In this article, we provide comprehensive information about the geography, history, population, and top tourist destinations of Agra City. Agra, located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, is a city steeped in history and architectural marvels. It is most famous for housing the iconic Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but it also offers a rich tapestry of Mughal-era monuments, bustling markets, and cultural experiences.
| About City: | Agra is a city located on the banks of the Yamuna River in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, approximately 230 kilometers (140 miles) southeast of the national capital, Delhi, and 330 kilometers west of the state capital, Lucknow. With a population of around 1.6 million, Agra ranks as the fourth-most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and the twenty-third most populous city in India. The city’s significant historical era began during the reign of Sikandar Lodi, but it truly flourished during the Mughal period in the early 16th century. Agra served as the principal city of the Indian subcontinent and was the capital of the Mughal Empire under emperors such as Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan. During Mughal rule, Agra emerged as a hub for education, arts, commerce, and religion, leading to the construction of notable landmarks like the Agra Fort, Sikandra, and the Taj Mahal, which was built between 1632 and 1648 by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. As the Mughal Empire declined in the late 18th century, Agra came under the control of the Marathas and later the East India Company. Following India’s independence, Agra transformed into an industrial town with a thriving tourism sector, alongside footwear, leather, and other manufacturing industries. The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city experiences mild winters, hot and dry summers, and a monsoon season, and is renowned for its Mughlai cuisine. Agra is part of the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, which includes Delhi and Jaipur, as well as the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, which features Lucknow and Varanasi. |
| Geography: | The region around Agra consists almost entirely of a level plain, with hills in the extreme southwest. The main rivers in this region are the Yamuna and Chambal, and it is also served by the Agra Canal. Local agriculture includes crops such as millet, barley, wheat, and cotton, with both Rabi and Kharif crops being cultivated. Approximately 40 km southwest of Agra lies the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri. The sandstone hills near Fatehpur Sikri and along the southeastern borders of the district are extensions of the Vindhya range from Central India. Agra is situated about 210 km from the national capital, New Delhi (via the Yamuna Expressway), around 336 km from the state capital, Lucknow (via the Agra-Lucknow Expressway), and approximately 227 km from Kanpur (also via the Agra-Lucknow Expressway). The city has an average elevation of 170 meters above sea level. |
| History: | It is generally accepted that Agra was both an ancient city from the times of the Mahabharata (see above) and yet nevertheless Sultan Sikandar Lodī, the Muslim ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, founded Agra in the year 1504. After the Sultan’s death, the city passed on to his son, Sultan Ibrāhīm Lodī. He ruled his Sultanate from Agra until he fell fighting to Mughal Badshah (emperor) Bābar in the First battle of Panipat fought in 1526. The golden age of the city began with the Mughals. It was known then as Akbarabād and remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under the Badshahs (emperors) Akbar, Jahāngīr and Shāh Jahān. Akbar made it the eponymous seat of one of his original twelve subahs (imperial top-level provinces), bordering (Old) Delhi, Awadh (Oudh), Allahabad, Malwa and Ajmer subahs. Shāh Jahān later shifted his capital to Shāhjahānabād in the year 1649. Since Akbarabād was one of the most important cities in India under the Mughals, it witnessed a lot of building activity. Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of river Yamuna. The garden is called the Arām Bāgh or the Garden of Relaxation. His grandson Akbar the Great raised the towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort, besides making Agra a centre for learning, arts, commerce and religion. Akbar also built a new city on the outskirts of Akbarabād called Fatehpūr Sikrī. This city was built in the form of a Mughal military camp in stone. His son Jahāngīr had a love of flora and fauna and laid many gardens inside the Red Fort or Lāl Qil’a. Shāh Jahān, known for his keen interest in architecture, gave Akbarabād its most prized monument, the Tāj Mahal. Built in loving memory of his wife Mumtāz Mahal, the mausoleum was completed in 1653. Shāh Jahān later shifted the capital to Delhi during his reign, but his son Aurangzeb moved the capital back to Akbarabād, usurping his father and imprisoning him in the Fort there. Akbarabād remained the capital of India during the rule of Aurangzeb until he shifted it to Aurangabad in the Deccan in 1653. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the influence of Marathas and was called Agra, before falling into the hands of the British Raj in 1803. |
| Metro population: | 17,60,285 |
| District: | Agra |
| GDP Nominal: | $ 1.53 Billion (2019-20) |
| Known for: | Agra is best known for the Taj Mahal (17th century), designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. |
| Major Attractions to Visit: | Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Sikandra/Akbar’s Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daula, Chini Ka Rauza, Mariam’s Tomb, Ram Bagh, Nagina Masjid, Mehtab Bagh, Jama Masjid, Guru Ka Taal |
| Fairs & Festivals in Agra: | Taj Mahotsav Bateshwar Fair Ram Baraat Kailash Fair |
