AGRA FORT

Architectural Conservation
 Location & Address
Agra Fort, Rakabganj,

Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282003

Inscription : 1984 (8th session)

Area : 94 acres (38 ha)

Criteria : Cultural: (iii)

It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more
famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal.
Year of Construction
Built : 1565-1573

Built for : Akbar

Architectural style : Islamic architecture

Owners : Lodi dynasty (1504–1526), Sur Empire (1540–1555)

Ownership

Agra Fort | District Agra ,

Government Of Uttar Pradesh | India.
Property Type & Use
Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra in India.

Original :
It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty till 1638,
when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
Before capture by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the
Marathas.
Present :
Today, the Agra Fort is one of the best forts in India and is a popular tourist
destination in Agra after the Taj Mahal. In 1983, the fort was given the status of
UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can purchase entry tickets to the fort at the
Amar Singh Gate and also rent audio guides from the booth inside the entrance.
The Sadar Bazaar, one of the top shopping places in Agra, is located near the fort.
Brief History

The fort in Agra was originally a fortress made of bricks, owned by the
Chauhan Rajputs? Historians note that after the First Battle of Panipat in
1526, Ibrahim Lodhi had moved to Agra and was living in the fort. He was
conquered and killed by Babur, the first Mughal ruler, who then captured the
fort and built a Baori or a stepwell in it.

When the fort came under the control of Akbar, he decided to make it his
capital. However, at that time, the fort was disintegrating and losing its glory
and grandeur. So Akbar rebuilt the fort with red sandstone in its exteriors and
bricks in its inner core. It took the diligent and laborious work of 1,444,000
builders for 8 long years to complete the construction of this fort in 1573.
Though the construction of the Agra Fort is attributed to Akbar, it was built
into what we see today under the reign of Shah Jahan, the grandson of
Akbar. He demolished many buildings inside the fort and rebuilt palaces and
mosques using white marbles. Later, after the battle of Samogarh in 1658,
the fort came under the control Aurangzeb, the son of Shah Jahan, who
locked his father here for 8 years until his death.

After the death of Shah Jahan, the fort has been seized and plundered by
many emperors and rulers. In 1803, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War,
the Agra Fort was taken over by the British who handed its authority to the
Government of India after independence.
Agra Fort loacated in Agra, Uttar Pradesh is a UNESCO world heritage site, it
represents the first major building project of Akbar, with remains of only a few
buildings built by him which now survive. Built on the site of an earlier castle in
AD 1565-1575, the fort, apart from other important units, contains Jahangiri
Mahal, Khass Mahal, Diwan-i-Khass, Diwan-i-Am, Machchhi Bhawan and Moti
Masjid. Many extant buildings were erected by Shah Jahan (AD 1630-1655).

The present-day structure was built by the Mughals, though a fort had stood
there since at least the 11th century. Agra Fort was originally a brick fort known
as Badalgarh, held by Raja Badal Singh Hindu Sikarwar Rajput king (c. 1475).
After the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, Mughals captured the fort and seized a
vast treasure, including the diamond later known as the Koh-i-Noor.
Physical Description

The opulent Agra Fort is made using red sandstone and marble and features the Mughal
style of architecture. When viewed from above, the fort displays the shape of a semicircle
and is enclosed by massive double battlemented walls made of red sandstone. These walls
are about 2 km in perimeter and 70 feet in height. The fort has four gates namely Delhi
Gate, Amar Singh Gate, Hathi Pol, and Ghaznin Gate. Of these, the Delhi Gate is the largest
and was used as Akbar’s formal gate. Visitors are given access to the fort only through the
Amar Singh Gate.

