Fort Agra

Fort Agra was one of the first major projects undertaken by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Fort Agra took over fifteen years to build. It stands at the edge of the Yamuna River. Today most of the fort remains intact, though some was torn down during several wars in the 1600's.

At the time, Fort Agra was a massive show and foot hold of power in the Mughal Empire. It contained the empires largest treasury, served as the home of the emperor, it also served as the entrance point for foreign dignitaries.


The fort also stood as an artistic peice. As you can see from the above image, the building is covered in ornate stonework and rich geometric patterns. The interior is also laced with intracit columns and tilework. It was also surrounded by and filled with many gardens which contained many rare species and many others that were brightly colored.



Really I find Fort Agra to be as facinating as the Taj Mahal. It may be much less known but also has a rich history of being a keystone to an empire. I also find it amazing that Akbar also had such a strong influence over how the building was built and desighned. Books indicate that he had to approve even the smallest details before they could be carried out.