Buildings of the ancient world. Megalithic Temples of Malta. Tel Edfu urban complex

It is generally accepted that the Ancient World is a collection of civilizations that existed on earth from prehistoric times to the beginning of the Middle Ages. The framework is very conditional - for them they have their own, for America - their own (the beginning of the colonization of the continent by Europeans).

Amazing Legacy

In this time period, there were several civilizations with their own culture. Famous structures and buildings of antiquity have survived to this day. There are not so few of them, but the most striking heritage sites of the past include such as the "City in the Sky" or Machu Picchu in Peru, the temple of Jupiter Baalbek in Lebanon, the famous Egyptian pyramids of Giza, a suburb of Cairo. The list of antiquities includes the aqueducts of the Roman Empire, the glazed windows of Alexandria that arose in the first century AD, the remains of Greek temples, the Jervan aqueduct in Iraq, the concrete domes of Roman temples.

Civilizations close to us

Every continent has ancient objects. But for the inhabitants of Europe (in the geographical sense of the word), the ancient world is associated primarily with Greece and Rome, with the Egyptian Cleopatra, since both Julius Caesar and Antony loved her.

In addition, they and other ancient Roman emperors dreamed of subjugating Egypt. Russian literature and art until the beginning of the 20th century are associated with the myths of Greece and Rome. And the Mediterranean civilizations are considered the cradle of mankind. Therefore, to consider in more detail the famous buildings and buildings of antiquity, you need to start with Greece and Rome.

Acropolis - the pearl of world architecture

In Greece, there are a lot of monuments from prehistoric times, and the whole country is dotted with the ruins of ancient Greek palaces and places of worship. It is rather difficult to count them, but there are objects that are considered symbols ancient world. The most important of them is the Acropolis, located in the continental part of the country in the city of Athens. This is a kind of fortress standing on a hill, the height of which reaches 156 meters in height, it is 300 meters wide, 170 meters long. It is a well-fortified upper city, rising above the unprotected lower one. The Acropolis was the place where the temples of the gods, patrons this city, in which residents could hide during the war. Majestic athenian acropolis is His history is well studied.

Parthenon - dominant of the Acropolis

It should be noted that sculptures and statues from this Acropolis are in many museums around the world. There are 21 objects in it, the most significant of them is the Parthenon - business card not only in Greece, but throughout the ancient world.

Included in the list of "The Greatest Temples in the World", it was built on the foundation of more than ancient temple in the 5th century BC by the architects Kallikrat and Iktin. He rules over the whole area. This ideal, harmonious structure is richly unique features. But dozens of books have been written about every smallest detail of it. The only thing that can be noted is that it is surrounded by columns around the perimeter (this form is called a peripter). This is what makes the temple irresistibly beautiful.

Athens - a treasure trove of ancient architecture

Other structures of Ancient Greece on the territory sacred center The Acropolis is represented by such temples as the Erechtheion, dedicated to the legendary Athenian king Erechtheus, the Areopagus (authority), the temple of Athena Nike. On the territory of the entire capital there are ruins of many other temples, since all of Greece is a museum ancient culture under open sky. These are the temples of Olympian Zeus, Nike Aptera, Apollo in Delphi, Poseidon at Cape Sounion, Hera on the Peloponnese, Demeter in Eleusis. These are the most famous structures and buildings of antiquity created in Greece.

Priority of places of worship

In a later period, one of the first meteorological structures was built in Athens - the Tower of the Winds, 12 meters high, with a base diameter of 8 m. The parameters of these ancient museums are perfect, they underlie all architecture and are studied by all architects of the world.

Of all the above objects of antiquity, only the Areopagus is an administrative building, all the rest are places of worship. The largest sanctuary is Olympia, which is located on the Peloponnese peninsula. It was dominated by the cult of Zeus.

