!!!Fatehpur Sikri

by Stas Sedov and
Dmitry Moiseenko,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

19 May 2016

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

Having appeared in the 16th century, the Mughal Empire had been trying
to assert itself in the Southern Asia for more than 200 years. Huge
territories were the object of great fights: first they were occupied,
then in some period of time they were given to the enemies again. In
between 1571 and 1585 Fatehpur-Sikri served as the main city of the
Mughal Empire. Its name can be translated as the "City of Victory". That
was the name given by its founder — the third padishah, a descendant of
Genghis Khan, the great grandson of Tamerlane — Akbar the Great.

[{Image src='01_Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India.jpg' caption='Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='515'}]

He was given this title according to his deserts: during his reign the
might of the Empire was strengthened and the territory of the state was
widened. The creation of a new capital was initiated in 1569. The one of
the aims  of the new city was to represent the triumph and grandeur of
the Empire, so Akbar the Great hired the most famous masters, who
managed to create the genuine pieces of art.

Nowadays Fatehpur-Sikri is a part of Uttar-Pradesh, the state located in
the northern India. The city is one of the very few well preserved
examples of the Mughal architecture. It is characterised by the mixture
of different local, Persian and Indian styles, which resulted in
creation of the very refined buildings. Special attention was devoted to
the symmetry and equilibrium of the different sections of houses, as
well as the most sophisticated details of the decoration. The most
famous example of this style is Taj-Mahal and Red Fort in Delhi, but
Fatehpur-Sikri is not of the less interest.

[{Image src='02_Buland Darwaza (Gate of Magnificence).jpg' caption='Buland Darwaza (Gate of Magnificence)' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='592'}]

The residential district of the city is called Dualat-Khan — the
"Residence of Destiny". This is the place where pavilions for state and
private audiences, a playing field, a treasure house and different
palaces, including absolutely incredible Panch-Mahal (the "Wind
Catcher"), are situated. The wind blows through the storeys standing on
176 elegantly carved columns. The area of the every next storey is
decreasing; the upper level is crowned with a dome. A square pond called
Anoop-Talao with a small island inside and bridges can be found nearby.
Together with the "Wind Catcher" it was the place for recreation and
leisure for the Emperor and his family.

[{Image src='03_Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India.jpg' caption='Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='593'}]

Not far from the palace is another pavilion. It is considered to have
been one of the first female schools in India, where court women could
study grammar and maths.

All the wives of Akbar the Great were supposed to have their personal
mansions, each of them is a masterpiece. Buildings were decorated with
the exquisite ornament, refined columns, frescos, balconies and domes;
the palace of the Emperor's mother was decorated with gold.

[{Image src='04_Surroundings of the Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India.jpg' caption='Surroundings of the Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='585'}]

Another part of the city served for religious purposes, it was the area
of mosques and mausoleums.  A private entrance was created special for
Akbar the Great, it got the name Badshahi-Darwaza — the "Gate of
Padishah". It is decorated with stylised pomegranates, the top of each
arch is crowned with buds of lotuses. The other entrance into the sacred
complex is available through the 54-meters high gate decorated with
plenty of domes; it is called the "Great Gate" Buland-Darwaza.

[{Image src='05_Buland Darwaza (Gate of Magnificence).jpg' caption='Buland Darwaza (Gate of Magnificence)' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='619'}]

All this is just a small part of what you can admire in Fatehpur-Sikri.
The whole citadel is full with outstanding monuments, which managed to
remain intact till nowadays because no one used them. The fact is that
the city had been inhabited only for 16 years: in 1585 it was abandoned
due to the paucity of water. The adversaries of Akbar the Great supposed
that the Gods punished the Emperor for being ambitious and obstinate. In
any case, the ‘dehydrated' city was abandoned by both aristocracy and
ordinary people.

The wind became the true master of the capital; the territory of the
deserted city overgrew with thistle and liana. It was a home for
panthers, jaguars, griffons and snakes; people tended to avoid this
place. But in the end of the 19th century restorers entered the city and
began working. But not much amount of work was needed: the city has
remained almost intact under the thick vegetation.

[{Image src='06_Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India.jpg' caption='Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, India' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='855'}]

In 1986 Fahtepur-Sikri was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Since then the city has been attracting many tourists. In case you don't
have an opportunity to travel there, then you can enjoy the virtual walk
around this place and admire the masterpieces of Mughal architecture,
which you can behold in its initial form.

\\ \\
[8 Panoramas of Fatehpur Sikri|Geography/Asia/India/Pictures/Panoramas_of_Fatehpur_Sikri]










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