms).
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