Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal and once
the capital of the Mughal empire, has several monuments which display the splendour
of Mughal architecture. It was here that Babar, the founder of the dynasty,
had the first formal Persian garden laid out on the banks of the river Yamuna.
Akbar, his grandson, raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort, within
whose walls Jahangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens, and which Shahajahan
embellished with marble mosques, palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.
Agra
Travel
Agra
is the one of the prominent destinations of the World Tourism map with three
heritage monuments -
The
Taj Mahal, Red Fort & Fatehpur Sikri. It is more just a dacadent
city of graveyards and stones, but it is a vibrant centre of Culture, Art and
Religious philosphies that have enriched mankind and shaped humen thought over
centuries.
Agra is famous as being home to one of the seven wonders of the world-the Taj
Mahal. The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces
is a vivid remainder of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is a vivid
reminder of the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
While its significance as a political centre ended with the transfer of the
capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural wealth has secured
its place on the international map.
A pleasant town with comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay
work on marble and soastone by craftsman who are descendant of those who worked
under the Mughals. The city is also famous for its carpets, gold thread embroidery
and leather shoes.
Agra was once the capital of the Mughal empire and even today it seems to linger
in the past . Not surprising , for the Mughal emperors with their passion for
building, endowed the city with some of the finest structures in the world .
It is very easy to slip away here through the centuries into the grandeur and
intrigues of the Mughal court .
Agra
is an old city and it is said that its name was derived from Agrabana, a forest
that finds mention in the epic Mahabharata.
In more recent times Agra came into prominence when Sikandar Lodi made it his
capital city in 1501 . The Lodi rule was to end very soon and Agra passed into
the possession of the Mughals .
It was during the time of the third emperor Akbar that Agra came into its own
. He embarked on the construction of the massive Agra Fort in 1565. Though Akbar
was diverted into building a new capital at Fatehpur sikri not far away.
Agra continued to retain its importance and Shah Jahan, Akbar's garndson ornamented
the city with that masterpiece of Mughal architecture - the Taj Mahal and built
several other beautiful buildings within the Agra fort .
Travel Information of Agra
Area: 62sq.km
Population: 11,11,086 (1991 census)
Altitude: 169 mtrs, above sea level
Season: October to March
Clothing: Summer: Light cottons. Winter: Woolens
Language: Hindi, English & Urdu
Festival: Taj Mahostav (18-27 Feb) Sheetla Fair, Kalish Fair (Aug-Sep),
Bateshwar Fair (Nov), Urs(Fair)(Nov.),
Local transport: Buses/Taxis/Tongas Auto-rikshaws cycle rikshaws
STD code: 0562
POST & TELEGRAPH
General Post Office, The mail
Head Post Office, Opposite Power House bus station.
Central Telegraph Office, The Mail
HOSPITALS
District Hospital, M.G. Road
Lady Lyall Hospital, Noori Gate Road,
S.N. Hospital, Hospital Road
IMPORTANT ADDRESSES
Foreigners Regional Registration Office, 16 Idgah Colony
District information Centre, near idgah Bus Stand
District magistrate, Agra
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