Top 10 Amazing Tourists Places to Visit in Agra

Posted by hohoholidays on August 12th, 2019

Namaste Fellow Travellers!

Are you planning to take a Agra Trip, but not sure what all places are there to see besides the Taj Mahal.

In this article, we will introduce you to 10 amazing places that you should not give a miss when in Agra.

In the end I will also share one valuable tip that would come in handy on your Agra Mathura Tour from Delhi.

So without any further ado, let’s dive right  in.

1. Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal needs no introduction per se.

That’s the No. 1 tourist spot to visit in Agra. Infact, that’s the only reason for the majority of tourists to visit Agra. Isn’t it?

You will be startled to know that hohoholidays.in gets 50+ inquiries a day just for Taj Mahal visit.

You will be even more amazed to know that Taj Mahal itself attracts 8 million visitors every year!!

Taj Mahal is the jewel of India, a mausoleum created by the 5th Mughal emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Besides the Taj Mahal you will get to see the Mughal Garden built in charbagh style, the grand gate known as Darwaza-i-rauza, Mosques, Guest house and the mausoleum itself.

Source

It’s advisable to book the entry tickets online to skip the queues at the ticket counter. Book Now

2. Agra Fort

Agra fort is very similar to the Red Fort in Delhi. Historically speaking, Agra Fort was built before the red fort and three mughal emperors were involved in the making of it namely Akbar, Shahjahan and Jahangir. Both the forts have similar mughal architecture.

Agra Fort is usually visited after visiting the Taj Mahal. However, if you visit the Agra Fort first then you will be amazed by the first long view of the Taj Mahal from the Agra Fort.

Therefore we suggest to see the Agra fort before the Taj Mahal.

Agra Fort’s northern part is being used by the Indian Army, thus the general public do not have access to it, thus you need to take the entrance from the Amar Singh Gate.

The Historical places that you will relish once there are :

Jahangir’s Hauz, Shahjahani Mahal, Ghaznin Gate, Jahangir’s chain of justice, Shish Mahal, Amar Singh Gate, Jahangari Mahal, Khas Mahal, Anguri Bagh, Shish Mahal, Mussamun Burj, Diwan-e-Khas, Macchi Bhawan, Diwan-e-Aam, Nagina Masjid.

3. Itmad-ud-Daula (The Baby Taj)

This is a must visit as it looks very much like the Taj Mahal, only that it’s a miniature version of it.

Itmad-ud-Daula is also a mausoleum and it actually means “protector of the treasure”.

It was built five years before the construction of the Taj Mahal by Noor Jahan for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg.

Once there, you would certainly appreciate the beautiful inlay work on the white marble in the exterior and the interior of the monument, the beautiful garden made in Charbagh style.

4. Sikandara Tomb

Sikandara Tomb is the mausoleum of the great mughal emperor Akbar. The tomb was built in the memory of one of the greatest and just emperor’s of India Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar.

Akbar was the son of the 2nd mughal emperor Humayun. If you want to visit this place visit it after visiting Agra Fort as its located only 10 kilometers from there.

What is astounding to know is that Akbar himself chose to start the construction of his own tomb, however he died before the construction was completed. Later on his son the muhal emperor Jahangir completed the construction.

Things to see includes the  magnificent mughal architecture, the fine inlay work on marble, beautiful brass lamp, the internal symmetrical corridors.

Moreover, do keep an eye on the wild life as you will even get to see some wild birds and animals like Antelopes, Peacock.

5. Mehtab Bagh

One of the good reasons to visit Mehtab bagh is the fact that it was the last of the Mughal gardens.

It is  located very close to the Taj Mahal, located on the opposite side of the Yamuna river flowing along side the Taj Mahal.

What does Mehtab really mean?

Mehtab simply means the moonlight. The 6th Mughal emperor Shahjahan found out that Mehtab bagh built by his great great fore father is the best place to witness the beauty of the Taj Mahal, especially when moonlight shines on Taj Mahal.

The Mehtab bag is based on a typical Charbagh style, it’s a style used by mughals for gardens.

The garden was originally built by the first mughal emperor Babur

It’s a must visit for taking good pictures of Taj mahal. What is surprising to know is that what you would see of Mehtab bagh when visit it is the restored form of it, before that it was all buried by huge mounds of sand and mud.

6. Jama Mosque

Jama Masjid is located not too far from Agra Fort, so if you are in the process of making your itinerary you may include it just after Agra Fort.

