Buland Darwaza

The Buland Darwaza is a great grand gateway positioned in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. This gate of magnificence is erected at a height of 40.84 m above the platform which is 13.52 m high, justifying its name and is just at a distance of 43 km from the city of Agra. This triumphal structure was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to commemorate Akbars conquest of Gujarat after defeating the king of Khandesh in 1573.

Making it as one of the most striking view from the monument of Fatehpur Sikri, the Buland Darwaza is a majestic gate seems to be reaching to the sky and is approached while stepping upwards quite a few steps. While entering the city of Fatehpur Sikri, one has to pass through under the colossal doorway of Buland Darwaza.

This massive structure is built in red sandstone with engraved white marble on it. Then there are calligraphic writings on its frontage, lofty pillars and bend chattries, which are taken from Quran. The writings on the magnificent Buland Darwaza are accredited to Lord Jesus. The inscription over the great Buland Darwaza reads as, “The World is but a bridge, pass over but build no houses on it”. This grand structure is truly an evidence of the religious tolerance of Akbar the Great.

The lofty doorway serves as the royal entrance to the Jama Masjid and is known to be the first building of the city. Its extraordinary magnificence has always been highlighted by huge scale and enormity of its construction, making it to be the biggest and the largest Gateway in the World.

Following a semi octagonal pattern, Buland Darwaza represents early Mughal tenets of towering arches, Quran inscriptions and simple dons; the structure represents the Indo-Islamic architecture.