Agra – The City of Monuments
When Humayun died, thirteen year old Akbar with his guardian, Bairam Khan was in Punjab. He was crowned Emperor in a garden at Kalanaur on February 14, 1556. At the time of his accession, his territory was confined to the Punjab and the area around Delhi and Agra. Six months after his accession to the Throne, Akbar arrived at Agra. Agra was Akbar's Capital, as it had been the capital of his father and grandfather. However, it was Akbar who made Agra great. He built several beautiful buildings in the city.
The old brick fort of Sikandar Lodhi was pulled down in and its place Akbar built an impressive fortress of rusty sandstone. This is why the Agra fort is also known as 'Ial quila', The construction of the fort at Agra was started by Akbar in A.D. 1565 it took eight years to complete. According to Abul Fazel, Akbar's historian, the Fort had 500 buildings of red stone in styles borrowed from Bengal and Gujrat. Only a few survive today. Subsequent additions were made by five successive Mughal rulers. The massive fort stands as a crescent on the banks of the River Yamuna. The double walls, which enclose and protect the fort, make a wide curve about 2.4 km long and 21 meters high. Both walls are provided with a sentry's path and flanked by towers.
The fort has four gates. Entry is through the Amar Singh Rathore gate, on the southern side of the fort. Outside the Amar Singh gate is a stone statue of a horse's head. It was built by Amar Singh Rathore of Jodhpur in memory of his faithful horse. Insulted by the courtiers, the proud Rajput killed them with his sword in the Emperor's presence, and fled on his horse. Finding the gates closed, Amar Singh jumped the high walls of the fort, on horseback, to safety but the horse's legs were broken, and Amar Singh had to kill him to end suffering.
The northern and eastern side gates near the river are now closed. The fourth gate on the western side is called the Delhi gate. It was through this gate that the Emperor, leading nobles and ambassadors entered the fort. At the entrance of the Delhi gate are two statues of Jaimal and Patta, who had been killed in action, fighting Akbar. The statues were erected by Akbar to honor the courage and chivalry of these teenage warriors. Between the fort and the river was an open space for holding elephant fights, Akbar loved watching elephant fights from the top of his palace.
The old brick fort of Sikandar Lodhi was pulled down in and its place Akbar built an impressive fortress of rusty sandstone. This is why the Agra fort is also known as 'Ial quila', The construction of the fort at Agra was started by Akbar in A.D. 1565 it took eight years to complete. According to Abul Fazel, Akbar's historian, the Fort had 500 buildings of red stone in styles borrowed from Bengal and Gujrat. Only a few survive today. Subsequent additions were made by five successive Mughal rulers. The massive fort stands as a crescent on the banks of the River Yamuna. The double walls, which enclose and protect the fort, make a wide curve about 2.4 km long and 21 meters high. Both walls are provided with a sentry's path and flanked by towers.
The fort has four gates. Entry is through the Amar Singh Rathore gate, on the southern side of the fort. Outside the Amar Singh gate is a stone statue of a horse's head. It was built by Amar Singh Rathore of Jodhpur in memory of his faithful horse. Insulted by the courtiers, the proud Rajput killed them with his sword in the Emperor's presence, and fled on his horse. Finding the gates closed, Amar Singh jumped the high walls of the fort, on horseback, to safety but the horse's legs were broken, and Amar Singh had to kill him to end suffering.
The northern and eastern side gates near the river are now closed. The fourth gate on the western side is called the Delhi gate. It was through this gate that the Emperor, leading nobles and ambassadors entered the fort. At the entrance of the Delhi gate are two statues of Jaimal and Patta, who had been killed in action, fighting Akbar. The statues were erected by Akbar to honor the courage and chivalry of these teenage warriors. Between the fort and the river was an open space for holding elephant fights, Akbar loved watching elephant fights from the top of his palace.