Bulks
of tourists touring Agra in Uttar Pradesh state of India make it a point
to visit Sikandra, which is the final resting place of the great Indian
Mughal Emperor Akbar. This tomb of Akbar at Sikandra near Agra was
constructed by the Emperor himself and is a fine blend of various
architectural styles such as that of the Hindu, Christian, Islamic,
Buddhist and Jain highlighting the builder's religious tolerance and
secular ideas. When Emperor Akbar died, the construction of the Sikandra tomb was taken up and completed by his son Jehangir. The edifice gradually earned the name Sikandra after Sikandra Lodi, who set up the community where Akbar's Tomb is situated. Son Jehangir brought down quite a significant portion of the original structure of the Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra and made some major changes as per the then current Mughal architectural style in vogue.
One visiting Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra near Agra will find that the monument has three-storey red sandstone minarets flaunting exquisite inlay work of marble. Black-faced monkeys i.e. 'Langurs' have found an ideal habitat in the well-maintained gardens surrounding the Mughal mausoleum and are often found to wander down to the walkways too. One will also find the beautiful Baradi palace amid the gardens set up by Sikander Lodhi.
The entire mausoleum building is of five storeys and resembles a condensed pyramid, whereas the main central structure has a prominent square shape. There are broad walkways on the ground floor. Apart from the tombstone of Akbar, there are other tombs as well here that belong to Akbar's daughter's Shakrul Nisha Begum and Aram Bano. All storeys are made of red stone except the fifth, which is fully built out of white marble.