The Islamic World to 1600
Located 40 km west of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is a virtual ghost town today, although the buildings Akbar constructed there have been perfectly preserved. The legend surrounding the construction of the city says that Akbar, having become despondent over his lack of a male heir, sought the blessing of a powerful Muslim leader, Sheikh Salim Chishti. One of Akbar's wives became pregnant soon after that, and bore a healthy son. Akbar named the child Salim, after the Sheikh, and he later grew up to succeed Akbar as the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Akbar was so grateful for the birth of his son that he built a new capital for his empire at Fatehpur Sikri to celebrate. The city served as the Mughal capital between 1570 and 1586, after which time Akbar abandoned it and returned to Agra. The reasons for his abrupt shift are unclear, but Fatehpur Sikri remained uninhabited ever since.
The city is full of architectural treasures, including the Sheikh Salim Chishti's tomb and a royal mosque. It is a big tourist draw today, particularly for those visiting Agra, because it is so close. In 1986, Fatehpur Sikri became a United Nations World Heritage Site.
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