The abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri is undoubtedly a jewel of the Mughal Empire, not to be missed. A look back in time full of shadows of the glorious era of Emperor Akbar.
History of Fatehpur Sikri
The city of Fatehpur Sikri also known as the abandoned city of the Mughal Empire was built between 1571 and 1585 in the district of Agra and is located 40 km from the capital of the same name in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is surrounded by a wall of 11km and for its construction red sandstone was used as the main material.
This red sandstone city was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar, the grandfather of Shah Jahan. According to the story, in Sikri lived Salim Chisti, a Sufi saint highly revered by the people for his fame with miracles. The emperor was very worried because all the sons he had, have died, so he paid a visit to the saint of Sikri to see what he could do. He told him that the next child he had would be a boy and would not die prematurely so he could have a successor. When one of his wives became pregnant, the emperor decided to build her a palace near Salim Chisti, thinking that with her proximity he would work his miracles better. Well, this is how the idea of building a city he called Fatehpur, which means "city of victory" came about.
Unfortunately the court's stay in Fatehpur Sikri lasted only 14 years as they encountered serious water supply problems. in times of drought. They abandoned the city and even today it is still standing in its best conditions due to its little use.
Buildings in Fatehpur Sikri
I take you on a tour of the most important points in the ghost city of Emperor Akbar.
Buland Darwaza or the Imperial Gate: is an impressive 54 meters high gate (the highest Darwaza in the world) built with red sandstone and decorated with black and white marble details. Once you cross it you will stop at the mosque of Fatehpur Sikri.
Jama Masjid: was the mosque of the city and inside is the white marble tomb of the saint Salim Chisti.
The Tomb of Salim Chisti: This tomb was commissioned by Akbar as thanks for the birth of his son, to whom he also gave his name, Salim. It is tradition that you must tie a thread on the lattice of the tomb and throw flowers on the tomb, this obviously has a cost and if you do not buy the thread they will not let you enter to see the tomb.
Diwan-I-Am: this was the public audience hall from where he addressed the people.
Diwan-I-Khas: This was the private audience room where he met with influential people of the empire.
House of the Turkish Sultana: was the residence of Akbar's favorite wife and truly the most beautiful building in the city. It has a very fine workmanship with columns and ceilings carved with sublime exquisiteness.
Ankh Michauli: was the treasury pavilion and had 3 subway rooms.
Jodh Bai Palace: is the largest palace in Fatehpur Sikri and was the habitual residence of the princess Mariam-Uz-Zamani, who was Hindu unlike the emperor who was Muslim. In this palace you can appreciate the fusion of Indo-Islamic and Persian styles.
Anup Talao: this pond has 4 bridges and is surrounded by some of the most important palaces of the complex.
The Palace of the Christian Wife: This palace is also known as the House of Maryam. It is not known for sure if he really had a Christian wife or if this was simply the name given to a wife who came from Goa.
Panch Mahal or Baadgir: this was the emperor's palace. Its structure is composed of five floors in the shape of a pyramid. The lower floor has 84 columns while the fifth floor has only 4 columns and a reduced space.
Fatehpur Sikri was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Visiting Fatehpur Sikri
You can visit the city and most of the buildings inside and take pictures. If you have time, I recommend you to dedicate a whole morning to this visit as it has a lot to discover.
When to visit Fatehpur Sikri
It can be visited at any time of the year, although I warn you that in the months of May to June in Uttar Pradesh it is very hot and the humidity level is high.
Regarding the time of day, any time of day is good but if you want to avoid large accumulations of visitors better to visit early in the morning.
Whenever possible, avoid visiting on Sundays and holidays as the number of visitors tends to be higher.
How to get to Fatehpur Sikri
To arrive by bus: you must take the bus from Agra station, the journey takes about an hour and a half and leaves you very close to the entrance of Fatehpur Sikri.
Another option is to take a cab directly with the Ola Cabs App from your location or a guided tour from Agra.
Practical information about Fatehpur Sikri
Schedule: every day from dawn to dusk.
Price: 610INR for foreigners and 50INR for Indian nationals.
Camera & video: without supplement.
Food & beverages: food is not allowed but you can bring your own water bottle.
Prohibited: enter the mosque with shoes. You can leave them at the entrance but I recommend carrying a cloth bag in your backpack so you can take them with you.
What to bring: comfortable clothes and shoes, a hat to protect you from the sun, and don't forget your camera or cell phone!
Guided tour: There are always guides available at the entrance but I do not recommend them as there are many fake guides in Fatehpur Sikri. If a guide approaches you in a very insistent way and tells you that they are not going to charge you anything, tell them flatly no as in the end they always ask for money or they will insist that you visit their store and if you tell them no...they don't take it very well.
Tips: I love India, but I must admit that in Fatehpur Sikri people are not very hospitable so don't engage in too much conversation as they will try to make a mess of you.
I trust that this article about Fatehpur Sikri will be useful to you and that you will enjoy the visit to the fullest!
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