Agra’s most famous landmark is, of course, the Taj Mahal – documented in our previous post. However, this is not all the city has to offer. The day after our visit to the Taj at dawn, we hired a tuk tuk driver to take us around to some other sites.
First up was the Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah – also known as “the Baby Taj.” This is a 17th-century tomb built in a similar style to the Taj Mahal – mainly sandstone with marble decoration – housing the Vazir Nur Jahan and his family. Fun fact: Nur Jahan was actually the grandfather of Mumtāz Mahāl; for whom the Taj Mahal was built. The complex consists of the main mausoleum and several outbuildings, surrounded by a huge wall and overlooking the river Yamuna.
Next was the Agra Fort, an absolutely gigantic fortress built by the Mughal emperor between 1565 and 1573. The fort is better envisioned as a walled city, with dozens of different palace structures and buildings throughout the 94 acres of space behind the walls. The fort is about 2.5km away from the Taj Mahal, and you can get some great views of it looking out from the walls. Like the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Enjoy this video of our exploration through Agra’s less well-known historical sites!
