Inside Agra Fort: Architecture, History & useful information for a visit

Once a brick fort built by the unknown 
Became Akbar’s stronghold made with red sandstone.
Later came the marble palaces, mirror chambers and a grand court
All of which you can still see inside Agra fort.

Discover the key attractions inside Agra fort along with details on its history and architecture. The guide also includes practical tips for a visit to Agra Red fort. 

When you plan to visit the Taj Mahal, the one place that you must include in your itinerary is the Red Fort of Agra. Popularly referred to as Agra Fort, this mighty UNESCO World Heritage Site perpetually lives in the shadow of its glorious neighbor – the Taj Mahal. For most travelers to India, it comes second in Agra. This is where I tend to disagree and urge them to start their tour of the city with the Agra ka kila. It is a befitting prequel to what they would see later and most likely will help them to understand and appreciate the story of the Taj Mahal better.

The Agra fort in India was the powerhouse of the Mughals – where wars were fought, romance was born and power struggles were witnessed. It is the place where the story of Taj Mahal really began. As I walked through its grounds, I could well envision all those tales that I had read, and by the end of my tour- I was ready for the Grand Finale of the tale at the Taj.

In this Agra fort guide, I will take you on a journey through the key attractions of the 94 acres of this Mughal powerhouse along with its architectural highlights. You will soon, discover the connection between the Agra Fort and Taj Mahal. Along with the tour, I have included important information about Agra Fort like its timings and fees that will help you plan your visit. So let’s get going and immerse ourselves in the tale of this fortress that well predates -even the Mughals.

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History of Agra Fort in India

The Agra fort history goes much before its current structure came into existence. Historical evidence says that there was a brick fort built in the 11^th century. It is not very clear who built this old fort – then called Badalgarh. The earliest attribution to this fort is the Chauhan Rajputs. It was later occupied by Sikander Lodhi and later his son, Ibrahim Lodhi till 1526. The fort came into possession of the first Mughal emperor – Babur who won the battle of Panipat against Ibrahim Lodhi.

Delhi was the capital of the Mughal Dynasty in India while Babur and Humayun were the rulers. However, even they considered Agra as a strategic city and used Badalgarh as their stronghold when in Agra. In fact, Humayun was crowned king in this ancient fortress. Briefly, during his rule, he lost control of Badalgarh to Sher Shah Suri but soon gained it back after another battle.

It was Humayun’s son –  Akbar who decided to make Agra a major city of his empire in 1573. This is when the Agra fort was built by Akbar using red sandstone from Rajasthan. This red fort in Agra took around 8 years to be constructed – around the same time as the grand tomb of Humayun in Delhi. There were over 500 buildings inside Agra Fort and it remained a powerhouse of the Mughals till Aurangzeb ruled.

While Akbar was the one to build it, it was his grandson Shah Jahan who changed a few things around and brought it to its present state. Where the grandfather – Akbar favored red sandstone, his grandson – Shah Jahan loved white marble – which is of course, evident in his most epic monument – the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan broke down quite a few structures inside Agra Fort of Akbar and rebuild them as white marble palaces. It is this glorious combination of red sandstone and white marble that you must see as the story that led to the Taj. It was in fact, Shah Jahan who shifted the Mughal capital from Delhi to Agra.

The Agra Fort story continued with the Bharatpur Jats for 13 years after the Mughals. In the 18th century, the fort was annexed by the Marathas. During the British era, it became a center for the East India Company and also, a point during the 1857 rebellion. Today, part of the Agra fort is used by the Indian Army while the rest has been converted into a UNESCO World Heritage site that is open to the public.

The architecture of Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh

Agra Fort architecture is a fusion of Islamic, Persian, and Hindu styles. Primarily made using red sandstone, the entire fort is laid out in a semi-rectangular manner, quite close to the banks of River Yamuna. Planned more as a military stronghold,  the Agra red fort has several defensive mechanisms – starting with its 2 km long double wall. These 70 m high walls are interspersed with bastions and ramparts.

There are actually four gates to the Agra Fort. Inside the complex, at one point in time, there were 500 buildings – ranging from gorgeous palaces to courts, mosques and even a marketplace for the women. While not all still remain, there is plenty to showcase the architectural elements of the fort. You can still see a blend of Islamic and Hindu features in the ornate balconies, intricately carved stone screens and domed chambers of Jahangiri Mahal and Shah Jahan’s palace. And the best part, you have a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal from Agra Fort when you walk along these palaces.

