Sikandra, Agra

Akbar's tomb is the tomb of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It was built in 1605–1613 by his son, Jahangir and is situated on 119 acres of grounds in Sikandra, a sub of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Location

It is located at Sikandra, in the suburbs of Agra, on the Mathura road (NH2), 8  km west-northwest of the city center. About 1  km away from the tomb, lies, Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, his favourite wife, Mariam-uz-Zamani, who after the death of Akbar laid a large garden around his tomb and was later buried there by her son, Jahangir.

History

After Akbar's death, his son Jahangir planned and completed the construction of his father's tomb in 1605–1613. It cost 1,500,000 rupees to build and took 3 or 4 years to complete. Mariam-uz-Zamani, after the death of her husband, Akbar, laid a large garden around his tomb.

During the reign of Aurangzeb, Jats rose in rebellion under the leadership of Raja Ram Jat. Mughal prestige suffered a blow when Jats ransacked Akbar's tomb, plundering and looting the gold, jewels, silver, and carpets.Catherine Blanshard Asher, Catherine Ella Blanshard Asher, 1992
"Architecture of Mughal India - Part 1"
Cambridge University Press, Volume 4, Page 108. The grave was opened and the late king's bones were burned.Edward James Rap; son, Sir Wolseley Haig and Sir Richard, 1937
"The Cambridge History of India"
Cambridge University Press, Volume 4, pp.305.Waldemar Hansen, 1986
"The Peacock Throne: The Drama of Mogul India"
Page 454.

As Viceroy of India, George Curzon directed extensive repairs and restoration of Akbar's mausoleum, which were completed in 1905. Curzon discussed the restoration of the mausoleum and other historical buildings in Agra in connection with the passage of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act in 1904 when he described the project as "an offering of reverence to the past and a gift of
recovered beauty to the future". This preservation project may have discouraged veneration of the mausoleum by pilgrims and people living nearby.

Architecture

The south gate is the largest, with four white marble chhatri-topped minarets which are similar to (and pre-date) those of the Taj Mahal, and is the normal point of entry to the tomb. The tomb itself is surrounded by a walled enclosure 105 m square. The tomb building is a four-tiered pyramid, surmounted by a marble pavilion containing the false tomb. The true tomb, as in other mausoleums, is in the basement. The buildings are constructed mainly from a deep red sandstone, enriched with features in white marble. Decorated inlaid panels of these materials and a black slate adorn the tomb and the main gatehouse. Panel designs are geometric, floral and calligraphic, and prefigure the more complex and subtle designs later incorporated in Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb.Akbar's Tomb
''Architecture of Mughal India, Part 1, Volume 4'', by Catherine Ella Blanshard Asher. Cambridge University Press, 1992. . ''p. 107''.

Gallery

File:Unknowntomb.JPG, An unknown Lodi tomb in Akbar's Tomb complex
File:Tumba de Akbar el Grande-Sikandra-India07.JPG, Barrel vault
File:Sikandra 066.JPG, Front Façade
File:Sikandra 036.JPG, Circumferential Gallery around the cenotaph
File:Sikandra 093.JPG, View of South Gate from Interior
File:The Tomb of Akbar at Sikandra.jpg, The Tomb of Akbar, c. 1905
File:Main entrance of Akbar's Tomb complex from inside.jpg, Main entrance of Akbar's Tomb complex from inside.
File:Tomb ceiling detail, Tomb of Akbar the Great, Sikandra, Agra.jpg, Tomb ceiling details, Tomb of Akbar, Sikandra
Image:LDAkbarTombInlay1.jpg, Inlay panels on the South Gate
File:Calligraphy over the entrance to the main burial chamber at Akbar's tomb.jpg, Calligraphy over the entrance to the main burial chamber.
File:The true tomb of Akbar, at the basement of the tomb, Sikandra.jpg, True tomb of Akbar, at the basement of the tomb.
File:Kanch Mahal, Sikandara, Agra.JPG, Kanch Mahal, built by Jehangir, as a harem quarter later used as a hunting lodge.
File:Inside work of Akbar's tomb.jpg, Inside work of Akbar's tomb
File:Entrance Arch (inside details) of main Cenotaph.jpg, Entrance Arch (inside details) of main Cenotaph
File:Akbar's Tomb 2.jpg, Akbar's Tomb at basement

See also

* Akbar
* Akbarnama
* Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, tomb of the chief queen consort of Akbar
* Tomb of Jahangir, tomb of Akbar's successor
* Humayun's Tomb, tomb of Akbar's father
* Bagh-e Babur, tomb of Akbar's grandfather

References

Further reading

*
*

External links

ASI's page on Akbar's tomb

{{coord, 27, 13, 13.7, N, 77, 57, 1.7, E, region:IN_type:landmark, display=title

Buildings and structures completed in 1613
Buildings and structures in Agra
Mughal tombs
Mausoleums in Uttar Pradesh
Persian gardens in India
Tourist attractions in Agra
Akbar
1613 establishments in the Mughal Empire
Sandstone buildings in India