40 km from Agra, the city of Fatehpur Sikri served as the capital of
the Mughal Empire between 1570 and 1586. But as abruptly as it had
been built, it was abandoned due to the scarcity of water. A popular
legend is attached to the city's conception. According to it, Emperor
Akbar was without a male heir, and was granted one by the blessings of
the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chisti. In honor of the saint, Akbar
named the prince Salim, and decided to found a new city to celebrate
his birth. And thus, the magnificent Fatehpur Sikri, the new capital,
came into being. The city was intended to embody the noble ideals, and
the humanitarian bent of this dynamic emperor. The finest monuments
within this area are the Diwan - i - Am, Diwan - i - Khas, Panch
Mahal, Jama Masjid, Panch Mahal, Buland Darwaza and the tomb of Saint
Sheikh Salim Chisti.
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