Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra in Uttar Pradesh, was founded by the Mughal emperor Akbar as his imperial capital in 1571 CE. The site was earlier a village called Sikri, associated with the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, whose blessing Akbar believed had granted him a son, the future Jahangir. To honour the saint and commemorate his Gujarat victory, Akbar planned a grand “city of victory,” hence the name Fatehpur Sikri.

Between about 1571–1573/85, Akbar built a walled city in red sandstone: palaces, audience halls, courtyards, the Jama Masjid, Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal and the saint’s white marble tomb, blending Persian, Central Asian and Indian architectural traditions. Fatehpur Sikri served as the Mughal capital for roughly 14 years (1571–1585).

Akbar later shifted his base towards Lahore to handle campaigns in the northwest, and the city was gradually abandoned, probably due to a combination of political priorities and water-supply issues. By the early 17th century it was largely deserted, though the shrines remained active.

Because of its exceptional preservation as a Mughal court complex, Fatehpur Sikri was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, standing today as a “frozen” 16th-century capital.