A Red Sand Stone Edifice

The Taj is just the appetiser in the architectural smorgasbord that Agra has to offer. On the bend of the River Yamuna, lies the crimson-coloured Agra Fort, in the heart of the city.
Approachable by two imposing portals to its west and south, the citadel was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar between the years 1565 and 1573.
Encircled by a moat, the red sandstone monument was the residence of three emperors – Akbar, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, each of whom made significant structural contributions to the complex.

Fort Attractions

of the conspicuous edificesinside the fort, a special mention should be made of the Jahangiri Mahal, the Khas Mahal (Private Place) with its sprawling vineyard called Anguri Bagh, and an ornamental bath housed inside the palace of mirrors or Sheesh Mahal. The Sheesh Mahal formed another delicate element in the zenana or women’s quarters in the palace.
The Musamman Burj was where Aurangzeb incarcerated his father, Shah Jahan – the doting husband spent the last years of his life gazing fondly at the Taj Mahal (the tombstone of his wife Mumtaz Mahal).
His daughter Jahanara kept him company, as did his fabulous collection of jewels. The Diwani-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) and Diwani-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) was where the emperor held forth on important matters of state, while seated on the splendid Peacock Throne.

The Charm of The Royal Bazaar Inside The Fort

As you ascend the steps of the Diwani-i-Am, you come to the intimate Nagina Masjid or Gem Mosque, and just a stone’s throw away lies the Ladies Bazaar.
The mart gets its name from the practice of allowing pavement hucksters to show off their wares to Muslim noblewomen who were enchanted as much by their innovative sales spiel, as by the silks and other finery on display.
And finally, the Agra Fort houses the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque that was once the private chapel of the Mughal Emperors. The Moti Masjid is to Agra Fort what St. George’s Chapel is to Windsor Castle. The mosque is well named – it is as ineffably white today as it was when Shah Jahan built it in 1654.