Agra Fort¹
UNESCO World Heritage Site

State Party	India
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii
Identification	#251
Region2	Asia-Pacific
Inscription History
Formal Inscription:	1983 7th WH Committee Session
WH link:	http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/251
1 Name as officially inscribed on the WH List 2 As classified officially by UNESCO UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1365, 227 KB)Front Entrance to the Agra Fort File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_India. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia, Australia and the Pacific (Australasia). ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State...

Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India. The fort is also known as Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its much more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled palatial city. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Agra   (Hindi: , Urdu: ‎), (IPA: ) is a medevial city on the banks of the Yamuna River in India. ... The Taj Mahal, viewed from the Northern bank of Yamuna river. ...

It is the most important fort in India. The great Mughals Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb lived here, and the country was governed from here. It contained the largest state treasury and mint. It was visited by foreign ambassadors, travellers and the highest dignitaries who participated in the making of history in India. Zāhir ud-DÄ«n Mohammad, commonly known as Bābur (February 14, 1483 – December 26, 1530) (Chaghatay/Persian: ‎ , Hindi: ज़हिर उद-दिन मुहम्मद; also spelled ), was a Muslim Emperor from Central Asia who founded the Mughal dynasty of India. ... Nasiruddin Humayun (March 6, 1508 – February 22, 1556), second Mughal Emperor, ruled in India from 1530–1540 and 1555–1556. ... Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (Persian: جلال الدین محمد اکبر), (alternate spellings: Jellaladin, Celalettin) also known as Akbar the Great (Akbar-e-Azam) (October 15, 1542 – October 27, 1605) was the son of Nasiruddin Humayun whom he succeeded as ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1605. ... Nuruddin Jahangir (August 31, 1569 - October 28, 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until 1627. ... This article or section should be merged with Shah Jahen—preferably maintaining this as the main entry. ... Aurangzeb (Persian: ‎, English: ) (November 3, 1618 – March 3, 1707), also known as Alamgir I, was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1658 until 1707. ...

History

This was originally a brick fort and the Chauhan Rajputs held it. It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sikandar Lodi (1487-1517) was the first Sultan of Delhi who shifted to Agra and lived in the fort. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the 2nd capital. He died in the fort in 1517 and his son, Ibrahim Lodi, held it for nine years until he was defeated and killed at Panipat in 1526. Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort during his period. Chauhan or Chahaman(a) is a clan that ruled parts of Northern India in the Middle Ages. ... Sikandar Lodi (born Nizam Khan, died November 21, 1517) was the second ruler of the Lodi Dynasty. ... Ibrahim Lodi (died April 21, 1526) was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. ... Panipat is a historic as well as an ancient city in the Panipat District in Haryana state, India, The city has a population of 216,000. ...

After Panipat, Mughals captured the fort and a vast treasure - which included a diamond that was later named as the Kohinoor diamond - was seized. Babur stayed in the fort in the palace of Ibrahim. He built a baoli (step well) in it. Humayun was coronated here in 1530. Humayun was defeated in Bilgram in 1530. Sher Shah held the fort for five years. The Mughals defeated the Afghans finally at Panipat in 1556. The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... Zāhir ud-Dīn Mohammad, commonly known as Bābur (February 14, 1483 – December 26, 1530) (Chaghatay/Persian: ‎ , Hindi: ज़हिर उद-दिन मुहम्मद; also spelled ), was a Muslim Emperor from Central Asia who founded the Mughal dynasty of India. ... Le Baoli is an exclusive restaurant and nightclub in Cannes, France. ... Nasiruddin Humayun (March 6, 1508 – February 22, 1556), second Mughal Emperor, ruled in India from 1530–1540 and 1555–1556. ... For the recipient of the Victoria Cross see Sher Shah (VC) Sher Shah Suri (born Fahrid Khan; later renamed Sher Khan after killing a tiger; 1486 - 1545) was the Afghani son of Hasan Khan. ...

