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AGRA
Agra, the city of the inimitable Taj Mahal is now an educational and business centre-known for its craftsmen & handicrafts. Marble and softstone inlay work, carpet and leather goods are some important traditional crafts of the city. Besides the Taj Mahal are Agra Fort, Sikandra, Ram Bagh and Itmad-ud-Daulah. 35 km away are the imperial ruins of the Mughal city, Fatehpur Sikri. Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are not merely rich legacies of Mughal history – they are the finest examples of architecture which combined Hindu and Muslim elements.

	Kheria Airport is located 6 km from the city centre. Agra is well connected with Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi.
	Agra Cantt. Railway Station is the main station and located 1.5 km from downtown and about 5 km from the Taj Mahal. Agra is connected by trains with major cities like Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai, Secunderabad and Trivandrum.
	Agra is connected by good roads with Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mathura, Bharatpur, Khajuraho and Gwalior.

Some important road distances from Agra

The Taj Mahal is the mausoleum built by Shah Jehan for his queen Mumtaz Mahal. One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is the finest example of symmetry and balance in architecture and is now on the World Heritage list. The construction is believed to have taken 22 years to complete with over 20,000 craftsmen working round the clock. Two other noteworthy features of this mausoleum are the elegant dome and the fragile screens of marble. (CLOSED ON FRIDAY)

Agra Fort, Few forts in the world have a more fascinating story to tell than the Great Fort of Agra. Originally planned as an impregnable military structure by Akbar, the Agra Fort, over a period of time, acquired all the elegance, lavishness and majesty of an imperial palace. 

Girdled by massive double walls and pierced by four towering gateways, the fort  is a complex of palaces, courts, mosques, baths, gardens and pleasure pavilions spanning three reigns. The red sandstone Jehangiri Mahal built by Akbar for his Hindu queen, Jodhabai, mother of Jehangir.

Situated 1 km upstream of the Taj Mahal, on the right bank of the Yamuna, the Agra fort was built under the direction of Akbar, by Mohammed Quasim Khan, his commander-in-Chief and Governor of Kabul. It took eight years to complete and entailed an expenditure of three and a half million rupees.

Itmad-ul-Daula

Itmad-ul-Daula, Situated 4 km North of the Taj, on the left bank of the Yamuna, is the perfectly proportioned marble mausoleum Itmad-ud-Daulah. Noor Jehan constructed this splendid marble monument in her father’s memory. This double storied marble tomb is replete with mosaic, inlaid with semi-precious stones.

Sikandra, Situated 8 km north-east on the Agra-Delhi road. It is one the same side of the river Yamuna as the Taj. Sikandra was built in 1492 by Sikander Lodhi, a ruler of one of the last dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate. Akbar, in his time, ordered the construction of Sikandra again, this time as a site for his mausoleum but he died before it could be completed. The work was completed by his son Jehangir in 1613. The tomb is a combination of Muslim and Hindu architectural styles. The building of red sandstone is four storeys tall, approximately 31 metres in height. The first three storeys are of red sandstone, while the fourth is entirely of marble.

Dayal Bagh (Soami Bagh), Situated 12 km from the hotel, this is the headquarter of the Radhasoami religious sect, founded in 1861 by Shri Shiv Dayal Singh, also known as Swamiji Maharaj. Being built to commemorate the Supreme Creator, this tall, unfinished façade of marble, lined with exquisitely carved pillars and panels, was estimated to cost about five million rupees when it was conceived. Today, the cost of work finished and work still to be done will run into ten million. About 500 devotee stay in the colony adjoining the samadhi. It is claimed that is may rival the Taj Mahal in splendor when it is completed.

Rambagh, Earlier known as Arambagh, is one of the earliest Mughal monuments in India. Built by Emperor Babar in 1526 for his recreation, its architecture shows Afghani incluences.

Jama Masjid, Constructed in 1648 in memory of Sheikh Salim Chisti, the sufi saint and grandson Islam Khan by Shah Jehan's daughter, Jehanara Begum. The assimiliation of Iranian architecture is noteworthy.

Chini-ka-Rauza, Glazed tiles on the building's facade, constructed by Afzal Khan, an official at Shah Jehan's court, showcases. Persian influence in architecture.

Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, 38 km south-west of Agra, was built by the side of an artificial lake about 3 km long and 1.6 km wide. Still perfectly preserved, this complex of palaces, mosques, gardens and pavilions is a rich legacy of the Mughal era. You can stroll through the Emperor’s bedroom, climb to the top of the Panch Mahal, the five tiered palace and look down on the Pachisi courtyard. Then move to the Anup Talau, the sandstone platform on a pond, where Mian Tansen once sang. And no trip is complete without a visit to Salim Chisti’s Dargah, where you can tie a thread on the latticework of its walls and make a quiet wish.

Fatehpur Sikri, was one of the capital cities of Akbar after the childless Mughal was blessed with a son with the blessing of the Sufi Saint, Sheikh Salim Chisti, who lived here.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Situated 60 km from Agra. During the season, cormorant, darter, spoonbill, egret, stork and black ibis are found in large numbers. In winters, migrant birds from as far as Siberia and Northern Europe collected here. Dabchicks, pheasant tailed jacanas, moorhens and coots find their natural surroundings here.

Mathura, Situated 55 km from Agra and 10 km south of Bridavan on the west bank of the Yamuna, is believed to be the birthplace Lord Krishna, who is said to have been born in a prison here. Mathura is one of the oldest cities in India, much older than even Agra. Its history can be traced back prior to the days of the Maurya dynasty, which ruled from 325 BC to 184 BC.

Sur Sarovar, Also known as Keetham lake, is linked by motorable road. The lakeside is ideal for picnics/outings. A large variety of fish and waterbirds add to the lake's charms. Named after Surdas who is said to have resided here, the lake is 30 minutes away by road.

Agra is famous for its marble and soft-stone inlay work, leather goods, brassware, carpets and chilanwork fabrics, which involve delicate yarn onverlays. Semi-precious and precious jewellery in ornate Mughal style is also available.

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India Notes Music & Dance Museums & Galleries Religions Transport Fairs Festivals Beaches Wildlife Indian Embassies around the world  World Heritage Monuments in India Heritage Hotels Ayurveda Pushkar Fair-2002 EXOTIC TRAIN JOURNEYS IN INDIA Palace On Wheels Royal Orient Express Fairy Queen SELECTED WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES & NATIONAL PARKS IN INDIA Dachigam National Park Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary   Corbett National Park  Dudhwa National Park  Bandhavgarh National Park  Kanha National Park  Panna Tiger Reserve Keoladeo Ghana National Park  Sariska Tiger Reserve Ranthambore National Park  Gir National Park  Bandipur National Park Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarhole) National Park  Indira Gandhi (Anamalais) Wildlife Sanctuary  Periyar Tiger Reserve Sunderbans National Park  Manas Tiger Reserve Kaziranga National Park

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