Before my trip I had read a few articles about Agra and I found out that it was considered a very dirty city, but to be honest I didn’t expect it to be so dirty. For me it is almost unbelievable that the dirtiest city I have visited so far is the home of the imposing Taj Mahal.

Surprisingly, Agra or the Emperors’ City, as it is called, means more than this gorgeous monument. Beyond the poverty, the dirtiness and the chaos, Agra is a pleasant surprise when it comes to beautiful tourist attractions. Situated on the banks of the Yamuna River, the city of Agra shelters a few lovely places which really deserve to be visited:

1.The gorgeous Taj Mahal is definitely the most remarkable tourist attraction you can visit in Agra. This white marble monument is considered the jewel of the city and also a symbol of love. Behind its impressive architecture, the Taj Mahal hides an emotional story. It is said that Shah Jahan built this impressive monument to serve as the resting place of his beloved wife. Mumtaz Mahal died at only 38 years old, while she was giving birth to their 14^th child.

Building this monument was a difficult process, but driven by his strong love and investing a lot of time and effort, Shah Jahan managed to finish one of the most remarkable buildings in the world. The elaborate architecture of the Taj Mahal is completed by a few gardens and green areas, which seem to place this edifice in a perfect scenery. In 1666, this oasis of peace became the resting place of its creator.

2.Situated along the Yamuna River, opposite the Taj Mahal, the Mehtab Bagh or the Moonlight Garden is a great place to go for a walk and admire the Taj Mahal. The Mehtab Bagh is laid out in a perfect symmetry and alignment with the Taj Mahal and it was built as an ideal place for admiring this gorgeous monument.

Built by the Emperor Babur in the early 1500s, the garden is embellished with beautiful white walkways, large water fountains and airy pavilions filled with colorful fruit trees. According to the legend this is the place where Shah Jahan wanted to build another monument similar to the Taj Mahal, to serve as his tomb. Unfortunately, he didn’t fulfill his wish and the Mehtab Bagh remained only an ideal place to admire the beautiful Taj Mahal. It is said that during sunrise and sunset, the Taj Mahal looks at its best.

3.The Agra Fort or the Red Fort of Agra is another beautiful place you should explore during your stay in this city. The Agra Fort was built by the Mogul Emperor Akbar in the 16^th century, as a military strategic point and a royal residence. Made of red sandstone and built in a semicircular shape, this massive fort served as the seat of government and the stronghold of the Mogul Dynasty. This walled city shelters a few impressive palaces, mosques, halls and gardens built in both red sandstone and white marble.

Situated on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River, this is the place from where Shah Jahan enjoyed seeing the Taj Mahal for the last time. He was imprisoned here by his son Aurangzeb, who offered him the privilege of admiring his masterpiece every day. It is actually believed that Shah Jahan died in one of the towers of the fort while he was looking at the imposing Taj Mahal.

4.The tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daula (I’timad-Ud-Daulah), also called the Baby Taj Mahal, is the first tomb built in India and made entirely of white marble. This mausoleum was built by Nur Jahan to serve as the resting place of her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg. Surrounded by four Persian gardens designed in a rectangular shape, this memorial combines both Persian and Indian architectural motifs. Octagonal towers, arched entrances, marble lattice screens, open-pillared dome pavilions are just a few of the elements of this fusion.

Even though the size of the tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daula cannot be compared to the one of the Taj Mahal, this mausoleum is considered a source of inspiration for the architect of the famous Taj Mahal. Embellished with flowers, trees and fruit, the central hall shelters the tombs of Mirza and his wife.

5.Built during the second half of the 16^th century by the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted red sandstone city. Situated almost 40 kilometers away of Agra, this fortress was the capital of the Mogul Empire for about 10 years. Considered an architectural jewel, this complex consists of a few monuments, temples and mosques which are surrounded by beautiful gardens. The fusion between the red of the buildings and the green of the gardens creates a very nice combination of colors.

The city came to be known as Fatehpur Sikri or the City of Victory after Akbar’s victorious campaign in 1573. Even though this ancient city was originally built on the bank of a lake which doesn’t exist today, the place is not less beautiful and it really deserves to be visited. More than this, a mysterious vibe which can be felt inside the city seems to shroud the entire place in mystery.

