Agra Fort

Agra Fort is a red sandstone Mughal fortress on a bend of the Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, about 2.5 km upriver from the Taj Mahal. Agra Fort was the main residence of the Mughal emperors until Shah Jahan moved the capital to his new city at Delhi in the late 1630s and 1640s. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.

Akbar rebuilt an older fort in red sandstone from 1565, with massive walls running for about 2.5 km. His grandson Shah Jahan replaced many of the buildings with white marble palaces and halls. After his son Aurangzeb seized the throne in 1658, Shah Jahan was kept a prisoner at Agra Fort until his death in 1666, and he is said to have spent his last years in the Musamman Burj, looking across the river at the Taj Mahal he built for his wife. Part of Agra Fort is still used by the Indian Army and is closed to visitors.

What to see

• The Amar Singh Gate, the visitors' entrance, with its drawbridge ramp
• The Jahangiri Mahal, a Hindu-influenced palace built under Akbar
• The Khas Mahal and its golden pavilions, with views over the river
• The Musamman Burj, the octagonal marble tower facing the Taj
• The Diwan-i-Aam and Diwan-i-Khas, the halls of public and private audience
• The Sheesh Mahal and the Anguri Bagh garden

What to wear

Agra Fort is a monument with no dress code, but modest clothing is respectful and practical. Wear shoes with grip for the long ramps and worn stone. Summer in Agra reaches 45°C, so bring a hat and water; winter mornings are foggy and cold, so layer up. In Agra's bazaars you will see the everyday dress of Uttar Pradesh: kurta-pyjama for men and salwar kameez or saris for women, with embroidered chikan work from Lucknow a local favourite.

Local food to try

Agra's famous sweet is petha, candied ash gourd, sold in many flavours. Start the day with bedai and aloo sabzi followed by jalebi, in the lanes of Kinari Bazaar near the fort. The old city around Jama Masjid, a short walk from the fort, is the place for Mughlai kebabs and biryani, mostly halal. Vegetarian thalis are available everywhere.

Good to know

• Best from October to March; mornings are cooler and the river light is best after the Taj
• Open daily, sunrise to sunset
• Entry fee at the gate, higher for foreign visitors; buying online saves time
• Allow two hours
• About 2.5 km from the Taj Mahal and 2 km from Agra Fort station
• Some areas are closed off by the army; drones and tripods are not allowed

Nearby places

Agra Fort looks along the river to the Taj Mahal, and across it to the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daula. Fatehpur Sikri is an hour's drive west.