The main visiting card of Rome

Great Roman Empire - oldest civilization Mediterranean originating from Ancient Greece. According to legend, the direct descendants of Aeneas, the hero of the Trojan War, the brothers Remus and Romulus, fed by a she-wolf, founded Rome and greatest empire who gave the world a great culture.

The structures of ancient Rome in this article are presented by the 10 greatest architectural examples that many inhabitants of the Earth are familiar with, even far from scholarship. Who does not know the Colosseum - main character Rome? A half-destroyed outer three-tiered wall surrounds an oval arena. In ancient times, the total number of arches on the wall is 240, 80 of them are in the lower tier. In the arches of the first and second floors there were sculptures - the work of the best masters of Rome.

The brightest and most characteristic

The Appian Way is also familiar to many, because the sad death of the companions of Spartacus, chained alive to the pillars located along it, is known from the school bench. And the final shots of the cult American film touched film lovers in many countries of the world.

Famous buildings and buildings of antiquity, located in ancient capital, adequately represents the Roman Forum, which already during the reign of Tarquikios the Proud became the center of the political, cultural and religious life of the Roman Empire. Here are the temples of Vesta, Vespasian and Saturn. Tragic or happy pages are associated with each of them. ancient history. The well-preserved Trajan Column belongs to the beginning of the 2nd century AD. 185 steps located inside, go to observation deck located at the 38th height. The sculptor Apollodorus of Damascus erected it in 114. It symbolizes the victory over the Dacians.

Next on the list

The Roman Pantheon is unique - the temple of all the gods. Built in 126 AD, it dominates the Piazza della Rotonda.

You can find out what the famous buildings and buildings of antiquity looked like by looking at the marble Arc de Triomphe Titus. Erected it oldest structure in 81 in honor of the capture of Jerusalem. An arch rises over Via Sacra. Single-span, it has a height of 15.4 meters, width reaches 13.5 m, the depth of the span is about 5 meters, its width is 5.33 meters. Any chariot, including a quadriga, could enter such a gate. Bas-reliefs depicting Titus with trophies have been preserved. The Jewish temple was completely destroyed by him, and the winners got its main shrine - the minor. All this can be seen on the bas-relief.

Famous Roman baths and unique temples

Continue the list of masterpieces of ancient Roman architecture. Where did this name come from? Caracalla is the nickname of someone who lived in the 3rd century AD. The ancient Roman baths are special world where the elite of society had fun, went in for sports, conducted intellectual disputes, concluded contracts. The surroundings matched: the walls and the actual fonts were made of the best varieties of marble, sculptures stood everywhere, including the statue of Apollo Belvedere.

Seventh on the list architectural structures ancient rome"is occupied by a composition of two temples of different configurations - rectangular and round. These temples were erected in honor of Portun (patron of ports) and Hercules. They are located on the left bank of the Tiber, in the very place where ships used to moor.

Mausoleum and catacombs

Under the eighth number is the Field of Mars - the left bank of Rome. Behind him is the Mausoleum of Hadrian - an architectural monument-tomb for the imperial family. On a square pedestal with a side equal to 84 meters, there is a cylinder with a diameter of 64 meters, crowned with a statue of the emperor in the form of the sun god, controlling a quadriga (team of 4 horses). This huge building was not used for its intended purpose, it became a strategic object.

Last on the list of the most important architectural masterpieces The Roman Empire go famous Catacombs. This is a network of buildings (60 in total), interconnected and intended for burials (about 750,000 burials), with a total length of 170 km. Most of them stretch along the Appian Way.

Masterpieces of the East

The greats of the world are adequately supplemented by another grandiose monument. This is the Great Chinese Wall, whose length from edge to edge is 21,196 kilometers. Erected by one-fifth (exactly one million) of the country's population in the 3rd century BC, it clearly fixed the borders of the state and made China impregnable. This unique monument antiquities. And the pagodas and Buddhist monasteries of India? These are also monuments of the ancient past.

