Agra Fort

Feb. 4, 2023

The Delhi High Court recently sought the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) response in a plea moved by two registered trusts against the ASI’s communication rejecting permission to organize a cultural programme at the Agra Fort celebrating the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

About Agra Fort:

It is a large 16th-century fortress of red sandstone located on the Yamuna River in the historic city of Agra, west-central Uttar Pradesh.
It is about 5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal.
It was built under the commission of Emperor Akbar in 1565.
It was only during the reign of Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site took on its current state.
It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty till 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
Features:
- The fort is crescent-shaped, with a long, nearly straight wall facing the Yamuna river on the east side.
- The fort houses a maze of buildings, including vast underground sections.
- The outer wall is surrounded by a wide and deep moat on three sides.
- The Agra Fort has four main gateways- the Khizri Gate, Amar Singh Gate, Delhi Gate and Ghazni Gate.
The fort complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.