Last Updated on: 24th February 2026, 11:31 am
Perhaps because it was built from scratch to serve as the empire’s capital and would only stay so for fourteen years, Fatehpur Sikri remains the purest example of a Mughal city. Unlike Agra, Lahore, and Delhi, where remnants of Mughal architecture are spread amongst modern urban sprawl, Fatehpur Sikri looks just as would have four-and-a-half centuries ago.
It lies just 37 km west of Agra, but it was considered a separate and distinct city at the time. But today, visitors based in Agra can easily explore Fatehpur Sikri as a half-day trip.
Fatehpur Sikri consists of two main sections: The mosque area and the palatial complex. Entry to the mosque is free, while the palace costs Rs 610 for foreigners.
Following this guide to both sections, you can learn more about reaching Fatehpur Sikri and the best places to stay in Agra at the end of the article.
The Mosque Complex (Shan-i-Ibadat)
In 1571, Mughal Emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) decided to move the capital from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri for an interesting reason. It was here that the Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chishti lived, and Chishti had accurately predicted that Akbar would have a son (future Emperor Jahangir).
Chishti would pass away in 1572, and Akbar would entomb him within his elaborate mosque complex.
But first, if you’ve arrived by bus, the first landmark you’ll encounter is the elaborate Buland Darwaza, or ‘The Triumph Gateway.’
Standing at around 54 m high, it wasn’t part of the complex’s original layout, but was added later by Akbar to commemorate a successful military campaign.
Note that you’ll be exiting the mosque complex via the east gate, so it would be wise to bring a plastic bag with you to carry your shoes in as you walk around.
Various craftsmen from across the vast Mughal Empire were summoned to work on the Shan-i-Ibadat. As such, it takes on a variety of religious and regional influences.
That’s right – despite the Jama Masjid being a Muslim mosque, Akbar had no qualms about his craftsmen using Hindu and Jain architectural motifs, such as dome chhatris or pillars resembling temple mandapas.
Akbar, the grandson of Babur, the Mughal Empire’s founder, was heavily influenced by both Sufism and Hindu Bhakti (devotional) traditions. He even had a policy of religious tolerance known as ‘Sulh-i-Kul’ or ‘Absolute Peace.’
As such, he’s one of the few – if not only – Mughal Emperors to be remembered fondly by Hindus today.
(Just decades before Akbar’s birth, the Bengali saint Chaitanya had rediscovered Vrindavan, Krishna’s hometown, and instigated a religious renaissance there. Vrindavan also happens to be right by Agra.)
Fatehpur Sikri’s Jama Masjid is not only aesthetically stunning, but it’s much cleaner than the Jama Masjid in Agra. And it only receives a small fraction of the visitors of the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi.
As such, if you’ve seen this one, you can safely skip the others.
Though crowds are minimal, this is still the general Agra area, so you can still expect to encounter annoying touts. A random man started following me as soon as I entered, and despite repeatedly telling him that I didn’t need a guide, he kept saying that he wasn’t one. (Instead, he eventually revealed that he was selling stone carvings.)
He did, at least, point out how many visitors approach the tomb of Salim Chishti in the center of the complex with a wish in mind. And he assured me that any wishes made at this tomb would definitely come true.
The Tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti took nine years to complete. It was constructed of white marble and shows influence from both Hindu and Jain architecture. And it’s also interesting to see how the Mughals were using white marble even before the time of Shah Jahan.
With that being said, it’s believed that the original structure commissioned by Akbar was just made of red sandstone, with his son Jahangir later adding the outer marble layer.
It was Jahangir’s son Shah Jahan, of course, who would go on to create the Taj Mahal.
As mentioned, you’ll want to exit the Mosque Complex via the east gate. After a short walk heading north, you should encounter a ticket gate, followed by the entrance to the Royal Complex.
The Royal Complex (Shan-i-Khas)
The Royal Complex, or Shan-i-Khas, was where Akbar himself lived along with his officials and numerous wives.
Notably, the area was largely left to rot by later Mughal rulers before it was later restored and protected by Lord Curzon, a British viceroy. Fatehpur Sikri was ultimately declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
The complex contains multiple spacious courtyards surrounded by various sandstone buildings that served different administrative and residential purposes.
While we won’t be going into detail on every single structure, let’s take a look at some of the highlights.
First let’s talk about a structure of which only ruins exist: the Ibadat Khana, which was built outside the main complex.
It was in this structure that Akbar encouraged religious discussions and debates. And his intense study of various traditions ultimately encouraged him to create a syncretic religious movement of his own: Din-i-Illahi or ‘Divine Faith.’
Sadly, much of Akbar’s work in this regard would be completely undone by his great-grandson, Aurangzeb, who was the most notorious and violent religious zealot of all the Mughal emperors.
Many of Akbar’s wives were Hindu, and he let them practice their religion within this complex. And similar to the Mosque Complex, a lot of the carvings within the Royal Complex resemble ones that you might find in Hindu temples.
In addition to indigenous Hindu and Jain architecture, Akbar was also heavily influenced by Persian and Timurid architecture (Babur, after all, was a direct descendant of Timur).
But the emperor also encouraged innovation. As many as 8,000 craftsmen were employed for the construction of Fatehpur Sikri, and Akbar even offered special rewards for artisans and craftsmen who came up with something unique.
