Fatehpur Sikri

The purpose of the Diwan-I-Khas is still unknown

Overview:
Built by the Mughul emperor Akbar in 1571, the abandoned capital city of Fatehpur Sikri is the translation of the emperor's visionary philosophy into red sandstone. The Mughul capital for fourteen years, Fatehpur Sikri was built in honor of the famous Sufi saint Salim Chishti, who predicted the birth of Akbar's first son; Salim Chisthi was from the nearby village of Sikri. Akbar was later forced to abandon this capital, possibly because of a lack of water. An example of a Mughul walled city with defined private, administrative, and sacred areas, Fatehpur Sikri blends Hindu and Islamic styles in a manner that embodies Akbar's cultural integration of India's storied past and its Islamic heritage under the Mughuls. Sadly, after it was abandoned, many of its treasures were plundered; Fatehpur Sikri was rescued from obscurity in part to the tireless efforts of Lord Curzon, who began the process of restoration. Fortunately, its construction in an arid region has aided greatly in its preservation, making Fatehpur Sikri perhaps the world's best preserved "ghost town."

Layout:
Fatehpur Sikri is an enormous compound whose outer gates extend far beyond the portion that has been preserved and restored. Three areas comprise the primary viewing sights of Fatehpur Sikri today: the Royal Complex, which contains both the private palaces, as well as the administrative offices of Akbar's government, and the adjoining sacred complex containing the Jami Masjid, and the tomb of Salim Chishti. The Royal complex (shown in yellow in the diagram to the left) and the sacred complex (shown in pink in the diagram to the left) are covered in the virtual tours below

 





Virtual Tours of Fatehpur Sikri

Virtual Tour of the Royal Complex

Virtual Tour of the Sacred Complex
Virtual Tour of the Royal Complex
Virtual Tour of the Sacred Complex



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