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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.
Fatehpur Sikari
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.
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.
Palace of Jodh Bai
North-east of the mosque is the ticket office and entrance to the old city. The
first building inside the gate is a palace, commonly but wrongly ascribed to
Jodh Bai, Jehangir's Hindu mother and daughter of the maharaja of Amber. The
architecture is a blend of style with Hindu columns and Muslim cupols. The Hawa
Mahal (Palace of winds) is a projecting room whose walls are made entirely of
stone lattice work.
Panch Mahal
`Panch Mahal, a five storey structure is an architectural marvel. It was Akbar's
personal citadel for pleasure and relaxation. Each storey is pillared and is
smaller than the other. The buildings resembles a Buddhist temple. It tapers
from the ground floor with 84 columns to its domed top supported by only four
columns.
Travel Links For Agra
www.budget-hotels-agra.com
www.agra-hotels.com
www.travel-uttarpradesh.com
www.indiatravelinfo.com/up/agra.htm
News Papers Links For Agra
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