Diwan-i-Khas

Although commonly known as the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), it is thought to be too small to have fulfilled that purpose, and an alternative suggestion is that it was Akbar the Great's jewel house as the main treasury building is nearby.

It is a square symetrical building, built from the local red sandstone, with a chhatris in each of the corners of the roof. An entrance is in the middle of each side, and there are socket holes indicating that once each entrance had stone doors. On the north and south side there are symmetrical jali screens on either side of the door, the west and east sides just have one jali screen.

The small domed structure to the left and rear of the main building is popularly known as the Astrologers seat, though there is no evidence that this was its use, and it is more likely that its purpose was to distribute small coins from here.

Richly carved toranas (serpent like struts) emerge from the pillars to join in the centre of each lintel.

Back inside the Diwan-i-Khas there is a central column of red sandstone made by joining 36 brackets in a circle arising from the pillar in three tiers. The column is joined by a bridges to the internal gallery that runs around the inside. Both the bridges and gallery have jali balustrades, and a similar balustrade runs around the outside of the building.

The base of the central column is square with a carved floral design.