Visit Rajasthan and The North
Fatehpur Sikri is a quiet town to the 26 miles west of Agra, used for scarcely 20 years as the court of the Emperor Akbar and then, in the 16th Century, abandoned to the elements. Highlights include the Royal Palace and Audience Hall, both of which give an insight into the courtly life of Mughal royalty. In the courtyard of the mosque is a white marble tomb of Sheik Salim Chishti, who prophesised the birth of Akbar’s son: it was when this child appeared the ruler ordered the city to be built in celebration. Even if something of an over-reaction, the temples and palaces of Fatehpur Sikri remain as an atmospheric memorial to India’s long and romantic history, and can be visited as a day trip from Agra or breaking the route to Jaipur, Bharatpur or Ranthambore.