Agra – The Land of the Taj

Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra boasts of three UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort in the city and Fatehpur Sikri nearby. There are also many other buildings and tombs from Agra's days of glory as the capital of the Mughal Empire. This historical extravaganza makes Agra a major tourist attraction of India.

The Taj Mahal is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. Taj Mahal means Crown Palace. Named after one of his wife's names, which was Mumtaz Mahal, Ornament of the Palace. The Taj is one of the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tombs in the world, one of the masterpieces of Indian Muslim architecture, and one of the great sites of the world's heritage. It is the seventh wonder of the world and the poster child of Indian Tourism.

The Agra fort is similar in layout to the Red Fort in Delhi, but considerably better preserved, as much of Delhi Fort was razed by the British after the Mutiny. It is also constructed mainly from red sandstone. Emperor Akbar, king at 14, began consolidating his empire and, as an assertion of his power built the fort in Agra between 1565 and 1571, at the same time as Humayun's Tomb in Delhi. Emperor Shah Jahan added to the fort and ended up a prisoner in it. The fort has a beautiful view of his masterpiece, the Taj Mahal, on a clear day.

Agra also houses many beautiful and picturesque gardens. Swami Bagh is one such beautiful garden. Ram Bagh consists of the first Mughal gardens, built by the first Mughal Emperor Babar. Mehtab Bagh is also worth a visit. These botanical gardens give you an opportunity to view the Taj at a remove from the crowds of tourists.

Tourists can also visit important and beautiful temples in Agra. The Balkeshwar Temple, Kailash Temple, Mankameshwar Temple, Prithvinath Temple, Rajeshwar Temple, Shyam Ji Maharaj Temple, Mahakal And Mahakali Temple and Rawli Maharaj Temple.

There are also many other historical buildings in and around Agra like the tomb of Akbar in Sikandra, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, Mariam's Tomb, Jama Masjid, Chini Ka Roza and Gurudwara Guru ka Taal.

Agra is very close to the Indian capital of Delhi. It is well connected by roads and rails from Delhi as well as nearby Jaipur