History
Historians are of the opinion that the original name of Rambagh was Aram Bagh, but the Marathas, when they ruled Agra in the 17th century, renamed it as Rambagh. It was built in AD 1528. The garden was originally built by Babur, the founder of Mughal dynasty. It is also said that the tomb of Babar was constructed here, but after a few years was shifted to Kabul. The garden was well maintained under the guidance of Jahangir. Nur Jahan made great changes and additions to make it even more magnificent.
Location
The Rambagh Garden is in the historical city of Agra, 3 km away from the Itimad-ud-Daulah's tomb, and 500 metres from Chini ka Rauza. It lies on the banks of Yamuna River. Agra is in the northern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.
Architecture
The garden was also known as Bagh-i-Gul Afshan and is a planned garden that follows the Charbagh pattern. There are four main sections that are crisscrossed by waterways and pathways. Water plays the most important theme here. As it is situated on the bank of river Yamuna, water is drawn from the river itself. The water is then distributed throughout the park in a cascade that has been built over three terraces. The northeastern side comprises a terrace that leads to a hammam. However, one can see them in ruins. There are some ruined houses that were built in red sandstone.
The three-level pattern of the garden maintained comprised of: flowers and vegetables on the first level; flower beds on the second; and tanks and terraces on the third one. There was also a well done stone-paved terrace.
Best time to visit Rambagh
The best time to visit the garden is from October to March, before the summer arrives. However, one can visit it any day of the year. The winters are the best time to visit, though, as the climate is pleasant and you can stroll in the garden comfortably, reliving how the Mughals spent their leisure time. The garden is open from sunrise to sunset. The entry fee for Indians is Rs. 10 and for foreigners it is Rs. 500. Tourists should buy both the ADA and ASI tickets, or else the entry will be prohibited. Tourists should note that there is no entry fee for children below 15 years of age. Also, the visitors from the SAARC nations need to pay only Rs. 10 as entry fee.
