Introduction ‘Agra Fort loacated in Agra, Uttar Pradesh is a UNESCO world heritage site, t represents the first major building project of Akber, with remains of only @ few buildings bult 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--khass, Diwan-+Am, Machchhi Bhawan and Moti Maijid. Many extant buildings were erected by Shah Jahan (AD 1630-1655). The present-day structurewas 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 hing (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.“The Agra Fort tas strong and loty surrounding walls. Each wal is70m.tighand isseparated by a 12 m. deep moat, ‘near Amar Singh Gate with two lookout towers, forming the entrances tothe Fort. The supporting arch, of modest dimension compared to the structure, is crowned with a large lind arch flanked by false painted windows.It 5 decorated with Hat relefand geometrcal designs, ‘The Fortis provided with four gateways. From the foundations to the battlements, the fortress is composed of Fewn stone, exch polshed to a mitrorlike sheen and withits red hue were so wel joined together, tht itis said thot even “the end of ahair could rot find place between them The Fort was completed in about eight years time (1565.73) Lunde the supervision of Qasim Khan Mir Bar-wa-Bahr. The Agra Fort stands on a plain ground, unlike a hil fort but ‘sstructured tobe impregnable by the kiful use of architectural stratagems. The lower ramparts a battlement ‘Parapet, has oblong merions and slope forward to render scaling by besiegers impossible and are altemated by ‘embrasire machicolations. The judicious and harmionicus combination of these features gives this fort a Substantial ‘aestetie characte, Besides being a strorg mitry structure, isalso a god example of early Mughal arcitectie ‘The Agra Fort isa reflection of akber's personality robust, dynamic and imaginative,elon ‘The plan of the Amar Singh Gate Is identical tothat ofthe Delhi Gate and also has 2 drawbridge over the moat. The ‘main entrance vz. the Hath Pol has an open space atthe Delhi Gate, having a magnificent court with overhanging’ colonnades. ‘Theba:tions ofthe Akbori Darwaza are smaller and lest ornate. Theirlower portione are dividedinta oblong and arched panels, covered with mult-cclored, glazed tiles in beautiful geometrical desgns. The panels of the upper pparts are plain. Each bastion is covered by an umbrella like structure {chhatris] made of heavy piers instead of sender pllars, a circular overhang {chaljal. and wh an inverted lotus, hemispherical cupola, ‘A tal mult-storied Gate of red sandstone on the eastem side, having a small pointed arched entrance fs bulltover a high plinth with a rectangular smal platiorm supported on stone brackets. The arch is outined by white trarble inlay work in geometrical design. The facade of the Gate istlanked by two arched panels decorated with marble inlay. ‘There are square panels on beth sides above which there is along rectangular panel with six small holes: Over these. [Panels are three loophclesof temple ‘shkinar’ style with a parapet of wide flame-lice design,Jahangiri Mahal “The latangir Mahal, despite ts name, was built by Abr The Jahangiri Maal isthe only portion ofthe Fart wals, apart from the Gates, distinguished by the ornamental treatment ‘accorded to its eastern facade. The architectural settng ofthe Jahangiri Mahalis defined by cary, simplicity and intesrity of instifferent components. Exquisite surface omamentation, includes marble inlay and intricate geometrical and floral pattems. ‘Thelarge fase of the palaceis most remarkable for ts projetingporico, whose lotus parapet is decorated wth beauriful meronsinrelet: rectangular openingwith carved panels and projecting bolonies supported on crcl plas. Elegant brackets with Bengal slanting roofs on both sides of ‘the deep, pointed. shapely arch are decoratedwith morse lined riches and se pointed are. ‘The menotony of the wide eastern walls is broken bya Series ‘of rectanguiar openings (darichas) overshadowedby parapet ‘walls with merlons and pillared ‘chhatri on both comer. bastions. Below are a series of marble inlaid oxtlines of ‘rectangular panels and marble lined niches with lotus buds ‘and marble arches that spring from the elephant trunk. Selow ‘the niches are the square and recanguiar panels outlined by ‘matole inlay work. The entire structure is constructed in {jakhaur’ bricks and veneered by finely dressed and carved edsarstone slabs on a one meter high plinth.Irmmediately next to the portic is 2 gallery, with 2 series of apartments meant for odin the royal malcuervants. A service window opens lathe southernal (Diwan Khana) with the Wwallsharing space it between. the fist appearance a service window in indan -domesté architecture. The upper pars ofthe beautful carved braclets are decorated with parrots andother birds The upper storey comonsed of aseries of fire arches acentral projecting bakony overshadowed by thalay: ‘Serve winlows indicate that this hallwas probably used by the Emperor for entertaining his iviate friends and guests. Refreshments nddinks were served through these ‘windows. There is 2sauare, bree open courtyard arourd which western and northern hall fare arranged with at. carved celingsand deep niches inthe ndigonous syle of ‘unparalleled sophistation and beauty. Thor arerectanguar char on the cente of he facades. The [st loor of northern hall issuaported by arveasquate pls, brackets and fia ceitng supported by struts inthe form of serpents. ‘The werd, leading tothe second largecourtvard, hasa stone flooring andsupported by2 ‘ou fatceling. The easter opening i supported by two beautiful. tall carved pls. In the ‘centre ofthe courtyard isan slegat octagonal cstem with a fountain whose ier berders ‘are decorated with lotus buds. ‘The easter walls screened by 2 seis of decorative arched windoivs. There ae more than ‘a dozinrooms arranged i this double storey arrangementwith wide arched openings decorated with marble outines. The parapets an he fist Foor are crowed with meriorsDIWAN-I-AAM (Hall of Public Audience) Throughout the reign of Aibar, Public[Diwan-+Aam and Private [Diwani-Khaas] audiences were held in temporary wooden structures added with tents in the Agra Fort. An arrangement that continued duringthe reign of Janangir ako. These halls were first builtin wood(Iwan_|_Chobin} ater replaced bylarger structures, painted with mavble'plaster, Shah Jahan's hstorians and poets described the AucienceHall as “lwan_i_Daulathana-wa-Khass-o-Am’ of Hall Private Audiences and "wan-+Chehil Sutur’ of Forty pillared Hall, which was the Divan. jAam. The Dwan-iAam, builtin red sandstone on a raised platform (1.25m)in a rectangular plan measuring 61.77 mby 20.12m. The total large pillars are 48. Excuding the corner ones there are 40 long pilars ever which the engraled arches support the flat stone roof. The Halls cpen en three sides with mult foiled arches, except the eastern side; within which isthe strusture ofthe jharckha, the calbrated throne [Takht--Murassa] which was theseat ofthe Emperor for giving public audiencesDIWAN-I-KHAS (Hall of Private Audience) “Ths elegant structure was constructed byShah Jahan in 1636 asis evident by the Persian inscription. Itconsiss of ‘twollarge halls, an outer columred hall and inner closed hal, oth connected by three multifold archways. The ‘outer one measures 23.25 by 10.1 and theinner oneis 12.20 by 7.97 m. The outer hall, covered bya flat root i supperted cn mukifold arches, springing from exquisitely fine marble pilars. The facade isremarkable for its double Billard arrangement with sophisticated floral bases and capita richly decorated with inlay of sem precious tenes. The walls audpillars of te hal are Finely embellished with ‘petraduera' and 'dado' panels with relief cacvings of floral mots Aersian inscription in Nasta'ig script, inlaid in black marble, on the southern wall ofthe Dlwan-iKhas eulogites EmperorShah Jahan for his glorious and jut eign It alsorecords that Emperor Shah Jahan had suspended a ‘golden chain of justice for Istening to the grievancesof the