Agra, << AH gruh >> (pop. 1,585,704; met. area pop. 1,746,467), is one of the largest cities in Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India. It is also one of the oldest cities on the Indian Peninsula. Agra is famous as the site of the Taj Mahal. In the 1600’s, Emperor Shah Jahan ordered this magnificent marble tomb built as a memorial to his wife, Mumtaz-i-Mahal.
Agra lies on the Yamuna River. The city centers around Agra Fort, which was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar about 1566. The northern part of the city has business and market districts. Modern factories lie north of the city along the river. Agra is an important trading center for cotton, grain, sugar, and tobacco. The city is well known for the gold lace and delicate inlaid mosaics that its people make chiefly by hand.
See also Taj Mahal.
