Agra fort, as the name implies, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It is about 2.5 kilometre distant to Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. The present-day structure was made by the Mughals, though it is said that it has stood here by the name of “Badalgarh” since the 11th century.
Have a look at more interesting history facts.
1. First Delhi Sultan
Sikandar Lodhi was the first Delhi Sultan who shifted his headquarters to Agra Fort and ruled from there. He gave it a magnitude of “second capital”.
Source: wikipedia, Image: historyfacts.com
2. The Flow Chart
Ibrahim Lodhi lost the fort in Battle of Panipat (1517-1526)-> Babur took over after defeating Ibrahim and also built a baoli there. (1526-1530)-> Humayun (1530-1540)-> Sher Shah Suri captured the fort and it remained under the Suri Dynasty until 1555 when Humayun recaptured it->Hemu (1555-1556)-> Akbar defeated Hemu in second battle of Panipat and captured Agra.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikimedia
3. Architectural History
When Akbar came to Agra in 1558, his historian, Abul Fazal told him that the ruined palace was known as ‘Badalgarh’. Akbar rebuilt it with red sandstones from Rajasthan.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
4. Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan had a knack of building things with white marble. He rebuilt some of the structures in Agra Fort too. Hence, this is how the modern Agra Fort acquires its beauty.
Source: wikipedia, Image: historyofemperor.com
5. Shah Jahan’s Death
When he took his last breath, Shah Jahan was deposed and restrained by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. The rumour has it that that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony and a view of the Taj Mahal.
Source: wikipedia, Image: historyofindia.com
6. Site of Battle
The fort was the site of a battle during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which was the cause of the end of the British East India Company’s rule and led to a century of direct rule of India by Britishers.
Source: wikipedia, Image: britishwarfacts.com
7. The Gates
Agra Fort has two gates- Delhi Gate and Lahore Gate which is also called as Amar Singh Gate after the name of Amar Singh Rathore. Since the Indian military is still using the northern portion of the Agra Fort, the Delhi Gate is not opened to public. Tourists enter via the Amar Singh Gate.
Source: wikipedia, Image: easytravelsofindia.com
8. Important Aspect
The building is an architectural wonder (Also won Aga Khan Award for architecture in 2004). Abul fazal recorded that almost 500 hundred buildings in Bengal and Gujarat were built on the design inspired by the building(s) of(/in) Agra Fort.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
9. Destruction By British
Apart from Shah Jahan, the buildings inside the fort was destructed by Britishers to make barracks instead.
Source: wikipedia
10. Sherlock Holmes
The Agra Fort plays an important role in the Sherlock Holmes mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The episode featuring the fort is The Sign of the Four.
Source: wikipedia, Image: sherlockholmesfans.pinterest.com
11. Age Of Empires 3
In the second expansion pack for the video-game “Age of Empires 3- the Asian Dynasties”, Agra fort is one of five wonders for the Indian civilisation. (This is an awesome game by the way. Worth giving a shot because you’re gonna get addicted eventually.)
Source: wikipedia, Image: gamesofwarstead.com
12. Jodha Bai Place
You can see the Taj Mahal through the slits in the wall of Jodha Bai’s palace in Agra Fort.
Source: remotetraveller.com, Image: traveleasyofindia.com
13. Modelled for Red Fort
The Khas Mahal of the Agra Fort was the model for the Diwan-i-Khas at the Red Fort in Delhi.
Source: remotetraveller.com, Image: easytravelsofindia.com
14. Kohinoor
The Diwan-i-Khas in Agra Fort once housed Shah Jahan’s iconic “Peacock Throne”, which was inset with precious stones including the magnificent Koh-i-noor.
Source: remotetraveller.com, Image: youtube
15. Sheesh Mahal
Sheesh Mahal sets an example for decorative water engineering in the hammams. The water here may have been warmed by lamps. The mirrors, which were more precious than marble, were set into the walls, often specially chiselled to accommodate their crooked shape.
Source: daily.bhaskar.com, Image: youtube
16. For the Ladies
Nagina Masjid is a small but exquisite mosque built by Shah Jahan at the Agra Fort. It was solely built for the ladies of the Fort.
Source: daily.bhaskar.com, Image: wikimedia
17. Time of Construction
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