This beautiful, immense mosque was completed in 1571 and contains elements of Persian and Indian design. The main entrance, at the top of a flight of…
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Fatehpur Sikri
This magnificent fortified ancient city, 25 miles (40km) west of Agra, was the short-lived capital of the Mughal empire between 1572 and 1585, during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Earlier, Akbar had visited the village of Sikri to consult the Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chishti, who predicted the birth of an heir to the Mughal throne. When the prophecy came true, Akbar built his new capital here, including a stunning mosque, still in use today, and three palaces, one for each of his favorite wives – one a Hindu, one a Muslim and one a Christian (though Hindu villagers in Sikri dispute these claims).
The city was an Indo-Islamic masterpiece, but was erected in an area that supposedly suffered from water shortages and so was abandoned shortly after Akbar’s death. The red-sandstone palace walls are at their most atmospheric and photogenic near sunset.
Explore Fatehpur Sikri
- Jama Masjid
This beautiful, immense mosque was completed in 1571 and contains elements of Persian and Indian design. The main entrance, at the top of a flight of…
- Palaces & Pavilions
The main sight at Fatehpur Sikri is the stunning imperial complex of pavilions and palaces spread amid a large, abandoned 'city' peppered with Mughal…
- AArchaeological Museum
Near the main vehicle entrance to the Diwan-i-Am, and just opposite Akbar's former Treasury, this modest museum showcases pre-Mughal artefacts excavated…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Fatehpur Sikri.
See
Jama Masjid
This beautiful, immense mosque was completed in 1571 and contains elements of Persian and Indian design. The main entrance, at the top of a flight of…
See
Palaces & Pavilions
The main sight at Fatehpur Sikri is the stunning imperial complex of pavilions and palaces spread amid a large, abandoned 'city' peppered with Mughal…
See
Archaeological Museum
Near the main vehicle entrance to the Diwan-i-Am, and just opposite Akbar's former Treasury, this modest museum showcases pre-Mughal artefacts excavated…
Guidebooks
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