The map of Agra fort

Here is an interactive Agra Fort Map that you can use when you visit this heritage monument. As you can see only a smaller part of this huge fort is available to the public. 70% of the place is occupied by the Indian army and is out-of-bounds.

What to see inside Agra Fort?

The layout of the Agra Fort is somewhat linear. It is fairly easy to navigate through the various sections of the fort – however, do keep aside at least 2 hours for your Agra Fort tour. I have visited this fort at least thrice and every visit took 2 to 2.5 hours

There are so many stories around the courtyards, the palaces, the royal gardens and the viewpoints along the corridors and balconies. Besides the tales, as a photographer, you will always find amazing photo opportunities – be that of the Agra Fort architecture or Instagram-worthy pictures. So, let’s begin our own virtual tour of the Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh.

Amar Singh Gate

The Agra fort has four gates of which the most strategic one is no longer open to the public. This gate called the Delhi Gate was the one favored by Akbar and was known for its defence. A drawbridge over a moat full of crocodiles led to another smaller gate called the Hathi Pol (Elephant gate) where the guards were on elephants. The entrances were at 90 degrees and had an elevated slope that ensured that the enemy was vulnerable even before they entered the fort. This gate is now in the Indian Army section of the fort and one can only imagine its glory.

Today, there is only one gate to enter Agra Fort – Amar Singh Gate, a smaller version of the Delhi gate. It has a similar layout with a small bridge of what remains of the moat. The gate was originally called the Lahore Gate. It was renamed by Shah Jahan after Amar Singh Rathod – a brave general in his army.

This is where I entered from and the first thing I noticed was the colorful mosaic designs along the façade of the 2nd inner entrance. Higher up on the inner gate are windows – through which flowers were showered down on the visitors to the fort.

The gates are tall enough for an elephant to enter and walkthrough. Past the guard room is an elevation that served as a defense mechanism. Not only did it slow down the enemy but if lores of the fort are to be believed, the offenders were sure to be crushed by rolling boulders even before they reached the end of the elevation. At every gate, don’t miss the holes from which the unassuming enemies were doused in hot oil.

Bengali Mahal

Bengali Mahal was the name to the palaces built by Emperor Akbar. It was called so owing to the Bengali style of architecture that involved the use of curved chhajjas (roof coverings), small courtyards and flat ceilings. The chhajjas in particular are termed as Bangladar – which is what I think got modified to the name of the palace.   

The Bengali Mahal is distinctly split into two sections – the Akbari Mahal and the Jahangiri Mahal. Initially it even included the buildings till Musamman Burj but when Shah Jahan rebuilt that area and changed the sandstone palaces to marble, the Bengali Mahal became smaller.

When you exit the ramp from Amar Singh gate, you will be directed to the right. What you will find before you is the Jahangir’s palace – which is quite intact. To its right, closer to the walls of Agra fort, are ruins of the Akbar Mahal.

Akbari Mahal in Agra Fort

Though in ruins, you can still walk around what is left of Akbar’s palace. This part was the earliest section of Agra red fort. It used to have several mansions, smaller courts and a large step well (baoli). The British used this part as quarters for their Provost sergeant. Later they changed it to prison cells.

During Akbar’s time, there was a large section for his harem of over 5000 women. As per Abul Fazal (author of Akbarnama), each lady in the harem was given a separate apartment and to ensure there was peace and efficiency, eunuchs and chaste women were hired to manage the system.

Walking around the ruins, I could spot the carved remnants of the lintels and the ornate brackets that might have supported the flat roofs and chhajas of the palace. At the far end, you even have a small opening that gives you a magnificent Taj Mahal view from Agra fort.

Akbar Mahal in Agra Fort is known for its secret passages – most of which are now blocked. As I walked towards the Jahangir Mahal, I could see the sub-level structures with some chambers – connecting the father and son’s palaces. I could well imagine, what the other secret tunnels might have been like.

Jahangiri Mahal, Agra Fort

As the name suggests, this was the palace of Jahangir. However, this was built by his father – Akbar and thus, you can still see it in red sandstone that he favored.

