Panch Mahal

The Panch Mahal is a sandstone building located right in the centre of the ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri, in Uttar Pradesh. Visiting Fathpur Sikri is recommendable, just to see how poor town planning can ruin a town and take years to fix. The landmark of these ruins is the Panch Mahal, an open pavilion made of red sandstone. The building has five high points, and from these you can see the ghost town from a different perspective. The complex was built by Emperor Akbar the Great between 1571 and 1585. Once completed, however, the lack of water meant the Mughales abandoned what had been their capital for 14 years.