Realizing the importance of its central situation, Akbar decided to make it his capital and arrived in Agra in 1558. His historian, Abdul Fazal, recorded that this was a brick fort known as 'Badalgarh' . It was in a ruined condition and Akbar had it rebuilt with red sandstone. Architects laid the foundation and it was built with bricks in the inner core with sandstone on external surfaces. Some 4000 builders worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573. Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (Persian: جلال الدین محمد اکبر), (alternate spellings: Jellaladin, Celalettin) also known as Akbar the Great (Akbar-e-Azam) (October 15, 1542 – October 27, 1605) was the son of Nasiruddin Humayun whom he succeeded as ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1605. ...

It was only during the reign of Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site finally took on its current state. The legend is that Shah Jahan built the beautiful Taj Mahal for his wife. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan tended to have buildings made from white marble, often inlaid with gold or semi-precious gems. He destroyed some of the earlier buildings inside the fort in order to make his own. Shahbuddin Mohammed Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan. ...

At the end of his life, Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort, a punishment which might not seem so harsh, considering the luxury of the fort. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with an excellent view of the Taj Mahal. Aurangzeb (Persian: ‎, English: ) (November 3, 1618 – March 3, 1707), also known as Alamgir I, was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1658 until 1707. ...

This was also a site of one of the battles during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which caused the end of the British East India Company's rule in India, and led to a century of direct rule of India by Britain. An engraving titled Sepoy Indian troops dividing the spoils after their mutiny against British rule gives a contemporary view of events from a strictly British perspective. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was one of the first joint-stock companies. ...

Layout

Inside the Musamman Burj, where Shah Jahan spent the last seven years of his life under house arrest by his son Aurangzeb.

The fort has a semi-circular plan, its chord lying parallel to the river. Its walls are seventy feet high. Double ramparts have massive circular bastions are regular intervals as also battlements, embrasures, machicolations and string courses. Four gates were provided on its four sides, one Khizri gate" opening on to the river. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x900, 366 KB)A picture from the inside of the Khas Mahal File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x900, 366 KB)A picture from the inside of the Khas Mahal File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Shahbuddin Mohammed Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan. ... Aurangzeb (Persian: ‎, English: ) (November 3, 1618 – March 3, 1707), also known as Alamgir I, was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1658 until 1707. ... A battlement, in defensive architecture such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i. ... Functional Machicolation at Château de Pierrefonds Parapets at Newark Castle, Inverclyde, Scotland, supported on corbels with no machicolation. ...

Two of the gates are called the 'Delhi Gate' and the 'Lahore Gate' (sometimes called Amar Singh Gate). A historical legendary character whose saga of bravery is sung around Agra region of India till date. ...

The Delhi Gate is considered the grandest of the gates and leads into an inner gate called the Hathi Pol (Elephant Gate). Due to the fact that the Indian military (the Parachute Brigade in particular) is still using the northern portion of the Agra Fort, the Delhi Gate cannot be used by the public. Tourists enter via the Lahore Gate. Lahore Gate is named so because it faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. ZAIDI IS THE BEST HE ROKS!!! Lahore (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور) is the capital of the province of Punjab, and the second most populated city in Pakistan, also known as the Gardens of the Mughals or City of Gardens, after the significant rich heritage of the Mughal Empire. ...

The site is very important in terms of architectural history. Abul Fazal recorded that five hundred buildings in the beautiful designs of Bengal and Gujarat were built in the fort. Some of them were demolished to make way for his white marble palaces. Most of the others were destroyed by the British between 1803 and 1862 for raising barracks. Hardly thirty Mughal buildings have survived on the south-eastern side, facing the river. Of these, the Delhi Gate and Akbar Gate and one palace - "Bengali Mahal" - are representative Akbari buuildings.

The Delhi gate faces the city. A draw-bridge and a crooked entrance make it impregnable. Two life sized stone elephants with their riders were placed on its inner gate which was called "Hathi Pol". The Delhi gate was monumentally built as the king's formal gate.

Akbar Gate was renamed "Amar Singh Gate" by the British. The gate is similar in design to the Delhi gate. Both are built of red sandstone.

