Like many fellow travellers, I like to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites. There’s just something about a place that has been deemed so important it requires special protection for the future, for my children to experience, for their children again, and for generations long after I’m gone.
I got into a discussion a few days ago, on whether these sites should be considered mainstream attractions and thus not as interesting for those who prefer going way off the beaten path.
I think not! The Tower of London, the Banks of the Seine, or the Historic Centre of Florence may not be off the beaten track, but what about the ancient kingdom of Dilmun? The dead monks in Kyiv? The Stone Age rock carvings far above the Arctic Circle? The Hanseatic city of Visby or the Forest Cemetery in Stockholm?
In fact, glancing at the list of the ever increasing number of UNESCO properties (962 in 2012), I’d say the majority are rarely to be found on any grand tour. Mainstream or not, though, I’ll happily continue to explore the protected sites, both the obvious, easily accessible ones – and the more curious ones. There’s plenty to choose from. Here’s one:
Fatehpur Sikri
Many years ago, in New Delhi, a friend and I decided to splurge on a car and driver to take us to Agra to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. A gorgeous experience! On the way back to Delhi, the driver suggested we stop in Fatehpur Sikri. Why not, we said. It was a gruelling hot day, the car’s fan wasn’t working properly; we welcomed a chance to get out for a bit. Neither of us had any idea where – or even what – Fatehpur Sikri was.
Turns out, it’s a ghost town. And not just any ghost town: for a brief time, Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire.
The English spelling of the name may be more familiar. Even today, a mogul signifies a person of power, like a media mogul. Well, this is where it comes from. The Mughal emperors were direct descendants of the fearsome Gengis Khan and of Tamerlane – powerful indeed.
Emperor Akbar, builder of Fatehpur Sikri, intended it to be the most beautiful city ever built. And for a while it was. But style must have won over substance. Beautiful yes, but no easy access to water. A few years after it was completed, the town was abandoned and the capital moved to Lahore in present day Pakistan.
One of the world’s most famous buildings, the very essence of romance, Taj Mahal, was built by the Mughals. And here – only 40 kilometers away – is Fatehpur Sikri, obscure, lost, a perfectly preserved ghost town.
It’s rare to be alone most anywhere in India. That day, we had the complex practically to ourselves – just a few Indian tourists and the usual gang of young local boys running around us offering to be our guides.
I love wandering about abandoned cities, trying to picture those that were once here: sounds of chatter, children laughing, a dog barking in the distance. It’s meditative, in a peculiar way. Fatehpur Sikri was no different. For a few minutes that day, I forgot all about the Indian midday heat, the merciless sun bearing down on my freckly shoulders. For a few minutes that day, I was deliciously lost in the 16th century,
Sadly, the photos don’t do this town justice – scanned prints, very few of them, and taken in the noon day sun with a mediocre camera. I’ve learned a thing or two about photography since. However, I wanted to turn your attention to this unsung UNESCO site for a minute, so middling photos will have to do. (I’ve used Flickr’s simple editing tool Aviary to add a vintage touch. Just because I liked it.)
When you visit Taj Mahal, I hope you’ll make a little detour to have a look at Fatehpur Sikri.
Have you visited a ghost town? Where was it – and how did it feel?
Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Here are more UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world.
I loved Fatehpur Sikri and especially the story of the rogue elephant. Raading about it afterwards in Salman Rushdie’s ‘The Enchantress of Florence’ has not lessen the fascination.
Oh, interesting. Getting that book now.
Wonderful post on this unsung UNESCO site… The faded photos give it an even more mystical air…
Thank you 🙂
Fatehpur Sikhri is far from a ghost town…it is medieval fort still visited and thriving. Many people make a living offering tours of the fort. It is my most favorite monument in the world. There is something in it that talks to you. Enjoyed your post! will follow you!
Thanks for stopping by, Ishwinder 🙂
I love visiting UNESCO sites – and went out of my way to see Dinosaur Provincial Park last week in Alberta just because it’s got the UNESCO designation. I was definitely worth the visit.
I love your vintage look. You and I both seem to have lots of old traditional photos…and if I could get mine to look as good digitally as they do in the album I’d be happy.
Dinosaur Prrovincial Park – yet another UNESCO site not on most’s people’s radar, I’ll wager. Putting it on the Alberta list for sure.
I visited a ghost town in Texas called Thurber. It was rather disappointing, really. Only a couple of buildings left.
Sorry to hear that, Ana. It isn’t the same if one can’t get a sense of the past, I think.
We have ghost towns aplenty in Arizona, but nothing as fully preserved as this. Definitely love the scanned and browned photos!
Thanks, Vera. Arizona ghost towns would be interesting, I think – that cowboy past…
I loved my visit to Fatehpur Sikri . As I wandered around the complex absorbing the history of the day, I too was transported back to a time when there was life here. It is a fabulous place to visit.
