At a glance Agra is famous as being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the world-the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra, one of the most powerful cities in the medieval world. Agra is a part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, in the northern region of India. It is a part of the great northern plains and is situated on the west bank of river the Yamuna. About the city City of Architectural Wonders There are very few cities in the world that can match the history and heritage of Agra - the city of Taj Mahal. Located at a distance of 204 km south of Delhi, Agra is the single most famous tourist destination of India. Situated on the west bank of River Yamuna, Agra is a part of the great Northern Indian plains and has a tropical climate. The city has hot and humid temperature that sometimes touch a high of 45 degree Celsius. Winters are cold and foggy but pleasant enough to warrant a visit from the tourists coming from all around the world. Travel to the great historical city of Agra and understand why Taj Mahal is considered as the "Love of a Man Epitomized in Stone". Travel to Agra and discover the fact that Agra is not only Taj Mahal but much more. The architectural splendor of the city is reflected in the glorious monuments of medieval India built by great Mughals who ruled India for more than 300 years. Travel to Agra and experience the organized chaos that is India. India is best understood from the rampages of Agra Fort and nothing else. Agra - Local Sightseeing Agra for most of the time in its medieval history alternated with Delhi as the capital of mighty Mughal Empire. As the city remained for long the capital of Mughal Empire, one can find marvels of this great empire strewn all around the city. Mughals built some of the most enduring and grandest monuments in the world and many of these monuments found their place in Agra. For most of the time Agra alternated with Delhi as the capital of the Mughal Empire. The most famous of these great monuments is undoubtedly Taj Mahal. Jama Masjid Jehanara Begum, daughter of Jehangir, built Jama Masjid in the memory of legendary Sufi saint Salim Chisthi and his grandson Islam Khan. Akbar' s Tomb at Sikandra Surrounded by the peaceful gardens at Sikandra, 4 km north-west of Agra, lies the sandstone and marble tomb of Akbar. The mausoleum represents Akbar's philosophy and secular outlook blending Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Christian motifs and styles. Other important monuments in Agra include Rambagh, and Dayal Bagh. The headquarters of Radhaswami sect. Agra - How to Reach Agra is well connected by air from Delhi, Varanasi and Khajuraho. Agra is also well connected by railroad. The main railway station is the Agra Cantonment station. Agra is well connected by rail to Delhi, Varanasi and cities of Rajasthan. Agra - Shopping Agra has both traditional and modern shopping areas. It is known for leather products, jewelry, rug weaving and marble work. The Sadar Bazaar area, and the area south of Taj Ganj, boasts of many emporia and shops. Shilpgram or crafts village is located 1 km from the eastern side of the Taj, from where one can buy good quality craft items. Of special importance is the miniature marble replica of the Taj. Agra Fort Built by Emperor Akbar on the west bank of the river Yamuna and beautified with palaces and gardens by Jehangir, Agra Fort today dominates the centre of the city. The crescent-shaped fort with its 20-metre high, 2.4-km outer walls contains a maze of buildings that form a small city within a city. One can enter the fort only through the Amar Singh Gate. The public access is limited to the southern part of the fort which includes nearly all the buildings of tourist interest. The Diwan-i-Aam (hall of public audience) and Diwan-i-Khas (hall of private audience) were built by Shahjahan for receiving audiences. Jehangir's palace built by Akbar was the largest private residence in the fort. Close to Diwan-i-Khas, stands an octagonal tower known as Musamman Burj. It was here that Shahjahan breathed his last after seven years of imprisonment. Other places to see within the fort include the Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (the mirror palace) and the Anguri Bagh (the Grape Garden). Taj Mahal The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary Mughal empire, of which Agra was the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries. While its significance as a political center ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural wealth has secured its place on the international map. A pleasant town with a comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay work on marble and soapstone by craftsmen who are descendants of those who worked under the Mughals. The city is also famous for its carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather shoes. Gardens Ram Bagh: The Mughal love for nature can be seen at Agra in the form of Ram Bagh, one of the earliest gardens, laid by the Mughal ruler Babur, in 1528 AD. It is said to have been the resting-place of his body before it was taken away for a final burial in Kabul. It is 