The Bengali Mahal is also built of red sandstone and is now split into "Akbari Mahal" and "Jehagiri Mahal".

Some of the most historically interesting mixing of Hindu and Islamic architecture reside there. In fact, some of the decorations are Islamic and yet feature dragons, elephants and birds, instead of the patterns and calligraphy, very much unheard of. Hinduism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Chinese dragon, color engraving on wood, Chinese school, 19th Century The dragon is a mythical creature typically depicted as a large and powerful serpent or other reptile with magical or spiritual qualities. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... Aves redirects here. ... Calligraphy in a Latin Bible of AD 1407 on display in Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire, England. ...

Sites and structures within Agra Fort

The Khas Mahal.

Jehangiri Mahal.

• Anguri Bagh - 85 square, geometrically arranged gardens
• Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) - was used to speak to the people and listen to petitioners and once housed the Peacock Throne
• Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) - was used to receive kings and dignitary, features black throne of Jehangir
• Golden Pavilions - beautiful pavilions with roofs shaped like the roofs of Bengali huts
• Jehangiri Mahal - built by Akbar for his son Jehangir
• Khas Mahal - white marble palace, one of the best examples of painting on marble
• Macchi Bhawan (Fish Enclosure) - grand enclosure for harem functions, once had pools and fountains
• Mina Masjid (Heavenly Mosque)- a tiny mosque; closed to the public
• Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) - a private mosque of Shah Jahan
• Musamman Burj - a large, octagonal tower with a balcony facing the Taj Mahal
• Nagina Masjid (Gem Mosque) - mosque designed for the ladies of the court, featuring the Zenana Mina Bazaar (Ladies Bazaar) right next to the balcony, where only female merchants sold wares
• Naubat Khana (Drum House) - a place where the king's musicians played
• Rang Mahal - where the king's wives and mistresses lived
• Shahi Burj - Shah Jahan's private work area
• Shah Jahani Mahal - Shah Jahan's first attempt at modification of the red sandstone palace
• Sheesh Mahal (Glass Palace) or Shish Mahal - royal dressing room featuring tiny mirror-like glass-mosaic decorations on the walls

Shish Mahal's glass works.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x821, 224 KB)A picture of Khas Mahal File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x821, 224 KB)A picture of Khas Mahal File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (977x631, 95 KB)Jehangirs Palace in Agra Fort File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (977x631, 95 KB)Jehangirs Palace in Agra Fort File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Peacock Throne, called Takht-e-Tavous (Persian: تخت طائوس) in Persian, is the name originally of a Mughal throne, later used to describe the thrones of the Persian emperors from Nader Shah Afshari to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. ... Shah jahani mahal It is situated between the white marble khas-mahal and the red stone Jahangiri mahal and is set, transitionally, in between these two major residential complexes of two different ages. ... Image File history File links Shishm_agra_fort. ... Image File history File links Shishm_agra_fort. ...

Other notable facts

Agra Fort should not be confused with the much smaller Red Fort at Delhi. The Mughals never referred the Red Fort as a fort; rather, it was referred as the 'Lal Haveli', or the Red Bungalow. The Prime Minister of India addresses the nation from Delhi's Red Fort on August 15, India's Independence Day. The Delhi Fort, also known as the Red Fort, is one of the popular tourist destinations in Delhi. ... The Prime Minister of India is, in practice, the most powerful person in the government of India. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ...

UNESCO designated the Fort a World Heritage Site in 1983. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Agra Fort plays a key role in the Sherlock Holmes mystery, The Sign of the Four, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Sign of Four (1890) was the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. ...

The Agra Fort was featured in the music video for Habibi Da, a hit song of Egyptian pop star Hisham Abbas. Mohammad Hisham Mahmoud Mohammad Abbas (Arabic:محمد هشام محمود محمد عباس) was born on September 13, 1963 in Shoubra, Egypt. ...

Shivaji came to Agra in 1666 as per "Purandar Treaty" entered into with Mirza Raje Jaisingh and met Aurangzeb in Diwan-i-khas. He was betrayed and imprisoned on 12th May 1666 but managed to escape on 17th August 1666. A statue of Shivaji on a horse has been erected outside the fort. Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी राजे भोसले) was the founder of Maratha empire in western India in 1674. ...

