Agra city is situated in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India, which is presenting a discovery of the amazing era. Agra has a rich history, which is reflected in the countless monuments that dot the city.
During Akbar’s reign, Agra gained prominence. He constructed the Fort and established Agra as the capital of one of the mightiest and richest kingdoms. From 1570 to 1585, he moved his capital to Fatehpur Sikri, which is now a deserted city 27 miles south-west of Agra.
However, it was not until the seventeenth century, during the reign of Shah Jahan, Akbar’s grandson, that Agra reached the heights of its glory as the city of everlasting architecture. This era was dominated by a traditional architecture of incredible splendour carried out to the highest degree of excellence.
Shah Jahan built much of the fort, most of the city’s buildings, and the Taj Mahal; it was a marble age that eventually resulted in the Taj Mahal’s greatness. In its most refined form, marble took the place of sandstone. From 1632 to 1637, Shah Jahan lived here and renamed the city Akbarabad.
However, the name did not last. In 1658, Shah Jahan was imprisoned for seven years in Agra Fort by his son, Aurangzeb. The prism that reflected the Taj and thus illuminated its architect’s final days remains visible today.