2 to 3 KM further north of the Chini Ka rauza on the riverside. Is open from sunrise to sunset. Mehtab Bagh: Situated on the left bank of River Yamuna opposite Taj Mahal, it is basically a garden to be visited especially at Night. Central to the garden was an octagonal pool that held the reflection of the Taj Mahal on a clear moonlit night, thus originating the name. Religious Places Dayal Bagh Temple: A must visit complex which is under construction since past 100 years as it is believed that construction work should never end here so as to make it a living monument. Just 15 kms. from Agra, Dayal Bagh (Soamibagh) is a majestic building, 110 feet in height, built of pure white marble. It houses the Samadhi of the founder of Radha Swami faith, 'Swamiji Maharaj'. Festivals Taj mahotsav: Organized every year by UP tourism between 18th and 27th February. It is basically an arts and crafts fair held at the Shilpgram, the crafts village near the Taj Mahal. Sharadotsav: This is a grand cultural show organized on the month of October wherein renowned dancers and musicians perform at historical location in the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri (40kms). The other fairs include the Kailash Fair ( August/ September) and the month-long Bateshwar Fair (November). Entertainment The city of Mughals has everything that makes the adrenalin pumping! The city has many avenues of amusement and recreation, one need to be just perfect in planning and time management. Known for its architectural brilliance the city also provides popular entertainment amenities. Some popular entertainment avenues include cinemas, clubs, sports and recreation. Golf course at Circuit House Campus and angling at Sur Sarovar (on M G Road Contact No: 2154498) are good sources of entertainment. City has good quality cinema halls dotted all over and it goes without saying that after tiring day of exploring the historical legacy, watching a movie is an ideal way to relax. Apart from the monumental gardens the city has gardens which are welcoming haven during the evening. These include Subhah Park, Sardar Patel Park and Paliwal Park. Nightlife The nights are usually very peaceful in Agra. Despite heavy tourist inflow, metropolis culture is yet to invade Agra. But amidst peaceful and serene environ, hot and happening spots can be located. The Tequila at Mansingh Palace on Fathabad Road (Contact No: 2331771 (8 Lines) Fax: 2330202) is mecca for those who are addicted to nightlife. A quite evening or late night walk around Taj Mahal complex is the most preferred option. The great mausoleum looks beautiful in the nighttime and sure leaves an impression. For a good night out the city provides cinemas, coffee shops, restaurants and bars. Downtown Club is one of best known bars in Agra Kidding Around There is history in every corner of Agra. To add a dash of fun quotient, we suggest you take the ride to the Taj Mahal on the tongas - small horse drawn carriages. The tongas are decked up with bright designs and so are the horses. The kids will just love the ride. How to reach Road: Idgah bus stand is the main bus stand of Agra, from where one can catch buses for Delhi, Jaipur, Mathura, Fatehpur-Sikri, etc. Buses for Mathura also leave from Agra Fort bus stand Rail: Agra is well connected by railroad. The main railway station is the Agra Cantonment station. Agra is well connected by rail to Delhi, Varanasi and cities of Rajasthan. Luxury Trains like Palace on Wheel, Shatabdi, Rajdhani, and Taj Express ply to Agra . Air Just 7 km from the city and 3 km from the Idgah bus stand, Agra Civil Enclaves, also known as Kheria Airport is well connected to most of the cities. It takes 40 minutes to reach Agra by air from Delhi. Indian airlines operate daily tourist shuttle flights to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi and back. It only takes 40 minutes from Delhi to Agra. Getting Around There are Taxis, Tempos, Auto-rickshaws and Cycle- rickshaws to commute from one part of the city to another. Prepaid taxis and autos are available from the Railway station. A wide variety of self and chauffeur driven vehicles are available for hire at highly attractive rates at the airport premises. Prepaid transport is also available for excursions in and around the city limits. Bicycles can be hired on hourly basis from different parts of the city. To safeguard the Taj- diesel or petrol vehicle are not allowed to ply in the Taj area. There are Battery-Operated buses, horse-driven Tongas, rickshaws, and other pollution- free vehicles. Distances 204 km South from Delhi 118 km from Gwalior 363 km from Lucknow 232 km from Jaipur Road: 3-4 Hours from Delhi Rail: 2-3 Hours from Delhi Air: 40 Minutes from Delhi Best Seasons Although Agra can be visited throughout the year, travelers are advised to avoid the extremely hot and rainy seasons. The best time to visit Agra is between October and March, when the sunshine is mild and the breeze is soothing. It is not only the weather that is welcoming, but several festivals coincide with this period. Places in and around Itmad-ud-daulah's Tomb To the north of the fort, on the opposite bank of the Yamuna lies the tomb