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Agra Fort

Agra Fort

heritage site · Uttar Pradesh

State
Uttar Pradesh
Type
Heritage Site

Agra Fort is a massive red-sandstone fortress-palace complex on the banks of the Yamuna River, enclosed by 2.5 km of walls, and served as the principal residence of Mughal emperors before the capital moved to Delhi. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Agra Fort is known for

UNESCO World Heritage SiteMughal red sandstone and marble architectureAkbar's rebuildingShah Jahan's imprisonment siteShish Mahal

A short history

Chauhan Rajputs occupied the site before the Mughal era. After the 1526 Battle of Panipat, Babur took the fort, and Humayun was crowned there in 1530. Akbar rebuilt the fort extensively from 1558, replacing the ruined brick fort with red sandstone construction, completed by 1573. Shah Jahan later added white-marble structures including the Shish Mahal and Muthamman Burj (1631-1640). After the capital shifted to Delhi in 1638, the fort's primacy declined; it later passed through Jat, Maratha, and finally British control following the 1803 Second Anglo-Maratha War, and saw fighting during the 1857 Rebellion. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_Fort; Source: whc.unesco.org/en/list/251/]

Why Agra Fort matters

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site near the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort is recognized as key evidence of Mughal imperial power and architecture.

How many people come

18 lakh

monument in 2025 · ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), FY2024-25 footfall

When to go

October to March

Why visit

A massive red-sandstone Mughal citadel on the Yamuna, every bit as impressive as its more famous neighbour — climb to the Musamman Burj for the same view of the Taj Mahal that held Shah Jahan captive in his final years.

How to reach

Agra is served by Agra Airport (Kheria) and Agra Cantt Railway Station, with the fort located in central Agra near the Yamuna riverbank.

Agra Fort guide & itineraries

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