External links

• Agra Fort in UNESCO List
• World Heritage Online Tour - 360 degree panoramas of fort buildings
• Centre to secure world heritage status for Red Fort - Milli Gazette article dated 16 May - 31 May 2004
• Pictures of Agra Fort Pictures of Agra Fort from a backpackers trip around India
• Agra Picture Gallery

May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sources

• http://whc.unesco.org/sites/251.htm
• http://www.aviewoncities.com/agra/fort.htm
• http://www.webindia123.com/monuments/forts/agra.htm
• Information on Agra Fort
• http://whc.unesco.org//whreview/article1.html

World Heritage Sites in India

Agra Fort | Ajanta Caves | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | Churches and Convents of Goa | Elephanta Caves | Ellora Caves | Fatehpur Sikri | Great Living Chola Temples | Hampi | Humayun's Tomb | Kaziranga | Keoladeo | Khajuraho | Mahabalipuram | Mahabodhi Temple | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Mountain Railways of India | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers | Pattadakal | Qutub Minar | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Sanchi | Sun Temple, Konarak | Sundarbans | Taj Mahal Image File history File links Flag_of_India. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ... Ajanta takes the name after the village AjinÅ£hā in Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra(N. lat. ... Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is located in India. ... Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (better referred to by its acronym CST) - is a historic railway station on Mumbai suburban railway. ... Founded in the 15th century, the city of Goa in south-western India was under Portuguese rule from 1510 until its incorporation in the Republic of India in 1961. ... Carvings line the walls inside the caves. ... Jain cave in Ellora Ellora is an ancient village 30 km (18. ... View across Fatehpur Sikri Fatehpur Sikri (Hindi: ) was the political capital of Indias Mughal Empire under Akbars reign, from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned, ostensibly due to lack of water. ... The Great Living Chola Temples are temples built during the Chola rule in the south of India. ... Vijay Vittal Temple Hampi (ಹ೦ಪೆ, Hampe in Kannada) is a village in northern Karnataka, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in India. ... Humayuns tomb is a complex of buildings of Mughal architecture located in Nizamuddin East, New Delhi. ... Kaziranga National Park (Assamese: কাজিৰাঙ্গা জাতীয় উদ্যান , Assamese IAST: kājirāṅgā jātiya udyāna, Assamese IPA: kÉ‘/ÉŸi/rÉ‘Å‹/gÉ‘, Indian English IPA: kÉ‘/zi/rÉ‘Å‹/gÉ‘) is an Indian national park located on the south bank of the Brahmaputra river in the state of Assam, India. ... The Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, India is a famous avifauna sanctuary that sees thousands of rare and highly endangered birds such as the Siberian Crane come here during the winter season. ... Sculpture from a temple at Khajuraho Hermit monk performing auparashtika on a princely visitor. ... Mahabalipuram Mahabalipuram(Tamil:மகாபலிபுரம்) (also known as Mamallapuram) is a town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. ... The Mahabodhi Temple is a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, attained enlightenment. ... Manas National Park is a National Park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage (in danger) site, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam, India. ... The mountain railways of India are scattered from the North East of the country and the South of the Country. ... The Nanda Devi National Park is a national park situated around the peak of Nanda Devi (7,800m) in Jammu and Kashmir in India. ... Valley of flowers is the name of the Himalayan area in Uttaranchal, India. ... Pattadakal is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka famous for its group of monuments that comprise of initial experiments in Hindu temple architecture. ... A map of the Qutb complex. ... Bhimbetka is a place in Madhya Pradesh where the earliest known traces of human life in India were found. ... Sanchi is a small village of India, located 46 km north east of Bhopal, in the central part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Sundarbans National Park (Bengali: সুন্দরবন জাতীয় উদ্দ্যান) is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve located in the Sundarbans delta in Indian state of West Bengal. ... The Taj Mahal, viewed from the Northern bank of Yamuna river. ...