세계에서 가장 경이로운 고대유적 25

세계에서 가장 경이로운 고대유적 25

1.Giza

One of the most mysterious ancient objects on Earth are the Giza pyramids in Cairo, which are truly mesmerizing. 

Created as huge tombs for the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt of the Fourth Dynasty, there are many assumptions about how they were built. 

With such precise and impeccable details, they are another remarkable achievement of ancient Egyptian engineering. 

In fact, many believe that they were built by angels or even aliens. 

Presumably, the pyramids were used as burial chambers and were littered with the treasures of the pharaohs to use them in the afterlife. 

However, this also attracted many grave robbers over the years.

 Another no less mysterious and fantastic object here is the Great Sphinx, the secret of which is still not known for certain.

2.Angkor

Derived from the Sanskrit word Nagara, Angkor means city. once the capital of the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 15th centuries,

 it was a thriving ancient metropolis. 

Today, Angkor is best known for its Hindu temple, Angkor Wat, which claims to be the largest religious shrine on Earth. 

Angkor Archaeological Park actually includes many more interesting sights besides Angkor Wat. More than 1000 temples are scattered 

throughout the forest, rice fields and agricultural land.

3.Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is one of the most famous cities of the ancient Inca Empire. 

This historic fortress is hidden in the mountains of Peru. It is actually so well hidden that it was never found by the Spanish invaders when 

they arrived in America in the 1500s. The city was found only in 1911 by a researcher named Bingham. 

A miracle of advanced engineering, according to scientists, 60% of the construction was carried out underground, mainly for strengthening 

and drainage. Today, these walled ruins can only be reached on foot or by train.

4.Petra

The pink city of Petra is an ancient deserted city that was carved from the rocks of pink sandstone by nomads thousands of years ago. 

Situated in Jordan, sandwiched between the Red and Dead Seas, it is hard to believe that the city was once filled with green gardens,

 luxurious houses and bustling markets. Instead, today the ruins of Petra will reveal abandoned caves, temples and tombs hidden within 

the walls of the city. The two-storey treasury carved into the rock is one of the most beautiful sights of the Old Town. 

To this day, up to 95% of the ancient city of Petra remains unsolved.

5.the great Wall of China

Stretching through 15 Chinese provinces, principalities and autonomous regions, the Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure 

in the world. It consists of a series of separate sections of walls and moats that were built during the six Chinese dynasties as protection 

against invaders. Now the wall is more than 2000 years old, and some parts of the wall have fallen into decay. 

A walk along the entire length of the Great Wall of China will take approximately 18 months.

6.Coliseum

One of the most iconic Roman ruins, the Colosseum was an ancient gladiatorial arena.

 An amphitheater with 50,000 seats was opened in 80 AD and was used for various events. 

These included animal battles and bloodthirsty gladiatorial contests, where participants fought to death. 

The architecture of the Coliseum is impressive even by today's standards. 

The outer walls consist of three levels of arched passages topped with ionic, doric and corinthian columns.

 At one time they were decorated with travertine and marble statues.

 At the top level, a huge canopy was once maintained, which sheltered the audience from the weather.

7.Statues of Moai, Easter Island.

With an estimated weight of more than 80 tons, the moai statues on Easter Island in Polynesia are a memorable historical monument. 

In fact, you are likely to recognize them from a photograph, even if you have never heard of them.

 These 800-odd statues, most of them facing the sea, were carved from volcanic stone by the Rapa Nui people somewhere between 400 

and 1500 AD. Colossi were probably created using primitive basalt stone picks, and it took about a year to make each of these huge 

monolithic statues. There are many theories about why they were built, including as a way to honor the important ancestors of the clan.

8.Teotihuacan

Located on the outskirts of modern Mexico City, Teotihuacan is one of the most famous archaeological sites of the Aztecs. 

But in fact, the Aztecs did not build it. Despite many theories, no one knows for sure who the builder of the city is. 

However, the Aztecs gave him a name and made it their own sanctuary when they stumbled upon an abandoned city. 

At the height of its power, it was the largest city in the Western Hemisphere, where there were many residential complexes and pyramids, 

some of them were as large as the pyramids of Giza. Today, its two iconic pyramids, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon,

 are the main attractions.

9.Borobudur

Built from an impressive two million blocks of volcanic stone, Borobudur in Indonesia is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. 