All things considered, even though the gorgeous Taj Mahal is indeed the most beautiful place in Agra, it is not the only tourist attraction which deserves to be visited. Besides this masterpiece, Agra shelters a few other lovely places which really deserve to be on anyone’s trip list.

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The Agra Fort is a proper example in this regard. Built by the Mogul Emperor Akbar in the 16^th century as a military strategic point, the fort served as the seat of the government and the royal residence of the Mogul Dynasty.

It is said that over 4000 people have been working hard for almost 8 years, in order to complete the construction of this massive fort. Built in a semicircular shape and covering an area of about 2.5 kilometers, the Agra Fort is surrounded by double battlement massive walls.

The red sandstone walls of the fort hide Shah Jahan’s sad story. According to the legend the founder of the Taj Mahal died in one of the towers of this fort, while he was looking at his masterpiece. Shan Jahan was imprisoned in the Agra Fort by his son and because the fort was situated opposite the Taj Mahal, on the other bank of the Yamuna River, he had the privilege of admiring his masterpiece every day.

Nowadays, the Agra Fort shelters a few impressive palaces, mosques, halls and gardens made of red sandstone and white marble. The entire fort hides secret subterranean chambers, which are interconnected.

Exploring the lovely Agra Fort will definitely be an interesting experience. You don’t have to take my words for granted, but you can look at the following pictures.

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Overwhelmed by anxiety, I was constantly checking the time because I was so eager to see the imposing Taj Mahal in the afternoon when the sun shines bright. This is the best moment to admire this incredible building because the sunrays make it look like a diamond. The Taj Mahal can be considered a diamond in terms of architecture and this is why it is one of the seven wonders of the new world.

When we got to the main entrance, I was really disappointed by the endless queue. It was a terrible chaos because people were impatient and they were pushing each other.  When we got closer we realized that there was a special entrance for tourists and we didn’t have to wait with the locals.  The advantage of entering before the locals doesn’t come cheap, because a tourist has to pay maybe ten times more for a ticket.

After I had entered the complex, I saw another beautiful gate which was the entrance into the courtyard of the monument.

With every step I made, I felt my heart beating louder and louder and in a couple of minutes the imposing Taj Mahal was lying in front of my eyes. Words are not enough to describe what I felt in front of this image. The gorgeous Taj Mahal looked perfect in the sunlight.

The elegance of the lines, the perfection of the contours and the perfect symmetry were portraying one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. I could have looked at this mausoleum made of white marble and ivory for days.

I advise you to admire the Taj Mahal throughout the day, because it gives you the feeling that it changes its color. I saw it for the first time in shades of yellowish white in the afternoon and I stared at it until it became a mix of white and blue, after the sunset.

I also had the privilege of admiring it in shades of white in the morning, when I saw it from Mehtab Bagh, which is a complex of gardens situated nearby.

The Taj Mahal is gorgeous thanks to its impressive architecture, its pleasant scenery embellished with beautiful gardens and green areas and also thanks to its emotional story.

It is said that the emperor Shah Jahan built this impressive monument as a tomb and memorial for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14^th child. The love for his beautiful wife who died at 38 years old was the force which led to the construction of one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

The emperor invested a lot of money, time and effort to build this unique white building. He also wanted to build a similar construction on the other bank of the Yamuna River. The building was supposed to be made of black marble and serve as his tomb. All these plans determined Aurangzeb, the emperor’s son, to take advantage of his father’s disease and put him under house arrest.

Even though the emperor recovered from his illness, his son arrested him and jailed him in Agra Fort. Situated close to the Taj Mahal, this place gave the emperor the opportunity to admire his masterpiece every day.

After his death he was buried inside the imposing Taj Mahal, next to his beloved wife. However, despite the fact that the Taj Mahal has an imposing appearance, its interior is pretty simple. The two tombs are situated in a small room decorated with Indian floral motifs.

A paradox is the fact that despite being a tomb and a memorial, the Taj Mahal is considered a house of love. It is a place of pilgrimage and a symbol of love because many newlyweds come here and promise eternal faith to each other. Love is actually the reason behind this outstanding construction.

In order to better understand what I’m talking about, you should visit the Taj Mahal and you should let yourself mesmerized by its beauty.

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