Fatehpur Sikri was once upon a time the capital of the Mughal Empire. Today, it stands as a deserted town. The city was abandoned after 15 years of its construction due to lack of proper water supply.

Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar, the great as a tribute to Sheikh Salim Chisti, famous Sufi saint. Akbar was one of the greatest emperors to rule India. The city was built by combining the two villages of Fatehpur and Sikri. Sheikh Salim Chisti predicted the birth of Akbar's son.

Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun and ascended the throne in 1556. Subsequently, he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. Abkar's two sons died in infancy. Akbar then consulted Salim Chisti who predicted that a son would be born to him. The prediction came true and a son was born to him in 1569 in Sikri. To honour the Sufi saint, Akbar named his son Salim. Salim would later rule the Mughal Empire as Jehangir. Akbar then built a palace at Sikri and established it as his new capital. Salim Chisti's tomb is situated at Fatehpur Sikri.

Fatehpur Sikri and Agra were the main centres during Akbar's reign. The court, harem and treasury were located at Fatehpur Sikri while the bulk of the arsenal, treasure hoards and reserves were located at the Red Fort in Agra. During an emergency, everything could be shifted to Agra which was only 26 miles away from Fatehpur Sikri.

Akbar's famed courtiers or the nine jewels lived at Fatehpur Sikri. Tansen, the legendary musician also performed at Fatehpur Sikri.

Many people believe that there is a secret tunnel connecting Fatehpur Sikri with Delhi. However, it is not known if this is true. A tunnel at Fatehpur Sikri was closed in 1952 due to non-maintenance.

During Akbar's reign, Fatehpur Sikri witnessed several changes. Changes to land revenue system, coinage and provincial administration all came during these years.

The city of Fatehpur was abandoned in 1585. The new capital was shifted to Lahore. The exact reasons why the city was abandoned are unknown. One of the reasons was lack of proper water supply. Another reason might be that Akbar wanted to be closed to Persian and Afghan invaders who were active in the North-Western parts of India at that time.

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