- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1565 · 16th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Uttar Pradesh, India
- Commissioned by
- Akbar
- Heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage List
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 27.1796°, 78.0213°
History
On the site of an older brick stronghold, taken by the Mughals after the Battle of Panipat in 1526, Emperor Akbar began a new red sandstone fort in 1565 and completed it in roughly eight years. His grandson Shah Jahan replaced some of the earlier buildings with elegant pavilions of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. In a twist of fate, it was here that his son Aurangzeb, having seized the throne, confined him in 1658, and the deposed emperor spent his last years in the fort until his death in 1666. In the 18th century the fortress changed hands several times until the British captured it in 1803, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1983.
What to see
Visitors enter through the Amar Singh Gate, as much of the fort still belongs to the army. Beyond it lie the red sandstone Jahangiri Mahal, blending Hindu and Islamic motifs, and the marble Khas Mahal above the Anguri Bagh garden. The pillared Diwan-i-Am, the private Diwan-i-Khas and the octagonal Musamman Burj with its pierced screens lead out to terraces with views of the Taj Mahal across the river.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q171857
Popularity: articles about this site in 78 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).