Tour Guide, Delhi, India
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Agra is a city of many tombs and historic monuments . Agra is also Known for it's annual Taj Mahotsav - a cultural festival held in the month of February every year and which is attended by thousand of tourists from all over the world . Taj Mahotsav brings traditional Indian music and dance together on a single platform for everybody to enjoy.
Now, the history of this beautiful city is monumental as it hold memories, dating back to centuries. Infact, this city is often talked about with it's reference to the time when it was was redesigned under the Mughal rule during the early 15th century. The Mughal ruler called Sultan Sikander Lodi is the main founder of this city - founded back in the year 1504. The renowned emperor Akbar had built the Agra Fort and Jahangir had beautified the rest of the city with palaces and gardens . Then Shah Jahan brought the famed Mughal architecture into this city when by building the iconic Taj - an unspeakably beautiful riverside mausoleum that is undoubtedly, the biggest tourist attraction of Agra city.
PLACES TO VISIT
Taj Mahal
The most famous monument of Agra ; Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world. It is often seen as a symbol of devotion and love. Taj Mahal was built by the mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his lovely wife, Mumtaz Mahal . Located on the banks of River Yamuna in Agra, it is a sight to behold. It was completed way back in 1648 and is still visited by thousands of visitors, every year. So, ofcourse, the Taj has done wonders for Agra tourism.
Agra Fort
Beside the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort is another must visit place . This historic fort was built by the mughal emperor Akbar, who was undoubtedly one of the greatest Mughal Emperors . The construction of this fort started in the year 1565 and was completed in 1573. Built with redstones, this fort is a mixture of the Islamic and Hindu Style of architecture. And so, Agra tourism would be incomplete without this monument. Important buildings to see inside this fort are Sheesh Mahal , Diwan I Am(hall of public audience) , Diwan I Khas (hall of private audiences), Anguri Bagh , Khas Mahal , Mina Masjid , Nagina Masjid , Musamman Burj .Today , the fort is a major tourist spot and attracts many tourist from all over the world.
ITMAD-UD- DAULAH Tomb
This tomb is built with white marble in typical Islamic style architecture . It was built by the Mughal Emperor Noor Jahan in the memory of her Father Itmad -Ud - Daulah. Located on the banks of the river Yamuna, this site is a must visit place of Agra monuments.
Mehtab Bagh
Mehtab Bagh is constructed just opposite TajMahal. Mehtab Bagh is a Char Bagh complex and is considered to be the ultimate viewing point of the magnificent marble mausoleum. This garden is open from sunrise to sunset and is considered a photographers paradise because it is the point from where you can take some unique photographs of the Taj Mahal with a gorgeous backdrop.
Akbar Tomb
This tomb of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar is another interesting site to visit in Agra. Akbar’s tomb is a mixture of many architectural styles and hence, completely different from earlier Mughal buildings. A visit to this monument of Agra is essential to make your Agra tour complete This building was built in the period between 1604-1613 and is situated at Sikandra.
Fatehpur Sikri
The Fatehpur Sikri fort is a World Heritage site. This city was founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar . The architecture of the city was designed by Dhruv Chawla and Tuhir Das. Akbar had founded the city after winning Chittor and Ranthombore. Some of the Fatehpur Sikri tourist palaces to be seen are Buland Darwaza , Diwan-I-khas , Jodha Bai Palace(Marium-Uz-Zamani Palace) , Tomb of Sheik Salim Chisti , Jama Masjid and Panch Mahal. The palace of Jodha bai is another charming palace to see. This palace is located on the eastern side of the fort. The Buland Darwaza is the most famous palace in Fatehpur Sikri and is also counted as one of the tallest gateways in the world - entirely made out of the redstones.
Best Time to Visit
Agra has dry summer, mild winter and moderate monsoons, The best time to visit Agra would be in the transition between summer and winter. Generally, the months between October and March is considered as the tourist season with an average temperature of around 10 to 12 degree Celsius . The heat of summer will have cooled off , and winter will be just around the corner by mid October. You can also visit Agra during the monsoon season, between August and October .The vision of Taj Mahal on a rainy day is indeed a site to behold.
How to Reach Agra
By Flight
Agra is connected with all the major cities in India like Delhi , Lucknow , Mumbai , Kolkata , Bangalore , Chennai and Cochin .The major airline company that connect these cities to Agra is Air India . There is no International Airport in Agra , so tourists travelling to this city from abroad are advised to head any of the major cities in India like Delhi or Mumbai and catch a flight to Agra from there. The nearest Airport is Agra airport. The Kheria Air Force station is only 13 km away from Taj Mahal and is a part of the military air base at Agra.
By Train
Agra is easily accessible from all the major cities in the country by train. There are many railway stations in Agra like the Agra Cantonment railway station , Agra fort railway station , Agra city railway station , Idgah railway station etc. Various trains operate between Agra and other cities like Mumbai , Kolkata , Bangalore , Chennai etc.
By Bus
There are many national highways connecting Agra to other parts of India .There is also an expressway that originates in the city. ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminal) and Idgah bus stand are two major bus terminals here. A few of the major bus operator connects Agra with major cities in India like Delhi , Mumbai , Jaipur etc.
Language of Agra
The official language of Agra is Hindi. Many of the residents also speak Punjabi and Urdu. A few of them also speak Brijbhasa. Because of the presence of tourist from all over the world,tour guides in the city are familiar with English.