Travel guideHistorySightsNightlifeMap

Agra Sights and Landmarks Guide, India

Sights To See In Agra

Agra is rich in Indian art, culture and heritage. The architecture is exquisite so when tourists come to see it, it is as if it were a fantasy. There are a lot of sights to see and enjoy for the tourists. People around the world come to this city to see the most widely known tourist attraction and one of the seven world wonders, the Taj Mahal of India. It is really a Taj (crown) in the art and culture of India. The following are some of the most important and famous sights to see in Agra that you should not miss out on:

Taj Mahal: It is the ultimate monument that embraces the power and message of love and it is a true gift of art not only to India, but to the world. There is a long history behind it. It is a masterpiece being made of white marble. It was designed by Ustad Ahmad Lahauri who has a bittersweet history being its designer. He designed a world wonder but as a result, unfortunately his hands were cut off after the completion of the monument so that he would never be able to design a second Taj. It was built under the emperor Sahajahan for the memorandum of Mumtaj “queen of Sahajahan”. It was started in 1632 AD and completed in 1648 AD. 1000 elephants were used to carry the materials to Agra from around India and outside of India as well.

Agra fort: It was a master piece in design that was built by the great Emperor Akbar in 1565 AD. There are a number of superb buildings including the Moti Masjid, Diwani-e-khaas, Diwani-e-Am and Musanman Burj that are inside. Besides these, there is also the Khaas Mahal and the Seesh Mahal to see.

Fatehpur Sikri: It is situated just 37 kilometers outside of Agra. It was a town built by the great Emperor Akbar in Red Sandstone and it is named after him. The main intention of Akbar was to make it the Capital of the dynasty but due to a shortage of water and other resource factors the emperor was forced to abandon the city. After this and within 20 years the capital was changed to Lahore. It was built from 1571 to 1585 and it was the finest example of Mughal architecture at this time. It was an excellent example of mixed culture between Hindu and Muslim architecture. This was also symbolic of the two cultures coexisting. Unfortunately, the city is almost in ruins. Luckily there are some sections that have been protected by UNESCO and the Archaeological department of India. The Fatehpur Sikri Mosque is a copy of the mosque in Mecca which is dedicated to the Muslims and their prophet Mohammed.

Besides the previously mentioned destinations, tourists can all see the other destinations in Agra: Akbar's Mausoleum, Chini-Ka-Rauza or Sikandra. These are the sights that attract tourists from around the world to come to Agra.

email to a friendAsk our travel experts a question about Agra

Things about Agra you may be interested in

Agra Reviews

+ list your site

ReviewsTravel TipsWrite a review Write a travel tip

Read our members' reviews about Agra

Taj Mahal facts
review by cipristb posted more then 30 days ago
The Taj Mahal is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world in 2007. It is located in Agra, India and was built between years 1630 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum in memory of the second wife, Muslim Persian princess Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan was very affected by the death of his...