Which Sikh Guru built the Akal Takht?

Guru Hargobind built the Akal Takht in Amritsar. The sixth Sikh Guru established it in 1606, creating a seat where the Sikh community could address temporal affairs, administer justice, and discuss matters affecting its collective life.

The Akal Takht stands opposite the Harmandir Sahib, commonly called the Golden Temple. Their placement expresses the relationship between spiritual and temporal responsibilities: the Harmandir Sahib represents spiritual authority, while the Akal Takht represents worldly or political authority. Guru Hargobind symbolized this balance through the concepts of piri and miri, represented by two swords.

The original Akal Takht was a raised platform rather than the multi-story structure seen today. Guru Hargobind used it as a court, sitting beneath royal insignia while hearing petitions. Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas are traditionally associated with helping construct the original platform.

A common mix-up is to credit Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, because of his major role in founding the Khalsa. However, the Akal Takht was established more than 90 years earlier, during Guru Hargobind’s leadership.