Transport Companies in Agra
Agra
Agra Was the Seat of the imperial Mughal court during the 16th and 17th centuries, before the capital was shifted to Delhi. The city, strategically located on the banks of the Yamuna and along the Grand Trunk Road, flourished under the patronage of the emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, attracting artisans from Persia and Central Asia, and also from other parts of India, who built luxurious forts, palaces, gardens and mausoleums. Of these, the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort and Akbar's abandoned capital of Fatehpur Sikri have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. With the decline of the Mughals, Agra was captured by the Jats, the Marathas, and finally by the British, early in the 19th century. Transport Companies in Agra...
Agra Fort
Son et Lumiere 7:30pm daily Situated on the west bank of the Yamuna, agra fort was built by Emperor Akbar between red sandstone ramparts from a crescent along the river fort, and encompass an enormous complex of courtly buildings, ranging in style from the early eclecticism of Akbar from the sublime elegance of Shah Jahan. The barracks to the north are 19th century British additions. A deep mote, once filled with water from the Yamuna, surrounds the forts. Transport Companies in Agra...
The impressive Amar Singh Gate, to the south, leads into the fort. To its right is the so-called Jahangiri Mahal.
Jami Masjid
A magnificently proportioned building in the heart of the historic town, the "Friday Mosque" was sponsored by Shah Jahan's favourite daughter, Jahanara Begum, who also commissioned a number of other buildings and gardens, including the canal that once ran down Chandni Chowk in Delhi. Built in 1648, the mosque's sandstone and marble domes with their distinctive zigzag chevron pattern dominate this section of the town. The eastern courtyard wing was demolished by the British in 1857. Of interest are the tank with its shahi chirag (royal stove) for heating water within the courtyard, and the separate prayer chamber for ladies. Transport Companies in Agra...
The area around Jami Masjid was once a vibrant meeting place, famous for its kebab houses and lively bazaars. A stroll or rickshaw ride through the narrow alleys can be a rewarding experience, offering glimpses of an older and very different way of life, reminiscent of Mughal Agra. This is also the city's crafts and trade centre where a vast array of products such as jewellery, zari embroidery, inlaid marble objects, dhurries, dried fruit, sweets, shoes and kites are available. Some of the main bazaars are Johri Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar, Kaserat Bazaar and Kashmiri Bazaar. Quieter lanes such as Panni Gali have many fine buildings, with imposing gateways leading into secluded courtyards where the thriving workshops of master craftsmen still exist. Transport Companies in Agra...
St John's College
The unusual architecture of St John s College has been described as "an astounding mixture of the antiquarian, the scholarly and the symbolic". It consists of a group of red sandstone buildings, including a hall and library, arranged around a quadrangle, all designed in a quasi-Fatehpur Sikri style by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, who perfected the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. Started by the Church Missionary Society, the college was inaugurated in 1914 by the viceroy, Lord Hardinge, and it continues to be one of Agra's most prestigious institutions. Transport Companies in Agra...
Roman Catholic Cemetery
Opp Civil Courts.
Towards the north of the town is the Roman Catholic Cemetery, the oldest European graveyard in North India, established in the 17th century by an Armenian merchant, Khoja Mortenepus. Transport Companies in Agra...
A number of Islamic-style gravestones, with inscriptions in Armenian, survive today and include those of the cannon expert. shah Nazar Khan, and Khoja mortenepus himself. The cemetery also contains tombs of European missionaries, traders and adventurers such as the 18th-century French freebooter, Walter Reinhardt. The largest tomb is that of John Hessing, a British commander in the army of the Scindias, the rulers of Gwalior. Hessing's red sandstone tomb, built after his death in 1803, is modelled on the lines of the Taj Mahal. One of the oldest tombs belongs to the English merchant, John Mildenhall (1614), envoy of Elizabeth 1, who arrived at the Mughal court in 1603 seeking permission to trade. Other Interesting graves include those of the Venetian doctor, Bernardino Maffi, and Geronimo Veroneo (once wrongly regarded by some as the architect of the Taj). Near the chapel, an obelisk marks the grave of the four children of General Perron, French commander of the Scindia forces. Another Frenchman, Jean Philippe Bourbon, a kinsman of Henry IV of France, is also buried here. Transport Companies in Agra...
Fort Railway Station
This memorable Raj building was constructed in 1891 as a stopping-off point for colonial tourists visiting Agra's monuments. The octagonal bazaar chowk that originally connected the Delhi Gate and Agra Fort to the old city and the Jami Masjid was demolished and this station, with its French chateau-style slate-roofed platforms, was built in its place. It is still in use today. Agra's two other railway stations are located in the cantonment and at Raja ki Mandi. Transport Companies in Agra...
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