Tomb of Akbar the Great description and photos - India: Agra (Topic)

Tomb of Akbar the Great description and photos - India: Agra. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Tomb of Akbar the Great.

Photo and Description

The Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, who reigned from 1556 to 1605, is considered one of the most famous and revered Muslim rulers of India. Therefore, his tomb, although generally made in a rather restrained Spartan style, is nevertheless distinguished by a special luxury in details. According to tradition, the construction of the mausoleum for Akbar began during his lifetime. The site for the grave was personally chosen by the emperor. After the death of the ruler in 1605, his son Jagankhir continued construction, and it was completed only in 1613.

The tomb is located in the small settlement of Sikandra, in the suburb of Agra and is a real masterpiece of Muslim architecture. This is a complex of two buildings, one of which is the mausoleum itself, and the other is a huge gate. A wide paved road connects them. The Buland-Darvaza Gate, or, as they are also called, the Gate of Splendor, is the main entrance to the mausoleum. They are adorned with snow-white marble minarets located at the four corners of the gate. The mausoleum is made of red sandstone, traditional for the buildings of that time, and a fairly new finishing material - marble, in the form of a tetrahedral pyramid. It is divided into several tiers, the uppermost one is built of marble, there are four pointed towers on it. And in the middle of the building there is an open courtyard, in the center of which there is a special “tourist version” of the imperial coffin, decorated with bizarre ornaments and inscriptions. While Akbar's true burial site is located in the catacombs. Both the gate and the mausoleum are lined with colorful tiles, which develops into beautiful and intricate patterns.

Many monkeys live in the area around the tomb, which can be quite aggressive and even attack tourists.

We also recommend reading Lake Laguna-de-Bay description and photos - Philippines: Luzon Island

Topic: Tomb of Akbar the Great description and photos - India: Agra.