There are splendid rooms, magnificent mosques, and beautiful halls inside this fort. The
main structures and monuments at the fort include public and private halls called
Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas, royal pavilions that house masjids, royal baths made using
marble, a mirror palace or Sheesh Mahal, and courtrooms, among others. It is believed that
the fort once had over 5000 structures and monuments inside it. However, only a dozen of
these stood the test of time.
The Agra Fort has strong and lofty surrounding walls. Each wall is 70m.high and is
separated by a 12 m. deep moat, near Amar Singh Gate with two lookout towers,
forming the entrances to the Fort. The supporting arch, of modest dimension
compared to the structure, is crowned with a large blind arch flanked by false
painted windows. It is decorated with Hat relief and geometrical designs
.
The Fort is provided with four gateways. From the foundations to the battlements, the
fortress is composed of hewn stone, each polished to a mirror like sheen and with its
red hue were so well joined together, that it is said that even “the end of a hair
could not find place between them”. The Fort was completed in about eight years
time (1565 -73) under the supervision of Qasim Khan Mir Barr-wa-Bahr. The Agra Fort
stands on a plain ground, unlike a hill fort, but is structured to be impregnable by the
skilful use of architectural stratagems. The lower ramparts , a battlement parapet,
has oblong merlons and slope forward to render scaling by besiegers impossible and
are alternated by embrasure machicolations. The judicious and harmonious
combination of these features gives this fort a substantial aesthetic character.
Besides being a strong military structure, it is also a good example of early Mughal
architecture. The Agra Fort is a reflection of Akbar’s personality; robust, dynamic
and imaginative.
Amar singh Gate
The plan of the Amar Singh Gate is identical to
that of the Delhi Gate and also has a drawbridge
over the moat. The main entrance viz. the Hathi
Pol has an open space at the Delhi Gate, having a
magnificent court with overhanging colonnades.
The bastions of the Akbari Darwaza are smaller
and less ornate. Their lower portions are
divided into oblong and arched panels, covered
with multi-colored, glazed tiles in beautiful
geometrical designs. The panels of the upper
parts are plain. Each bastion is covered by an
umbrella like structure [chhatris] made of heavy
piers instead of slender pillars, a circular
overhang [chajja], and with an inverted lotus,
hemispherical cupola.
A tall multi-storied Gate of red sandstone on the eastern side, having a small pointed arched
entrance is built over a high plinth with a rectangular small platform supported on stone brackets.
The arch is outlined by white marble inlay work in geometrical design. The facade of the Gate is
flanked by two arched panels decorated with marble inlay. There are square panels on both sides
above which there is a long rectangular panel with six small holes. Over these panels are three
loopholes of temple ‘shikhar’ style with a parapet of wide flame-like design.
Akbari Mahal

At the southeast corner of the Agra Fort, overlooking the river are the remains of the
Akbari Mahal. The oldest building of the Fort originally had a portico (deorhi) on the
western side whose lower walls still exist. The portico opens into the spacious
rectangular courtyard paved with red sandstone slabs.

The courtyard, surrounded by large living rooms and a double storied pavilion is
connected with rooms on the eastern side with flat roofs. The interior hall has several
windows overlooking the river. The style of architecture of the pavilion and the rooms
is of trabeate order; four-centered arches, placed aesthetically are used as
decorative arcading. The walls are notable for stone carvings and double brackets.
The Jahangiri Mahal, despite its name, was built by Akbar. The
Jahangiri Mahal is the only portion of the Fort walls, apart from the Jahangiri Mahal
Gates, distinguished by the ornamental treatment accorded to its
eastern facade. The architectural setting of the Jahangiri Mahal is
defined by clarity, simplicity and integrity of its different components.
Exquisite surface ornamentation includes marble inlay and intricate
geometrical and floral patterns.

The large facade of the palace is most remarkable for its projecting
portico, whose lotus parapet is decorated with beautiful merlons in
relief: A rectangular opening with carved panels and projecting
balconies supported on circular pillars. Elegant brackets with Bengal
slanting roofs on both sides of the deep, pointed, shapely arch are
decorated with marble lined niches and six pointed stars.

