Agra Fort

आगरा क़िला

A red sandstone palace fortress built by Emperor Akbar in 1565, where Shah Jahan was confined by his son in his final years. From the Octagonal Tower he gazed across the river at the Taj Mahal.

Agra Fort stands on the Yamuna riverbank about 2.5 km northwest of the Taj Mahal. Emperor Akbar rebuilt it on an older fort in 1565, and Jahangir and Shah Jahan later added white marble palaces. It was the political centre of the Mughal Empire from 1571 to 1648. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1983, even earlier than the Taj Mahal. The red sandstone walls are 20 m high with a circumference of 2.5 km. Enter from the Amar Singh Gate on the south, then climb a ramp to Jahangir's Palace, a red sandstone palace Akbar built for his son. Further inside are the white marble buildings of Shah Jahan's era: the Khas Mahal sleeping palace, the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), the Anguri Bagh (Grape Garden) and the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque, not open to the public). The most moving spot is the Musamman Burj, an octagonal tower where Shah Jahan lived under house arrest by his son Aurangzeb for the last eight years of his life, gazing across the Yamuna at the Taj Mahal until his death. Photographing the Taj Mahal from here is the fort's signature view. Admission is 650 rupees for foreigners (about 55 yuan; 50 rupees off with a same-day Taj Mahal ticket). It is open from sunrise to sunset, roughly 06:00-18:00. Only about a quarter of the fort is open to the public, the rest being military territory. Plan 1.5-2 hours, ideally after the Taj Mahal's sunrise visit when the morning light is good. From the Taj Mahal's east gate, an auto-rickshaw takes about 15 minutes. Notes: the fort has many steps and little shade, so it is very hot in summer. Official licensed guides at the gate charge about 500-800 rupees and can explain the court stories clearly.

Agra Fort

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