Location: Fatehpur Sikri
Top Things to do in Fatehpur Sikri
Top Restaurants in Fatehpur Sikri
Things to do in Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh: The Best Points of Interest & Landmarks
Fatehpur Sikri is a town in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. The city itself was founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar, serving this role from 1571 to 1585, when Akbar abandoned it due to a campaign in Punjab and was later completely abandoned in 1610.
Restaurants in Fatehpur Sikri
1. Panch Mahal - Fatehpur Sikri
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 945 reviews
Reviewed By macedonboy - Glasgow, United Kingdom
The Panch Mahal is a rectangular building, comprising five levels of colonnaded terraces open on all sides. Some of the columns form pavilions. Some of the columns are so thin and elegant, combined with the red sandstone glinting off the sunlight makes an already picturesque building look beautiful. My guide told me that the use of the building was not known for certain, but it was probably used as a harem and place of entertainment and relaxation.
2. Lotus Throne
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 248 reviews
Reviewed By DP1066 - Hastings, United Kingdom
The intricately carved central column inside Diwan-i-Khas features a combination of Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Buddhist imagery. The decoration was to promote a new religion called Din-i-llahi (God is one). The pillar supports a plinth which connects to the four corners of the room from which the Emperor Akbar used to hold conversations and debates with his ministers.
3. Jodha Bai's Palace
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 225 reviews
Reviewed By DP1066 - Hastings, United Kingdom
Set around an enormous courtyard, this palace was the one-time courtyard of Emperor Akbar’s Hindu wife. It features traditional Indian columns, Islamic cupolas and Persian roof tiles.
4. Diwan-I-Khas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 251 reviews
Reviewed By Alok_Nahata - Alor Setar, Malaysia
As the name suggests, this was a special meeting place of Akbar with his 9 special advisors and special people of the society. King sat in the middle on the lotus throne and the advisors on each corner. Below sat the audience. Special place for special decisions so entry and exit of the King was also special. The king could leave from here through secret doors in the walls. Amazing architecture...
5. Hathi Pol
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By ansari4me - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Hathi Pol Elephant Gate has two great stone elephants, mutilated by Aurangzeb, standing on either side of the outer archway. On the left of the gateway are two buildings, the so-called Pigeon’s House, probably intended for a magazine; and the Sangin Burj, a great bastion supposed to be part of the fortifications begun by Akbar and left unfinished, owing to the objections of Shaikh Salîm Chishti. Little beyond this, on the right, are the remains of the waterworks which supplied the whole city.
6. Birbal Bhavan
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 140 reviews
Reviewed By Alok_Nahata - Alor Setar, Malaysia
Birbal who was one of the nine jewels of Akbar's court used to live here. Originally made for Akbar's queen, the house was given to Birbal. Spectacular from inside, the carvings are beautiful and like other places, it is also made of red sandstones.
7. Tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 402 reviews
Reviewed By ansari4me - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tomb of Salim Chisti (1478-1572) Sheikh Salim Chisti a Sufi saint of the “Chishti Order” during reign of the Mughal Empire. The mausoleum was constructed by Akbar as a mark of his respect for the Sufi saint, who foretold the birth of his son, who was named Prince Salim after him and later succeeded Akbar to the throne of the Mughal Empire, as Jahangir. The Tomb was built during the years 1580 and 1581. Zanana Rouza is sandwiched between the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisthi and the Jamat Khana is Yaran Chatbutra or Friends Platform, where other disciples of Sheik Salim Chisthi are buried, and the Zanana Rauza, or women’s tomb, a dark suite of rooms containing graves of the women of Sheikh Salim’s family. The northern wall of the building contains an underground doorway connected to Salim Chishti’s house, so that women of Sheikh Salim’s family could visit him during his religious discourses. Later on this building was converted into women’s graveyard. At present there are two oblong chambers parallel to the wall of the mosque, which are further divided into 2 chambers. Zanana Rauza can be entered through an elegant gateway; is between Sheikh Salim’s tomb and Jamat Khana. Shaikh Alauddin Chisti Tomb (1570 – 1613) Islam Khan Chisti was a Mughal General and the Subahdar of Bengal. He transferred the capital of Bengal to Dhaka and renamed it Jahangir nagar. He was awarded the titular name of Islam Khan by Mughal emperor Jahangir. Islam Khan was a playmate of Jahangir in childhood. Khan and Jahangir were foster cousins, Khan's paternal aunt, whose father is Salim Chisti was the foster mother of Jahangir. Shaikh Alauddin Chisti was Khan's cousin also. He was first appointed as the Subahdar of Bihar. Islam Khan was appointed the Subahdar of Bengal in 1608. His major task was to subdue the rebellious Rajas, Bara-Bhuiyans, Zamindars and Afghan chiefs. He went Dhaka in mid 1610. After 5 years of ruling, Islam Khan died at Bhawal in 1613 and buried in Fatehpur Sikri and laid by the side of his grandfather Shaikh Salim Chishti. This is the tomb of the General of the Mughal army also the grandson of the Sufi Saint Salim Chisti; his body was laid to rest inside the Jama Masjid courtyard by Emperor Jahangir in the year 1613. Originally served as the Jamaat Khana, The Tomb of Islam Khan is common religious house for the most distinguished disciples of Sheikh Salim. This courtyard houses 24 graves of the Sheikh's followers.
8. Jama Masjid
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 193 reviews
Reviewed By Indiana_Jonesse - San Francisco, United States
A muslim signature, the white house is the house of the holy man who had the power to grant the king a son. It is still being used by worshippers and wish seekers. When you enter, you made a donation and the throw money and flowers to the dead man's tomb. I do not know who gets the money later.
9. Anup Talao
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 35 reviews
Reviewed By Brun066 - Florence, Italy
Even more than the individual buildings, however splendid, what is striking in Fatehupr Sikri is the "sharpness" of the organization of space. This is certainly due to the fact that Fatehpur Sikri is a "founded city"; but probably even more to the fact that it was abandoned very quickly; and therefore it was "crystallized", without further additions, in the ways that the sovereign and his builders wanted it to take initially. And in my opinion this character is felt in the highest degree in the area that goes from the Diwan-I-Khas (private audience hall) to the Anup Talao. This area is in fact made up of two large squares (the Pachisi Court, and precisely the Anup Talao square), adjacent along one side, which I believe express well the joy that the planners must have had in planning. Yet geometry isn't an aim in itself: it pleasantly "captures" the eye, but this is then further bewitched by the asymmetry that is set on this geometric basis, asymmetry determined by the presence of elements of very different height and shape; the soaring Panch Mahal, the Diwan-I-Khas and, precisely the Anup Talao, with its four bridges, the delicate balustrade, the central raised platform and the steps edging the outer edge of the large pool. Water, which is an essential element of the whole, increases the charm of both the Talao and all the surrounding space. I don't believe there is in all the Mughal imperial palaces (but I haven't seen Lahore….) any open and built space, which gives a feeling comparable to this one, as to how men master space by stone and water.
10. Hiran Minar
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 62 reviews
Reviewed By Indiana_Jonesse - San Francisco, United States
Minar means minaret or column or tower. The elephant was buried here. That elephant had a significant contribution to history because he was used to crush people to death when they were caught in so called crime. When he died, they built this tower for him.
