Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri is the fortified city Mughal emperor Akbar built as his capital starting in 1571, on the site where the holy man Shaikh Salim Chishti reportedly predicted the birth of Akbar’s son and heir. “Fatehpur” — city of victory — was added after Akbar’s conquest of Gujarat in 1573. Akbar moved the capital to Lahore around 1585, and Fatehpur Sikri was largely abandoned soon after — which is why it survives today as a remarkably intact, un-rebuilt Mughal city rather than a monument that’s been through centuries of reuse. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Ticket price

Foreign tourists pay ₹610 on regular days, ₹600 on Fridays. Indian and SAARC/BIMSTEC nationals both pay ₹50 (₹40 on Fridays). Children under 15 enter free.

If you visit after the Taj Mahal on the same day, ASI’s table lists a lower rate: ₹600 for foreign tourists and ₹40 for SAARC/BIMSTEC nationals.

Hours

Fatehpur Sikri is open sunrise to sunset, every day of the week — no Friday closure. Sunrise in Agra ranges from about 5:20 AM in June to about 7:10 AM in January; see the month-by-month sunrise table.

How much time to set aside

A proper visit takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours; add more if you want to see the Jama Masjid and the Tomb of Salim Chishti within the complex without rushing.

Getting there

Fatehpur Sikri is about 37 km from Agra, roughly 45 minutes to an hour by road — too far to combine casually with a same-day Taj Mahal trip from Delhi, but a natural add-on for a multi-day Agra itinerary. See our Agra travel hub for the rest of what’s nearby, including the Taj Mahal itself.

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Prices sourced from ASI’s official ticketing page, checked 30 September 2026; hours from tajmahal.gov.in’s Fatehpur Sikri page.