Emperor Akbar began the construction of the imposing fort in 1565 but it was his grandson Shah Jehan who gave it some of its finest buildings, changing the function of the fort from a military fortification to a royal palace.

Within the fort are the Pearl Mosque in white marble; fine halls - the Diwan-I-Khas for private audience and the pillared Diwan-I-Am where the emperor met the public; the Jehangiri Mahal an elegant double storeyed palace built in 1611 AD; the Khas Mahal an airy marble pavilion believed to be the Emperor Shah Jehan's aramghar or sleeping quarters and the Sheesh Mahal, beautiful halls studded with tiny concave mirrors where a single candle flame is reflected in a thousand flickering lights.