What are the ancient buildings called? The most amazing ancient stone buildings

“Well, here we are. Well, let's take a dip. Well, let's have a cocktail. So, what is next? What do we do?" Familiar? If yes - congratulations, you belong to the same type of people who can not sit still. Well, if, besides, limp reclining in deck chairs inspires you as little as strong-willed surfing, then you are completely one of their small, but elite class of aesthetes, greedy for art and architecture.

Admit it, you simply cannot look at Dali's creations without trembling in your knees, the Acropolis brings you into a state close to prayerful ecstasy, and the streets of old Prague almost drive you crazy. Congratulations, you are an "excursion-oriented, ordinary tourist."

All salt excursion tourism lies in the fact that it quietly coexists with beach holiday, and with skiing, as, indeed, with any other. One does not exclude the other, rather, it complements.

However, there are also whole tours dedicated to sightseeing of cities and capitals, antiquities and natural wonders all five continents. Such trips are usually chosen by individuals who are married to art or simply greedy for it in a good way, and people who want to see the world on vacation, and not just a couple of paradise, but completely identical atolls.

But, in order to be as honest with yourself as possible, it is still necessary to say that a “naked” excursion will not give you much pleasure - only a messy cocktail of porticoes and rotundas, dozens of museum halls and thousand-year-old ruins will remain in your head.

When choosing a program, do not chase the number of attractions - in the end, go on a trip again. Choose a moderate pace - richly sprinkle excursions with rest, and get the most vivid and fresh impressions.

Leisure destinations

Classic: Europe. The main impact of the excursion element usually falls on Mother Europe with its Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and other ancient medieval joys. Tours in Europe, which, as you know, are not so great, often cover more than one country. Sometimes tours include visiting world-famous attractions - such as, for example, Versailles in France, the Colosseum in Italy, the Acropolis in Greece. Sometimes there are guided tours exclusively little known places, sometimes - highly specialized tours are organized, for example, in baroque architecture or in temple construction.

ancient civilizations. The second number in the popularity rating are countries that grew up on the ruins of ancient civilizations - Egypt, India, China, Chile, Peru, Mexico. Obviously, such tours take second place not in terms of tourist interest, but in terms of remoteness, expressed not so much in geographical terms as in terms of money. Ancient civilizations that have monuments that take us not even centuries, but millennia, are surprisingly mysterious and therefore alluring. The farther into the dust of time - the more secrets, to which, as you know, no one can remain indifferent.

Exotics and ecology. Ancient civilizations are followed by countries with exotic landscapes and landscapes - the Australian Great barrier reef, US lakes, Nigerian waterfalls, fantastic nature Galapagos. All this is really unusual. Amazing. Almost unrealistic.

Way of life. Next come countries with an unusual way of life - that is, any place on the planet whose existence is different from our multi-story panel existence. Tunisian Berbers living in caves Arab countries with its unconditional and bewitching adherence to the laws of the Koran, Japanese culture and American Indian culture. For a civilized person, which, obviously, is the whole excursion-amateur tribe, such differences cause only admiration - at least from an understanding of how diverse the life of people on this planet can be.

Excursion Russia. Well, native Russia closes the top five directions-leaders. The expanses of our country are huge: 9 climatic zones and the same number of time zones mountain ranges, hills, deep rivers, tens and hundreds of natural wonders - Avacha Bay, Kungur ice cave, Krasnoyarsk pillars, Uzon caldera... it would be impossible to list them all. And then, there is also the magnificent architecture of our cities - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, the luxury of folk crafts - Suzdal, Semenov, Gus-Khrustalny. Russia is inexhaustible, great and magnificent, besides, in comparison with all of the above, it is quite budgetary.

When people in the ancient world found gigantic ruins, they often thought that only the mythical Cyclopes could have built them. Today, as a rule, this is no longer believed, but the origin of many mysterious buildings from the past still causes a lot of controversy. No one knows who built them or even why.

1. Nan Madol

2. Teotihuacan

At Teotihuacan one can find some of the largest pre-Columbian structures in North and South America. At one time, over 100,000 people lived in the city, making it one of the most big cities peace. Despite this, today scientists have no idea who founded Teotihuacan. It is believed to have been founded around 200 BC. - 1000 years before the rise of the Aztec empire. The city has many pyramids, the largest of which, the Pyramid of the Sun, is the third largest in the world. No less puzzling is why Big city was suddenly abandoned. Although many theories have been put forward, there is no evidence for any of them.

