This presentation gives complete detail about the Fatehpur Sikri by Akbar in Agra.

2. Context
 15th Century AD
 Mughals ruled India-
Reign of Akbar
 Agra, Kashmir, Delhi,
Allahabad, Ajmer,
Ahmedabad, Mandu &
Burhanpur were major
centres.
 Capital was at Agra
 No planned city.

3. Background
 Fatehpur Sikri lies in Agra district in the state of Uttar
Pradesh.
 Founded in 1569 by the emperor Akbar, and served as the
capital of the Mughal Empire from 1571 to 1585.
 Capital shifted from Agra -37 km on Sikri Ridge after
military victories over Chittor and Ranthambore.
 Commenced construction of a planned walled city – took
fifteen years to build.
 Named Fatehabad, Fateh: Arabic for "victory.“ later
called Fatehpur Sikri.
 Currently a ghost town.

4. Significance
 Institutions founded here:
 Ibadat-Khanah,
 Din-i-Ilahi,
 Tarikh-i-Ilahi
 Jharokha-Darshan
 The doctrine of Sulh-i-Kul and
 Policy of liberal patronage to indigenous arts and
literatures
 Established workshops of various handicrafts.

5. Planning
 First planned city of the Mughals.
 Akbar dictated its architectural style-revived the
splendours of Persian court and planned the
complex with a mix of Indian and Persian
principles.
 Influences by typically Indian embellishments.
 Comprises of a series of royal palaces, courts, a
mosque, private quarters and other utility buildings.

6. Planning
 Buildings were of red stone- locally quarried known
as 'Sikri Sandstone’.
 Sloping levels of the site used as connected
terraces utilised for various complexes
 Efficient system of drainage and water-supply
adopted.
 Complex consists of a number of independent
pavilions arranged in formal geometry on a
piece of level ground- derived from Arab and central
Asian tent encampments.

7. Layout
 Planned on a rocky ridge, 3 kilometres in length and 1 km
wide, and is surrounded by a wall on three side with the
fourth being a lake at the time.
 Accessed through gates- Delhi Gate, the Lal Gate, the
Agra Gate, Birbal's Gate, Chandanpal Gate, The Gwalior
Gate, the Tehra Gate, the Chor Gate and the Ajmere Gate
 Primarily comprises of two main areas:
 The Royal Complex: Contains both the private palaces, as
well as the administrative offices of Akbar's government
 Sacred complex: Contains the Jami Masjid, and the tomb
of Salim Chishti.

8. Site Plan Fatehpur Sikri
Sacred
Complex
Royal Complex

9. Architectural Style
 Its Architect was Tuhir Das.
 Indo-Muslim composite style
 Fusion of the composite cultures of indigenous
and foreign origins.
 Influences from Hindu and Jain architecture
are seen hand in hand with Islamic elements
 Synthesis of architectural craftsmanship of
Gujarat and Bengal as indigenous craftsmen were
used- creation of a holistic unique style.

10. The Sacred Complex
Sacred
Complex
Royal
Complex

11. The Sacred Complex- Plan

12. View of the Sacred Complex

13. Buland Darwaza(1576-77)
 Monumental gateway , part of the
mosque complex and serves as the
main entrance to the mosque, facing
south.
 Added five years later after the
mosque as a 'victory arch', to
commemorate the Akbar's successful
Gujarat campaign.
 Stands perched at the highest point
of the ridge. It is semi-octagonal in
plan, with an oblong central
plane containing portals.
 40 m high outside, gradually
making a transition to a human
scale inside.

14. Buland Darwaza
Darwaza from within court
Entry point

15. Buland Darwaza
 Main Archway flanked by two smaller wings on either side,
triple storied and contain arched openings .
 Central archway is framed in a broad band of yellow
buff sandstone and bordered by red sandstone panels.
 Square panels at bottom on either side contain white marble
inlay work enclosed by a triple band of ornamentation.
 Topped with stylized battlements, including small domes:
the pattern resembles that of Jami Masjid.
 The roof of the arch is crowned with three larger kiosks
and is surrounded by thirteen smaller domed kiosks.
 The doorway is adorned with smaller turrets on all four
sides.
 The interior of arch contains three actual openings 18m
high.

