Fort Agra

Agra Fort

Agra Fort is located (270 10' 47''N & 780 1' 22'' E) on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the city of Agra in Uttar. The magnificent towers, bastions, ramparts, and gateways of the Agra Fort symbolize the stature and power of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Built between 1565 and 1571 AD, it is said that the emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. The magnificent Agra fort, though started by Emperor Akbar, was completed by his grandson Shah Jahan.

The fort was embellished with number of richly decorated buildings encompassing the imposing Mughal style of art and architecture. Sikandar Lodi (1487-1517) was the first Sultan of Delhi to shift his capital from Delhi to Agra. After Sikandar Lodi who died in 1517, his son Ibrahim Lodi held the fort for 9 years until he was defeated and killed in the battle of Panipat in 1526. Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built in the fort during the Lodi period.

When Babur (the founder of Mughal dynasty) sent his son Humayun to Agra, he captured the fort and seized a vast treasure, which included the world famous Ð''Koh-i-noor' diamond as well. Babur built a baoli (step-wall) here. Humayun was coronated here in 1530. Nazam, a water-carrier (saqqa). He also introduced the concept of square Persian-styled gardens here. Humnyun was crowned here as an emperor for half-a-day. After his defeat at Bilgram in 1540, Sher Shah of the Sur dynasty occupied Agra fort and garrisoned it.

Akbar arrived in Agra in 1558. He ordered to renovate the fort with red sandstone. Some 4000 builders daily worked on it and it was completed in 8 years (1565-1573).

The fort, semi-circular on plan, is surrounded by a 21.4 m high fortification wall which stretches almost 2.5km. Double ramparts have been provided here with broad massive circular bastions at regular intervals. There are four gates on its four sides, one of the gates was called "khizri-gate" (the water gate) which opens to the river front, where ghats (quays) were provided .The fort has survived through the onslaught of time, nature and men. The fort spreads over an area of about 94 acres of land. At present, there exist more than two dozens of monuments in the Fort.

Abul Fazl, a court historian of Akbar, records that 5000 buildings were built here beautifully in Bengali and Gujarati style. Most of these buildings have now disappeared. Shah Jahan himself demolished some of these in order to make room for his white marble