The first Russian pearls of architecture

All of the above, as well as structures Ancient Rus', belongs to the great world heritage. Only our civilization is young compared to others. The most ancient in our country is the architecture of Novgorod, Pskov and Kyiv, in which from 989 to 996 the Church of the Tithes, destroyed by Batu, was erected.

The next oldest by our standards architectural monument Kievan Rus is the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, well preserved even now, then the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. The first cross-domed structures were always based on the cross, and the temple was crowned with a dome. Such churches are the main type of ancient places of worship in Rus'.

Byzantine masters and their offspring

The first stone temples were built by craftsmen invited from Byzantium. Russian places of worship did not blindly repeat Byzantine architecture. Our churches have a strong personality. Yaroslav the Wise actively and on a grand scale engaged in construction. He, concerned that a huge country had just adopted a new religion, wanted to approve it with a grandiose construction of temples. The largest, which at that time had no analogues anywhere, even in Byzantium, was a 5-nave 13-domed building laid in 1017.

The triumph of Orthodoxy

It was followed by the Sophia cathedrals of Novgorod (1045-1050) and Polotsk (1060). They were also considered 5-nave, although most Russian churches are 3-nave. The dome was supported by internal pillars - hence the names: 4-, 6-, or even 8-pillar.

In 1073-1079, the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was built by specially invited Greeks. This temple, called the "Great Church", has become a model for Orthodox buildings being built throughout the country. Such religious buildings as the Vydubetsky Monastery in Kiev (1070-1081), Spas-on-Berest (1113-1125) belong to a new type of cathedrals, since they all had an extension (nartesque) with a staircase. The most ancient temples had no vestibules at all.

From the moment of the construction boom launched by Yaroslav the Wise, all the Grand Dukes were engaged in active urban planning. Except architectural monuments, the descendants were masterpieces of applied art and literature. The Tale of Bygone Years is first mentioned in 852.

Machu Picchuknown as lost city Incas. Machu- Picchu is located at an altitude of 2430 meters above sea level in the mountains of Peru.It was built by order of the Inca Emperor Pachacuti in 1450. But it was abandoned after the Spanish invasion of the lands of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, after which it was abandoned and forgotten. Wrediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hyrum Bingham.

Considering this outstanding cultural value, UNESCO, recognized Machu Picchu as a site world heritage. The ruins of Machu Picchu contain temples, palaces, storehouses, baths, and other stone structures.All the buildings on the site were carved from gray granite.The building blocks used to build Machu Picchu structures weigh up to 50 tons.

The Temple of the Sun is one of the most important buildings in Machu Picchu, it was of great spiritual importance for the Incas, it is worth paying attention toan altar inside the temple.There is also a royal mausoleum located under the Temple of the Sun.

The Colosseum in Rome is the largest amphitheater in the world, located in the Roman Forum, in Italy.He is regarded as greatest achievement Roman architecture. Coliseumwas built between 70 AD. and 80 AD, by the Roman emperor Vespasian.

The Colosseum was mainly used for public spectacles and gladiator fights. Heaccommodated over 50,000 people.The Romans used this amphitheater for entertainment for 390 years.The Colosseum was abandoned in the 10th century AD and badly damaged by major earthquakes in 847 and 1231. Today it is a World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.

The Colosseum had four floors and 80 entrances in total.The arches of the second and third floors of the amphitheater are decorated with statues.Most of the interior details of the Colosseum were made of wood.


The Acropolis contains a number of monuments that are of great architectural and cultural value.In the 5th century BC, after the victory over the Persians, the great Greek statesman Pericles presented the idea of ​​transforming the rocky hill in Athens into a monument of art.Later, a group of exclusively Greek architects built several important monuments, including the Parthenon.In 1987, the Acropolis of Athens became a World Heritage Site.

The Parthenon and other important monuments in the Acropolis were badly damaged by the Venetian attack in 1687, the Parthenon is the most important temple among the buildings of the Acropolis in Athens.It was built in 447 BC. The temple is dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena.It is the most important surviving building of Greek culture. The Erechtheion is another temple located on north side Acropolis. It was built between 421 BC. and 406 BC and designed by the Athenian architect Mnesicles. The Erechtheion is dedicated to Athena and Poseidon.


