Panch Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 1 km from Fatehpur Sikri Railway Station, Panch Mahal is five-storey architectural monument located on the northeast direction of Jodha Bai's palace inside the Fatehpur Sikri Fort Complex of Uttar Pradesh.

Panch Mahal was built by Emperor Akbar primarily used as a recreational and pleasure palace by the queens and the other ladies of the court. This is also known as badgir or the wind tower. This pillared pavilion is made of red sand stone comprising of five pavilions, each of which is connected to the next floor by a flight of stairs. The ground floor of the building is made up of 84 pillars that supports the entire structure. As one climbs up the Panch Mahal, the size of the pavilions becomes smaller and the number of pillars supporting the upper floor decreases in number. The first floor has 56 pillars, 20 pillars on second floor, 12 on the third floor and 4 on the fourth level.

The top floor consists of a single dome with floral motifs on top. All the pillars have carved brackets which showcase Persian architecture along with Hindu and Jain elements. Initially, the pillars had a jaali between them, which acted as purdah for the royal ladies as they sat on the terrace enjoying the breeze and the view of Fatehpur Sikri.

The palace was built as a summer retreat and an entertainment center, there is also a pool made in front of the Panch Mahal which is known as the Anoop Talao, which was filled with water and acted as a venue for musical performances during Akbar's time. This square red sand stone tank had a beautiful platform enclosed by a jalied balustrade in its center. Attached to the central platform are four causeways, which connect the platform to the four sides of the tank. This was connected to the north of the city to ensure inflow of fresh water into it and to Sukh Tal outside the southern wall for avoiding overflowing of water. Abul Fazal said that this pool was once filled with copper, silver and gold coins.

Complex Entry Fee: Rs.20 for Indians and Rs.260 for Foreigners.

Timings: 7 AM to 6 PM. Closed on Friday.