Akbar’s Mausoleum

The Mausoleum of Emperor Akbar is an impressive marble and sandstone tomb, just outside Agra in India.

History of Akbar’s Mausoleum

Akbar’s Mausoleum is the final resting place of the third Mughal Emperor, Abu Akbar, known as Akbar the Great (1542-1605). Having succeeded to the throne from his father Humayun at the age of thirteen, Emperor Akbar is known for having been an effective leader, recapturing much of the land lost by his predecessors and vastly expanding the empire.

Emperor Akbar was also a Muslim leader of a mostly Hindu nation and was famously tolerant of all religions, abolishing discriminatory laws and taxes.

The Mausoleum of Emperor Akbar was started by Akbar and completed by his son, Jahangir. Beautifully ornate and neatly symmetrical, it reflects both Muslim and Indian influences including combining traditional red sandstone inlaid with ornate white, yellow and blue marble geometric and floral patterns with Islamic elements such as its four, three-tiered minarets.

Akbar’s Mausoleum was ransacked and looted during a 17th century Jat rebellion: one account even described the tomb itself being opened and Akbar’s bones being burnt.

Major repairs and restoration work was undertaken in the late 19th century under the direction of George Curzon, the then Viceroy of India.

Akbar’s Mausoleum today

The magnificent mausoleum is open from dawn to dusk daily: the gardens around the tomb itself are lush and filled with wildlife. Local guides are ready and willing to offer their services (for a fee of course) and can be extremely helpful in revealing some of the details of the building if you’re interested.

Getting to Akbar’s Mausoleum

The mausoleum lies 10km outside of Agra, in the nearby town of Sikandra. Cheap as chips local buses will get you there in 45 minutes, or else take a tuktuk a pay a little more. Make sure to agree the amount in advance!