Petra is an ancient city,located between dead sea and the Red Sea in Jordan.The city is also known as pink city" from-for the red-pink sandstone from which it was built.The city was founded in 312 BC. Nabataeans, the ancient inhabitants of Northern Arabia.Petra was hidden from the world until 1812, when it was rediscovered by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

Petra is half built and half carved into the rock and contains tombs, canals, tunnels, dams and temples. The remains of Petra contains over 800 monuments, tombs, temples, arched gates and temples. Attractions are the three main royal tombs, which are carved into the rock.


Borobudur Temple is an important Mahayana Buddhist temple located in central Java, Indonesia. Borobudur was built between the 8th and 9th centuries and took 75 long years to complete. This is the biggest Buddhist temple in the world. Remained hidden from the outside world for many centuries under volcanic ash. The restoration of the Borobudur temple began between 1975 and 1982.

The first level of the temple is formed by five massive terraces.Above this level, there are three circular platforms that are adorned with thousands of panels and hundreds of Buddha statues.The main dome is located on the upper level of the temple surrounded by 72 Buddha statues.Stone reliefs on the second level of the temple illustrate various periods in the life of the Buddha.


Volubilis is the largest Roman building extant in Morocco.Volubilis has been inhabited for over a thousand years, and abandoned at 11- m century. Bad for himearthquake in the 18th century. Extensive excavations at the site of this city were started in the 19th century by the French, and in 1997, UNESCO listed Volubilis as a World Heritage Site.

The ancient city covers an area of ​​more than 12 hectares, bMost of the building was built using blue-grey granite.These buildings are also known for their large mosaic floors.The Capitoline Temple and Basilica are the highlights of this interesting place. also in Volubilis should pay attention to the Arc de Triomphe, which was built in 217 in honor of the Roman emperor Caracalla.


7. Palenque, Mexico

Palenque is considered the most impressive Mayan building in Mexico. Palenque is surrounded by dense forests, waterfalls and mountains.It represents the elegance of architecture and creativity of the Maya civilization. Mayan templesin Palenque are known for their architectural style and beautiful sculptures. This ancient city was built between 226 BC and 799 AD At the end of the 10th century, the Maya left the city.The total area of ​​this important historical place 1780 ha.It is estimated that only 10 percent of Palenque has been restored, and most of still covered with dense forest.


Tikal is an ancient Mayan city located in northern Guatemala. Tikal is the main tourist attraction of Guatemala, its ruins are located among the jungle with total area over 200 sq. km. Buildings of this ancient citydates back to 1000 BC. and 300 BC. It was abandoned in the 9th century and rediscovered in 1840.

The ruins have a number of temples, small pyramids, residences, monuments and palaces of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization.Most of the buildings were built using limestone.There are also tombs of the rulers of the Mayan civilization, reservoirs and prisons made of wood.


The historic city of Ayutthaya was built by King Ramathinodi I in 1350. Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Siamese kingdom. GThe city was destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767, and the city was rebuilt by the King of Mongkut between 1854 and 1868.

Ayutthaya's buildings reflect confluence architectural styles India, Japan, China, Persia and Europe.These buildings are also decorated with high quality wall paintings.


Palmyra ancient Aramaic city,located in the middle of the desert in an oasis in the central partSyria. Important events passed through the city in ancient times. caravan routes from Asia to Europe. Palmyrawas abandoned at 16 m century, and re-opened at 17- m century. Today it is one of the most important tourist attractions in Syria and a real historical world heritage.

The artistic and architectural remains of Palmyra are a fusion of styles from different civilizations.The most important building in Palmyra is big temple known as Baal.It is regarded as the most important religious monument 1st century AD in the Middle East.Only a small part of this temple remains intact today.The Great Colonnade is another important landmark of Palmyra,built in several stages between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. There is also an impressive Roman theatre, originally with twelve rows of seats made of wood.


