Tourist attractions near Tajmahal
                                      

Agra is best known as the city of the Taj Mahal, the world's most famous monument of love. Once the imperial capital of the Mughals, it is situated along the banks of the River Yamuna and attracts thousands of tourists every day from all over the world. The Taj, one of the wonders of the world and a World Heritage Monument, is only one of the innumerable edifices the Mughals endowed this city with. The Agra Fort, the Jama Masjid, the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daula, Fathepur Sikri and Akbar's tomb at Sikandra are some better-known examples. An important cantonment town under the British, Agra also has some good examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture in the cantonment area


Red Fort
Construction of the massive red sandstone Agra Fort on the bank of the Yamuna River was begun by Emperor Akbar in 1565, though additions were made up until the rule of his grandson, Shah Jahan. In Akbar's time the fort was principally a military structure, but during Shah Jaha regin it had partially become Palace. It is an imposing strcture with walls of red sandstone almost three kilometers long. Entered through the Amar Singh Gate, the eastern part of the fort contain palace, audience hall and mosques built by three emperors. The fort presents a good sampling of their favoured architectural styles. Akbar drew on Islamic and Hindu traditions and the result is eclectic. By Shah Jahan's time the style had become so homogenized that it is impossible to seprate the Hindu and Muslim strands. The Diwan-i-Am (public audience hall), the beautiful Diwan-i-Khas (private audience hall) and the magnificent Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) were also added by Shah Jahan.


Fatehpur Sikri
This magnificent fortifield ghost city was the capital of the Mughal emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1585. The downfall of this once magnificent capital of the Mughals started with the rise of the Jats when Emperor Aurangazeb left this place never to return again. The credit for preserving the ancient monuments situated here goes to Lord Curzon. Since then , these protected monuments and the environs of the city have been well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The city is rectangular in shape with nine huge gates - Delhi Darwaza, Lal Darwaza, Agra Gate, Suraj and Chandra Darwaza, Tehra Gate and Ajmeri Darwaza.


Sikandra
Six miles north of Agra, is a glorious introduction to the city of Mughal wonders, Sikandra. The site of Akbar's mausoleum, Sikandra was begun by Akbar and completed by his son Jehangir in 1613 AD. It reflects the fusion of Hindu and Muslim art and architecture which characterised the era. The tomb is situated in the centre of a large garden and four identical red sandstone gates lead to the tomb complex. The building, with three-storey minarets at each corner, is built of red sandstone with white marble polygonal patterns inlaid. Sikandra is named after Sikandra Lodi, the Delhi ruler who was in power from 1488 to 1517




Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb
The exquisite tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah on the left bank of Yamuna River was built by Nur Jahan in memory of her father. This small but elegant structure is built entirely in white marble, a feature that appeared for the first time and was an inspiration for Taj Mahal. The pietra dura or stone inlay work is of highest quality, especially in the blend of the colours of the semi-precious stonesThis tomb belongs to the father of Nur Jahan, Ghias-ud-Din Beg. He was the Wajir or the Chief Minister of Emperor Jehangir. This white marble tomb was built by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628. The tomb may not be as mammoth as the Taj but the inlay designs and carvings are no less than Taj if not more. The delicate marble latticework in the passages allows the light to enter the interiors.


The Buland Darwaja
The Buland Darwaja or the gate of victory, was built by Akbar in 1601 in commemoration of his victory over Khandesh and Ahmednagar in Southern India. Marble and sanstone have been freely used in the construction of this structure.Various other buildings situated here are all worth a visit not only for their historical importance, but also for the fine architectural work of the Mughal period.






Salim Chisti's Tomb
The Gateway buildings leads to the Friday mosque or the Jami Masjid. It is believed to be a copy of the main mosque at Meca. Nearby is the small white marble tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti.It is ornamented with latticed screens and serpentine brackets. Shahjahan added exquiatie pieta dura work later as a mark of respect for the saint. The tomb was built over the exact spot where the holy man sat in meditation during his lifetime. Even, today, childess couples come to the tomb to seek the blessings of Sheikh Salim Chisti