Agra Fort

A couple of kilometers from the Taj stands Agra Fort, a mighty red-sandstone fortress and a UNESCO site. Until 1638 it was the main residence of the Mughal emperors, and inside lies a whole city of palaces, courtyards, gardens, and audience halls.

The fort also holds a poignant story: it was here, legend has it, that the aging Shah Jahan spent his final years under house arrest by his own son Aurangzeb, gazing at the Taj Mahal from afar, across the river. From the fort's ramparts there really is a beautiful view of the mausoleum. It makes sense to combine the fort and the Taj into one route.

The Mughals' red citadel