The monotony of the wide eastern walls is broken by a series of

rectangular openings (darichas) overshadowed by parapet walls with
merlons and pillared ‘chhatris’ on both corner bastions. Below are a
series of marble inlaid outlines of rectangular panels and marble lined
niches with lotus buds and marble arches that spring from the elephant
trunk. Below the niches are the square and rectangular panels outlined
by marble inlay work. The entire structure is constructed in ‘lakhauri’
bricks and veneered by finely dressed and carved red sandstone slabs
on a one meter high plinth.
Immediately next to the portico is a gallery, with a series of apartments meant for lodging
the royal maidservants. A service window opens in the southern hall (Diwan Khana) with
the walls having space in between. It is the first appearance of a service window in Indian
domestic architecture. The upper parts of the beautifully carved brackets are decorated
with parrots and other birds. The upper storey is composed of a series of fine arches, a
central projecting balcony overshadowed by ‘chajjas’.

Service windows indicate that this hall was probably used by the Emperor for entertaining
his intimate friends and guests. Refreshments and drinks were served through these
windows. There is a square, large open courtyard, around which western and northern
halls are arranged with flat, carved ceilings and deep niches in the indigenous style of
unparalleled sophistication and beauty. There are rectangular chhatris on the centre of
the facades. The first floor of northern hall is supported by carved square pillars,
brackets and a flat ceiling supported by struts in the form of serpents.

The veranda, leading to the second large courtyard, has a stone flooring and supported by
a low flat ceiling. The eastern opening is supported by two beautiful, tall, carved pillars.
In the centre of the courtyard is an elegant octagonal cistern with a fountain whose inner
borders are decorated with lotus buds.
 Diwan-i-Aam

Throughout the reign of Akbar, Public [Diwan-i-Aam] and Private [Diwan-i-Khaas] audiences were held in
temporary wooden structures added with tents in the Agra Fort. An arrangement that continued during the
reign of Jahangir also.

These halls were first built in wood (Iwan_i_Chobin),later replaced by larger structures, painted with
marble plaster.
Shah Jahan's historians and poets described the Audience Hall as ‘Iwan_i_DaulatKhana-wa-Khass-o-Am’ or
Hall of Private Audiences and ‘Iwan-i-Chehil Sutun’ of Forty-pillared Hall, which was the Diwan_i_Aam.

The Diwan-i-Aam, built in red sandstone on a raised platform (1.25m) in a rectangular plan measuring
61.77 m by 20.12m. The total large pillars are 48.Excluding the corner ones , there are 40 long
pillars over which the engrailed arches support the flat stone roof. The Hall is open on three sides
with multi foiled arches, except the eastern side; within which is the structure of the jharokha, the
celebrated throne [Takht-i-Murassa] which was the seat of the Emperor for giving public audiences
 Diwan-i-Khas
His elegant structure was constructed by Shah Jahan in 1636 as is evident by the
Persian inscription. It consists of two large halls, an outer columned hall and
inner closed hall, both connected by three multifold archways. The outer one
measures 29.26 by 10.1m and the inner one is 12.20 by 7.97 m. The outer hall,
covered by a flat roof is supported on multifold arches, springing from
exquisitely fine marble pillars. The facade is remarkable for its double pillared
arrangement with sophisticated floral bases and capitals, richly decorated with
inlay of semi precious stones. The walls and pillars of the hall are finely
embellished with 'petraduera' and 'dado' panels with relief carvings of floral
motifs.
A Persian inscription in Nasta'liq script, inlaid in black marble, on the southern
wall of the Diwan-i-Khas eulogizes Emperor Shah Jahan for his glorious and just
reign. It also records that Emperor Shah Jahan had suspended a ‘golden chain
of justice’ for listening to the grievances of the people for justice. Any person
wishing his grievances to be heard could pull on the chain attached to the bell
and sound it to gain the emperors attention.
The Inner Hall, [Tambi Khana], has ‘Shah-Nashin’ alcoves with a raised seat for
the Emperor. The walls between the
two halls have beautiful, intricately carved screens [jaalis] gracefully designed
and finished with floral patterns.
Anguri Bagh
A large rectangular court measuring 67.6m by 52m in front of the Khas Mahal is
the garden laid out in the Char Bagh pattern with small hexagonal grids of red
sandstone. This garden had dwarf plants of sweet fragrance and is widely
assumed and accepted that grapes (angur) were also grown in this garden giving
it the present name.
The north, south and west side of the garden is surrounded by a double storied red
sandstone building finely plastered in white lime, having a series of living,
self-contained chambers ,having cusped, arched openings, apparently used by the
inmates of the harem.
 Musamman Burj

