Agra, once the capital of all of India,has more to offer.The Mughal's constructed this great monument of red sandstone dominating a bend in River Yamuna 2km northwest of taj mahal during 1565-1573. It was EMPET
of Taj Mahal during 1565-1573.It was Emperor Akhar. who laid the foundation of this majectic citadel in 1565. The fort was ready by 1573 period of Shahjahan,Akbar's grandson. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with long , nearly straight wall facing the river. Fort's colossal double walls rise 69 feet in height and measure 2.5k in circumference encircled by a moat and contain a maze of buildings,which form a small city within a city. The fort contains splendid mosques and palaces in red sandstone and white marble built by two generations of creative builders the time of akbar and later jehangir and shahjahan.
History
Agra's history goes back more than 2500 years but it was not regin of the Mughals that Agra became more than a provincial city. Humayun, son of the founder of the Mughal empire, was offered jewelry and precious stones by family of the Raja (king) of Gwalior, one by the famous Kohinoor. The heydays of Agra came with the reign of Humayun's son, Akbar the great. During his reign, the main part of the Agra fort was built. Construction of the fort started in 1156 and was finished in 1605. Shah Jahan, who built Taj Mahal, erected most of the buildings inside the fortress.
The wall has two gates,Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. The original and grandest entrance was through the Delhi Gate, which leads to the inner portal called the Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate. But now the entrance to the fort is only through the Amar Singh Gate. Public access is limited to the southern part of the fort, which includes nearly all the buildings of tourist interest.
Jehangiri Mahal:This is the first notable building as one enters through the amar singh gate and emerges out of the passage. situated north of the gate at the end of a spacious lawn,the Jehangir's palace was built by Akbar as a residence gor his son jehangir. the largest private residence in the fort,it is a blend of Hindu and central asian architectural styles. the Mahal (Palace)is reached through a impressive gateway and its inner courtyard consists of a two-story facade of beautiful halls profuse carvings on stone,heavy brackets exquisitely carved with animal and floral motifs,piers and cross beams with remnants of the rich gilded decorations which once covered much of the structure.there is a Verandah with slender pillars on the eastern front facing the riverfront.
This is the most important buildings remaining from Akbars period as his successor demolished several of Akbar's red sand structures replacing them with marble one's. To the right of Jahangiri Mahal is a simple palace of Akbar's favorite queen Jodha Bai.
Khaas Mahal:Built entirely of marble by shah jahan in 1637,the Khaas Mahal or the private palace demonstrates distinctive Islamic-Persian features.The enclousure has three pAvilions overlooking the Yamuna,with a fountain opposite the central pavilion.the central pavilion an airy edifice, used by the emperor as a sleeping chamber has three arches on each side,five in front, and two turrets rising out of the roof.It overlooks the Angoori Bagh (grapes garden).The Mahal is circumference by two golden (copper)pavilions,one with white marble and allegedly decorated with gold leaf, while planned for the prominent women of the harem.The Khaas Mahal provides the most successful example of painting on a white marble surface.On the three sides of the grape garden are residential quarters of women.
Musamman Burj: On the left of the Khaas Mahal is the Musamman Burj, an octagonal tower with an open pavilion build by ShahJahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is made of delicate marbles lattices with ornamental niches for the ladies of the court to gaze out,unseen.The chamber with a marble dome with a beautiful carved fountain in the center. the tower looks out over the river yamuna is traditionally considered to have one of the most poignant views of the taj. this is where shah jahan spent his last few years as a captive of his son Aurangzeb and where he lay on his death bed ,gazing at the taj.
Diwan-i-khaas:diwan-i-khaas (hall of privte audience) built by shahjahan in 1636-37 was used to receive kings, dignitaries and ambassdors.it is a three-sided pavilion with a terrace of fine proportions.outside the structure is the marble throne terrace ,where a pair of thrones was kept. the black throne belonged to Jehangir presently,entry for the common peoples is not permissible inside diwan -i-khaas.
Sheesh Mahal:Opposite to the Musamman Burj and just below the Diwan-i-Khaas hall,courtyard is the sheesh mahal or the mirror palace. it is believed to have been the royal dressing room and its walls are inlaid with tiny mirrors ,one of the rest specimens of glass-mosaic decoration in india .the sheesh mahal is composed of two large halls of equal size,are connected in the centre by a broad arched opening and on the sides by two narrow passages.
Machchhi BHAWAN: Machchhi Bhawan (Fish Pavilion)and the Diwan-i-Khaas at Agra Fort on extreme right,a grand enclosure meant for harem functions. The emperor sat on the white marble platform of the Diwan -i -Khaas facing this courtyard .It once contained pools and marble fountains ,which were carried off by Jat Raja Surajmal to his palace at Deeg. On another side stands a small mosque built for Shahjahan by his son Aurangzeb.
HAMMAM-i-shahi:to the right of diwan -i-khaas is the hammam-i-shahi or the shah burj.it is an airy apartment,which attached to the residential quarters,and used as summer retreat.
Diwan-i-Aam:Shahjahan constructed the hall of pubilc audiences , made of red sandstone. It is here the emperor met officials and commoners and listened to the petitioners . the women of the palace could watch the court without being seen by others from the pavilion through jali or screens. the op[en sided , cuspid arched arched hall built of plaster on red stone ,is very impressive .the throne alcove of richly decorated white marble completed after seven years work in 1634 used to famous peacock throne late were shifted to delhi by aurangazeb,and finally carried away to iran.
The Nagina masjid:The Gem Mosque is a private raised by Shah Jahan with typical cusped arches for ladies of the court.there is Mina bazaar for the royal women to buy things from the balcony beneath the Nagina Masjid.
