Jaswant Singh ki Chatri
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Jaswant Singh ki Chatri is the only Hindu monument built in Agra during the Mughal rule. It is a memorial cenotaph dedicated to Rani Hada, wife of Amar Singh Rathore. Upon her husband's death, Rani Hada committed sati. Raja Jaswant Singh, the younger brother of Amar Singh, built the chatri in 1644-58 CE.
The principal zenana (palace for women belonging to the royal household) of the Fort. It was built for the Hindu wives of Akbar, especially his chief wife Mariam-uz-Zamani, popularly known as "Jodha Bai". There is a huge bowl called Hauz-i-Jahangiri that is carved out of a single piece of stone. This was used as a container for fragrant rose water.
The tomb of Akbar lies here in the centre of the large garden. Akbar started its construction himself but it was completed by his son Jahangir, who significantly modified the original plans, which accounts for the somewhat cluttered architectural lines of the tomb. Four red sandstone gates lead to the tomb complex: one is Muslim, one Hindu, one Christian, and one is Akbar's patent mixture.
The large gate that leads to the entrance of the Taj Mahal complex. The three entrances come together to enter the complex. Videography is allowed up to the red sandstone platform of the gate.
Two identical buildings on either side of the platform. The Jawab, meaning "answer", was originally used as a place for entertaining and accommodation for important visitors, and is also known as "Mehman Khana", literally "Guest House".
It is similar in layout to the Red Fort in Delhi, but considerably better preserved, as much of Delhi Fort was razed by the British after the Mutiny. As much a palace as a defensive structure, it is also constructed mainly from red sandstone and much white marble in the palace section of the fort.
An octagonal tower built by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is said that there was a small marble palace built by Akbar at this site, which was later demolished by Jahangir to erect new buildings. The tower looks out over the River Yamuna, offering what is traditionally considered to be one of the most poignant views of the Taj Mahal. It is here that Shah Jahan along with his favorite daughter Jahanara Begum had spent his last few years as a captive of his son Aurangzeb. He laid here on his death bed while gazing at the Taj Mahal.
A palace between the white-marble Diwan-i-Khas and the redstone Jahangiri Mahal. It is the earliest attempt of emperor Shah Jahan to convert an existing redstone building in accordance with his taste.
Constructed by Jahangir in memory of his mother Mariam Zammani. The grave is made of white marble. Though this building is in a ruined condition, yet it has in its vicinity, a Christian Mission School and a church. It is also said; Akbar himself made it in the memory of his Christian wife.
A stunning palace adorned with intricate mirror work and glass mosaics. It served as a royal dressing room and exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of the Mughal era.
A less-explored garden just west of the Taj Mahal complex.
An octagonal pool is placed at the centre of the garden, which lets visitors see an amazing reflection of the Taj Mahal during moonlight, without the crowds of tourists. The garden was built in the 16th century by Emperor Babur, and it is also referred to as the "Moonlight Garden". Alternatively, there is the ADA Taj Mahal View Point to the right of the entrance: the view of the Taj is every bit as lovely (perhaps more so, since the barbed wire fence surrounding the gardens will be beneath you).
The white marble samadhi of the Radha Soami religion. Construction started in 1904 and is not expected to be completed until sometime in the next century. Visitors can see pietra dura inlaid marblework actually being worked on. Soami Bagh is 2 km north of Agra and can be reached by bus or cycle.
An eidgah where Muslims would come together during Friday prayers.
Oldest Protestant church of Agra.
Dayal Bagh Temple in Agra, the headquarters of the Radha Soami Satsang movement, is renowned for its ongoing construction, stunning white marble architecture, and intricate carvings. Founded in 1904, it serves as a spiritual and meditation centre, attracting devotees worldwide.
Listen to the aarti as some claim it purifies your soul. It is the most visited temple by locals, and during festive seasons, it's so crowded, disrupting the traffic in the nearby areas.
An octagonal three-storey tower topped by a chhatri.
