CityDekho
Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri

UNESCO World Heritage · 1986

Uttar Pradesh

Akbar built a brand-new capital here, moved his entire court in, and abandoned it within about fifteen years.

What you're looking at

A complete Mughal city in red sandstone, built by Emperor Akbar from 1571 as his capital. Palaces, courtyards, a vast mosque and the tomb of the Sufi saint Salim Chishti — whose prediction of an heir prompted Akbar to build here in the first place. The court left around 1585 and it has stood largely empty since.

Why it matters

Because it was built at once and then left alone, Fatehpur Sikri is the most complete surviving picture of a Mughal imperial city anywhere. It also records Akbar's religious experiment: he held debates here between Muslim, Hindu, Jain, Zoroastrian and Jesuit scholars, and the architecture deliberately mixes Hindu and Islamic forms.

Look for these

  • 01

    The Diwan-i-Khas central pillar

    A single carved column flowering into a platform with four bridges. Akbar is said to have sat at the centre while advisors of different faiths spoke from the corners.

  • 02

    The Buland Darwaza's scale

    At about 54 metres it is one of the tallest gateways in the world, and deliberately out of proportion with everything around it — you feel small, which was the point.

  • 03

    Threads tied at Salim Chishti's tomb

    The marble screens around the saint's tomb are covered in threads tied by people asking for a child. The jali carving here is the finest on the site.

  • 04

    The pachisi courtyard

    A giant board game laid into the paving in front of the Diwan-i-Am, said to have been played with people as pieces.

  • 05

    Hindu brackets on Islamic buildings

    Elephants, lotuses and corbelled struts everywhere — Akbar's craftsmen were local, and he made no attempt to hide it.

Before you go

  • Why it emptied is still debated; water supply is the most cited explanation.
  • The Jama Masjid and dargah are a working religious complex — dress modestly and remove shoes.
  • Touts are persistent at the gates. Fix what you are doing before you start walking.
  • It is about 40 km from Agra and pairs well with the Taj and Agra Fort over two days.
  • October to March; the open sandstone courtyards are fierce in summer.

Visitor guide to Fatehpur Sikri.

Plan a visit — see the destination page

Visiting

Entry fee and daily timings weren't available from an official source — please confirm on site.

More to see in Uttar Pradesh →

More ancient wonders

Taj Mahal
UNESCO

Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a white-marble mausoleum on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra. Commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1631 to house th…

Agra Fort
UNESCO

Uttar Pradesh

Agra Fort

Allahabad Fort

Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

Allahabad Fort

Bhuragarh Fort (Banda)

Banda, Uttar Pradesh

Bhuragarh Fort (Banda)

Red Fort
UNESCO

Delhi, Delhi

Red Fort

The Red Fort (Lal Qila) is a vast 17th-century citadel of red sandstone on the banks of the Yamuna in Old Delhi. Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan when…

Mehrangarh Fort

Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh is a hilltop fort rising about 122 m above Jodhpur, its 1,200-acre complex ringed by massive ramparts and seven historic gates.