The Moti Masjid:Near the Nagina Masjid is a perfectly proportioned pearl mosque built .This grand mosque has three domes in white marble raising their heads over the red sandstone wall.
of Taj Mahal during 1565-1573.It was Emperor Akhar. who laid the foundation of this majectic citadel in 1565. The fort was ready by 1573 period of Shahjahan,Akbar's grandson. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with long , nearly straight wall facing the river. Fort's colossal double walls rise 69 feet in height and measure 2.5k in circumference encircled by a moat and contain a maze of buildings,which form a small city within a city. The fort contains splendid mosques and palaces in red sandstone and white marble built by two generations of creative builders the time of akbar and later jehangir and shahjahan.
History
Agra's history goes back more than 2500 years but it was not regin of the Mughals that Agra became more than a provincial city. Humayun, son of the founder of the Mughal empire, was offered jewelry and precious stones by family of the Raja (king) of Gwalior, one by the famous Kohinoor. The heydays of Agra came with the reign of Humayun's son, Akbar the great. During his reign, the main part of the Agra fort was built. Construction of the fort started in 1156 and was finished in 1605. Shah Jahan, who built Taj Mahal, erected most of the buildings inside the fortress.
The wall has two gates,Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. The original and grandest entrance was through the Delhi Gate, which leads to the inner portal called the Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate. But now the entrance to the fort is only through the Amar Singh Gate. Public access is limited to the southern part of the fort, which includes nearly all the buildings of tourist interest.
Jehangiri Mahal:This is the first notable building as one enters through the amar singh gate and emerges out of the passage. situated north of the gate at the end of a spacious lawn,the Jehangir's palace was built by Akbar as a residence gor his son jehangir. the largest private residence in the fort,it is a blend of Hindu and central asian architectural styles. the Mahal (Palace)is reached through a impressive gateway and its inner courtyard consists of a two-story facade of beautiful halls profuse carvings on stone,heavy brackets exquisitely carved with animal and floral motifs,piers and cross beams with remnants of the rich gilded decorations which once covered much of the structure.there is a Verandah with slender pillars on the eastern front facing the riverfront.
This is the most important buildings remaining from Akbars period as his successor demolished several of Akbar's red sand structures replacing them with marble one's. To the right of Jahangiri Mahal is a simple palace of Akbar's favorite queen Jodha Bai.
Khaas Mahal:Built entirely of marble by shah jahan in 1637,the Khaas Mahal or the private palace demonstrates distinctive Islamic-Persian features.The enclousure has three pAvilions overlooking the Yamuna,with a fountain opposite the central pavilion.the central pavilion an airy edifice, used by the emperor as a sleeping chamber has three arches on each side,five in front, and two turrets rising out of the roof.It overlooks the Angoori Bagh (grapes garden).The Mahal is circumference by two golden (copper)pavilions,one with white marble and allegedly decorated with gold leaf, while planned for the prominent women of the harem.The Khaas Mahal provides the most successful example of painting on a white marble surface.On the three sides of the grape garden are residential quarters of women.
Musamman Burj: On the left of the Khaas Mahal is the Musamman Burj, an octagonal tower with an open pavilion build by ShahJahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is made of delicate marbles lattices with ornamental niches for the ladies of the court to gaze out,unseen.The chamber with a marble dome with a beautiful carved fountain in the center. the tower looks out over the river yamuna is traditionally considered to have one of the most poignant views of the taj. this is where shah jahan spent his last few years as a captive of his son Aurangzeb and where he lay on his death bed ,gazing at the taj.
Diwan-i-khaas:diwan-i-khaas (hall of privte audience) built by shahjahan in 1636-37 was used to receive kings, dignitaries and ambassdors.it is a three-sided pavilion with a terrace of fine proportions.outside the structure is the marble throne terrace ,where a pair of thrones was kept. the black throne belonged to Jehangir presently,entry for the common peoples is not permissible inside diwan -i-khaas.
Sheesh Mahal:Opposite to the Musamman Burj and just below the Diwan-i-Khaas hall,courtyard is the sheesh mahal or the mirror palace. it is believed to have been the royal dressing room and its walls are inlaid with tiny mirrors ,one of the rest specimens of glass-mosaic decoration in india .the sheesh mahal is composed of two large halls of equal size,are connected in the centre by a broad arched opening and on the sides by two narrow passages.
Machchhi BHAWAN: Machchhi Bhawan (Fish Pavilion)and the Diwan-i-Khaas at Agra Fort on extreme right,a grand enclosure meant for harem functions. The emperor sat on the white marble platform of the Diwan -i -Khaas facing this courtyard .It once contained pools and marble fountains ,which were carried off by Jat Raja Surajmal to his palace at Deeg. On another side stands a small mosque built for Shahjahan by his son Aurangzeb.
HAMMAM-i-shahi:to the right of diwan -i-khaas is the hammam-i-shahi or the shah burj.it is an airy apartment,which attached to the residential quarters,and used as summer retreat.
Diwan-i-Aam:Shahjahan constructed the hall of pubilc audiences , made of red sandstone. It is here the emperor met officials and commoners and listened to the petitioners . the women of the palace could watch the court without being seen by others from the pavilion through jali or screens. the op[en sided , cuspid arched arched hall built of plaster on red stone ,is very impressive .the throne alcove of richly decorated white marble completed after seven years work in 1634 used to famous peacock throne late were shifted to delhi by aurangazeb,and finally carried away to iran.
The Nagina masjid:The Gem Mosque is a private raised by Shah Jahan with typical cusped arches for ladies of the court.there is Mina bazaar for the royal women to buy things from the balcony beneath the Nagina Masjid.
The Moti Masjid:Near the Nagina Masjid is a perfectly proportioned pearl mosque built .This grand mosque has three domes in white marble raising their heads over the red sandstone wall.