Akbar's Mausoleum, Sikandra

The perfect symmetry of the entrance to Akbar's Mausoleum at Sikandra.

The Mausoleum of Emperor Akbar is in Sikandra, Uttar Pradesh, about 12 km northwest of Agra. It is said that the Mughal Dynasty emperor designed his own tomb and started construction of it. After he died, his son and successor Jahangir modified the designed and completed it for him. The result is an impressive, perfectly symmetrical complex with the tomb located in the centre of a huge garden.

The main gateway is located at the south. It is built of magnificent red sandstone with a colossal central arch finished with polychrome mosaic inlaid with white marble, black slate and other coloured stones. Four marble minarets grace the gateway. A stone causeway leads to the tomb diving the garden into four quardrants, similar to his father Humayun's Tomb in Delhi. Each quadrant has its own fountain and sunken pool, reflecting the Mughal idea of paradise.

The main tomb differs in design from Humayun's tomb. The first three storeys comprise red sandsone pavillions. Above them are marble-screen terraces enclosing the tomb replica, which is adorned with a profusion of floral and arabesque carvings. The real tomb is located in a crypt immediately below it - a design that was copied later for the Taj Mahal.

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