"Famous buildings and buildings of antiquity" Municipal Autonomous General Educational Institution
"Secondary school No. 154 of Chelyabinsk"
"FAMOUS BUILDINGS AND
ANCIENT BUILDINGS»
Chelyabinsk 2017
Performed:
Student 5 "A" class
Chernyaeva Anastasia
Leader: Shamberger
Svetlana Alexandrovna,
history teacher and
social science.

Topic: "Famous buildings and buildings of antiquity"

TOPIC: "FAMOUS BUILDINGS AND BUILDINGS
ANTIQUITIES"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Goals:
provide a holistic view of history
architecture of the ancient world;
contribute to the formation of an idea of
ancient culture;
develop a cognitive interest in history;
acquaintance with famous buildings And
buildings of antiquity, as well as with the "New
wonders of the world."

Tasks:

TASKS:
1.
2.
3.
expansion of knowledge about the history of the ancient world
through acquaintance with the wonders of the world;
repetition and addition of knowledge on the topic -
"Culture of the Ancient World";
fostering respect for the values ​​of the world
culture.

plan

PLAN
Title page.
Content.
Chapter 1. Seven Wonders of the World in Antiquity.
1.1 Pyramids of Egypt.
1.2 hanging gardens Semiramis.
1.3 Temple of the Greek goddess Artemis.
1.4 Olympian Zeus
1.5 Colossus of Rhodes.
1.6 Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Chapter 2. New wonders of the world.
2.1 New wonders of the world.
Conclusion.
Crossword app.
Bibliography.

Introduction:
Wonders of the world - so called famous in antiquity
structures, buildings and statues. From those distant times we are separated
century.
We will try to answer the following questions:
1. What are the names of the buildings, famous in antiquity, buildings
and statues?
2. What are the most famous ancient buildings that existed in
Egypt, Babylon, China, Greece, Rome?
3. For what purposes were they erected?
4. Which of these buildings and structures have survived to this day?
5. What are the features characteristic of the structures of antiquity,
can be seen in buildings erected in subsequent eras?

Egyptian pyramids

EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS

Construction time 2800-2250 BC uh

TIME OF CONSTRUCTION 2800-2250 BC

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON

605-562 BC e.

605-562 B.C.E.

Temple of the Greek goddess Artemis

TEMPLE OF GREEK GODDESS ARTEMIS

Artemis is the goddess of the hunt.

ARTEMIS - GODDESS OF THE HUNTING.

Zeus of Olympus 470 BC

OLYMPIC ZEUS 470 BC

Tomb of King Mausolus at Halicarnassus

TOMB OF KING MAVSOLUS IN HALICARNAS

The Colossus of Rhodes

THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES

Construction began in 302 BC.

CONSTRUCTION STARTED IN 302 B.C.

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros)

ALEXANDRIYSKY (FAROS) LIGHTHOUSE

New Wonders of the World: Statue of Christ the Redeemer

NEW WONDERS OF THE WORLD:
STATUE OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER

More and more new curiosities appeared in the world, which today can also be considered with all rights the most outstanding structures of man.

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
COLOSSEUM ROMAN
ALL NEW CURIOSITIES APPEARED IN THE WORLD, WHICH ARE TODAY
MAY ALSO BE REGARDED AS THE MOST OUTSTANDING
BUILDINGS OF MAN.

2001 was marked by the beginning of the New Open World Corporation project. Its main purpose was to select the modern Wonders of the World

TAJ - MAHAL
ANCIENT CITY OF PETRA
2001 WAS MARKED WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW OPEN WORLD PROJECT
CORPORATION. ITS MAIN PURPOSE WAS THE CHOICE
MODERN WONDERS OF THE WORLD

even time recedes before these giant man-made structures.

