Agra

City of the Taj Mahal

Agra is home to possibly the most famous and beautiful building in the world: the Taj Mahal, built in the 17th century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb and memorial for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Along the river Yamuna is the impressive Red Fort from where there are fantastic views of the Taj. The Red Fort was the capital of the Moghul Empire and thus of India during the 16th and 17th centuries.

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Special Places to Stay in Agra

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Hotel Mansingh Palace ($$)

A comfortable, modern 4-star hotel, close to the Taj Mahal, The Mansingh Palace has an impressive marble lobby with a 24 hour coffee shop, a restaurant and a bar.

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The Grand Imperial ($$)

The 100 year old building that houses the Grand Imperial hotel is testimony to India's long and varied history. The low, white colonial building dating back to the Raj era is peppered with Mughal paintings and memorabilia.

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The Oberoi Amarvilas ($$$$)

Rated amongst the leading resorts in the world, The Oberoi Amarvilas offers the best view of the Taj Mahal in Agra. The hotel is located 600 meters from the Taj Mahal and all rooms, suites, lobby, bar and lounge offer breathtaking views of the monument.

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Things to see and do in Agra

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is one of the most fascinating and beautiful monuments in the world. About 20,000 workers were employed in its construction, and it took up to 20 years to complete construction. So perfect are the proportions of the Taj and so exquisite its workmanship that this is really one of the world's most marvelous buildings.

The Taj Mahal was conceived and built by Shah Jahan, the most creative of the Mughal Emperors, as the final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Despite the huge numbers of visitors, there are spaces filled with calm and serenity. The building changes colour at different times of the day. Admire its delicate pietra dura work, using precious and semi-precious stones. The main archway of the Taj is adorned by calligraphy, increasing in size along with the height of the building.

Agra Fort

Built in the form of a half moon on the west bank of the Yamuna river, the Agra Fort is a masterpiece of design and construction. The fort's colossal walls rise over 20m in height and measure 2.5 km in circumference. They are encircled by a moat and contain a maze of buildings, some extremely exquisite, that form a small city within a city.

The creator of the Taj Mahal, Emperor Shah Jehan spent the last years of his life imprisoned by his own son, Aurangzeb. The small room where he was incarcerated and finally died had views across the Yamuna river towards his beloved Taj.

The story of the Taj is almost as beautiful as the Taj itself.

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