Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb)

Sikandra, about 10 km northwest of central Agra in Uttar Pradesh, India, holds the tomb of the Mughal emperor Akbar, completed in 1613 under his son Jahangir. The mausoleum sits at the center of a large walled charbagh garden and is built of red sandstone inlaid with white marble, with a tiered, pyramid-like profile unlike the domed tombs that followed. Four monumental gateways open into the garden, and the southern gate, topped by four marble minarets, is the grandest and serves as the main entrance. Visitors walk a long raised causeway through lawns where deer and langurs often roam, toward the tomb. The upper level is an open marble pavilion with pierced screens, while the actual burial chamber lies below, reached by a sloping passage into a quiet vaulted room. The surfaces carry geometric inlay, calligraphy and Hindu and Islamic motifs that reflect Akbar's syncretic outlook. A typical visit lasts one to one and a half hours. The site is far less crowded than the Taj Mahal, so visitors can often photograph the gateways and the tomb with few people in the frame. Morning visits are cooler and have the best light on the red sandstone, while the middle of the day can be hot with little shade on the causeway. Hours run from sunrise to sunset daily. Entry costs more for foreign visitors than for Indian citizens. The site can be reached by taxi, auto or city bus from central Agra, and it combines easily with Agra Fort or Itimad-ud-Daulah in a day of monuments. Facilities are modest, with basic seating and limited food options near the gate. Monkeys and langurs may approach food, so snacks are best kept out of sight inside the grounds.