Machu Picchu in Peru
Chichen Itza in Mexico
EVEN TIME RECEIVES BEFORE THESE MAN-MADE GIANT
FACILITIES.

Crossword app:

CROSSWORD APP:
Horizontally:
1. The city in which a giant lighthouse was built around 280 BC.
3. What was the name of the person to whom these words belong: “Now, if I destroy the miracle of the world -
temple of Artemis, then everyone will know about me!”.
4. What miracle of the world has come down to our time?
6. Stone sculpture that guarded the entrance to the tomb of the pharaoh. She represents
mythical creature with a human head and the body of a lion.
7. Why did the mausoleum in Halicarnassus collapse?
12. What wonder of the world was in Halicarnassus
15. Where was the city of Babylon
17. Which king created hanging gardens for Semiramis
15. The construction of the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus was managed by the wife of Mausolus - ...

crossword

CROSSWORD
Vertically:
2. What was the name of the goddess whose temple was set on fire by Herostratus in order to become famous?
4. The second name of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
5. What is the name giant statue the ancient Greek god of the Sun Helios - Colossus ....
8. Second pharaoh of the 4th dynasty ancient kingdom Egypt, builder Great Pyramid V
Giza.
9. This wonder of the world inspired the first Olympians.
10. On behalf of what king did the name “mausoleum” come from?
11. One of the largest arenas, which is a full-fledged Wonder of the World.
13. Hanging Gardens -….
14 In which city was the statue of Zeus located?
16. The construction of the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus was managed by the wife of Mausolus - ...
17. The second name of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
18. In what city did Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, begin the construction of his own
tombs

16.
18.
17.
14.
13.
11.
15.
12.
2.
1.
5.
3.
10.
4.
8.
7.
6.
9.

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7.
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6. S f i n k s
th

Bibliography:

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Artamonov S.D. Literature of the Ancient World. - M., 2003.
2. Chisholm D., Miles L., Reed S. Ancient Greece. Encyclopedia for schoolchildren. - M., 2001.
3. I know the world: Encyclopedia: History. - M., 1996
4. Golitsyna I. A. Wonders of the world. - M .: Bustard Plus, 2008-156s.- (Learn the world).
5. Altynov P.I. Brief reference book for schoolchildren. - M .: Bustard, 1997
6. Millard E. History. Ancient world. - M .: Rosmen, 1997
7. Papadakin V. Egypt: the land of the pharaohs.- M.: Teugra, 1997.
8. Chudokova N.V. I know the world. History.- M.: AST, 1997
Thank you for your attention!

A journey through the most ancient cities on the planet will help you touch the origins of civilization. Visiting during summer vacation some of them, you can not only have a good rest, but also learn a lot of interesting information.

1. Maltese Megalithic Temples, Malta

Maltese temples are the oldest man-made structures on the ground. Scientific research has proven that temples were built a thousand years before construction Egyptian pyramids. Scientists cannot understand how people at that time could build such structures without the use of special equipment. After all, many monolithic stone slabs from which temples were built weigh more than fifty tons. There is indirect evidence that giant people lived in Malta at that time, and it was not difficult for them to move multi-ton monoliths. There is no answer to the question what kind of civilization existed in this territory, and where did the builders of stone temples go. After all, nowhere else on Earth were found similar structures. Unfortunately, numerous wars and civil strife that took place on the Maltese territory destroyed the ancient buildings to a greater or lesser extent, but many of them survived and are available for tourists to visit. UNESCO took prehistoric temples under its protection and put them on the World Heritage List. Today they are open to tourists.

2. Sardinian ziggurat, Sardinia

The Sardinian ziggurat was built over five and a half thousand years ago and was an important religious center. During the Second World War, the ziggurat was thoroughly destroyed, as a line of defense passed through this place. But starting in 1954, the Sardinian ziggurat began to be restored and restored. Currently, the prehistoric complex hosts numerous groups of tourists from all over the world.

