When people hear the name Agra, the Taj Mahal usually comes first to mind. But just a few kilometres away stands another magnificent monument that tells an equally fascinating story: Agra Fort. Built mainly by Mughal Emperor Akbar and later transformed by Shah Jahan, this enormous red sandstone fort was once the centre of Mughal power in India. It was also a royal residence, military stronghold and imperial city.
Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1983. Its massive walls stretch for about 2.5 km and surround a collection of palaces, audience halls, mosques and royal buildings.
A Brief History of Agra Fort
The history of the site goes back before the great Mughal fort that we see today. Agra became an important political centre during the Delhi Sultanate and later came under Mughal control after Babur’s victory in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.
Emperor Akbar ordered the rebuilding of the fort in red sandstone around 1565. The project turned the old fortification into a powerful imperial citadel. Thousands of workers and craftsmen were involved in creating its huge walls and buildings.
Akbar’s successors, especially Jahangir and Shah Jahan, changed the character of the fort. Shah Jahan had a special love for white marble and added several elegant marble palaces and halls inside the red sandstone fortress.
For a long period, Agra was the political heart of the Mughal Empire. Important decisions, royal meetings and court ceremonies took place here.
The fort also has a sad chapter in Mughal history. After Aurangzeb took power in 1658, his father Shah Jahan was confined inside Agra Fort. He spent his final years here, traditionally associated with the Musamman Burj, from where he could see the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna.
After the decline of Mughal power, the fort passed through the hands of the Marathas and eventually came under British control in 1803. It also witnessed important events during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
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