Agra Fort

The Indian city of Agra is the medieval capital of Hindustan – Mughal. Today it is very interesting and an attractive destination mainly because of the incredible eponymous Agra Fort.

It is located about 2.5 kilometers northwest of the unique masterpiece Taj Mahal. The Fortress Agra is considered the most important fort in the territory of India and today it is included in the list of World Heritage by UNESCO.

The history of the city began in 1502 when these Indian lands became of the Afghan ruler of Delhi - Sikandar Lodi. The city became his capital in 1504. After about 22 years the son of Sikander Lodi - Ibrahim, was defeated by the Turks - namely Babur who was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan. Ibrahim was faced with Babur’s army of 25, 000 well trained soldiers.

It was this victory that marked the beginning of the greatest dynasty in India - the dynasty of the Mughals. Babur (1483-1530) was known as besides being a great statesman, as the adventurer, poet and warrior. He did not like Agra or India as a whole, but makes Agra his capital. The Dynasty, which dates back to him, manages to conquer India by the Persians in Delhi in 1739, retaining its influence until 1858 when the British overthrown Bahadur Shah II.

In all of this, there were constant military clashes and fort Agra played a fundamental role. After the death of Babur the throne was taken by his son - Humayun. The unique Fort Agra was the work of his son - Akbar, who was the greatest of mughal rulers. Akbar was an unusual character and his understanding of life allowed him to enter all categories including a system based on Islam, Hinduism, and Christian religions Sikhskata.

That is what is reflected in the complex architecture of the Agra fort. According to the travelers at the time, the stone blocks that make up the walls of the fortress Agra are tightly arranged so not even the blade of a knife could be slid between them.

At the drawbridge leading to the main entrance of Fort Agra, the portal, was built by Akbar's grandson Shah Jahan in 1665 in honor of Akbar’s son - Rao Amar. The actual construction of the fortress Agra began in 1565 at the old fort that Akbar had once destroyed.

According to historical data, Akbar ordered the erection of more than 50 buildings, protected by double and sometimes triple built walls. The location of the fortress was strategically selected as it is situated on the banks of river Yamuna.

A significant proportion of the buildings were built by Akbar but were demolished by his grandson Shah Jahan. From the works of Akbar's for the fort at Agra, the walls of the fort with watchtowers and loopholes have survived along with the drum towers which were built above the gates.