3 Puma Punku

Puma Punku - megalithic complex in Bolivia, which attracts much scholarly attention. The blocks of stone that make up it are carved amazingly evenly and have perfectly round holes of unknown purpose. At the same time, the blocks temple complex weigh up to 130 tons and were mined in a quarry located at a distance of 80 km. How thousands of years ago they could do this is a mystery. Radiocarbon analysis showed that the complex was built around 530 AD.

4. Derinkuyu

In order to understand what Derinkuyu is, one must imagine that it is necessary to build a city for 20,000 people without modern technologies. Underground. 3000-4000 years ago. These underground cities is in modern Turkey, and Derinkuyu is the largest of them. Interestingly, the city was used as a refuge until at least 1923, but then it was completely forgotten and rediscovered only in the 1960s. It is worth noting that the structure of the local soil and rocks makes the construction of underground cities surprisingly easy. These rocks are soft enough to be carved into caves, yet strong enough to resist landslides.

5. Ggantija

Ggantija (meaning "tower of the giants" in Maltese) is a megalithic temple complex on the island of Malta. Local legend says that Ggantija was built by a giantess named Sasuna. She wore huge building stones on her head, some of which were over 5 meters long. Ggantija consists of three giant walled temples. Its construction began around 3600 BC, i.e. these temples are much older than the invention of metal tools and the wheel in Malta. Not surprisingly, subsequent generations thought that only giants could build the complex.

6. Great Zimbabwe

7. Baalbek

The city of Baalbek in Lebanon reached its peak during the Roman Empire, but was famous in the region long before that. In the center of the Roman city stood three temples built in honor of Jupiter, Mercury and Venus. And at the base of the temple of Jupiter there is one mysterious feature - three giant stone, each weighing 800 tons. They are the largest stones ever used in construction.

8. Taulas of Menorca

9. Longue Caves

In the Chinese village of Longyu, from time immemorial, there has been a belief that the local ponds are bottomless. But until 1992, this was just a belief, until a local resident decided to drain one of the ponds. As a result, 27 giant underground grottoes were discovered. After their research, it was found that the 30-meter grottoes were created by hand about 2000 years ago. They were carved into hard rock and not connected to each other (some of them are separated only by thin stone walls). The purpose of these giant caves unknown.

10. Tomb of the first emperor of China

Most people know about the Terracotta Warriors. These thousands of statues were placed around the tomb of the emperor to guard him in death. Records indicate that the emperor was buried in a palace built for him under a hill. Today, a terracotta army (and far from all) has been excavated, and there is evidence of voids inside the hill where it was found. But Chinese government prohibited further excavations. Curiously, according to a Chinese historian, whole lakes and rivers of mercury await in the tomb of the person who discovered it.

Especially for those who are interested in antiquities,.

There were no skyscrapers in the ancient world, but tall buildings were. Some of them were built in order to perpetuate the glory of the ruler; scientists still argue about the appointment of others.

"Public Hill"

Height: up to 9 m

Construction time: 9,000 BC

Place: 15 kilometers northeast of the city of Urfa (Sanliurfa), Turkey

“Göbekli Tepe” is the name of this place in Turkish. The oldest and unique temple for its time, the construction of which began in the Middle Stone Age. About twenty round buildings, stone benches, sculptures of wild boars and foxes, columns from 3 to 9 meters high. A thousand years later, it was deliberately covered with sand. Huge heavy blocks were within the power to build an already organized society.

Jericho tower

Height: 8 m

Construction time: 8000 BC

Place: Jericho, Palestine

Huge for its time tower in the Jericho wall. Jericho is the oldest city on earth. It has been continuously inhabited since almost the 10th millennium BC. BC, although the earliest settlement was more of a large village. The purpose of the tower is not entirely clear. It could be used for intimidation and represent the first castle in history.

