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Photo: Photo by Kshitiz Sikka via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Akbar built an entire city to celebrate the birth of his son, then abandoned it about 15 years later, reportedly for want of water.
A fortified Mughal city built by emperor Akbar starting in 1571 as his new capital, only to be abandoned roughly 15 years later, reportedly due to an inadequate water supply. Its red sandstone palaces, courts and the Jama Masjid mosque remain remarkably well preserved, offering a rare, largely unaltered snapshot of Mughal urban planning. The complex includes the Buland Darwaza, one of the tallest gateways in the world at 54 metres, built to commemorate Akbar's Gujarat campaign. The dargah of Sufi saint Salim Chishti, whose blessing Akbar credited for the birth of his son Jahangir, remains an active pilgrimage site within the otherwise deserted city.
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In his final years, Shah Jahan was imprisoned here by his own son, gazing at the Taj Mahal, the tomb he built for his wife.
Akbar's mausoleum blends Hindu, Islamic, Christian and Jain motifs, reflecting his belief in religious inclusivity.
The only monument in Agra faced entirely in Persian-style glazed tile, the tomb of the scholar Afzal Khan Shirazi.