AKBAR's TOMB AT SIKANDRA
A short distance from Agra, on the route towards Delhi lies, Sikandra, the site of the Tomb of Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605).
Akbar began building his mausoleum in the Spartan style of Timurid architecture. The mausoleum was completed by his son, Emperor Jahangir, who added more decorative elements to the design of the tomb.
Akbar's tomb is built in a pyramidal shape, with an open terrace covered with carved latticework screens. The entrance to Akbar's tomb is under a huge arched gateway, similar to the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri. There are beautiful calligraphic inscriptions on the white marble front of the gate. As you enter the gate you will see a formal garden in the Char Bagh tradition, with the tomb situated at the center. The actual grave is in the basement and is decorated with paintings in colorful golden, green and blue hues on the stucco walls. While the tomb is not magnificent in the manner of the Taj Mahal, it has a quiet dignity that befits this regal emperor.
Within the same complex is another sober tomb made of red sandstone, which contains the grave of Mariam, Akbar's Christian wife.
The serene location of Sikandra makes it a quiet retreat, where you can spend some time admiring the architecture and wondering about the life and times of the greatest of the Mughal Emperors.