Sikandar Fort, Chini Ka Rauza, Fatehpur Sikri: 5 places that prove that Agra has more to offer than the Taj Mahal

Here is a list of five sites in Agra other than Taj Mahal that you must visit.

New Delhi: Agra is a city in Northern India known for the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. However, Agra has much more to offer than just the Taj Mahal. A city rich in history and culture, it is a renowned tourist destination with a variety of attractions including the world-famous Taj Mahal and the exquisite architecture of Fatehpur Sikri. Here are five other must-visit locations in Agra other than the Taj Mahal:

Sikandra Fortress

The mausoleum of the Mughal Emperor Akbar in Sikandra is a tomb of red sandstone and marble built by the emperor himself and completed by his son, Jehangir, in 1613. Akbar is said to have selected the site for the mausoleum and built it himself during his lifetime have designed. It embodies the worldview and secular attitude of the Mughal ruler and integrates the best of Hindu and Islamic architecture. The mausoleum is housed in a charbagh, which is a nice addition to the property, according to the Incredible India site.

Fatepur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, 37 kilometers from Agra, is a city largely made of red sandstone. The Mughal Emperor Akbar founded this city. He intended to make this city his capital, but a lack of water forced him to leave it. Fatehpur Sikri was built between 1571 and 1585, and this city now has a population of about 30,000 people, according to the Taj Mahal’s official site.

Tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daula

Agra is a historian’s heaven, with some of the world’s best examples of architecture. The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula are among the architectural marvels that beautify the city. Between 1622 and 1628, the Mughal queen Nur Jahan built the tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daula, where her father Itimad Ud Daula was buried, according to the official site of the Agra Development Authority.

Agra Fort

While the Taj Mahal is Agra’s most expensive treasure, there are other structures in the city that are absolutely stunning and worth seeing. The Agra Fort, one of India’s most historic monuments from the Mughal Empire, is one such landmark. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Agra Fort was the center of the Mughal Empire before it was temporarily moved to Fatehpur Sikri and then Delhi.

Chini ka Rauza

Chini ka Rauza is the tomb of Allama Afzal Khan Mullah, the prime minister of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It was built between 1628 and 1639 and has a remarkable Indo-Persian style combination. It’s the first monument of its kind to be decorated with glazed tile work known as chini, according to Holidify.com.