Agra Fort: A Complete Guide To Explore The Marvellous And Historic Monument In 2024!

Agra in Uttar Pradesh has many monuments that beautifully depict the Mughal Era. The most notable of them are Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri. The Agra Fort is a beautiful fort with a history of its own. It was formerly known as Badalgarh. What is special about this fort is that all the emperors of the Mughal era until the year 1638 have resided here at least once. If you are a history lover, then do visit this fort not only because of its historical richness but also because of its architectural beauty. Here, we have gathered all the information that you would love to know about the place while planning for a visit.

History Of Agra Fort

Image Source

The Agra Fort was built by Raja Badal Singh who was a Rajput king. The fort has been owned by various dynasties at different periods of time e.g. Lodhi Dynasty, Mughal Empire, and British Empire to name a few. In A.D. 1526, the fort was occupied by the Mughals after the battle of Panipat. The fort was rebuilt in Akbar’s era and it gets it architectural style from it. There are also various other historic sites inside the fort such as Ghaznin Gate, Shah Jahani Mahal, Shish Mahal, and a lot more. The fort has a very vast history and you will get to know a lot more things as you will visit the fort. You can take an audio tour to the fort as well which will guide you throughout the fort.

Agra Fort Location: Rakabganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Agra Fort Timings: 6.00 AM – 6.00 PM
Agra Fort Ticket Price: INR 35 for Indians and INR 550 for Foreigners
Visit Duration: 2-3 hours

Must Read: 5 Popular Hot-Spots Serving The Most Famous Street Food In Agra

Looking To Book A Holiday Package?

Best Time To Visit Agra Fort

Image Source

The fort is open all the seven days of the week. But you must consider the weather while planning your visit to Agra, as you won’t be able to enjoy much when it is hot. So, the months of November to February are the best ones to visit the Agra Fort as the weather is dry and less hot during these months.

Suggested Read: 18 Best Places To Visit Near Agra For A Weekend Getaway

Layout Of Agra Fort

Image Source

From the top this fort has a semicircular shape and the base of the fort is located just opposite the bank of river Yamuna. Made of magnificent redstone, there is a double battlemented massive wall which encloses the entire fort. The wall of the fort is 2 kilometres in perimeter and adorned by the beautiful curves and also the lofty bastions. There are four gates in the Agra fort among which the Delhi gate and the Lahore gate are some of the prominent ones which are the main highlights. Alongside that there is an inner gateway which is also called the Elephant gate.

There are many halls and palaces inside the palace among which some of the famous ones are Macchi Bhavan, Khas Mahal and also the Shah Jahani Mahal. On the right side of the fort lies the beautiful Diwan-I-Am and a few steps ahead there are other royal pavilions which is a house of Nagina Masjid and Mina Masjid. Inside the fort there are also other highlights like the places of worship and a private market which was once a gathering place for the ladies.

In addition to this there is a secret massage at the base of the fort which was dug to access easily during the times of emergency. There are also many other attractions like the grape garden, a mirror palace and also the jasmine tower. It is believed that there were around 500 buildings around the fort which soon lost its glory with the running of time.

Agra Fort Architecture

Image Source

The fort was rebuilt in red sandstone by Akbar in the year 1573. It took around 8 years to rebuild the fort. The basic purpose behind building this fort was military installations. This is the reason the fort has a 70 foot high wall. Later, however, Shah Jahan built various other beautiful marble places and forts inside the tomb. The fort also has a secret tunnel but it stands sealed by the government. You’ll find that the fort has two major gates i.e. the Lahore Gate and the Delhi Gate.

Suggested Read: 10 Soulful Retreats Near Agra For A Break Away From The Crowds

Structures Inside The Agra Fort

Image Source

• Jahangir’s Hauz – Built by emperor Jahangir, this was actually a monolithic tank which was used for bathing during that time. Now this is part of Akbar’s Bengali Mahal.
• Shahjahani Mahal – This was one of the first attempts made by Shah Jahan to turn a red sandstone palace structure into white marble structure.
• Babur’s Baoli – This was built for taking care of the water needs of the fort. It is known to be one of the early modifications made inside the Agra fort.
• Nagina Masjid – This place was built by Shah Jahan as a private place of worship.
• Diwan-I-Am – This hall was built by Shah Jahan and initially made of red sandstone. Later it was shell-plastered to give that white marble look.
• Ghaznin Gate – This gate belonged to the tomb of Mahmud of Ghazni which was later moved into a fort during the British reign for political reasons.
• Bengali Mahal – This palace was built by Akbar and later it was renovated by Shah Jahan. This place is known for having some secret buildings which are hidden underneath.
• Akbar’s Mahal – This was the place where Emperor Akbar took his last breath. Still holding its importance, this palace was made of red sandstone.

