Buland Darwaza, Gate building in Fatehpur Sikri, Agra district, India
Buland Darwaza is a gate building made of red and buff sandstone in Fatehpur Sikri, Agra district, India. The structure rises 54 meters (177 feet) above ground level and displays elaborate marble inlays and Persian inscriptions across its facade.
Akbar began building the gate in 1573 to mark his conquest of Gujarat; it was not part of the Jama Masjid's original design. A Persian inscription on the eastern archway records the victory. The gate forms the southern entrance to Fatehpur Sikri.
The name translates to Gate of Victory and commemorates a military campaign in Gujarat. Visitors today see Persian verses and Arabic calligraphy set in marble above the passage, showing how Islamic and Indian design merged during this period.
The approach to the gate consists of 42 steps, and the climb adds to the height of the structure above the mosque courtyard. The gate forms the southern entrance to Fatehpur Sikri and opens onto the Jama Masjid courtyard. The site lies 43 km from Agra.
The Persian inscription on the eastern archway quotes Jesus: "The world is a Bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it." Quranic verses along the top were drawn by Khwaja Hussain Chishti, a disciple of Sheikh Salim Chishti.
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