Agra popular tourist attractions
The city of Agra is
located approximately 205 Kilometers from
Delhi.
The Taj Mahal in Agra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Visiting the Taj Mahal
The best Time to Visit March to April and October to
December. Expect heavy rainfall during monsoon season in July to September.
There is always heavy traffic during days when there is a full moon.
The Taj Mahal was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting
place for his Queen Mumtaz. The Taj Mahal is a marvel in engineering. It
took 22 years to complete and was completed in 1652.
Verses from the Holy Koran are inscribed on the main gate and the domes.
Inlay work using semi-precious stones decorate the Taj Mahal. (photo below)
While the Taj Mahal is a great site during the day, it is best viewed at night during a full moon.
The Taj Mahal is built on the banks of the river Yamuna.
TEN INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE TAJ MAHAL
1. The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build.
2. 20,000 people worked on the construction.
3. Built by the Persian architect Ustad Isa.
4. The main dome measures 60 feet in diameter and 80 feet high.
5. The Taj Mahal is 180 feet tall.
6. 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the
white marble of the famous Taj Mahal.
7. During the British rule of India. Soldiers and government officials
supposedly chiseled out precious stones from some of the walls in the
Taj Mahal.
8. The Taj Mahal is said to be the most popular attraction in India for
tourists from all over the world.
9. Some believe that Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal started building
a black Taj Mahal as a memorial to himself opposite the original Taj
Mahal. He was not allowed to do this and was imprisoned in the Agra Fort
by his son. While there are some foundations to suggest that some
construction was planned the theory of a black Taj Mahal is disputed.
10. Mumtaz Mahal in whose memory Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal died due
to complications during child birth. She married Shah Jahan at the age
of 19 and they had 14 children of which 7 of them died at an early age.
"The world is divided between those who have seen the Taj and those who
have not. Very soon, I hope to be on the side that has seen the Taj."
Bill Clinton, President of The United States of America. (22 March,
2000)
Close-up photograph of a wall in The Taj Mahal showing inlay work.
Note: Foreigners are charged Rupees 750 as an entrance fee to view the Taj Mahal. Indian tourists pay on Rupees 20. I doubt if such a large difference in entrance prices for any tourist attraction exists anywhere else. The Indian Government needs to take a look at this seriously. I happen to be a Canadian citizen and cannot even imagine such a two tier entrance fee being tolerated in Canada.
When in the city of Agra, the best way to see all the sights in and around the city of Agra is to hire a private taxi. We were able to hire a taxi from the Agra Station and paid Rupees 1100 for the entire day. Settle the full fare when you engage the taxi. They usually expect you to bargain anyway and start by quoting you almost twice the fare.
Several private taxis are parked outside the Agra
railway station. The taxi we used drove us to all the sites including
Fatehpur Sikri which is about 37 kms away from the city. The car was
with us until late evening and dropped us back at the station in time to
catch the return train to Delhi.
THE
AGRA FORT
The Agra Fort is also a popular tourist attraction.
The famous Taj Mahal can also be viewed from the Agra Fort.
Emperor Shah Jahan was imprisoned in the Agra Fort and was able to view the reflection of the Taj Mahal in a precious diamond built strategically in one of the Fort walls.
Photograph taken from the Agra Fort shows the Taj Mahal in the distance on the banks of the river Yamuna.
Hiring a guide is the best way to see the Fort.
Photographers usually wait at the main gate and approach tourists to take their photographs for free. The idea being that if you like the photographs then you can buy them. These guys are actually pretty good and will walk around with you taking photographs using their own camera. You need not pay for their entrance fee as they are allowed in by the gate keepers for free.
These photographers know where to take pictures and will take some memorable photographs. They only charge for the pictures you buy and the price is quite reasonable. DON’T GIVE THEM YOUR CAMERA. They use their own camera.
During our visit to Agra last year, we had a photographer who we met at the gate take our photographs during our tour. Later that evening when dropped off at the railway station for our return trip to Delhi, the photographer met us at the railway station with our pictures. They were great photographs and we bought them all.
FATEHPUR SIKRI
Fatehpur Sikri is about 26 miles from the Agra Fort. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1585.
The buildings are predominantly made of red sandstone. The town is now deserted but the city is still an important historical site and worth seeing.
Guides are available at the gate and speak some English.
Timings: Open seven days a week.
Entrance Fee:
Indian Citizens: Rupees 50.
Foreigners: Rupees 485.
(Regrettably foreigners are charged more and this is a shame. Have travelled to several countries and this sort of dual fare system would never be tolerated in the west.)
For additional details on these and other places in Agra use the link below.
http://www.agratourism.org/places-to-see/index.html
