Access To Agra

Inside Agra Cantt Railway Station

Agra Cantt Railway Station

Travelling Agra in Volvo Bus

Plane At Kheria In Agra

A Foreigner In Luxury Bus

Location Kheria Airport In Agra

Air IndiaAgra is accessible by three means i.e. Air, Rail and Road. Visitors desiring to come to Agra can choose any one of them according to their suitability. There is one Airport, three Railway Stations and three Bus Stands. The Airport named Kheria in Agra is situated 9 Km. away form the city.

Three Railway Stations named Agra Cant, Agra Fort and Raja Mandi are main Railway Stations in Agra. All these are situated in three directions of Agra. Agra Cant Railway Station is the nearest one of Taj Mahal. Number of Trains run everyday form these railway Stations.

People who like to travel in bus to have a good view if side scenes can enjoy visiting Agra through bus. There are three Bus Stands in Agra named Transport Nagar, Bijli Ghar, and Idgaah. Local Transport is always available at these Bus Stands to reach at the destination.

Shopping in Agra

A Jewellery Shop in Agra

TDI Shopping Mall

Taj Mahal Complex

A Saree Shop in Kinari Bazar

Silk Saree Shop

A shop in Raja Mandi
Sadar Bazar

Silk Sarees The main shopping areas of Agra are:

Taj Mahal Complex, Kinari Bazar, Raja Mandi and Sadar Bazar areas. These shopping areas are worth visiting in Agra. TDI mall and Big Bazaar at Fatehabad road are also good places for shopping. These places contain a variety of products as well as qualitative products. .These places are also containing the culture of Agra. At the time of festivals, these markets are flooded with variety of clothes, jewellery, and house hold items.

Agra Fort

Agra Fort from Outside

Courtyard in Agra Fort

Jahangiri Palace Built by Akbar For His Son Jahangir

Wonderful Moti Mahal entirely Made Up Marble

Beautiful Columns Featuring Birds in Agra Fort

Khas Mahal - A Special Palace Built By Shah Jahan

Beautiful View of Agra Fort from Yamuna River

Beautiful Carving inside Musamman Burj Where Shah Jahan was Held Captive

Beautiful Design Made Up on Stone

Balcony of Agra Fort - A Royal Palace

Octagonal Tower in Musamman Burj from Where Shah Jahan used to See Taj Mahal

Diwan-e-Aam - A Hall for Public Audience

Lahore Gate Also Known As Amar Singh Gate

Agra Fort has now been declared as world Heritage site by UNESCO. Agra Fort has been the witness of Indian History. Its presence proves the grand status of Agra in the history of India. It is about 2.5 km northwest of the most famous building, the Taj Mahal.

Agra Fort was provided with four gates. One of them is Khizri gate which opens on to the river. Two others are Delhi Gate and Lahore Gate. Delhi Gate was the formal gate for king but now northern portion of Agra Fort is being used by Indian Military that’s why this gate cannot be used by Public. Tourists can enter via the Lahore Gate; this gate is named so because it faces Lahore which is now in Pakistan, it is also known as Amar Singh Gate in the name of Amar Singh Rathore. Delhi Gate is considered as the grandest gate of all. It is followed by an inner gate named Hathi Pol (Elephant Gate) because two life sized stone elephants are standing with their riders.

Important Structures in Agra Fort

Anguri Bagh – these are 85 square geometrically arranged gardens.
Diwan-e-Aam – this is a hall of public audience where ruler used to address the mass sitting on the Peacock Throne as well as justice used to be done.
Diwan-e-Khas – this is a hall of private audience where king used to greet some dignitary or honorable guests.
Golden Pavilions – these are beautiful pavilions with the roofs shaped like roofs of Bengali huts.
Jahangiri Mahal – this was built by Akbar for his son Jahangir
Khas Mahal – this is one of the best examples of painting on white marble.
Macchi Bhawan – this used to be the grand enclosure of harem functions has design of fish, had pools and fountains.
Musamman Burj – this is a large octagonal tower. A clear view of Taj Mahal can be had from here. It is said that Shah Jahan used to see Taj Mahal from here and here only he breathed last.
Mina Masjid – this is a heavenly mosque which was entirely built by white marble by Shah Jahan for his personal use.
Pearl Mosque – also known as Moti Masjid was built by Shah Jahan.
Nagina Masjid – it is also known as the Gem Mosque or the Jewel Mosque. It was built by Shah Jahan for the ladies of royal family.
Zenana Mina Bazar – this is right next to the balcony of Nagina Masjid A luxurious bazaar, known as Mina Bazar, used to be functioning down the road from where royal ladies could purchase items standing in the balcony of Nagina Masjid and only female merchants used to sold wares.
Naubat Khana (Drum House) – this is the place where king's musicians used to play music.
Rang Mahal – this is place where king’s wives and mistresses lived
Shah Jahani Mahal – this is the place where Shah Jahan’s first attempt for modification of red sandstone palace took place.
Sheesh Mahal (Glass Palace) – this used to be the royal dressing room featuring tiny mirror-like glass-mosaic decorations on the walls.

History

Its foundation was laid by Chauhan Rajputs in the name of ‘Badalgarh’ in Agra, which is now known as Agra Fort as well as Lal Quila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. Sikandar Lodi was the first Sultan who shifted its capital from Delhi to Agra in 1501. He ruled over the country from Agra and after his death in 1517, his son Ibrahim Lodi ruled for 9 years. He was defeated and killed at Panipat in 1526 and then Agra Fort was introduced with Mughals.

Mughals captured all the treasure including a valuable diamond which was later named Koh-i-Noor diamond. Babur Stayed in the fort in the palace of Ibrahim Lodi. His son Humayun was crowned here in 1530. Sher Shah held it for 5 years after defeating Humayun in Bilgram in 1530. Eventually, Mughals got it again by defeating Afghans at Panipat in 1556. This brick fort named ‘Badalgarh’ was in ruined condition when Akbar decided to shift his Capital from Delhi to Agra. He rebuilt it with red sandstone. Almost 1,444,000 builders worked on it for eight years and it was completed in 1573. Akbar built a palace in it for his son Jahangir.

Agra Fort has seen many changes during its life span and it took its current shape in the time of Jahangir’s son Shah Jahan, who was the most favorite of Akbar’s grandsons. Shah Jahan used white marble in spite of red sand stone first time in Mughal history. He also demolished some of the buildings in fort. It is said that earlier it had 500 different buildings out of which two dozen are left. Some were destroyed by Shah Jahan to construct new one and some were destroyed during British rule to raise barracks.

Timings - Open from Dawn to Dusk

Entrance Fee

For Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) it is Rs.10/- per head.

For Others: It is US $ 5 or Indian Rs. 250/- per head (ASI)

Note - It is free for Children up to 15 years.

Banks and Money Exchangers in Agra

State Bank of India, Main Branch Chipitola, Agra: 0562-2252078

Allahabad Bank, Hotel Clarks Shiraj, Taj Ganj, Agra:0562-2226179

Ahdhra Bank, Taj Road, Sadar Bazar, Agra: 0562-2226675

Central Bank of India, M.G. Road, Agra: 0562-2366788

Bank of Baroda, M.G. Road, Agra: 0562-2364345

Canara Bank, Sadar Bazar, Agra: 0562-2227161

Centrum Forex, Fatehabad Road, Agra: 0562-2231640

Thomas Cook, Fatehabad Road, Agra: 0562-2330550