Agra
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Agra, globally renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal, this royal Mughal city has, in addition to the legendary Taj, many monuments that epitomise the high point of Mughal architecture. In the Mughal period, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of India . It was here that the founder of the dynasty, Babar, laid out the first formal Persian gardens on the banks of the river Yamuna. Here, Akbar, his grandson raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort. Within its walls, Jehangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens, and Shahajahan embellished it with marble mosques,palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.
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The crowning glory of the city is obviously the Taj, a monument of love and imagination, that represents India to the world. Frequently ignored, Itmad-ud-daulah tomb, was an architectural gem of its times. Believed to be the precursor of the magnificent Taj Mahal, it was the first Mughal structure to be built entirely of marble and to make use of pietra dura, the inlay marble work that adorns the Taj. |
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Access by Air:
Agra is on the popular regular tourist route Khajuraho/Varanasi and return. Flights connect Agra to Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi and most recently Jaipur.
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Access by Rail:
Agra lies on the Delhi to Mumbai broad - gauge railway line. Express trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, and Chennai halt at Agra.
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Access by Road:
Agra is connected to Delhi, Rajasthan and other cities of Uttar Pradesh by an excellent bus service.
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