Before you step into Jahangir’s palace, you will pass this huge bath tub called Jahangiri Hauz. 5 feet tall, it has a Persian inscription that says “Hauz-i-Jahangir”. The interesting thing about it is that this is monolithic and was found in Akbar’s palace. The giant tub has small steps that lead into it on one side and is said to have been made for Jahangir.

Once you pass this, you come to the main entrance of what actually was the residence for the women of Akbar’s home. One look at the façade and I was able to discern the distinct Islamic and Hindu styles of architecture and design. The most obvious was the arched gateway that is very Islamic in its design while the jharokha windows are distinctly Rajputana styled. The intricate work along the walls are reflected the Persian influence while the floral patterns of its windows reminded me of the palaces of Rajasthan.

One of the interpretations of the six-pointed star on the doorway is that it symbolizes Christianity – in honor of one of Akbar’s wives who was a Portuguese Christian. Akbar was known for his religious tolerance and had established a unique faith called Din-i-Ilahi – which drew elements from various religions. This entrance is believed to have symbols of the same – with the arch representing Islam, the star of David for Christianity and the flowers for Hinduism. There is no historical evidence to this but if I were to compare it what I saw of Akbar’s palace in Fatehpur Sikri, I think there might be some merit to this interpretation.

The Jahangiri Palace is now home to several bats and I could actually smell the bat droppings in some of the chambers. It has a very deserted look now. However, back in those days, the courtyard came alive with song and dance as colored curtains separated the women watching from the enclosures from the men who graced the occasion.

Every door, window and pillar still has the remnants of its original design and the sheer number of them made me wonder, what patience the workers had back them to have done it all so precisely and beautifully.

There is a small terrace area that you can access through one of the doors – at the center of which are remains of what might have been a fountain. There are small water channels leading to it – which along with the breeze from the river bank must have made this area so cool and refreshing for the royalty. Even during my visit, I found some respite from the Agra heat by this window with an unobstructed view of the Taj Mahal.

Ghaznin Darwaza

This is a 11^th century ornate gate that has been kept on display between the Jahangiri Mahal and Shahjahani Mahal. It used to belong to the tomb of the muslim raider Mahmud Ghazni. It was never a part of the Agra fort.

Who brought it here and why is what makes an interesting tale. As the story goes, the British wanted to earn the favor of Indian people in 1840s. So, the Governor General at that time – Lord Ellenborough brought this gate from the tomb stating that the door was the original sandalwood one that belong to the historic Somnath temple. He claimed that he had brought it here to avenge the insult that Mahmud Ghazni had heaped on the locals when he stole it from the temple.

Turns out that this was one big fat lie. First the door was not sandalwood but made of deodar wood. 2^nd there are inscriptions in Arabic mentioning Mahmud Ghazni. And most importantly, the design itself was not Gujarati. After some debate in the House of Commons back in England, the truth was agreed upon and since then this gate has been left in the Agra Red fort.

Khas Mahal in Agra Fort

The red sandstone palace of Jahangir is attached to the white marble Khas Mahal. Also, called as the Shahjahani Mahal, this gorgeous white building is set between two golden pavilions. Complete with fountains and stunning inlay work, this palace was the bed chambers of Emperor Shah Jahan. 

Every inch of the place is covered with floral etchings. The rich alcoves with their jhali screens is where you can creatively position your camera eye to get that first glimpse of the Taj Mahal.

The Khas Mahal was built after destroying the original sandstone structure made by Akbar (earlier part of the Bengali Mahal). The cool interiors and the breeze from Yamuna river still gave me a good respite from the summer heat, making me wonder how lovely it might have been with those fountains and the whole palace lit with candles on a full moon night. Magical!

Pavilions of Roshanara and Jahanara

The two golden pavilions – one on either side of the Khas Mahal are just unmissable. These are named after Shah Jahan’s daughters – Roshanara and Jahanara. While they might appear as a viewpoint for the Taj Mahal, they are believed to be the bed chambers of the princesses.

To me, the rooms did seem small for a princess but I guess that the rest of the courtyard around it formed their mini palace. I sure would not have minded these small rooms, for the view from them was just spectacular!

Anguri Bagh

If you thought that fountains at Khas Mahal were magical, what is beyond it was just mesmerizing. A gorgeous garden called as the Anguri Bagh (Grape garden) completes the landscape of the Khas Mahal. In glory days, the water from the fountain flowed along a white water slide to form an artificial stream through a garden of flowers.