3. Newgrange, Ireland

Newgrange is one of Ireland's landmarks. The oldest building was erected between 3100 and 2900 BC. Newgrange is megalithic structure, multi-ton stone slabs were used as building material. The plates were interconnected without the use of a special solution. The structure is thirteen meters high and eighty-five meters in diameter. Scientists suggest that it was used as a calendar, since the structure is strictly oriented to the cardinal points. Perhaps, with the help of this structure, the time of sowing and harvesting was determined. Newgrange is located near the Boyne River.

4Hulbjerg Jættestue, Denmark

The building was built over five thousand years ago and was used as a tomb. Scientists archaeologists found the remains of four hundred people in the tomb. The teeth of one of the buried people had traces of healing. The level of ancient dentistry amazed scientists. Without metal instruments, the doctor managed to put a dental filling of a sufficiently high quality.

5. Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt

The oldest in Egypt was built in 2650 BC. The author of the pyramid, Imhotep, erected it for Pharaoh Djoser as a tomb. The pyramid has a stepped shape, for this reason in the circles of scientific archaeologists it is also called the Step Pyramid. The pyramid is very popular among tourists because of its venerable age and unusual shape.

6. Caral, Peru

Karal is a city that existed more than five thousand years ago, it is considered the oldest urban settlement in the American continent. The city arose approximately at the same time as other first world civilizations. Scientists hope to find answers to questions about the emergence of the first civilizations in the city. Currently, seventeen pyramids have been cleared of sand and are available for tourists to visit. The reasons for the disappearance of Caral have not yet been established, it is assumed that people left the city in 1600 BC and moved to other more favorable areas of Peru.

7. Treasury of Atreus, Greece

The tomb is located in Mycenae, its estimated age is three thousand two hundred years. The famous archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann made a great contribution to the scientific research of the tomb. During the excavations, it was found that all the domed tombs, and there were nine of them, were completely looted, but the earlier tombs, erected in the sixteenth century BC, remained intact. Archaeologists discovered the richest burials, the faces of all the people buried in the tomb were covered with masks made of gold. The robes of the buried were also decorated with gold. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the bodies of once-reigning dynasties rest in these tombs.

Today people look at giant skyscrapers and consider them the pinnacle of human engineering. At the same time, many are not even aware of the technological wonders of ancient history - buildings and temples that, it would seem, could not be built at that distant time.
In this review, little-known examples of amazing ancient buildings.

1. Pueblo Bonito. USA

Located in northwestern New Mexico, the settlement of Pueblo Bonito is the largest and most famous example of the "palace village" built by the Anasazi culture. The settlement began to be built in the first half of the 10th century AD, and completed only 180 years later. At its peak, Pueblo Bonito had about 800 separate buildings, some of which were as many as five stories high. The ancient settlement was first discovered in 1849 by US Army Lieutenant James H. Simpson. Since then, Pueblo Bonito has become one of the most excavated and explored archaeological sites in the southwestern United States. Unfortunately, a number of structures were damaged when part of the rock behind the settlement collapsed. What is especially interesting is that many mysterious petroglyphs were found in Pueblo Bonito, made somewhere at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century.

2. Chatal. Turkey



The ancient settlement of Chatal, discovered in the south of Turkey, according to modern scientists, existed from 7500 BC. until about 5700 BC It was built by an unknown Neolithic culture, which scientists believe was highly developed at that time. Excavations have been ongoing since the discovery of Chatal in the late 1950s by British archaeologist James Mellaart. A number of interesting objects have been found, including (presumably) the earliest famous map and some of the highest quality daggers of the period. Houses in Chatal have one intriguing feature: they do not have doors, and you had to enter the house through the roof, climbing the stairs. In addition, the dead in this ancient settlement were buried under the floors of houses, in particular under the hearths.

