Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, which means "City of Victory," was built by Emperor Akbar in the second half of the 16th century. It was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only about 10 years. One of the biggest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid, is part of a complex of monuments and temples built in a uniform architectural style. The city of Fatehpur Sikri is situated in the district of Agra in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Built southeast of an artificial lake on the sloping slopes of the Vindhyan Hills, it was the first designed city of the Mughals, with grand administrative, residential, and religious buildings consisting of palaces, public buildings, mosques, and living quarters for the court, the army, the king's servants, and an entire city. When the capital was shifted to Lahore in 1585, Fatehpur Sikri stayed as an area for occasional visits by the Mughal emperors. The Jama Masjid is the earliest of the religious monuments at Fatehpur Sikri, built on the summit of the ridge and finished in 1571-72. Inside this mosque is the tomb of the Saikh Salim Chisti, an outstanding example of sculptural decoration, finished in the years 1580-81, and embellished further during the rule of Jahangir in the year 1606. South of the courtyard is an imposing structure, the 40-meter high Buland Darwaza, completed in 1575 to commemorate the victory of Gujarat in 1572. It is one of the most perfect architectural achievements in India and by far the largest monumental structure of the entire reign of Emperor Akbar.