Our first World Heritage site in Uttar Pradesh is one of the most famous sites in the entire
world, the incredible Taj Mahal. It was built between 1632 and 1653 by the Mughal emperor,
Shah Jahan, as a tomb for his favourite wife Mumtaz. It is, the world's most famous monument,
to love.
Constructed entirely of gleaming white marble and sitting on the banks of the Yamuna river
in the city of Agra, the grounds also include a guesthouse, a mosque, and formal gardens
as well. One thing I was really impressed by, that you don't necessarily see in photos,
is the incredible detailing on the facades which are covered in Islamic script, floral
patterns, semi-precious stones, and geometric patterns. The whole complex really is a thing
of incredible beauty. The inside is fascinating as well, as Shah Jahan himself is also buried
in the main chamber next to Mumtaz; the only non-symmetrical spot in the entire complex.
Next up in Uttar Pradesh is the misleadingly-named Agra Fort. Although it does contain a lot
of fortifications, it's really more of a palace than a military fort. It was built for Mughal
emperor Akbar the Great in the mid-16th century, and was the main residence of the Mughal emperors
for the next hundred years, until the capital was moved to Delhi.
The Fort is laid out in a roughly semi-circular plan, and constructed almost entirely of red
sandstone. Inside the walls, there's heaps of stuff to see, including massive gates,
temples, audience halls, summer palace residences, and of course incredible artwork everywhere
too. You even get some spectacular views of the nearby river, and of course, the Taj Mahal
as well. Most of the architecture is done in the very distinctive Mughal style, with
its clear Persian and Arabic influences. What a fantastic spot.
Our final site in Uttar Pradesh is Fatehpur Sikri, another large palace complex dating
from the time of the Mughals. This is located about thirty kilometres outside of Agra, and
was purpose built as a capital city by Emperor Akbar in the 1670s - though he struggled with
funding and eventually dropped the project entirely.
Originally planned to be an enormous and grand capital city, not much remains these days
of Fatehpur Sikri, but what does remain is very striking. Built largely from red sandstone,
the fortresses, harems, palaces, mosques, gardens and audience halls are all distinctive
and unique, showing clear Gujurati influences in their construction - a legacy of the Gujurati
craftsmen who were employed to build it.
One of the most impressive parts of the complex is the enormous Jama Masjid, or congregational
mosque - one of the largest mosques in all of India, and sits adjacent to a huge gateway
known as Buland Darwaza (or the Gate of Victory), the highest gateway in the world.
Also in this mosque complex is the beautiful Tomb of Salim Chishti, a striking white marble
building that many consider to be the finest example of Mughal architecture. It houses
the tomb of a Sufi saint who predicted the birth of Emperor Akbar's son and heir, Jahangir.
The stonework on this building is absolutely exquisite, and really has to be seen to be
believed.