A large congregational mosque attributed to Princess Jahanara Begum, built in 1648 during the reign of her father, Shah Jahan. Notable for its unusual dome and absence of minarets.
This building separates the outer court from the inner court and has a marble platform for the emperor's throne.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
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Constructed in 1848, it dominates the nearby Akbar's Church. It is built in Baroque style.
A historical gurudwara dedicated to the ninth Guru, that is Guru Tegh Bahadur. The gurudwara is at the place where Tegh Bahadur offered voluntary arrest to emperor Aurangzeb.
The 11-step structure is part of a medieval observatory dating back to the Mughal emperor Humayun.
Hazrat Ahmad Shah Bukhari Rahmatullah Aleh Dargah
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A hidden dargah inside the Taj Forest.
A mosque built, entirely of white marble, by Shah Jahan for his personal use. It is enclosed and secured on all sides by high walls, and has a small open court in front of the three-arched prayer-chamber. There is no ornamentation and is simple.
A museum hosted in a structure identical to the eastern Naubat Khana.
Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah
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Empress Nur Jahan built the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, sometimes called the Baby Taj, for her father, Ghias-ud-Din Beg, the Chief Minister of Emperor Jahangir. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble, pietra dura, inlay designs and latticework presage many elements of the Taj.
Built completely of marble, this is where the emperor received special visitors.
Roman Catholic Cemetery
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Roman Catholic Cemetery in Agra predates the Taj Mahal. It dates back to the time of Akbar (ruled 1556 - 1605). The earliest grave dates back to 1611 and is of an Armenian named Khwaja Mortenepus. The star attraction of the cemetery is the tomb of William Hessing (1740 - 1803), a Dutch commander of Agra Fort under Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia. The red sandstone tomb was constructed by his wife and is designed along the lines of the Taj Mahal, but not an exact copy. It is often referred to as the Red or Baby Taj. The Ellisa Memorial, Tomb of General Perron's children and many of the other tombs are built in Islamic style. Also, many of the Armenian graves have epitaphs in Persian.
This was the temporary burial place of Babur. Later, his mortal remains were transferred to Kabul. It has four corner towers and follows the prototype of the nearby Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula, but lacks the marble finish. It lies in ruins and is seldom visited by tourists.
A Persian-style garden divided into four parts, which provides the foreground for the classic view of the Taj. The garden includes raised pathways that divide each quarter of the garden into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. A raised marble water tank at the center of the garden, halfway between the tomb and the gateway, and a linear reflecting pool on the North-South axis reflect the Taj. Elsewhere the garden is laid out with avenues of trees and fountains. The Charbagh is meant to symbolise the four flowing Rivers of Paradise. The raised marble water tank (hauz) is called al Hawd al-Kawthar, literally meaning and named after the "Tank of Abundance" promised to Muhammad in paradise where the faithful may quench their thirst upon arrival.Some old images of the Taj had forested trees on both sides. However, at the end of the 19th century, British gardener A. E. P. Griessen, under the viceroy Lord Curzon, thinned out a lot of such trees, replanted the cypresses, and gave the garden a British touch.
A Friday mosque.
The first Mughal garden, built by the first Mughal emperor, Babur.
Tomb of Firoz Khan Khwajasara
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Firoz Khan Khwasara was the caretaker of Shah Jahan's harem. It is a sandstone tomb with four corner towers and intricate jali works.
A two-storey drum house at the east, built of sandstone, and is capped with a white marble chhatris supported from 8 columns.
A memorial dedicated to the Prime Minister of Shah Jahan, Allama Afzel Khal Mullah Shukrullah of Shiraz, notable for its dome of blue glazed tiles.
Akbar's Church dates back to 1598 and was built under the patronage of Emperor Akbar by Jesuit Fathers from Goa. Akbar's son, Jahangir, helped in the further expansion of the church. However, his son Shah Jahan demolished the church in 1635, only to rebuild it a year later. Again in 1758, the church was looted by the Persian invader Ahmed Shah Abdali. In 1769, the church was rebuilt. In 1835, the church went through further extension.