Fatehpur-Sikrî

Fatehpur-Sikrî is a city in the state of the Uttar Pradesh in India, located at forty kilometers of Âgrâ. It was the imperial capital of the Empire moghol of 1571 with 1584. Built by the emperor Akbar, perfectly preserved since its abandonment, it is a remarkable testimony of the Indian architecture of the 16th century.

The origin of the city

Akbar goes up on the throne at the 14 years age, after the premature disappearance of his/her father, Humâyûn, in 1556. At once that its capacity is ensured, it is devoted to the foundation of its capital with Âgrâ and to the installation of sound Fort Red. However, like often for the leaders of India, Akbar wishes to build for capital a new city and it chooses a site close to Âgrâ. The emperor, without heir, was accustomed to going in the village of Sikrî where a hermit soufi Salîm Chishtî lived (1480 - 1572) of which he sought the blessings. The visits of Akbar bore their fruit because it had soon three wire. To return grace, it decided to make its new capital on the site.

Principal buildings of the site

The city is built on a rock plate and occupies a 3,5 km length rectangular space on 1,5 km broad. It is partly surrounded by a crenelated enclosing wall of 6 km bored of nine doors. It overhung a low city intended for the people of which there do not remain traces.

Fatehpur-Sikrî make watch of a single mixture of various architectural traditions. Although the general provision and the design of the buildings conform to the Islamic model, the buildings themselves, in majority of the palates, and their ornamentation, flowered columns, vaults, carved decorations know an influence strongly Hindu, in a general way, more particularly the styles Goujerat I and the Rajasthan I.

There is a certain number of buildings in the complex of Fatehpur-Sikrî. Each one of these small palaces has a goal specific and faced generally to a court.

the Dîvân-i Âm , or Hall of the public sittings, is a closed space surrounded by colonnades and comprising a vast space discovered where the plaintiffs and the courtiers were held. On the west coast of this building the house is where the emperor settled, surrounded by its close relations.

the Dîvân-i Khâs , or Hall of the private audiences, used for the businesses of state, confidential, diplomatic and religious, is just behind. Dîvân-i Khâs is famous for its central pillar decorated in the style goudjeratî, complex and flowered.

the most astonishing building of Fatehpur-Sikrî is certainly the Panch Mahal , the palate on five floors, opened with all winds. The first two levels are of equivalent size whereas the following is decreasing in the face. At the top, one finds a simple house. Each level is supported by pillars. In the beginning, one found jali, these confined stones finely carved, between the pillars. The house was intended to the women of the imperial house and the harem. Since this one, there is a panoramic sight on the imperial city, with his buildings, his palates and the courses which connect them.

the house of the Sultana Turkish is famous for its finely carved panels of scenes of the wildlife, birds and foliage.

Close to Diwan-I-Aam, one can see a basin called Anup Talao where four footbridges join a central platform. It is there that the largest musician of the Indian tradition, Tansen, settled to give his concerts. The private apartments of Akbar were in the vicinity.

the palate of Jodh Bâî , which was a wife Rajput of Akbar, to which one reaches by an imposing gate, is that whose architecture is most obviously goudjeratî and rajasthanî.

the palate of Mariyam or Sunehra Makan , the Gilded house, occupied by the mother of the emperor,
the palate of Birbal , according to the name of a minister of Akbar, but who there did not place probably, the building being in the harem.

the Jama Masjid , or Large Mosque, is the crowned center of Sikri. It is at the south-western end of the site. Encloses of a high open wall of passages on three sides, it locks up a large interior court of 111 out of 139 m, which made some largest of the period moghole. It shelters fall it from Salim Chisti whose blessings are always sought by the women without child. Originally built red sandstone, as the remainder of the city, it was covered later with white marble.

the Sublime Door, or Buland Darwaza , high, 40 m commemorates the victory of Akbar over Goujerat in 1575. One reaches it by a broad staircase which adds to the majesty of the building.

Fatehpur-Sikrî was abandoned in 1585 with the profit of Lâhore, more close to agitation of the Afghan tribes, on the Western steps of the empire and was re-occupied, except during three months by Jahângîr, in 1619, when the Peste made rage with Âgrâ, remaining the most preserved never again phantom cities of India.

External bond

Official site of Fatehpur-Sikrî to UNESCO
Presentation of Fatehpur-Sikrî by the Foundation Shepherd
Akbar and Fatehpur-Sikrî by Red-headed Jean-Paul, on the site of Clio

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