The outer verandah is supported on faceted, embellished pillars whose openings

provide a panoramic view of the Taj Mahal and its surroundings. The outer
structure is also richly embellished, particularly the graceful pillars. Capital beams
and friezes have delicate panels of scrolls with leaves, flowers and buds. It is
rightly considered to be the gem of Indo-Islamic architecture in India. The dome of
the Musamman Burj is gilded in gold on copper sheets. Emperor Shah Jahan
expired in this octagonal chamber in 1666.
 Sheesh Mahal
The illustrious building of the ‘ Sheesh Mahal’ (Palace of Mirror) is so
named because of the fine, profuse embellishment of mirrors on the
arches, walls and, the ceilings with irregular geometric and floral
patterns in thick stucco relief work
,which create a picturesque scene when candles were lighted. It
was constructed in 1637 and served as the luxurious bath of the
Khas Mahal.
The bath comprises of two chambers, each about 12m by 7m. The
inner chamber has a marble tank with a fountain and the second
chamber has a similar tank in the eastern wall. Originally the stucco
reliefs were painted artistically with mirror and gold. The floor of
the chambers is of white marble.
The glass mosaic consists of stucco relief work in the form of
floral bouquets with natural leaves and flowers emitting
magnificently out of the typically Indian ‘kalasa’ [rounded vessel
with a narrow base] with or without glass work, producing a
gorgeously superb effect. It’s been done with a lakhauri bricks
skeleton, covered with a layer of fine lime plaster in mixture
with gypsum, which rendering it with extra-ordinary strength and
shine.
 Moti Masjid
The structure is externally made of red sand stone while the entire
interior is finished in white marble. It is one of the first Shah Jahani
mosques at Agra in marble after the one built in the Dargah of
Hazrat Khawaja Moin -ud-Din Chisti at Ajmer. It is a single
quadrangle with a central courtyard measuring 49m by 47m. The
mosque (prayer hall) measures 71m by 58m. There is a large tank
(hauz) in the centre of the courtyard, measuring 3.5 sqm

The arcaded cloisters (riwaq) on the northern, southern and eastern sides
measure 11 feet in width with a beautiful gateway in the middle of each one of
them. These cloisters are built in marble with typical Shah Jahani pillars and
engrailed arches, shaded by projecting eaves. Both the northern and southern
gateways consist of ornamental ‘iwans’ and are crowned by three square
umbrellas [chhatris]. The double-storeyed main, eastern gate [Imperial Gate] is
larger and more monumentally composed than the gates in the north and
southern side. There are octagonal towers attached to the corners, which are
surmounted by corresponding ‘chhatris’. The prayer hall on the western side of
the court is three bay deep with seven arched openings of cusped arches. The
facade is protected by wide eaves.The superstructure of the mosque is
remarkable for its magnificent three bulbous domes of Shah Jahani style with
seven square kiosks (chhatris) crowning the facade of the building which add
much to the height and skyline of the mosque.
 Building Materials and Techniques

