Facts About Agra Fort

Agra is not only known for the exotic beauty of the Taj Mahal but attached to the city is the history of the Mughal era. From the supreme Mughal ruler, Akbar the Great, to the greatest lover Shah Jahan, Agra, which was once the capital of Mughals boasts of an enthralling historical past. Agra fort is a magnanimous structure, which epitomizes two generations of the Mughal emperors. The fort is the most important fort in India. While during the rule of Akbar, the fort was basically used for military purposes, it was during the time of Shah Jahan that the fort served as used as a palace and for its courts. Explore some interesting and fun facts about the Agra Fort.

Interesting & Fun Facts about Agra Fort 

• Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fort is also known as 'Lal Qila', Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra.
• Agra fort was originally a brick fort and the Chauhan Rajputs held it. It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it.
• Sikandar Lodi was the first Sultan of Delhi, who shifted to Agra and lived in the fort.
• The great Mughal Emperors, Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived here and the country was governed from here.
• According to Abul Fazl, a historian during Akbar's reign, this brick fort was in a ruined condition and was known as Badalgarh.
• Akbar had it rebuilt with red sandstone. Some 1,444,000 builders worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573.
• It contained the largest state treasury and mint. It was visited by foreign ambassadors, travelers and the highest dignitaries, who are an integral part of the history of India.
• The fort can be more accurately described as a walled palatial city.
• The fort has a semi-circular plan, its chord lying parallel to the Yamuna River and stretches for almost 2.5 km.
• The walls of the Fort are seventy feet high.
• It consists of a wall built in red sandstone and several buildings inside. It has 4 gates on four sides, two of which are known as the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. You can only enter the fort via the Amar Singh Gate.
• Some of the most historically interesting mix of Hindu and Islamic architecture can be seen here. The Islamic decorations here feature forbidden images of living creatures - dragons, elephants and birds, instead of the usual patterns and calligraphy seen in Islamic surface decoration.
• The Agra Fort plays a key role in the Sherlock Holmes mystery, 'The Sign of the Four' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
• The Agra Fort has won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in the year 2004 and Indian Post issued a stamp to commemorate this prestigious award on 28 November, 2004.
• The Agra Fort was featured in the music video for Habibi Da, a hit song of Egyptian pop star Hisham Abbas.