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The Akbar's Tomb is situated on 119 acres of land in Sikandra area which is a suburb of the Agra city in Uttar Pradesh state of India. Akbar Tomb is a great masterpiece of Mughal architecture of that time which is an outstanding work of design and construction. Starting from the ceiling going through the walls and ending at the doors panels, everything is fascinatingly designed inside Tomb of Akbar. And the expertise on the architecture of the Mughal Empire is visualized in the form of huge Tomb.
The story behind Akbar’s Tomb is different from that of The Taj Mahal. Shahjahan started Taj Mahal’s construction for his wife Mumtaj so it is the mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal especially. But the construction of Akbar’s Tomb Agra was commenced by Badshah Akbar himself to keep his sepulture. There are only few Tombs of this type in the world with such a great story behind the purpose of their construction.
The real Tomb of Akbar the Great is situated in the basement which is unfortunately not open for tourist for security reasons. The basement has panels, places to pass air and an open door where the actual body of Mughal Emperor Akbar is kept as per the mughal traditions.
The entire complex of Akbar’s Tomb is covered by thick walls from all sides and has four gates but only southern gate is being used for entry and exit which is the largest and enriched with vast work of architecture, all other gates are almost ruined. Akbar's Tomb has huge garden inside where you can easily spot wild animals like antelope, monkeys and peacocks. In fact the real beauty of Akbar's Tomb is the greenery and the animals roaming here and there inside the premises. Lush green surroundings with some wild life gives this tomb a unique identity in the city of cultural heritage.
History of Akbar's Tomb
Emperor Akbar while he was alive selected the place for his final resting place, the design of the gardens around the tomb and took care of the construction of his own tomb. While the entire tomb was constructed and Akbar lived through it, his son, Emperor Jehangir famously known as Prince Salim constructed a floor of marble stone over the structure. Thus, he completed the structure of his Emperor father's tomb.
Aurangazeb was known as a tough and strict or ruthless leader who offended the feelings of many Hindus. Many temples were destroyed during his reign and this led to a massive revolt by the Jats. To take revenge for the death of his father, the Raja Ram Jat ordered the revolt and attacks against this king. So, they attacked the massive Agra Fort and took away huge amounts of ornaments, jewelery, precious stones and precious metals, diamonds, carpets, etc. They also burnt and even cremated the bones of Emperor Akbar that was totally unacceptable.
Architecture of Akbar's Tomb
The tomb of Akbar is done in typical style and symmetry of various monuments during the Mughal era. This monument is the perfect symbol of Mughal architecture. However, there are also features of Rajputana and Gothic style of architecture. It has four minarets similar to the Taj Mahal's minarets, at the largest gate. The southern gate is the largest of the four gates of this tomb and is the general gate for entry. There are total of four storeys and it is enclosed within a large wall around the tomb.
The marble pavilion hosts the fake tomb and the real tomb is situated inside the basement of the monument. It is surrounded by walkways on all sides but there is no walkway on the center of southern gate main entrance. There are arcades and arches along side the walkways that make them into bays. The following three storeys are square in shape with kiosks on their side. The second storey has marble roof and gets into the shape of a pyramid. The final top part are Chhatri – shaped crown cupolas.
The main construction material used for the building structure is deep red sandstone mixed with marble. The inlay panels are done with black slate at the main gatehouse and across the monument. There are designs, calligraphy, floral patterns, and geometrical designs found on the panel inlays. The top most floor is a pavilion made completely from white marble stone and is like a square court. The central courtyard is covered by lovely arches. The central courtyard is a square platform in marble where the false tomb with floral designs carvings.
It has the Charbagh system of garden with water canal dividing it by four sections. The tomb of Akbar monument also has the remains of his daughters laid here.
The Taj Mahal Agra, the most romantic city in India, is famous for the marble edifice 'Taj Mahal' hued in the eternal beauty that is immortal. This beautiful marble monument, located on a bank of the Yamuna River in Agra India, has inspired poets and lovers throughout the world. You can see the gorgeous Taj Mahal on tours to Agra. Agra was the capital of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his attractive Queen Mumtaz Mahal. After she passed away in 1631, Shah Jahan created a mausoleum that is now known as a symbol of undying love. During your tours to Agra, a visit to the Agra Fort and the Fatehpur Sikri, the red sandstone city made by Emperor Akbar is an absolute must. Agra is one of the most important historic cities of India. Agra tours will give enough opportunity to know about the history and culture of Agra.
