One of my favorite places that I visited in India is Fatehpur Sikri which was more than an hour's drive to the west of the Taj Mahal. It was a place full of history. Its wall has so many stories to tell.
Taj Mahal, in my opinion, is the most popular destination for travelers and locals alike in India. However, if we dig deeper into the historical sense of the place, it has deep connections and influences from its architectural predecessors during the era. All the inlays and intricacies stemmed from the architectural wonders built by Akbar, the grandfather of Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal.
**See my previous post on Taj Mahal: Link
Akbar celebrated culture, arts and education for all and one of his famous structures, Fatehpur Sikri, became the center of art and literature.
Fatehpur Sikri is made out of entirely from red sandstone, the most iconic element of Mughal architecture, topped with ornate carvings and details all over.
The white structure in the photo is the tomb of Sikh Salim Chrishti. It is one of the very first structure to use white marble stone, before Taj Mahal. It also shows the same intricate marble Jali (screen) and arabesque details, as seen in the Taj Mahal in the later years.
Last but not the least, the Buland Darwaza which means magnificent gate in Urdu. It boasts of its great height and the marble inlays against the red sandstone and stands tall with inscriptions around the architrave which was done in granite.
This was one of the roots of Mughal design which greatly influenced the infamous Taj Mahal.
Have you seen our previous travelogs? ?
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