Dating back to the 9th century, it was abandoned and eventually turned into ruins until it was discovered again in the 1800s. 

Since then, it has been restored to its former beauty and is especially popular at sunrise. 

The Borobudur Monument consists of six square platforms topped with three round platforms. 

The path of enlightenment leads from the base of the pyramid up through three levels of Buddhist cosmology, the world of forms and 

the world of formlessness. It is decorated with more than 2,000 reliefs and 500 Buddha statues, each of which describes Buddhist teachings.

10.Karnak

The Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt, impresses with its sheer size. Occupying an area that is larger than most ancient cities, 

it is dotted with temples, shrines, obelisks and shrines. Its construction took more than 2000 years, and each Egyptian pharaoh left his 

own architectural mark. The Great Hypostyle Hall - a huge hall filled with tall pylons and massive columns of sandstone, is one of the most 

famous and photographed sights of Ancient Egypt.

11.Tikal

With the gray peaks of temples protruding through the lush canopy of the Guatemalan jungle, catching a glimpse of the ruins of Tikal is 

really something special. These remote ruins of Mayan civilization are dotted with pyramids, temples and palaces. 

One of the largest archaeological sites in Mesoamerica, Tikal was the largest and most powerful of the Mayan cities around 600 AD. e. 

The Temple of the Two-headed Snake located here was one of the highest pre-Columbian structures in the Western Hemisphere.

12.Bagan

The ancient city of Bagan is a charming temple town in Myanmar. once the capital of a powerful kingdom in the 11th and 13th centuries,

 it had more than 10,000 temples, monasteries, shrines, pagodas and stupas. In subsequent years, these sacred sites were destroyed by

 Mongol invasions, abandonment, and natural disasters. only 2,000 ruins remain and are scattered throughout the city.

13.Acropolis

From its elevation over Athens, the Acropolis, crowned by the Parthenon, can be seen from anywhere in the city.

 First built and inhabited by Pericles in the 5th century BC. e., the Acropolis eventually turned into a city of temples. 

These ancient structures were made of bronze and Pentelic marble, and some are even plated with gold. 

Since the Parthenon is exposed to the scorching sun, it is best to visit it early in the morning or late at night.

14.Chichen Itza

One of the most famous archaeological sites on Earth is Chichen Itza. It was once a thriving pre-Hispanic city on the Yucatan Peninsula.

 Built by the Maya Indians in 600 AD e., it was abandoned in 1221, when Mayan became the new capital. 

Key attractions include Kukulkan Temple, a giant stone pyramid with four stairs representing a compass and 365 steps for each day of the 

year. It is best visited during the spring or autumn equinox, when the sun creates a light show on the steps of the pyramid. 

Other interesting sites include the Temple of the Warriors, a ball court, a wall of skulls, and the Holy Cenote, which was once the site 

of human sacrifice.

15.Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Warriors, also known as the Terracotta Army, are an impressive collection of thousands of life-size soldiers and horses. 

They are located in Xi'an, China, near the tomb of Qin Shihuandi of the 3rd century BC. The terracotta army was discovered by chance 

in the 1970s when locals dug wells. Three of these pits are open to the public and housed in the Terracotta Army Museum. In addition to 

their volume, what is interesting in these clay soldiers is that each face is unique. They were carved by hand with individual features and 

a total of about 40 years took to work.

16.Ellora's Caves

The caves of Ellora consist of a series of caves, monasteries, chapels and temples carved on the slope of a basalt cliff. 

Of the 100 caves, only 34 are open to the public. Located in Maharashtra, India, Ellora dates back to 600 AD. e. and here Buddhist, Hindu 

and Jain monks found shelter for five centuries. The highlight of Ellora's caves is the Temple of Kailash. Dedicated to the god Shiva,

 this is the largest monolithic sculpture in the world. Other noteworthy attractions include the large Buddha sermon, two huge statues of 

Indra in the Chota Kailash cave.

17.Hilt

Despite being one of the most impressive Greek and Roman ruins on Earth, the ancient city of Ephesus is located in western Turkey. 

Built more than 2000 years ago, the famous Temple of Artemis was once located here - one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

Unlike many other protected archaeological sites, you can touch, stand and walk around each part of the city. 

Main attractions include a number of ancient public toilets, the Celsus library, Varius bathhouse, Hadrian's temple and Pritanus. 