people fo justice. Any person wishing his grievancesto bbe heardcould pull onthe chain atiachedto the bell and soundit to gain the emperors attention. ‘The nner Hall, (TambiKhana, has Shah-Nashin’aleoves with a raised seat for the Emperor. The walls between the {wo hallshave beautiful intricately carved seen (jalis] gracefully designed and finished wk floral patternsAnguri Bagh A large rectangular court measuring 67.6m by 52m {infront of the Khas Mahal ls the garden laid out inthe Char Bagh pattern with small hexagonal grids of red sandstone. This girden had dwarf plarts of sweet fragrance and is widely ‘assumed andaccepted that grapes (angur) were also grown in this garden giving itthe present name. The north, south andwest side ofthe gardenis surrounded by adouble stored red sandstone building finely plastered inwhtelime, havinga series of living self-contained chambers having cusped, arched openings, apparentiy used by the inmates of the harem. f =—— = Musamman Bur) ie & The outer verandahs supported on faceted, embellished pllae whose openings provide a pancramic view ofthe Ta ‘Mahal andits surrounding the outer structures also richly embelished, partk ularly the grace‘ plats. Capital beams andifriex'shave delicate pane’ of srols wth leaves, flowers and tuds, is nighily considered to be the gem of Indisiamic architecture in India. The dome of the Musafrman Bus gided in gold on copper sheets. EmperoeShah Jahan expired inthis octagonal chamber in 3666.Sheesh Mahal 1 Clip slide The illustrious bulding ofthe ‘Sheesh Mahal’ (Palace of Mirror)is so named because of the fine, profuse ermbelishment lof mirors on the arches, wallsand, the ceilings with regular geometricand floral patterns in thick stucco relief work (which creste a picturecquescene when candles were lighted. It was constructed in 1637 and served a the lnatiau bath ofthe khae Mahal. The bath comprises of two chambers, each about 12m by 7m. Theiinner chamber has a marble tank with 3 fountain and the second chamber has a imfar tankin the eastern wall. Originally the stucco reliefs were paintedartistcally with tmicror and gold. The flocr of the chambers is of white marble. The giass mosaic conséts of sticeo reef work in te form of floral bouquets with natura leaves and flowers emitting ‘magnificently out ofthe typically indian ‘kalasa {rounded vesse! with a narrow base] wih or without glass works, producing a gorgecusly superb effec. k'sbeen done with a lskhaur' bricks skeleton, covered with alayer of fine lime: plasterin misture with gypsum, which rendering it wth extra-ordinary sirength and shine,Moti Masjid ‘The structure is externally made of red sand stone while the entire interior is finishedin white marble. It she ofthe first Shah Jehani mosques at Agra in marbleafter the one bult in the Dargah of Hazrat Khawaja Moin -ud-Din Chstiat ‘Ajmer It isa single quadrangle witha certral courtyard measuring 49m by 47m. The mosque (prayer hal) measures 7m by 58m. There i alargetark (hauz) in the centre of the courtyard, measuring3.S sqm ‘The arcaded clisters(riwaq) onthe northern, sourhern and eastern sides measure 11 feet in width with a beautiful {gatewayin the midde of each one of them. These loistersare built in marble with typical Shah Jahani pillars afd lengralled arches, shaded by projecting eaves. Both the northern and southem gateways consist of ornamental ‘igars! ‘and are crowned by three square umbrella [chhatris). Thedouble-storeyed main, eastern gate [Imperial Gate) I Jarger ard more monumentally composed than the gates in the rorth and southern side. There are octagonal towers attachedto the comers, which are surmounted by corresponcing ‘chhatris. The prayer hall on the western side ofthe Courts three bay deepwith seven arched openings of cusped arches. The facade is protected by wide eaves-The superstructure ofthe mosque isremarkable for its magnificent three bulbous domes of Shah Jahani style with seven ‘Square kiosks fchhatris cfowning the facade of the Bilding wnicn add much to the height and'skyine of thé mosque.