17. Jami Masjid

18. • One of the largest and ornately finished mosques.
• Completed in 1571 under the supervision of Sheikh Salim
• Located on the western side of this quadrangle.
•
• Marks a transition phase in Islamic art, by its
incorporation of indigenous architectural elements.
•
• The main audience hall (iwan) of the building is rather
simple and contains a central arch which is framed with the
panels containing geometrical designs.
• The iwan contains three arched openings which are also
framed by panels and is crowned with five chhatris.
Jami Masjid

19. Jami Masjid

20. • The central mihrab is ornamented with inlaid mosaics
of stone and glazed tiles.
• The whole interior of the iwan has been painted in
stylized floral designs.
• Dado panels also bear beautiful floral designs and are
bordered with other patterns.
• Elements such as the spandrels of the arch and soffits are
also profusely decorated with painted designs.
• The walls and frieze of the mosque are carved with
Persian and Arabic inscription containing quranic
verses.
• The dome is not supported on squinches but on
beautifully designed corbelled pendentives.
Jami Masjid

21. Dome Techniques

22. Salim Chisthi Tomb
 Salim Chisthi was a Sufi mystic from nearby stone quarry town
of Sikri who prophesized the birth of Akbar's first son.
 Out of gratitude, Akbar built his capital near the Sufi mystic.
 Finest examples of marble work in India.
 This mausoleum was completed in the year 1580-81. It is a
small (14 meters square) delicate structure set upon a slightly
larger plinth, with the porch entrance facing south.
 It faces the Buland Darwaja.
 Originally this was the place where Sheikh Salim Chishti
carried out his religious discourses.
 The marble work is so fine and detailed like ivory work.
The interior is covered with marble screens, and there is a
pillared ivory enclosure where the saint is buried, covered with
pearl inlay.

23. Salim Chisthi Tomb

24. Salim Chisthi Tomb
Interiors
Brackets
Screens
Entry

25. The Royal Complex
Sacred
Complex
Royal
Complex

26. The Royal Complex

27. View of Royal Complex

28. Panoromic view

29. Diwan-I-Am
 The emperor's throne is
focal point of the long wall
of arched openings.
 Faced east- belief in sun
worship.
 Behind the throne were
screens for the women,
and entire structure was
decorated with cloth and
other artifacts.
• Hall of Public Audiences- hear grievances and dispense justice.

30.  Hall of private audiences
 Presence of a massive pillar
with a central platform and
attached diagonal galleries.
 Akbar used to sit on the
central chamber while the
four galleries were occupied
by his ministers.
 The exterior has distinctive
cupolas, the brackets at the
top of the first level
supporting a walkway with
delicate latticework rails.
 Ornate engraving decorates
the exterior. The interior is
dominated by a single
pillar, connected to the
corners of the room by
three walkways.
Diwan-I-Khas

31.  The central column reflects the
theology of Akbar's
universal religion; the
carvings from the bottom to
the top display iconography
from Islam, Christianity, and
Hinduism, respectively.
 The pillar has a square base
and an octagonal shaft,
both carved with bands of
geometric and floral designs
 Further 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.
Diwan-I-Khas-Central Pillar

32. Panch Mahal Five story pavilion was once covered
with lattice work screens.
 The height afforded the ladies of the
harem some cooling breeze and
the screens allowed them to
observe the functions of court while
remaining in seclusion.
 Second storey-contains carved
pillars with no two pillars same.
Circular & octagonal, and feature
floral designs, spirals or twisted
pattern and Hindu bell-and-chain
motifs.
 Capitals of these pillars also contain
beautiful carved designs--floral
vase, arch and rosette patterns.
 Projecting chhajja or extended
eves and a carved frieze.
 It is by far the tallest building in
the courtyard.

