Agra was once the capital of the Mughal empire and even today it seems to linger in the past. Not surprising, for the Mughal emperors with their passion for building, endowed the city with some of the finest structures in the world. It is very easy to slip away here through the centuries into the grandeur and intrigues of the Mughal court. Agra is an old city and it is said that its name was derived from Agrabana, a forest thats finds mention in the epic.
 
In more recent times Agra came into prominence when Sikandar Lodi made it his capital city in 1501. The Lodi rule was to end very soon and Agra passed into the possession of the Mughals. It was during the time of the third emperor Akbar that Agra came into its own. He embarked on the construction of the massive Agra Fort in 1565. Though Akbar was diverted into building a new capital at Fatehpur Sikari not far away, Agra continued to retain its importance and Shah Jehan, Akbar's grandson ornamented the city with that masterpiece of Mughal architecture -the Taj Mahal and built several other beautiful buildings within the Agra Fort.
 
Agra city livens up during the festive time of the Taj Mahotsav which is organised during February.Its a 10 day extravaganza which is held in the Shilpgram which is close to Taj Mahal.It brings out the arts,crafts and culture of India.It has classical dance and song performances by well known artists in India.Apart from this ghazal programmes are also organised and not to miss out on Camel and Elephant rides and Games which are a pass time for Children and elders also.Agra is best known for its Id Melas and the colourful Tazias taken out on Muharram. Summers are very hot and winters chilling cold. The temperature difference between the summers and winters is very high. The monsoon although provides some respite from the heat but the rains leaves the city very dirty. It is better to plan your Agra trip between the months of March and October.

Tourist Attractions in Agra

Taj Mahal : Even as the world is caught in the skirmishes of War & peace, Nuclear and Non-Nuclear; Taj has stood as the epitome of love. This extravagant monument of love is one of the most visited and most photographed places in the world. More about... The Taj Mahal

Agra Red Fort : Built principally as a military establishment by Akbar in 1565, the red sandstone Agra fort was partially converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time.

Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb : This tomb belongs to the father of Nur Jahan, Ghias-ud-Din Beg. He was the Wajir or the Chief Minister of Emperor Jehangir. The tomb may not be as mammoth as the Taj but the inlay designs and carvings are no less than Taj if not more. more...

Excursion from Agra

Sikandra : Four kilometer from Agra is the mausoleum of Akbar. Construction of this beautiful monument was started by Akbar himself . This structure has a perfect blending of Hindu, Christian , Islamic, Buddhist, Jain motifs.

Fatehpur Sikri : 37 kms from Agra is built a city predominantly in Red Sandstone called Fatehpur Sikri. This town was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He had planned this city as his capital but shortage of water compelled him to abandon the city and within 20 years the capital of Mughals was shifted to Lahore.

Mathura : Krishna, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu was born here. Mathura, which is one of the major Pilgrimage for the Hindus is 58 Kms from Agra. It comes before Agra if travelling from Delhi.

Shopping in Agra :
Agra is not only a famous tourist destination but is a shoppers paradise too. There are plenty of shopping areas and shopping malls where one can buy the specialities of the place.

Hotels in Agra :
Agra is one of the major tourist destination, where international tourist inflow is also quite good. So the options of luxurious accommodations are plenty. If you are a budget travellers, there are numerous tourist lodges as well mid-range hotels in Agra.

How to reach Agra :
The city of Taj, Agra is one of the hottest tourist destinations in India and all facilities have been provided for the easy access to this place. Agra is boast of its own airport and connects the city to all the major places in India. The city is also connected by trains to almost every corner of the nation including the luxury train the Rajdhani and Shatabdi. One can also avail the excellant bus services to Agra in the state as well as outside the state. The state transports have deluxe as well as ordinary bus services for the place.