Agra is an ancient city, which is known for the world’s most beautiful monument of love. We find earliest mention of this city in Mahabharata, as Agraban. Ptolemy also shows this city in his 2nd AD world map. It has been an important regional center for trade and commerce ruled by different Hindu as well as Turko-Afgan rulers till the time Mughals conquered and made it the center of their upcoming Indian empire. It rose into prominence with the coming of Mughals. Magnificent structures that reflected power and wealth began to pop up and the city flourished for next 200 years at a pace unmatched by other cities of India. Later mughal rulers shifted from Agra to Delhi ending a golden era for this city. In the meantime this city had acquired enough commercial clout to grow even without political focus.

Currently this city is a major center for leather, carpet and marble artworks trade. If you do not visit this city frequently, you take home its famous “Petha” as souvenir; no other region of India produces such Juicy and fragrant “Petha” as Agra does.

Open Time : 6 A.M. to 7.30 P.M. (Friday is closed)

Sightseeing - Tajmahal, Agra Fort, Sikandara, Fatehpur Sikri

TajMahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. One of three World Heritage Site in Agra, other being Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Completed in 1653 A.D., The Taj Mahal built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz. Finished in by Marvel, it is perhaps India most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monuments took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, Masons and Jewellers to built and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa, The Taj Mahal the bank of the Yamuna river. It can be observed like a Mirage from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is a masterpiece of symmetry, Seeming to be floating in the air from a distance, and each revealed as an illusion experienced as one enters through the main gate. The verses of Holy Koran as inscribed on it and at the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to built. The Taj Mahal has been built on a Marvel Plateform that stands above a standstone one. The most elegant dome of the Taj, with diameter of 60 feets, rises 80 feets, over the building and directly under the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's tomb has been irected next to her's by his son Aurangzeb. Fantastic Inley works using semi-precious stones decorate and interiors.

Agra Fort is a world heritage site in Agra popularly called “rommance in stone”. Agra's dominant structure, the Agra Fort (sometimes called the Red Fort), was built by Akbar in 1565. The red sandstone fort was renovated and converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time, and reworked extensively with marble and pietra dura inlay. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque, the Diwan-e-Am and Diwan-e-Khas (halls of public and private audience), Jehangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (mirrored palace), and Musamman Burj.