It also houses the 25,000-seat Great Theater of Ephesus, the largest open theater in the ancient world.

18.Tulum

An hour from Cancun in Mexico are the ruins of Tulum, the remains of an ancient fortress on top of a cliff built by the Mayans. 

Surrounded on three sides by a wall, the fourth city overlooks the Caribbean. Despite the fact that the city appeared here by 564 AD, Tulum 

was in its prime from the 13th to the 14th century. With a population of just 1,600 inhabitants, it was a powerful trading center selling 

turquoise, jade, fabrics and cocoa beans. In addition to the pyramid of El Castillo, the main attraction, you can look at the beautiful fresco

 inside the temple of frescoes and swim on the secret beach of Tulum, surrounded by palm trees and sunbathing iguanas.

19.Pompeii

The terrible ruins of Pompeii can be seen near the Italian city of Naples. When the famous eruption of Vesuvius occurred in 79 AD, 

it destroyed the Roman city with lava waves and claimed the lives of more than 2,000 inhabitants. The ancient city, first discovered by 

chance under a volcanic rock in the 1950s, is surprisingly well preserved. However, only two decades later, it was properly excavated. 

To this day, 22 of the original 66 hectares have not been excavated. Tourists here can walk the streets of these ancient Roman ruins and 

imagine the city as it was at its peak. Here the remains of stone houses, temples, bakeries and even a brothel have been preserved.

20.Hampi

The second largest medieval city after Beijing, Hampi was one of the richest in India. The once thriving epicenter of the Karnat empire with 

temples and imperial palaces, from which now only ruins remain. Founded in the 14th century by two princes, the former capital began as 

a simple coastal religious center. Among the remaining ruins you can see the temple, which served as a personal place of worship for the 

royal family, the Victory House, the Vittal temple with its stone chariot and musical columns, as well as the main temple with its carvings 

depicting a strange kind of sea creatures.

21.Masada

The ancient Masada fortress is perhaps one of the most impressive ruins on the planet. Located on a cliff overlooking the Judean desert 

and the Dead Sea in Israel, this fortress is amazingly beautiful. It was built as the palace of King Herod. There were modern amenities 

at that time, such as a bathhouse and even private pools. More significantly, the enormous fortification was the last bastion of the Jewish 

rebellion, which preferred death to life in Roman slavery. Today, battlements are the best-preserved examples of Roman siege structures

 in history.

22.Sigiriya

Sigiriya is an ancient fortress carved in a 200-meter vertical rock near the city of Dambulla in Sri Lanka. At the top of what is now known 

as the Lion Rock, there are amazing remains of an ancient civilization, which is considered the capital of the kingdom of Kassap. 

At its peak, it included a citadel, an upper palace, a mirror wall with stunning colorful murals, and a lion-shaped gate. However, all the same,

 the capital was abandoned, and was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.

23.Mesa Verde

In the depths of the American southwest, you will find the Mesa Verde National Park with its breathtaking collection of 600 ancient dwellings

 on top of a cliff. The most famous of these dwellings is the Palace on the Rock, built in a huge alcove of sandstone, which protects it from

 the elements for over seven centuries. The palace had more than 150 rooms and 23 sacred Kivas. Having existed for almost a century, 

these unusual villages on the cliffs were suddenly abandoned in the 13th century. No one really knows why. Today in Mesa Verde, you can 

find about 4800 archaeological sites dating back to 550 BC. e.

24.Stonehenge

Scattered on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, Stonehenge is one of the most famous ancient ruins in the world. 

Dating back over 5,000 years, these curious stone rings are one of the oldest stone structures on the planet. Created from sandstone, they

 are shrouded in mystery. Who built them and for some reason is still largely unknown. Two popular theories claim that Stonehenge was 

used as an object for religious rituals or otherwise to observe the movement of the Sun and Moon.

25.Ayutaya

Founded around 1350, Ayutthaya is a historic city that began as a Khmer military and commercial port. It was not long before this thriving 

trading port became the ancient capital of Thailand. He held this title for four centuries until it was burnt by the Burmese invaders. 

Since many of the temples and relics of the city were built of wood, the vast majority of them were destroyed. only about 50 stone relics 

and temples survived the fire and can still be seen today. In the 1970s, repairs began, and the study of a combination of Siamese, 

Sri Lankan and Khmer architecture in Ayutthaya.