Places To Visit Near Agra Fort

Here are some of the famous places to visit near Agra fort which one can explore after witnessing the marvelous architecture of the fort. 

1. Fatehpur Sikri

Image Source

Fatehpur Sikri is known as the pride of Mughal Empire which can be visited on a one day trip from Agra. This was founded close to the 16th century which was made out of red sandstone. Now turned as UNESCO world heritage site, this place is one of the finest Mughal architectures to explore. Inside Fatehpur Sikri, there are other places like Jodha Bai’s palace, Jama Mosque, Buland Darwaza and also a Tomb of Salim.

Distance from Agra Fort: 37.6 Kms

2. Taj Mahal

Image Source

Taj Mahal is considered as a symbol of love and beyond that it is also one of the seven wonders of the world. Built by the famous Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, till date this monument attracts visitors from all around the world. The construction of this monument started around the year 1631 and took almost 17 years to complete this magnificent place. This surreal place is defined as an epitome of beauty which has turned out to be a muse for many poets and artists.

Location: Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282001
Distance from Agra Fort: 2 Kms

3. Sikandra

Image Source

Sikandra is a place located at the outskirts of Agra which is known for being the place where Akbar was finally rested. The main highlight of this place is the Tomb of Akbar which was built during the time between 1605 and 1618. Surrounded by the Mughal garden, this tomb was built facing the sun unlike other monuments which faces the Masjid of Mecca. The main structure of this tomb was built of sandstone and some portions of marble.

Distance from Agra fort: 14.2 Kms

Interesting Facts About Agra Fort

Image Source

• Aurangzeb imprisoned his own father Shah Jahan in the fort for around 8 years
• Earlier, the emperors had their own bathing gates as Yamuna River flowed along the fort
• The Kohinoor diamond was also a part of this fort before Red Fort
• The Diwan-i-Khas of Red Fort was made on the reference of the Khas Mahal of Agra Fort
• Most part of the fort is made of red sandstones as Akbar had a sort thing for red walls
• It was recorded as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1983
• Around 1,444,000 workers worked to build this monument
• The chord of the fort lies parallel to Yamuna and the fort has a semicircular plan

Suggested Read: 20 Places To Visit In Agra: Explore the City Beyond Taj Mahal

Some Tips For Travelers

Image Source

• Don’t forget to check the identity cards of the guides and check their authenticity
• Stay hydrated and carry your water bottles as it can be a bit hotter there
• Visit Taj Mahal and Agra Fort on the same day as you might get a discount on Agra Fort’s ticket
• Keep your belongings safe from pickpockets
• Try to reach the fort early in the morning to avoid heavy crowd
• If you want to shoot a video in the fort, then you will have to pay some fee amount to the authorities
• Attend the light and sound show that would cost around 70 bucks to Indians and 200 bucks to foreign nationals
• Don’t litter in the historic monument as you could also be heavily fined for the same

Suggested Read: The Ultimate List of Adventure Holidays In India For Summer

Planning your holiday but confused about where to go? These travel stories help you find your best trip ever!

How To Reach Agra Fort

Image Source

All the travel options of air, road, and rail are open for you to reach Agra. Agra is well connected to various cities in India.

The nearest airport is Kheria Airport in Agra at a distance of around 7 km from the Agra Fort. From there you can easily get an auto or taxi and reach Agra Fort.

You can also take a bus to Agra if you are traveling from some other cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, or Delhi. There are regular buses from these cities to Agra. Also, you can drive yourself to Agra through Yamuna Expressway or NH2.

If you are planning to reach Agra by train, then you can check the Delhi-Chennai and Delhi-Mumbai routes. Agra Cantt. Railway Station is the main railway station in Agra apart from the other four. You can easily get an auto from the railway station for the Agra Fort.

Further Read: Long Weekends In India: Ways To Enliven Your Vacay Vibes Safely In The Post-Lockdown Era!

Apart from Taj Mahal, Agra Fort is the other major tourist site that you must visit in Agra. Also, if you are a photo phanatic who loves getting clicked, then you should visit this fort. So what are you waiting for? Plan a vacation to Agra with TravelTriangle and delve in the Mughal history and culture. Know more about the historic and glorious past of India by exploring Agra fully.

Disclaimer: TravelTriangle claims no credit for images featured on our blog site unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to its respectful owners. We try to link back to original sources whenever possible. If you own the rights to any of the images and do not wish them to appear on TravelTriangle, please contact us and they will be promptly removed. We believe in providing proper attribution to the original author, artist, or photographer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Agra Fort

People Also Read:

Forts In India Nagaur Fort Tughlaqabad Fort

Roopam

An avid reader by choice, passionate about writing and exploring new ideas and places. Music is what helps me make peace with my soul. Live, love and laugh is the ideology I follow.