Who built the Ibadatkhana at Fatehpur Sikri?

The Ibadat Khana, or 'House of Worship', was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1575 CE at his capital city, Fatehpur Sikri [c3][t1]. Initially, the hall was established for Muslim clerics to gather and discuss spiritual issues [c3]. However, Akbar's growing interest in the doctrines of various religions led him to open the debates to theologians and professors of different faiths, including Hindus, Christians, Jains, and Zoroastrians, by 1578 [t2][t4]. These discussions were held every Thursday evening and were intended to foster interfaith dialogue and help the Emperor in his search for spiritual truth [t2][t5]. Due to the bitterness and conflicts that arose among the different religious representatives, Akbar eventually discontinued the debates in 1582 [c3]. The construction of the Ibadat Khana remains a significant symbol of Akbar's policy of 'Sulh-i-Kul' or universal peace [c3].

Sources

1. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Akbar's Religious Policy > p. 207
2. [2] https://www.worldhistory.org/Ibadat_Khana/