3. Lokmariake. France



The French region of Brittany is famous for its group of the largest prehistoric European megaliths. The dimensions of the largest megalith, created around 4500 BC, are almost 21 meters long and weigh between 200 and 280 tons. Today, no one will know why this megalith, known as the "Fairy Stone", was broken millennia ago. Perhaps this happened as a result of an earthquake, but most likely people did it. What is especially striking is that the Fairy Stone was delivered in one piece. whole piece from a quarry more than 10 kilometers away. How this was done is unknown.

4. Colossi of Memnon. Egypt



Built as a memorial to Pharaoh Amenhotep III and placed near his now ruined temple, the Colossi of Memnon are a pair of statues 23 meters high. Also on these statues (to be more precise, at the foot of the thrones of the statues) you can find reliefs of the wife, daughter and mother of Amenhotep. The statues were named after Memnon, the hero of the Trojan War. There was a legend that before the statues were damaged by an earthquake, the northern statue made a sound resembling a bell ringing in the morning (possibly due to rising temperatures). The Egyptians believed that this sound expressed the approval of the gods.

5. Pillar of Pompey. Egypt



Pompey's Pillar was erected as a memorial to the Roman Emperor Diocletian after he put down a rebellion in Alexandria. It is often mistakenly believed that it was built in honor of the Roman consul Gnaeus Pompey the Great, but the inscription on its base clearly indicates that the pillar was made in honor of Diocletian by the people of Alexandria. The story that when Pompey was defeated by Julius Caesar and fled from Rome to Egypt, he was killed in Alexandria, and his head was placed in a burial vessel on top of the pillar (thus giving the pillar its name) is a myth. The 27-meter pillar was built during the fourth century AD and was once part of the temple of the Roman god Serapis, which was subsequently destroyed.

6. Dolmen Menga. Spain



Dating back to around 2000 BC, the Menga dolmen (also known as Cueva de Menga) is a large megalithic burial mound located in southern Spain. The rows of burial chambers (their walls, roof and pillars) were created from huge stone blocks weighing up to 180 tons. As for the name, the legend says that a leper named Menga settled inside the dolmen after her husband died. Archaeologists believe that this dolmen is the largest such structure in Europe, and several hundred different skeletons inside it may have belonged to the rulers of the culture that built Menga. However, who these builders were remains a mystery to this day.

7. Quirigua. Guatemala



Built by the Maya between 200 and 800 AD. The city of Quirigua contains wonderful examples of Mayan architecture, as well as some of the largest stelae (carved stone monuments) in existence. Only one "stele E" weighs an incredible 65 tons. Quirigua was abandoned around 900 AD, which was probably due to the decline of the jade trade.

8. Dur Sharrukin. Iraq



Dur Sharrukin, which means "Sargon's Fortress" in Akkadian, was built by the Assyrians sometime between 717 and 707 BC. in the northern part of present-day Iraq. The size of the city was almost 2.6 square kilometers, and of particular note in it were the temple of Nabu (the god of vegetation) and Royal Palace. However, the most interesting artifact, restored from the ruins, is an Assyrian bull - stone statue weighing about 40 tons. The city was abandoned shortly after its construction was completed because the king of Assyria, Sargon II, was killed in battle.

9. Hajar-Kim. Malta



Megalithic located in Malta temple complex Hajar Qim is believed to have been built by a culture unknown to modern scholars between 3200 and 2500 BC. It is believed that this culture was destroyed as a result of famine or natural disaster. One of the earliest examples of religious beliefs can be found in Hajar Qim - a number of statues of the goddess of fertility have been preserved in the local temple. Interestingly, Hajar Kim was built hundreds of years earlier than Stonehenge.

10. Tiwanaku. Bolivia



The prehistoric capital of Tiwanaku culture, the city of Tiwanaku is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. He was originally small village, but in between 400 and 900 AD the city literally flourished and many of the largest stone structures V South America. However, suddenly the city was deserted around 1000 AD, most likely due to floods. In the end, the Tiwanaku civilization was conquered by the Incas. The city, once home to over a million people, was only rediscovered in 1876.