Along the perimeter of the garden is the Zenana section of the palace where various ladies of the Harem stayed in complete privacy. This garden and its refreshing fountain was enjoyed by the royal ladies.

Shish Mahal of the Agra Red Fort

The Glass or Mirror Palace of the Agra Fort is no longer open to the public and you can only see it from the entrance. However, even then the glimmer of the Syrian mirrors in the Shish Mahal does not fail to dazzle. Our guide explained that this was the Shahi Hammam or the Bathroom of Mumtaz Mahal. As amusing as this was, it was not true as challenged by the signboard next to it.

This was the summer palace of Shah Jahan, complete with water fountains and streams that aimed at not just beautifying the palace but cooling its interiors. They say that a single lamp lit within the palace twinkled through its many mirrors to light up the entire structure. There is no way to ascertain that right now but you sure can admire the gorgeous interiors even from that restricted entrance.

Babur’s baoli

The first Mughal king – Babur had built a step well or a baoli in the old brick fort – Badalgarh. This was a three-floored baoli that had a mechanism to raise the water and channel it to the other parts of the fort. It is possibly the oldest remnant of this fort.

Akbar built on top of Babur’s baoli and enhanced the water system for the new red sandstone fort. This further changed with the Shahjahani palace and only a fragment of the original baoli remained in the basement. While I could not see this, there was a sign on the spot telling me about this epic spot. You can find this when you walk from the Sheesh Mahal to the Musamman Burj.

Musamman Burj, Agra Fort (Muthamman Burj)

This is by far the most important part of Agra Fort. The place where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his own son – Aurangzeb, where he spent the last 8 years of his life, pining for his dead wife. It is here that he breathed his last while gazing at his beloved Taj Mahal.

The Musamman Burj is an octagonal chamber that you can only see from a distance. A sunken fountain greets you at the entrance which in its simple white marble form adds to the rich interiors of the place. I was quite mesmerized by the grandeur of the walls that are completely covered with floral engravings. The small grooves seemed like the place to hold candles while at the far end I could spot the balconies that had the Taj Mahal in clear sight.

I got an even more clear view as I stepped into the Diwan-i-Khas. The Musamman Burj with its octagonal pavilion atop its terrace and open balconies below seemed perfect for the cool Yamuna breeze in the evening. I could well imagine how gorgeous the Taj would have looked at sunrise when it turned pink. Something that I think Shah Jahan found peace in while being locked in.

Diwan-i-Khas, Agra Fort

The Hall of Private Audience or the “Diwan-i-Khas” was my next stop from the Musamman Burj. Climbing up the stairs, past Shah Jahan’s private mosque – Mina Masjid, I emerged to a lovely white structure with tall pillars, placed at a height. Intricate marble work with flower designs over tall arched doorways beckoned me to enter, except that this area too, could only be inspected from afar.

A close shot of the same decor showed Persian scripts etched on the walls. The writing was in praise of Shah Jahan who was responsible for this lovely hall. The Agra Fort Diwan-i-Khas was used in two parts – the outer hall for dignitaries that were important but less so and inner hall for the high-level meetings. The famous Peacock throne of India which no longer is with us, used to be kept here as a throne till it was shifted to Delhi.

A glimpse over the low walls of the palace allowed me to see the Yamuna entrance gate. It is from here that Shah Jahan’s body was taken in a boat over to the Taj where he was finally buried with his beloved.

Machchi Bhawan

The large terrace adjoining the Diwan-e-Khas along with its hallways of various chambers is what is referred to as Machchi Bhawan. Machchi means Fish and the name came from the various pools and fountains here that were home to fish. A large marble platform overlooks the entire area and the purpose of it, as per our guide, was to allow the Emperor to see the proceedings of the courtyard below.

The large space on the ground floor is where a market was held for the women of the Agra Fort. The surrounding rooms belong to the various offices of the court – from accounts to trade  – the staff used to sit in those rooms.

In the terrace itself, you can see a black throne that overlooks the Musamman Burj. This black onyx throne is associated with Emperor Jahangir. There was a time when he defiantly became a traitor and opposed his father Akbar. He sat on this throne and declared himself King until he was overthrown by Akbar’s army.

