POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND SIGHTSEEING IN AGRA (INDIA):

Taj Mahal:
One of the seven wonders of the world is the main attraction of Agra. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. The construction of Taj Mahal was started in 1632 AD and completed at the end of 1648 AD. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete the enchanting mausoleum. Being one of the most beautiful places in the world, It is a feast for the eyes and a pilgrimage to the hearts of the lovers. It lies on the banks of the river Yamuna and is constructed completely of white marble embedded with several precious gems like jade, crystal, turquoise and sapphire. There are many more popular tourist attractions.



Agra Fort:
This great monument of red sandstone is 2km northwest of Taj Mahal and was constructed by the Mughals during 1565-1571 AD. The fort is built alongside the Yamuna river and stretches almost up to 2.5 km. The fort is surrounded by a 70-foot high wall. It consists of the beautiful Pearl Mosque and numerous palaces including the Jahangiri Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am and Moti Masjid.

Buland Darwaza:
The name Buland Darwaza means 'High Door'. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar after his victory over Gujrat in 1573. It is a magnificient structure built in red stone and decorated with white marble. The Buland Darwaza is the entrance gateway to the Jama Masjid mosque in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra.

Itmad-Ud-Daula Tomb:
The tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah is located about 1½ Kilometers from the Taj Mahal is among popular tourist attractions. It was built before Taj Mahal but it is sometimes called the 'Baby Taj' because of its resemblance to Agra's most famous monument. This tomb was built by Nur Jahan- one of the Mughal empresses, in the memory of her father Ghiasud-Din-Beg between 1622-1628 A.D.

Fatehpur Sikri:
40 km west of Agra is Fatehpur Sikri - The City served as the capital of Mughal empire during Akbar's reign. It came into being four centuries ago when the Emperor Akbar, created the first planned city in Indo-Islamic style. It is a complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, including one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid.

Tomb of Akbar-Sikendra:
Sikandra is the tomb of Akbar and is situated about 10 km north of Agra is among popular tourist attractions. This mausoleum is a fusion of Muslim Hindu architectural style. It was started by Akbar but completed by his son Jehangir. It is a excellent example of assimilation of different styles of architecture.