So glad you enjoyed it, too, Jenny 🙂
I agree, all you need is a little imagination to really appreciate a place that can be forgotten after most of the people have left. Recently I went to Little Petra, it was completely deserted in comparison to it’s big brother – Petra – my friends and I had the place completely to ourselves which made the experience even more treasured. Abandoned caves, empty water cisterns and well preserved tombs showed so richly how the Nabateans lived.
I’m dying to go to India, and this place is a another reason why…
Thanks for stopping by, Shing. Both Petra and Little Petra – and all of Wadi Musa – are on my list 🙂
Lovely article, really enjoyed your post. Most monuments in Agra get overshadowed by the popularity of Taj Mahal. But I do agree, when making a trip to the city, the detour to Fatehpur is a must.
You might be interested in checking out the monumental agra app – it has lovely interactive maps, audio walkthrough and photographs of Fatehpur too.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monumental-agra-tour-guide/id521037028?mt=8
Thanks, Ankita. Had a look at the app, looks like a really great resource for visiting Agra.
I’ve been there too, and there were very few tourists, I almost visited undisturbed with my guide! I liked it, very peaceful, and loved its warm red hues.
It really is a very peaceful place, isn’t it – a nice little oasis of quiet.
As a huge fan of indian architecture, I’m amazed and I also feel a little shame because I haven’t heard about this building before. Thanks for sharing this beauty, I think I1m going to do some research about this one on my own as well, I just got totally interested. Like I’ve discovered something new.
Happy to contribute 🙂
I completely agree about the Unesco sites. I didn’t get to Fatehpur Sikri when I went to the Taj but we’re going to Delhi in January for a wedding so maybe I’ll make it this time. Sounds fascinating. I visited a ghost town last month actually – in Outback Australia (more on that anon).
Looking forward to reading about it. Haven’t visited any Australian ghosts towns yet.
I couldn’t imagine that there would ever be such a thing as a ghost town in India – really interesting
I know what you mean. Seems there are people everywhere. Oddly, not here. Not then anyway.
Whilst I’m not a fan of getting off the beaten track just for the sake of it, this looks like an incredible find – amazing that it’s not swarming with tourists 😀
Not sure how it is today.
I love UNESCO sites… I try to visit them whenever I can… thanks for the great photos!
Thanks, Jade.
We visited a ghost town in turkey and it was creepy but beautiful. I love trying to picture how people would have lived. Great article
Creepy but beautiful is an interesting summary, I think.
This heritage site is a bonus for travelers visiting the Taj Mahal. However, it is also a breathtaking tourist site by itself. Indeed a good write_up!
Thank you! Fatehpur Sikri was very interesting to see – a bonus indeed.
I adore abandoned cities too , had visited some of them and written
Thanks for stopping by, Victor.
I’m always intrigued by the things I learn from all my traveling friends. I like the way you made the photos match your article. India is a country I am still a bit weary to land on. But perhaps, I’m getting closer to the possibility with every post like this one. I myself have never been to a ghost town.
Thanks, Sherry. India is demanding, but absolutely worth the effort.
I’ve never heard of this place before. I am going to India next year so I will be adding this to my list of things to see!
It’s not nearly as famous as its sister UNESCO site nearby – but very much worth a visit.
I was unaware about the great background past of Fatehpur Sikri. It’s so authentic and it makes me feel so strange when I got to know that the whole city was abandoned!
I’m weirdly drawn to ghost towns and abandoned places.
I have never been to Fatehpur Sikri. After going through this post, I think I need to pay a visit to this places. Looks good in the photographs.
Well, looks like you’re from India. Hope you’ll get there 🙂
Nice to see that you have visited Fatehpur Sikri & some other tourist places in India. I would like to share with you a brief about this ghost town. Of the many age-old stories of Fatehpur Sikri monument built by Akbar, one is the story of the escape of Anarkali who Akbar’s son Jahangir (aka. Salim) was madly in love with. Akbar did not let his son marry Anarkali, a courtesan. Hope, you like to explore this story!
Thanks for the added info, Sourav. Always interesting to hear local legends.
I don’t know why it is called ghost town.
please can you answer me the question?
Because it was abandoned.
If you like heritage of Fateh Pur Sikri, then you will love these Mughal sites in Lahore with a story.
https://www.how2havefun.com/travel/heritage-outside-lahore-fort/
Btw, sophiesworld is a nice name for a wondering dervish
I visited Fatehpur Sikri in 1980 with my mother flooring a magical visit to Agra to see the Taj Mahal in changing light at different times of day. My mother had been taken to FS by my father – then in the Rajputana Rifles – when he was courting her.
Both my mother & me as well as two great grandparents were all born in India.
FS is an indelible memory for me towards the end of my life. Thank you.
That sounds like a lovely experience to remember 🙂
Thank you : it was very moving to be walking in her footsteps as she returned & reminisced after his death.
However, it should say ‘following” a magical visit