Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri is in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, India, about away from Agra, it is one of India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Understand
Literally meaning the City of Victory, Fatehpur Sikri was founded by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1571 and served as the capital from its founding to 1585. Emperor Akbar established the city to honour the local Sufi saint Salim Chishti who predicted the birth of his heir, Jahangir. Its name derived from the village of Sikri, which occupied the land prior to the construction of the city. The city was renamed Fatehpur Sikri to commemorate the successful Gujarat campaign by Emperor Akbar in 1573. It was abandoned in 1585 due to failure of the water supply. Today, there continues to be a town at the foothills of the historic site.

Often lumped together with Agra on tourist tours and trails, Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right. It includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid. The complex is made from red sandstone and is of Mughal architecture reflecting both Islamic and Hindu styles. Full of well preserved palaces and courtyards, it is a must see for anyone visiting Agra.

By car
Car is the quickest way to reach Fatehpur Sikri. By road and in typical traffic, it is about a 40-km drive west (≈50 minutes) from Agra along National Highway 21 (NH21). From Jaipur, it is about a 210-km drive east along NH21. From Delhi, it can be reached by driving south about 225 km on the Taj Express Highway, followed by National Highway 19 (NH19) at Mathura, then National Highway 2 (NH2) Agra Bypass, and finally NH 21 west to Fatehpur Sikri.

Parking lot for the historic site is at the base of the hill to the palace complex entrance.

By bus
There are local buses that reach Fatehpur Sikri from the Agra Idgah bus stand that stop beneath the gate of the old palace, Buland Darwaza. The trip takes about an hour and a half.



By rail
served daily by local trains from Agra Cantonment Station. Trips usually take an hour.



Get around
The easiest way to get around the town is by car or rickshaw. However, it is possible to walk to the entrance of the historic site from the stations. Around the UNESCO site, walking is the only mode of transport.

See
In order to get a full idea of this site it is better to take a guide (₹450 for 2h for its free entry part) or have a good printed guide. Entry to the site of the Jama Masjid (even to the yard) is only without wearing footwear. Beware sunny days when the flagstones get very hot. The vehicle parking is about a kilometre away and Agra Development Authority (ADA) runs some rickety non air conditioned buses to the site entrance from the parking lot area, fare is ₹10 per person one way. Ticket booths are by the entry to the fort area where the palaces are located. Tickets can be purchased in advance online from Archaeological Survey of India website for ₹35 Indian citizens/₹550 foreigners plus ₹10 Agra toll tax on site at the ticket counter. Otherwise, tickets purchased on site are ₹610 for foreigners.



Go next
Fatehpur Sikri lies in between the traditional Golden Triangle tourist circuit. It can be combined as a side-trip to any part of the rest of the circuit.


 * Agra - About east along NH21 is Agra to see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.
 * Delhi - About north along the Taj Express Highway/Yamuna Expressway is the metropolis of Delhi.
 * Jaipur - About west along NH21 is the capital of Rajasthan and the Pink City, Jaipur.