History · Agra · India
8 historic sites to see in Agra
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wikijib, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 9–10 hours across 4 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 9–10 hours
- Areas
- Taj Ganj, Old City and Agra Fort and Yamuna east bank
Historic sites in Agra
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Landmark · Taj Ganj
1.Taj Mahal
The tomb stands on a raised platform at the end of a formal charbagh garden, flanked by a mosque and its mirror-image guest house, with calligraphy and pietra dura inlay of semi-precious stones covering the surfaces. Entry is through the East, West or South gates, and a small museum sits inside the complex. The Taj is closed to sightseers every Friday.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Kids
Castle · Old City and Agra Fort
2.Agra Fort
Inside the 2.5 km of walls are the Jahangiri Mahal, the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas halls of audience and the octagonal Musamman Burj, where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb and could see the Taj downstream.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Views
- Kids
Historic site · Yamuna east bank
3.Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah
Its walls are covered in inlaid wine cups, cypresses and flower vases, and its riverside garden is peaceful.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · Sikandra
4.Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra
Blackbuck deer and langur monkeys roam the lawns, which makes it more relaxed than the Taj.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Old City and Agra Fort
5.Jama Masjid
Its red sandstone domes are patterned with white marble zigzags, and its courtyard faces the lanes of Kinari Bazaar near Agra Fort station.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Historic site · Yamuna east bank
6.Chini ka Rauza
Much has weathered away, but surviving panels show a style rarely seen in India.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
Historic site · Sikandra
7.Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani
The building was originally a garden pavilion, and its plain red sandstone exterior and vaulted interior are rarely visited.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
Garden · Yamuna east bank
8.Ram Bagh
It is a quiet stop on the east-bank tomb circuit.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Taj Ganj | Taj Mahal | 2–3 hours |
| Old City and Agra Fort | Agra Fort and Jama Masjid | 2 hours + 45 minutes |
| Yamuna east bank | Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, Chini ka Rauza and Ram Bagh | 1 hour + 30 minutes + 45 minutes |
| Sikandra | Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra and Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani | 1–1.5 hours + 30 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 4 low cost, 2 mid-priced. Book ahead for Taj Mahal. The longest visit is Taj Mahal; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Taj Mahal: Buy tickets online in advance to skip the ticket queue; entering the main mausoleum needs a separate add-on, and limited night-viewing slots around the full moon must be booked ahead.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Taj Ganj and Old City and Agra Fort): Taj Mahal → Agra Fort, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old City and Agra Fort, Yamuna east bank and Sikandra): Jama Masjid → Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah → Chini ka Rauza → Ram Bagh → Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Sikandra): Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, at least 1 hour.
The quietest months for queues
- May: highs of 42°C (108°F), about 1 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The hottest month, regularly above 40°C; sightseeing is only comfortable at dawn and dusk.
- June: highs of 41°C (106°F), about 4 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Extreme heat until the monsoon arrives, usually late in the month, with dust storms beforehand.
- April: highs of 38°C (100°F), about 1 rainy days, quiet crowds. Hot; the white marble of the Taj becomes painful to walk on barefoot by midday, so visit at sunrise.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Taj Ganj — Old lanes of guesthouses and rooftop cafés just south of the Taj
- Sadar Bazaar and Agra Cantt — Cantonment shopping street near the main railway station
- Old City and Agra Fort — Dense markets around Jama Masjid and Agra Fort station
More of Agra
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Agra?
Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan built this white-marble mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631; work continued for about two decades.
+Which of these are free in Agra?
Jama Masjid and Chini ka Rauza.