We all identify Agra with the Taj Mahal. But this city of 1.6 million in Uttar Pradesh state noted for its monumental buildings of 16th and 17th century when it was the capital of the Muslim Mughal (aka Mogul) Empire is far more than that. For example, here are five things that make Agra an extraordinary place to visit beyong to the Taj:

• Agra boasts three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: in addition to the Taj, there is also the mid-16th-century Agra Fort, a 38-hectare walled city (above), and Fatehpur Sikri, a town within Agra municipality that way the actual Mughal capital from 1571 to 1585. All three have been featured one of Arthur Canon Doyle’s famous Sherlock Holmes mysteries, The Sign of Four.

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