The mausoleum at Sikandra, near Agra, is the tomb of:

The mausoleum at Sikandra, about 10 km from Agra, is the tomb of the Mughal emperor Akbar (ruled 1556-1605).

About the tomb:

• Akbar himself planned the tomb and chose the site, following a Tartar (Central Asian) custom of beginning one's own tomb during one's lifetime.
• It was completed by his son Jahangir in 1613, who made changes to the original design.
• It stands in the middle of a large char bagh garden, about 119 acres in area.
• It is a five-storeyed pyramidal structure, without a dome over the central building, unlike most Mughal tombs.
• The lower storeys are of red sandstone; the top storey is of white marble, with a carved marble cenotaph (false tomb), open to the sky.
• The real grave is in a chamber in the basement.

The southern gateway (the main entrance) is a massive structure decorated with inlaid stone patterns, with four white marble minarets at its corners; these are considered among the earliest minarets of this type in Mughal architecture.

The architecture shows a blend of Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain and Christian motifs, reflecting Akbar's ideas.

Later history:

• In the late 17th century, the tomb was attacked and plundered by local rebels.
• It was later repaired by the British.

The name Sikandra:

The area is believed to be named after Sultan Sikandar Lodi, who founded Agra.

Other Mughal tombs:

• Babur: Kabul.
• Humayun: Delhi.
• Shah Jahan: Taj Mahal, Agra.
• Aurangzeb: Khuldabad, Maharashtra.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Babur, Jahangir and Sikandar Lodi are buried elsewhere.