Realising the importance of its central situation, Akbar made it his capital and
arrived in Agra in 1558. His historian, Abul Fazl, recorded that this was a brick fort
known as 'Badalgarh'. It was in a ruined condition and Akbar had it rebuilt with red
sandstone from Barauli area Dhaulpur district, in Rajasthan.[citation needed] Architects
laid the foundation and it was built with bricks in the inner core with sandstone on
external surfaces. Some 4,000 builders worked on it daily for eight years,
completing it in 1573.[3][4]
It was only during the reign of Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site took
on its current state. Shah Jahan built the beautiful Taj Mahal in the memory of his
wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan tended to have buildings
made from white marble. He destroyed some of the earlier buildings inside the fort
to make his own.
Significance
The ear-shaped fort’s colossal double walls rise over 20m in height and measure 2.5km in
circumference. The Yamuna River originally flowed along the straight eastern edge of the fort, and
the emperors had their own bathing ghats here. It contains a maze of buildings, forming a city
within a city, including vast underground sections, though many of the structures were destroyed
over the years by Nadir Shah, the Marathas, the Jats and finally the British, who used the fort as a
garrison. Even today, much of the fort is used by the military and so is off-limits to the general
public.

The Amar Singh Gate to the south is the sole entry point to the fort these days and where you buy
your entrance ticket. Its dogleg design was meant to confuse attackers who made it past the first
line of defence – the crocodile-infested moat.

A path leads straight from here up to the large Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), which is always closed.
To your right, just before you reach Moti Masjid, is the large open Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public
Audiences), which was used by Shah Jahan for domestic government business, and features a
throne room where the emperor listened to petitioners. In front of it is the small and rather
incongruous grave of John Colvin, a lieutenant-governor of the northwest provinces who died of an
illness in the fort during the 1857 First War of Independence.
A tiny staircase just to the left of the Diwan-i-Am throne leads up to a large courtyard. To
your left, is the tiny but exquisite Nagina Masjid (Gem Mosque), built in 1635 by Shah
Jahan for the ladies of the court. Down below was the Ladies’ bazaar, where the court
ladies bought goods.

On the far side of the large courtyard, along the eastern wall of the fort, is Diwan-i-Khas
(Hall of Private Audiences), which was reserved for important dignitaries or foreign
representatives. The hall once housed Shah Jahan’s legendary Peacock Throne, which
was inset with precious stones including the famous Koh-i-noor diamond. The throne was
taken to Delhi by Aurangzeb, then to Iran in 1739 by Nadir Shah and dismantled after his
assassination in 1747. Overlooking the river and the distant Taj Mahal is Takhti-i-Jehangir,
a huge slab of black rock with an inscription around the edge. The throne that stood here
was made for Jehangir when he was Prince Salim.

Off to your right from here (as you face the river) is Shish Mahal (Mirror Palace), with walls
inlaid with tiny mirrors. At the time of research it had been closed for some time due to
restoration, although you could peek through cracks in the doors at the sparkling mirrors
inside.
Factors affecting the property

● Commercial development
● Financial resources
● Management systems/ management plan
● Water (rain/water table)
● Other Threats:
Worrying state of conservation of Agra Fort
UNESCO

The World Heritage Committee, at its 27th session in July 2003,

requestedthe World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS to undertake a Joint
Reactive Monitoring Mission to hold consultations with the State Party
concerning the state of conservation of these World Heritage
properties. At the invitation of the Government of India, the mission
was carried out from 10 to 15 January 2004 to the World Heritage
properties of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. The mission
examined the proposed “Taj Corridor Project” with the Indian
authorities and assessed the potential negative impact of this project
on the World Heritage property and also identified urgent
conservation and management needs.
References

1. Wikipedia { https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_Fort }
2. National Informatics Centre, Ministry Of Electronics & Information Technology, Government Of India
{https://agra.nic.in/tourist-place/agra-fort/#:~:text=Agra%20Fort%20%7C%20District
%20Agra%20%2C%20Government%20Of%20Uttar%20Pradesh%20%7C%20India }

3. heritageindia.com
4. Whc.unesco.org
5. www.asiagricircle.in
 Team

Name : Rajkumar.D.R Name : Prashanth

Reg No : RA1711201020015 Reg No : RA1711201020012
Mobile : 9941413393 Mobile : 9841431393
Email : rajkumar@srmsead.edu.in Email : prashanth@srmsead.edu.in

Guidance : Ar. Shanthini