Architecture of Fatehpur Sikri

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.

The name of the city is derived from the village called Sikri which occupied the
spot before. An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavation from 1999-2000
indicated that there was a habitation, temples and commercial centres here
before Akbar built his capital.

The khanqah of Sheikh Salim existed earlier at this place. Akbar's

son Jahangir was born at the village of Sikri in 1569 and that year Akbar began
construction of a religious compound to commemorate the Sheikh who had
predicted the birth. After Jahangir's second birthday, he began the construction
of a walled city and imperial palace here. The city came to be known as Fatehpur
Sikri, the "City of Victory", after Akbar's victorious Gujarat campaign in 1573.

After occupying Agra in 1803, the English established an administrative center

here and it remained so until 1850. In 1815, the Marquess of Hastings ordered
repairment of monuments at Sikri.
 Fatehpur Sikri sits on rocky ridge, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length and 1 km
(0.62 mi) wide and palace city is surrounded by a 6 km (3.7 mi) wall on three sides
with the fourth bordered by a lake. The city is generally organized around this 40 m
high ridge, and falls roughly into the shape of a rhombus. The general layout of the
ground structures, especially the "continuous and compact pattern of gardens and
services and facilities" that characterized the city leads urban archaeologists to
conclude that Fatehpur Sikri was built primarily to afford leisure and luxury to its
famous residents.

The dynastic architecture of Fatehpur Sikri was modelled on Timurid

forms and styles. The city was built massively and preferably with red
sandstone. Gujarati influences are also seen in its architectural vocabulary and
decor of the palaces of Fatehpur Sikri. The city's architecture reflects both the
Hindu and Muslim form of domestic architecture popular in India at the time. The
remarkable preservation of these original spaces allows modern archaeologists to
reconstruct scenes of Mughal court life, and to better understand the hierarchy of
the city's royal and noble residents.

It is accessed through gates along the 5 miles (8.0 km) long fort wall,
namely, Delhi Gate, the Lal Gate, the Agra Gate and Birbal's Gate, Chandanpal
Gate, The Gwalior Gate, the Tehra Gate, the Chor Gate and the Ajmeri Gate.The
palace contains summer palace and winter palace for queen jodha.
 Buland Darwaza:
Set into the south wall of congregational mosque, the Buland
Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri is 55 metres (180 ft) high, from the outside,
gradually making a transition to a human scale in the inside. The gate
was added around five years after the completion of the mosque c.
1576-1577 as a victory arch, to commemorate Akbar's successful
Gujarat campaign. It carries two inscriptions in the archway, one of
which reads: "Isa, Son of Mariam said: The world is a bridge, pass over
it, but build no houses on it. He who hopes for an hour may hope for
eternity. The world endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer, for the rest
is unseen".
The central portico comprises three arched entrances, with the
largest one, in the centre, is known locally as the Horseshoe Gate, after
the custom of nailing horseshoes to its large wooden doors for luck.
Outside the giant steps of the Buland Darwaza to the left is a deep
well.
 Jama Masjid:
It is a Jama Mosque meaning the congregational mosque and was perhaps one
of the first buildings to be constructed in the complex, as its epigraph gives AH 979 (A.D.
1571-72) as the date of its completion, with a massive entrance to the courtyard, the
Buland-Darwaza added some five years later. It was built in the manner of Indian mosques,
with iwans around a central courtyard. A distinguishing feature is the row of chhatri over
the sanctuary. There are three mihrabs in each of the seven bays, while the large central
mihrab is covered by a dome, it is decorated with white marble inlay, in geometric patterns.
 Tomb of Salim Chishti:
A white marble encased tomb of the Sufi saint, Salim
Chisti (1478–1572), within the Jama Masjid's sahn, courtyard. The single-
storey structure is built around a central square chamber, within which is
the grave of the saint, under an ornate wooden canopy encrusted
with mother-of-pearl mosaic. Surrounding it is a covered passageway
for circumambulation, with carved Jalis, stone pierced screens all around
with intricate geometric design and an entrance to the south. The tomb is
influenced by earlier mausolea of the early 15th century Gujarat
Sultanate period. Other striking features of the tomb are white marble
serpentine brackets, which support sloping eaves around the parapet.

On the left of the tomb, to the east, stands a red sandstone tomb of Islam
Khan I, son of Shaikh Badruddin Chisti and grandson of Shaikh Salim
Chishti, who became a general in the Mughal army in the reign
of Jahangir. The tomb is topped by a dome and thirty-six small
domed chattris and contains a number of graves, some unnamed, all male
descendants of Shaikh Salim Chisti
 Diwan-i-Aam
Diwan-i-Aam or Hall of Public
Audience, is a building typology
found in many cities where the
ruler meets the general public.
In this case, it is a pavilion-like
multi-bayed rectangular
structure fronting a large open
space. South west of the Diwan-
i-Am and next to the Turkic
Sultana's House stand Turkic
Baths.
Diwan-i-Khas
Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private
Audience, is a plain square
building with four chhatris on
the roof. However it is famous
for its central pillar, which has a
square base and an octagonal
shaft, both carved with bands of
geometric and floral designs,
further its thirty-six serpentine
brackets support a circular
platform for Akbar, which is
connected to each corner of the
building on the first floor, by
four stone walkways. It is here
that Akbar had representatives
of different religions discuss
their faiths and gave private
audience.
Panch Mahal
 Ibadat Khana
(House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, where
the foundations of a new Syncretistic faith, Din-e-Ilahi were laid by Akbar.
 Anup Talao

Anup Talao was built by Raja Anup Singh Sikarwar A ornamental pool with a central platform
and four bridges leading up to it. Some of the important buildings of the royal enclave are
surround by it including, Khwabgah(House of Dreams) Akbar's residence, Panch Mahal, a five-
storey palace, Diwan-i-Khas(Hall of Private Audience), Ankh Michauli and the Astrologer's Seat,
in the south-west corner of the Pachisi Court.
Mariam-uz-Zamani's Palace: The building of Akbar's Rajput wives,
including Mariam-uz-Zamani, shows Gujarati influence and is built
around a courtyard, with special care being taken to ensure privacy.
Naubat Khana: Also known as Naqqar Khana meaning a drum house, where
musician used drums to announce the arrival of the Emperor. It is situated
ahead of the Hathi Pol Gate or the Elephant Gate, the south entrance to the
complex, suggesting that it was the imperial entrance.
Panch Mahal: A five-storied palatial structure, with the tiers gradually diminishing in size, till the
final one, which is a single large-domed chhatri. Originally pierced stone screens faced the
facade and probably sub-divided the interior as well, suggesting it was built for the ladies of the
court. The floors are supported by intricately carved columns on each level, totalling to 176
columns in all
Birbal's House: The house of Akbar's favourite minister, who was a
Hindu. Notable features of the building are the horizontal sloping
sunshades or chajjas and the brackets which support them
Hiran Minar: The Hiran
Minar, or Elephant
Tower, is a circular
tower covered with
stone projections in the
form of elephant tusks.
Traditionally it was
thought to have been
erected as a memorial
to the Emperor Akbar's
favourite elephant.
However, it was
probably a used as a
starting point for
subsequent mile posts.
Mint or Tankshal
DAFTAR KHANA FATEHPUR SIKRI
HAMMAM