Agra Fort

Agra Fort stands on the western bank of the Yamuna in Rakabganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, about two and a half kilometres upstream from the Taj Mahal. The existing red sandstone fortress was begun by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 on the site of an earlier brick fort, and it took roughly eight years to complete under the supervision of architects drawn from across the empire. His grandson Shah Jahan later remodelled much of the interior between about 1628 and 1658, replacing several red sandstone buildings with white marble pavilions. The fort served as the principal Mughal residence and seat of government for much of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1983.

The complex is a crescent-shaped enclosure ringed by massive double walls and a moat, with the Amar Singh Gate serving as the public entrance for visitors today. Inside, the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) holds a raised throne alcove used for open court, while the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) was reserved for ministers and visiting dignitaries. The Jahangiri Mahal, built largely for Akbar's household, blends Hindu and Central Asian design in its carved stone brackets and courtyards. The Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal and the octagonal Musamman Burj represent the marble phase of building under Shah Jahan. Tradition holds that Shah Jahan spent his last years confined in the Musamman Burj by his son Aurangzeb, looking toward the Taj Mahal.

Architecturally the fort combines the military engineering of a fortress with the refinement of a palace city, and its sandstone and marble work is decorated with pietra dura inlay, carved lattice screens and arabesque panels. Only part of the enclosure is open to the public because the Indian Army still uses the southern portion. The Archaeological Survey of India maintains the monument and has carried out conservation of the marble pavilions, plasterwork and walls in recent decades. The visit is largely self-guided, with the circuit running from the Amar Singh Gate up a ramp through the palace courts, so a chronological reading is possible by following the Akbari buildings first and the Shah Jahani marble structures afterward. Licensed guides gather near the entrance and explain the layout and the stories attached to each hall.