Jama Masjid in Delhi is the largest mosque in India, built by Shahjahan. And, the Jama Masjid in Agra is the largest mosque in Agra, built again by the same Mughal emperor Shahjahan in the year 1648. The mosque was dedicated by him to his daughter Jahanara Begum, she was the eldest daughter of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal.

At the age of 17 years she became the first lady of the Mughal empire, and was the favourite daughter of Shahjahan.

One must visit the mosque for its sheer architectural beauty, that includes beautiful sandstone decorated with floral motifs.

6. Chini Ka Rauza

Chini ka rauza is the funeral monument of the prime minister of the Mughal emperor Shahjahan.

A no ordinary man, his name was Allama Afzal Khan Mullah, who was a multi-faceted personality a democrat by profession and a scholar and famous poet of his era.

Chini ka rauza. Interesting name, isn’t it?

It got its name as Chini ka rauza as the monument has glazed tile ornamentation that was imported from China and that’s how it got its name - Chini (China) ka Rauza (Garden).

Chini ka Rauza is a significant monument in Agra. A must visit if you have the time when in Agra.

The monument is special because it is the only monument in India that has impressions of both Afghan and Mughal architecture style.

7. Moti Masjid

Moti Masjid has a connection (somewhat) to Moscow.

How?

Those who have seen the legendary St. Basils Cathedral in Moscow would understand the connect.

Moti Masjid in Agra has a stark resemblance to St. Basil's Cathedral, and you don’t have to go too far to visit it.

The mosque is located inside the Agra Fort in Diwan -i-Am complex itself, so you can not miss it if you are visiting Agra Fort.

The mosque was built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan, especially keeping in mind that the royal family should have a place of worship near their place of residence.

It's also a unique Mosque, as the name suggests Moti means pearl and Masjid means mosque, it attracts lots of tourists because of its white marble construction and inlay work. Go visit it for some nice photographs.

8. Musamman Burj

Musaman is a urdu world and it means octagon (8 sides)  and burj means minaret or tower.

The Musamman Burj is located inside the Agra Fort located very close to Diwan-i-Khas.

Why visit it?

The place holds a good historical significance and make it a must visit in Agra.

It is a tower built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan as a testimonial of his love for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Did you know this is the tower where Shahjahan was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb where he spent his last 8 years of his life.

Moreover, the view of Taj Mahal from the burj is simply spectacular.

9. Gurudwara Guru Ka Taal

When you are in Agra, you may include the Gurudwara Guru ka Taal in your itinerary.

This is a famous Sikh Gurudwara draws lots of visitors every day regardless of their religion.

The Gurudwara is a significant historical sikh pilgrimage, built in tribute to the 9th Guru Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, located near Sikandra (some 12 kms from the Agra Fort)

As mentioned above the places holds a strong historical importance, as this was the very place where he voluntarily offered to be arrested by Aurangzeb, as he refused to accept Islam (forced on to him and his disciples). Later he was beheaded in Delhi with his disciples.

People remember him for giving up his life for freedom of Sikh religion.

Do visit the place and enjoy the langar, meal is offered Free to all visitors regardless of cast, creed or religion.

10. Fatehpur Sikri

If you are planning to visit Agra and do not include Fatehpur Sikri, it would simply be a crime unto you! No Kidding!

Why?

Fatehpur Sikri is a very popular tourist attraction located some 40 kilometers west of Agra.

Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO world heritage site built during the 2nd half of the 16th century (1585)  by the mughal emperor Akbar. Fatehpur Sikri literally means “ City of Victory” and it was built as a capital of the mughal empire.

Ironically, it remained capital only for 7 years because of scarcity of water and geo-political threat from the turbulent region of north-west.

Things to see when in Fatehpur Sikri includes :

The Buland Darwaza - a gigantic gate or the imperial gate, the gate of victory it was built by Mughal emperor Akbar to celebrate his victory of the Gujarat state. Did you know it is the highest gateway in the world.

Tomb of Salim Chishti - Salim Chishti was a sufi saint, Mughal emperor Akbar came to Sikri to meet the saint and asked him to pray for a male heir to the throne. Chishti blessed Akbar with a son who was the Mughal emperor Jahangir who was the father of the 6th mughal emperor Shahjahan who built the Taj Mahal

Jama Masjid, Panch Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri Fort, Birbal’s house, Diwan-i-Khas and lots more to see at Fatehpur Sikri.

Some Valuable Tips:

As  promised, Here’s the Tip:

You may be wondering how many places can I visit in one day, as there are so many places to see.