As mentioned, there are a lot of different structures around the Royal Complex, not all of which are clearly named. One exception is Birbal’s House, also known as Shan-i-Khas.
It was within this two-story palace that Birbal, one of Akbar’s top administrators, resided.
Another area of interest is the Lower Haramsara. This large colonnaded enclosure was likely intended for housing maids, though the space has wrongly labeled by some scholars as an animal stable.
But where did Akbar himself live? His residence was right by a pool near the center of the complex called Anoop Talao. His dwelling place was well-ventilated and also contained a dining hall.
And it was also near the Anoop Talao that Akbar’s main court musician, Tansen, would sing his songs. (Just a couple of days prior, I happened to visit Tansen’s grave in the city of Gwalior.)
One of the most stunning pieces of architecture at the Royal Complex is undoubtedly the Jewel House, or Diwan-i-Khas.
Despite it being dubbed the ‘Jewel House,’ some scholars suggest that rather than a treasury, it was intended to host religious discourses or other special ceremonies.
From the outside it looks double-storied, but the structure consists of a single-vaulted chamber. And its main highlight is its central column supporting a massive and intricately carved capital featuring scroll brackets.
It’s possible that Akbar even sat atop it to overlook whatever was taking place below!
Also of note is the Diwan-Khana-i-Aam, or Hall of Public Audience. It was situated in front of a spacious courtyard which is now home to a garden. And it was here that Emperor Akbar listened to petitions from the public.
Exiting the Royal Complex via the east, you’ll pass by various other ancient structures that most visitors miss. While not as visually impressive as what we’ve covered above, this area is also home to the Archaeological Museum.
The museum doesn’t feature a whole lot in terms of artifacts, but it provides some excellent bilingual information on the history of Fatehpur Sikri and the significance of various structures.
So why did Akbar eventually leave Fatehpur Sikri? He did so in 1581 when his brother, Mirza Muhammad Hakim, invaded the Punjab region. Akbar then turned his attention westward.
Though Akbar eventually pardoned his brother and let him control Kabul, Hakim died several years later, leaving Akbar to inherit Kabul and its surrounding territory.
But as the region saw frequent invasions from Turkic tribes, Akbar moved the Mughal capital to Lahore, from which he could better focus on Central Asia.
If you plan to return to Agra by bus, you have a couple of options. One is to just walk all the way back to the bus stand located near the Buland Darwaza gate.
In my case, I decided to keep heading east, as the pathway would eventually merge with the main road. My plan did indeed work, and I was able to hail a bus heading back to Agra without having to backtrack. I did, however, end up waiting for around twenty minutes in the scorching sun!
Additional Info
The easiest and quickest way to reach Fatehpur Sikri from Agra would be to take a tour. For those without so much time, this tour can take you to the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri all on the same day.
Otherwise, Fatehpur Sikri is easy enough to reach by public bus. First, you’ll want to take a taxi or Uber to the Idgah Bus Stand in the western part of town. It’s located in the same general area as the Agra Cantonment Railway Station.
Once at the Idgah Bus Stand, ask around for the bus to Fatehpur Sikri. The bus I rode looked like a standard city bus, and I believe the bus number was 24, but it would still be best to confirm on the ground. The journey should cost about 60 rupees each way.
I’m still not sure if the buses leave according to schedule or if the driver waits for the bus to fill up. In my case, I had to wait around 30 minutes for the bus to depart, and it was already mostly full by that point.
The journey takes about an hour each way. So with the initial trip out to the Idgah Bus Stand, plus waiting time and then the journey itself, I didn’t even reach Fatehpur Sikri until just before noon. Therefore, if you’re taking public transport, set a whole day aside for this.
The bus will drop you off at a small bus stand near the Buland Darwaza gate to the Mosque Complex. As mentioned above, you can either return there when finished or continue heading east until you reach the main road, and just hail the next bus that passes.
Unsurprisingly, the desirability of a hotel’s location in Agra is based on its proximity to the Taj Mahal (but there are, of course, plenty of other sites to see around town).
Just be careful, because lots of places will exaggerate how close they really are. Before confirming your booking, carefully read through reviews and also do some measurements yourself using Google Maps.
I ended up staying at Friends Guest House, which offers budget-friendly, comfortable rooms. They also have a rooftop restaurant, though you will have to walk around for quite a bit to find real (non-instant) coffee.
Though it was a little bit further from the Taj Mahal than I expected, it was still walkable.
Other highly-rated places near the Taj Mahal include The Vacation Villa Agra, Sheela Homestay, and Hotel Shyam Palace.
Agra is one of the easiest places in India to reach by train, with well over a dozen direct trains departing from Delhi each day. The journey takes just a few hours.
Trains connecting Agra with Jaipur are also abundant, with the journey lasting around four hours.
You can also reach Agra directly from cities like Kota, Bhopal, Mumbai, and even Chennai, among many others.
Like many cities in India, Agra has multiple railway stations, but most people will want to arrive at either Agra Cantonment or Agra Fort stations.
If you’re doing a long trip through India, it’s best to create an account on the official Indian Railways (IRCTC) website. But that’s much easier said than done!
If you’re just doing a shorter trip, it’s best to book train tickets through 12GoAsia. You’ll pay a significantly higher fee, but it’s a much smoother experience.
The above link is an affiliate link, but I did use 12GoAsia a few times before I got my IRCTC account set up and I had no issues.