of Itmad-ud-daulah, built in memory of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, Jehangir's wazir. Also known as the 'baby Taj', it was the first Mughal structure totally built from marble and first to make extensive use of pietra dura. The place is the least visited of Agra's three great monuments. Sikandra In the centre of a peaceful garden at Sikandra, 4 km north-west of Agra, lies the sandstone and marble tomb of Akbar. The mausoleum represents Akbar's philosophy and secular outlook blending Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Christian motifs and styles. Rambagh Three kilometres upstream from Itmad-ud-daulah's tomb lies Ram Bagh, one of the earliest Mughal Gardens in the country. The garden was laid out by Emperor Babar, and it is believed that he was buried here temporarily before being permanently interred at Kabul in Afghanistan. Dayal Bagh At Dayal Bagh, the headquarters of Radhaswami sect, there is a beautiful white marble temple coming up. The temple has been under construction for almost 100 years now. On a trip to the temple, you can view the pietra dura marble inlay work in process. Jama Masjid Built in 1648 AD, in memory of Sheikh Salim Chisthi and his grandson Islam Khan by Jehanara Begum, Shahjahan's daughter, the masjid has a wonderful assimilation of Iranian architecture. The building with its rectangular open forecourt, has no minarets but its sandstone domes have a striking marble patterning. Mathura Built by Emperor Akbar on the west bank of the river Yamuna and beautified with palaces and gardens by Jehangir, Agra Fort today dominates the centre of the city. The crescent-shaped fort with its 20-metre high, 2.4-km outer walls contains a maze of buildings that form a small city within a city.One can enter the fort only through the Amar Singh Gate. The public access is limited to the southern part of the fort which includes nearly all the buildings of tourist interest. The Diwan-i-Aam (hall of public audience) and Diwan-i-Khas (hall of private audience) were built by Shahjahan for receiving audiences. Jehangir's palace built by Akbar was the largest private residence in the fort. Close to Diwan-i-Khas, stands an octagonal tower known as Musamman Burj. It was here that Shahjahan breathed his last after seven years of imprisonment. Other places to see within the fort include the Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (the mirror palace) and the Anguri Bagh (the Grape Garden). Govardhan Hill According to the legends, Lord Krishna lifted this small hillock to save the villagers from torrential rain caused by God Indra. The hillock is located 25 km away from Mathura. Vrindavan Not far away from Mathura lies Vrindavan (10 km). Most of the childhood of Lord Krishna was spent here. There are scores of temples, memorial stones, shrines, and hermitages of saints and follower's of Krishna. Some of the important spots to visit in Vrindavan are Govind Dev Temple and Rangaji Temple. Gokul Gokul, according to Hindu pythons, was the place where Lord Krishna was raised secretly. Gokul is located around 16 km south of Mathura and again a small place full of temples. Some of the important places to visit are Chaurasi Khamba, Utkhal, and Brahmand Ghat. Fatehpur Sikri Fatehpur Sikri was the imperial city of the Mughal dynasty between 1571 and 1584. Built by the Mughal emperor Akbar, this royal city is one of a kind. The architectural grandeur of this deserted city cannot be described in words and one can only experience the aura of its magnificent edifices by seeing them. Ferozabad For those interested in glass products, a visit to Ferozabad becomes necessary. Situated about 44 km away from Agra, this industrial city is famous for its glassware. You can buy products such as glass bangles and chandeliers in abundance here. Gwalior The city of Agra is famous world over for the Taj Mahal and millions of tourists from all over the world come here every year to savor the different moods of this magnificent edifice. As Agra was the seat of the great Mughal rulers for many years, it also has a number of historical monuments in and around the city, dating back to the 16th and 17th century. Jaipur Among all the states of erstwhile princely India, Rajputana is undoubtedly the one with the most martial record—warring factions locked in deadly warfare, thousands of royal ladies consigning themselves to flames preferring death to dishonor. In this land, towering forts were built as much for ostentation as for intimidating the enemy. The city of Jaipur is the prime example of the culture and traditions of this region. Bharatpur The Keoladeo Ghana National Park or—as many people prefer to call it—the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary lies between two of India’s most historic cities, Agra and Jaipur. This north Indian sanctuary is situated in the country’s northwestern state of Rajasthan, about 190 km from the national capital of Delhi. Aligarh Situated at a distance of 86 km from Agra, Aligarh is famous for being the home to the Aligarh Muslim University. The university was founded by Sir Syad Ahmad Khan in the 19th century. The city is also known for its locks.