History of Agra Fort

Primarily intended as a military structure, the Agra Fort is made up of 20 metre high walls with a circumference of 2.5 kilometres. However, the Agra Fort was later transformed into a city unto itself expanding into a labyrinth of red sandstone and marble buildings, including a palace, a mosque, homes, halls and monuments.

Original construction of the Agra Fort was commenced by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565 with successive emperors of the Mughal Dynasty adding to it over time. One particular contributor was Emperor Akbar’s grandson and commissioner of the Taj Mahal, Emperor Shah Jahan, who added further white marble buildings, in effect creating a palace. The ear-shaped layout of the fort was to deter any invaders and make it harder for the city to be breached.

While the Agra Fort was intended to keep out enemies, it in fact transformed into an opulent prison in 1685, when Shah Jahan was imprisoned there for the final eight years of his life when his son, Aurangzeb, seized power.

The British later seized and destroyed much of the fort, using parts of it as a garrison, and today, the Indian military occupy much of the fort – these areas are unsurprisingly off limits to the public.

Some of the most impressive structures within the Agra Fort complex include the Diwan-i-Am or ‘Hall of Public Audiences’, from which Shah Jahan conducted state business, the 17th century Nagina Masjid or ‘Gem Mosque’ and the mirror encrusted Shish Mahal palace. The Anguri Bagh gardens are also very beautiful, having been extensively restored.

Agra Fort today

The fort opens just before sunrise, and closes at sunset: if you go early or late you’ll have a much better chance of taking good photos and not being hassled by local tourists or touts. The complex is large and sprawling – it takes several hours to wander round fully and there are plenty of nooks and crannies which lead to other parts of the palace to explore. Look out for the lovely views of Agra and spot the Taj Mahal in the distance on a clear day.

Getting to Agra Fort

Agra Fort is about a 30 minute walk from the Taj Mahal through the leafy Shah Jahan park. A tuk tuk or taxi should cost under ₹100 and doesn’t take long (although the terrible traffic means there’s not much in it compared to walking).

The mainline railway station, Agra Fort, is close by if you’re travelling to or from Delhi.  You can walk to the fort from Taj Ganj via the leafy Shah Jahan Park, or take an autorickshaw for ₹80. Food is not allowed into the fort. The fort opens 30 minutes before sunrise; the ticket office opens 15 minutes before that. Last entry is 30 minutes before sunset.

History of Akbar’s Mausoleum

Akbar’s Mausoleum is the final resting place of the third Mughal Emperor, Abu Akbar, known as Akbar the Great (1542-1605). Having succeeded to the throne from his father Humayun at the age of thirteen, Emperor Akbar is known for having been an effective leader, recapturing much of the land lost by his predecessors and vastly expanding the empire.

Emperor Akbar was also a Muslim leader of a mostly Hindu nation and was famously tolerant of all religions, abolishing discriminatory laws and taxes.

The Mausoleum of Emperor Akbar was started by Akbar and completed by his son, Jahangir. Beautifully ornate and neatly symmetrical, it reflects both Muslim and Indian influences including combining traditional red sandstone inlaid with ornate white, yellow and blue marble geometric and floral patterns with Islamic elements such as its four, three-tiered minarets.

Akbar’s Mausoleum was ransacked and looted during a 17th century Jat rebellion: one account even described the tomb itself being opened and Akbar’s bones being burnt.

Major repairs and restoration work was undertaken in the late 19th century under the direction of George Curzon, the then Viceroy of India.

Akbar’s Mausoleum today

The magnificent mausoleum is open from dawn to dusk daily: the gardens around the tomb itself are lush and filled with wildlife. Local guides are ready and willing to offer their services (for a fee of course) and can be extremely helpful in revealing some of the details of the building if you’re interested.

Getting to Akbar’s Mausoleum

The mausoleum lies 10km outside of Agra, in the nearby town of Sikandra. Cheap as chips local buses will get you there in 45 minutes, or else take a tuktuk a pay a little more. Make sure to agree the amount in advance!

History of Amer Fort

The settlement at Amer was founded in the 10th century by Raja Alan Singh, and the fortress was originally begun in the 11th century by the Rajputs. Most of what is visible today, however, dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, when major works were completed by Raja Man Singh I. Whilst technically a fort, much of the interior resembles far more of a palace.

Amer – formerly known as Dhundar – was the capital of the region until 1727, when it was moved to the city of Jaipur. Parts of the palace fell into disrepair and have been since restored.

Amer Fort today

The fort gets busy, unsurprisingly. It’s a steep climb up to the fort itself – avoid the elephants if possible: they’re kept solely for tourist purposes in the modern world, and often in poor conditions.

The interior of the fort is spectacular: there’s a lot to see, and the winding passageways and dead ends make it hard to know if you’ve seen everything there is. Particular highlights include the Diwan-i-Khas  (Hall of Public Audience) and the Sheesh Mahal (Hall of Mirrors) within. Sheesh Mahal is completely covered in beautiful patterns of tiny mosaic shards of mirror and coloured glass: it glistens and sparkles in the sunlight. Supposedly it was created for the Maharani (queen) so that she could see the stars at night.

The Jai Mandir (Hall of Victory) is also glorious, with its intricate inlaid panels and mirrored ceiling. Opposite you’ll find the Sukh Niwas (Hall of Pleasure), which was cooled from the fierce Rajasthani desert heat by channels of water running through the room.

Views over the Maota Lake are lovely, and look out for hidden staircases as you near the end of the palace, which offer views over the Jaigarh Fort behind. Allow at least half a day here, if not a full day if you plan on visiting the Jaigarh Fort too.

It’s worth remembering entrance is cheaper in the evening for foreigners. There’s a sound and light show in the evenings too which is extremely popular.

Getting to Amer Fort

Bus AC-5 runs along Johari Bazaar Road / Hawa Mahal Road directly to Amer – hop on at any point along the route. The journey takes about 40 minutes depending on the speed of your driver and how lenient he is with stops. Otherwise, you can easily hire a taxi or tuktuk to take you the 12km from Jaipur to Amer: the drive should only take about 25 minutes, traffic dependent. There are plenty of drivers lurking outside Amer Fort ready to whisk you back into town when you finish.