A large gate at the far end leads to the Zenana Area of the fort. The place was originally built by Akbar and modifications were made later by Shah Jahan. Evidence of this is in the fact that the pillared hallways on the first floor are all white marble while the ones below have red stone.

Nagina Masjid, Agra Red Fort

Diagonally opposite to the Diwan-e-Khas of Agra Fort, is the entrance to the Nagina Mosque. It is a very simple but elegant white mosque that was built by Shah Jahan for the women of the Royal family. It has three domes with an inverted lotus design on its apex. Its arched alcoves adds to its elegance and makes the small masjid really picturesque.

Stepping barefoot into the masjid made me aware of how cool and refreshing the marble flooring felt after a long walk through the Agra Red Fort. It was then that I appreciated Shah Jahan’s love for this construction material.

Below the masjid was the space where the Meena Bazaar was held for the women of the zenana to buy their wares. The Meena Bazaar is where the romance between Jahangir and Nurjahan bloomed. While you can no longer visit this area, a glimpse of it is sure to take you back in time to what might have been a bustling market for women.

Diwan-i-Aam in Agra Fort

The Hall of the public audience lies on the ground floor of Agra Fort. If Diwan-i-Khas was about impressing the other royals, the Diwan-i-Aam was about flooring the common with its majestic proportions. The Emperor’s seat is in white marble at a height that overlooks the large red hall below. This is where the courtiers stood. Far beyond on the grounds is where the subjects stood with their woes. A clear distinction of a class is visible here.  For the king – his seat provided an overview of his world and for the peasants, clear respect and class of their Overlord.

Within the grounds, you will also, find a large cannon left from the days of the British as well as the grave of John Russel Colvin, a British who died in the 1857 rebellion. There are gates that lead you out of the palace on either side but one of them is closed to the public for it leads to the Indian Army area.

Ratan Singh ki Haveli

This is a small haveli built by the Bharatpur Jats in the 18^th century. It is close to the Diwan e aam and reflects the Rajputana style of architecture. I have only managed to see it from the outside as I always run out of time by the time I reach this point.

Moti Masjid

This is one attraction of the Agra Fort that is totally out of bounds for visitors. You can view the pearly white domes of this masjid rising over the red sandstone wall near the Diwan -e aam. The mosque was built by Shah Jahan and has red sandstone on its external façade. However, the interiors is completely made with white marble. I am told that it is a sight to behold. Maybe some day I will get lucky and get to see this for myself. For now, I am just content capturing the seven domes of this elegant mosque.

There are plenty of more gems inside Agra Fort that you are bound to see. And then there are some which you can’t like the mysterious underground passages. However. the place gives you the right background of how life was with the Mughal royalty -especially that of Shah Jahan. You can actually see the place where he lived happily with his Beloved, how he spent his evenings with her, how he ruled the place, where his childhood was and finally, where he ended his life. This was the place where he was the happiest and also, the saddest. If you are in town to see the epic monument of love, don’t forget to start with the Agra Fort – the place where it began and it ended – the prelude to the famous Taj Mahal.

Agra fort timings and entry fees

The timings of Agra fort are from 6 am to 6 pm on all days. The monument is open on all days of the week.

The Agra fort ticket price differs for Indians, SAARC residents and other foreign nationals. They are as below –

• Entry fees for Indians and SAARC nationals – INR 50 per adult
• Agra fort fees for foreigners – INR 650 per adult

If you book an online ticket for Agra fort, you get a little discount. Tickets for Indians are at INR 35 per adult and foreigners can buy it for INR 550 per head. You can book the tickets directly from the ASI site or get the skip-the-line tickets from Viator or GetYour Guide.

Common FAQs about Agra Fort

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Ami

Popularly referred to as a Restless Ball of Energy. My Mom refuses to entertain my complaints about my equally restless daughter & assures my husband that I was born with a travel bug.

I am a Post-Graduate in Marketing by qualification and a travel blogger by passion. Besides travel, I enjoy photography and if you don’t find me at my desk, I would be out playing badminton or swimming or just running. I believe in planning for every long weekend through the year. And when I cannot travel physically, I travel virtually through this travel blog. My travel stories have also, got published on various websites and magazines including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet India and Jetwings. I have recently published my first book – When Places Come Alive – a collection of stories that are based on legends, landscapes, art and culture of a place which is available in both ebook and paperback format.

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