33. Anup Talao Anup Talao, or ‘peerless pool’ is
located in front of
khawabgah, Akbar's private
quarters.
 This square red sand stone
tank measures approximately
30 meters on each side
 In the middle of the tank is
a raised platform, and the
platform is enclosed by an
ornate balustrade.
 Attached to the central platform
are four causeways, which
connect the platform to the four
sides of the tank.
 Originally the tank was
connected to the water
works system located on the
northern side of the city.
 Associated with Akbar's
legendary court musician
Tansen.

34. Ankh Michauli
 blind man’s buff house
 Walls have deep recesses and secret
coffers sunk in the walls, which were
most probably used for keeping gold
and silver coins and other valuables
 The building is composed of three
oblong halls of equal size having
ceilings supported by beams further
supported on molded struts.
 The bottom of each strut is shaped
into the head of a truncated monster
called makar struts-Hindu legend,
are the monsters who serve as
guardians of treasures.
 Adjacent to the Ankh Michauli an
elegant kiosk.
 The most remarkable feature of this
kiosk are the torana brackets found
on its four sides that usually adorn the
doorways of Hindu temples

35. Turkish Sultana's House
 The building's courtyard
forms the eastern
boundary of the Court
 Features elaborate
dado panels and
delicately sculpted
walls of ornate
sandstone, fashioned to
make the stone looks as
though it is wood.
 It is topped with an
unusual stone roof with
imitation clay tiles.
 The building's interior
design is that of a
pavilion and not a
house.

36. Khwabgah Complex Entirely for private use of Akbar.
 Had separate rooms for secret
meetings with his noble men, and a
personal library (kutub khana)
and his personal sleeping chamber.
 The sleeping chamber called
Khilwatkada-I-Khas is located on
the first floor, 4 1/2 meters square
and is surrounded by a pillared
veranda, which in turn is sheltered
by a sloping stone roof.
 The chamber features a unique
ventilating shaft by the bed
 This chamber was once
connected directly to the imperial
harem and Panch Mahal through a
covered passage, traces of which
still remain.

37. Sunehra Makan –
Mariams house
 Profuse use of the color in both
the interior and exterior
decorations.
 The home of Akbar's mother,
Hamida Banu Begum, it was
also known as Maryam Makan
 It is situated on a plinth with
stairs from all four sides.
 The Sunehra Makan features four
rooms and a small guardroom.
 The interior of the building
contains beautiful paintings
depicting elephant fights, hunting,
scenes of battles and tournaments.
 The palace also has series of carved
designs of Hindu deities
carved in relief.
 It is a showcase for Akbar’s
religiously ecumenical views.

38. Jodha Bai's Palace
 Central structure in
Fatehpur Sikri's harem
complex.
 Fronted by guardhouses, and
designed to ensure that the
women in purdah had
everything that they needed
for their daily life.
 The Palace consists of a
number of apartments
linked by courtyards to an
enormous inner courtyard.
 On the southern side of the
palace were the harem
baths, while behind the
harem were the stables.
 To the north and linked to
the palace by a viaduct are a
series of gardens.

39. Birbal's House
 Beautiful double-
storied, double-
domed structure.
 It was most likely the
home of Akbar's wife,
Mariam-uz-Zamani.
 The most likely
occupants of this
palace were Akbar's
two senior queens,
Ruqayya Begum and
Salima Sultan Begum.

40. Architectural Elements
 Trabeate beam-and-post
 Elements- Pillars, ornamental
arches, brackets-and-
chhajjas, jharokhas, chhatris,
chhaparkhats, chaukhandis,
etc.
 Domes have been used
sparingly.
 Sometimes corbelled
pendentives have been
employed.
Archated
Trabeated

41. Architectural Elements

42. View

43. Decline
 The Imperial complex was abandoned in 1585,
shortly after its completion, due to paucity of water.
 Also due to proximity with the Rajputana areas in
the North-West, which were increasingly in turmoil.
 Capital was shifted to Lahore so that Akbar could
have a base in the less stable part of the empire,
before moving back to Agra in 1598, from where he
shifted his focus to Deccan.

44. Thank You