Ardent travelers can never satisfy their traveling spirit and always want to see more! Those planning to visit India and the Taj Mahal can rejoice that there are many additional options close to the Taj Mahal to explore during your next Agra Visit.
Fatehpur Sikri
Taking a tour of the historic Fatehpur Sikri is an exhilarating experience for every lane, wall and street of this city tells about the story of the Mughal era. This is one of the best places to visit near the Taj Mahal.
Nearly 23 miles (37 kilometers) from Agra city, the city of Fatehpur Sikri was built by Mughal emperor Akbar to be used as his capital city. However, due to the paucity of water, he was compelled to abandon the idea. Built in the bygone years of 1571 to 1585, today this city has a lean population below 30,000 inhabitants.
Some of the definite spots to see in this historical city are –
- Fatehpur Sikri Mosque – This is a replica of the Mecca mosque and has designs that are enough to showcase the glory of Mughal architecture. This mosque can be entered by a huge sized gateway called Buland Darwaza that is nearly 54 meters high. Just north of the mosque is Shaikh Salim Chishti’s dargah.
- Jodha Bai’s Palace – The interiors of this palace have startling lettuce work done is stone.
- Some other worthwhile watching spots are – Birbal Bhawan, Hiran Minar, Karawan Sarai, Panch Mahal, Diwan -i-Khas, the Treasury, and Diwan-i-aam
Bharatpur
Bharatpur is another fantastic place to visit near the Taj Mahal. It is merely 34 miles (55 kilometers) from Agra and has a wonderful bird sanctuary and a national park to enjoy. Some of significant tourist sites in Bharatpur are –
- Lohagarh Fort – This colossal edifice was built in the 18th century and holds the repute of being an impregnable structure. Furthermore, it has three mini palaces in it primarily – Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas.
- Jawahar and Fateh Burj – These two towers stand tall as special towers that were built by Maharaja Suraj Mal as a commemoration of his victories.
- The Museum – There is a museum in Bharatpur that showcases a wide and sundry collection of exquisite artifacts, sculptures, inscriptions and other historical articles.
Ranthambore
Among the many interesting places to visit near Taj Mahal, Ranthambore is all about adventure! This destination is situated between the Vindhyas and Aravalli ranges with a rugged and rocky terrain. This heritage site has many old and dilapidated forts and historical structures that makes it unique in its aura. Some interesting places to visit in Ranthambore near Taj Mahal are –
- Ranthambore National Park
- Ranthambore Fort that was built in the 10th century
- The Jogi Mahal
About the Author
Chandralekha Singh is a travel writer at ixigo and is passionate about writing destination travel guides and travel tips on topics like Taj Mahal India. Apart from this she also writes on Holiday Packages, Holiday Tour Packages, Tour Packages and other related stuff.