Agra Fort

A brick fort stood on this site before the Mughals, and Sikandar Lodi made Agra his capital in the early 16th century. Emperor Akbar rebuilt the fort in red sandstone from 1565, creating the walls, gates and early palaces such as the Jahangiri Mahal. UNESCO notes that most of the buildings inside date from the reign of Shah Jahan, who added white marble halls and private apartments including the Khas Mahal and the Diwan-i-Khas.

Agra remained the main Mughal seat until the court moved to Shah Jahan's new capital in Delhi in the mid-17th century. After Aurangzeb seized power, Shah Jahan was confined in the fort until his death; Agra's district administration notes that Musamman Burj, where he spent his last years, overlooks the Taj Mahal. The fort later passed through Maratha and British hands, and UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1983. Part of the fort is still used by the Indian military, so visitors enter through the Amar Singh Gate.

The fort sits at the edge of Agra's old city, close to Agra Fort railway station and the busy markets around Agra's own Jama Masjid. Families and school groups visit throughout the year, and the lawns in front of the Diwan-i-Aam are a favourite spot for a rest in the shade. The working army section is a reminder that the fort has served a military purpose for most of its long history.