Agra -Explore the beautiful city side

Agra is a beautiful city and has a lot to do with history, love and architecture. It is a city which was a favourite for many of the kings and emperors. It always attracted people from all around the world. It is on the top of the list of people visiting India. It has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and that makes it very special. Everyone knows about the great Taj Mahal and the story behind it. That is one of the heritage sites, the other two are The Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. While the Agra fort is in the main city along with the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri is on the outskirts of the city.

If planned well, one can explore all the key monuments in Agra, only in one day trip. A hired cab is the best way to make it possible. Starting the expedition with the beautiful Taj Mahal is an experience worth sharing and enjoying. No vehicles are allowed inside the complex of the Taj Mahal. Therefore one has to walk down to the main part of the complex, which is the mausoleum of the Mughal quee
Mumtaj Mahal. It was later shared by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan who built this monument for her. The Taj Mahal is best seen in the moonlight as it absorbs the beauty of the moon and reflect it after mixing the charm of its own.

Near the Taj Mahal is the Agra Fort which was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort is built from red sandstones, the same material used to build the Red Fort, Delhi. It is a huge fort and many of its parts are not open to the visitors. Distant view of the white marble monument can be taken from here. Strolling down this fort and enjoying its historical feeling is a wonderful experience.

Another World Heritage Site, Fatehpur Sikri has a charm to offer, the Buland Darwaza or the gateway of excellence. It was built by Akbar, the great Mughal Emperor, as the symbol of his consolidated Empire and rising power. He wanted to make it his empire’s headquarter but later had to go and shift to Agra due to the scarcity of water. The Buland Darwaza was built when he won the fight against Gujarat. It is in a large area and it attracts the visitors in its own manner.

Other sites to visit are Akbar’s Tomb, Itimad-Ud-Daulah and many of the gardens and temples which add more attraction to the wonderful place called Agra.