Situated in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, Agra is a chief tourist hotspot of the country. The major attraction of this place is its grand architectural buildings which date back to the Mughal era. The most historic and world praised monuments of Agra are Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort which also come under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Although the history of Agra came into the limelight during the Mughal rule, this place was built much before that during the 1000 BC. The transportation system here is very well connected. The national airport is situated only around 8 miles from the central city and in a few years, Agra will have been own international airport too. This city is very easily accessible by those travelling by rail and Agra has three of its own railway stations. A major number of buses operate in and around Agra too. Travelers looking for hotels in Agra can find them in huge numbers spread all across the city that provide a good stay at great rates and deals.
Talking about the places of interest in this city, one cannot begin without mentioning the great historic Taj Mahal, which is world famous for its grandeur and heavenly architecture. Built in the early 17th century, almost 20000 laborers have been credited for building up this phenomenal beauty in a time span of 22 years. Known as the symbol of eternal love, this place is nothing less than a paradise. Another historic place is the Agra Fort which marks the great era of Mughal rule and consists of several beautiful monuments and mosques like the Moti Masjid, Diwan-I-am and Diwan-I-Khaas. Some of the other famous and splendid works of architectural history of Agra include Fatephur Sikri, Akbar's Tomb in Sikandra, Jama Masjid, Mankamaeshwar Temple, Ram Bagh, Mariam's tomb and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Agra is quite famous for its craftsmanship and specializes in handicrafts that are created out of marble and adorned with inlay work of soft stone. The love of Mughals for art and creativity is clearly visible in the works of people even today. Besides specializing in inlay work, people here deal with other handicraft items like carpets, ethnic jewelry, leatherware and embroidery work. Tourists can spot quite a number of souvenir shops in the main shopping areas. Tourists can also travel to Agra through travel agencies who provide great deals and all inclusive packages of a round trip, accommodation in good hotels in Agra and a detailed itinerary of the entire trip. Every tourist who visits Agra for the first time and experiences it splendid and glorious past would definitely want to keep coming here again.
Martin Wynn