The Pyramid of Cheops

Height: 146 m

Construction time: from 2540 BC before 2850 BC according to various estimates

Place: El Giza, Egypt

The Pyramid of Cheops (the full name of the pharaoh is Khnum-Khufu) is the only surviving one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Its full name is Akhet-Khufu ("Horizon of Khufu"). It was built on a hill and faced with white limestone, shining peach in the sun. The top was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidion. The entrance was sealed with a large granite slab, which the Baghdad Caliph Abdullah Al-Mamun, who had done new entrance, along which the path to the pyramid is open today.

Nurag Su-Nuraxi

Height: about 20 m.

Construction time: 17th century BC

Place: commune of Barumini, about. Sardinia, Italy.

Nuraghi are megalithic towers found on the island of Sardinia, built in the 2nd millennium BC. e. Their number throughout the island reached 20,000. The towers could serve as an overview of the surroundings, defense and control over trade routes. At this time, Sardinia, according to ancient legends, could be inhabited by the tribes of Corses, Iolai and Balars. Which of these tribes built the towers is unknown. The builders could also be the "peoples of the sea", who more than once attacked the Egyptian kingdom.

The largest known nuraghe is Su-Nuraksi, whose height could reach 20 meters. The building had no foundation and was supported only by the mass of stones at the base. A fortified settlement was located next to it - about 50 round huts, which were a single complex.

Babylonian ziggurat Etemenanki

Height: 91 m

Construction time: 18th century BC, reconstruction in the 7th century BC

Place: outskirts of Al-Hilla city, Iraq

Translated from Sumerian, Etemenanki means “the house of the foundation of heaven and earth” or “the house where the heavens meet the earth.” It is this ziggurat that is most often associated with the legend of tower of babel. It already existed in the 18th century BC. during the reign of Hammurabi, but after that the temple tower was rebuilt several times after the destruction.

The latest reconstruction made the tower one of the tallest and most grandiose buildings. ancient world. The ziggurat consisted of 7 tiers, on the last of which the temple was located. The construction was started by the architect Aradaheshshu during the reign of Esarhaddon, and the ziggurat was completed under Nebuchadnezzar II, 100 years later.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Height: 46 m

Construction time: 359-353 B.C. e.

Place: Bodrum, Turkey

The first "mausoleum" and "wonder of the world". It is named after the Carian king Mausolus. In honor of him, this tombstone was built by his wife Artemisia III of Caria. The mausoleum was crowned with about 330 statues, and it had the shape of an almost regular square in plan, which was atypical for Greek architecture. It stood for one and a half thousand years and was destroyed during an earthquake.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Height: 36 m

Construction time: 292 - 280 BC e.

Place: Rhodes, Greece

Rhodes in ancient times was a large and rich city. Therefore, he could afford to live in the literal sense "in a big way." huge statue Helios, only a few could grasp the thumb, was built by the ancient Greek architect Chares. The lack of money allocated for the construction forced him to get into heavy debts, and, ruined, he committed suicide.

The statue took 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron (more than 20 tons). The colossus stood for only 65 years. After the earthquake, the clay statue covered with iron and bronze fell, and lay in a broken form for about a thousand years, until the Arabs sold its parts.

faros lighthouse

Height: 135 m

Construction time: 3rd century BC e.

Place: Alexandria, Egypt

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built by Sotrates of Cnidus in just 5 years on the island of Pharos near Alexandria. It consisted of three marble towers: rectangular, octagonal and cylindrical. After its construction under the first Ptolemies, Egypt truly became a country of giant buildings. The light from the lighthouse was visible at a distance of more than 50 kilometers. Survived two earthquakes in the 7th and 14th centuries, after which it was finally destroyed. On the remains of the lighthouse, the Mamluk Sultan erected a fortress in his honor.

Coliseum

Height: 50 m

Construction time: 80 AD e.

Place: Rome, Italy

Colosseum comes from the Latin word colossus- "huge". According to one version, the name arose as a tribute to the memory of the Colossus of Nero located on this site - a huge (37 m) statue that crowned the complex of the Golden House - the emperor's palace. Vespasian decided to get rid of the old cult and strengthen his own. About 100,000 prisoners brought to Rome took part in the grandiose construction. Due to an earthquake in the 14th century, it collapsed South part, after which the Colosseum became a source of building materials for other buildings in Rome.

Stupa of Kanishka

Height: from 128 to 168 m according to various estimates

Construction time: 2nd century AD

Place: near Peshawar, Pakistan

The Kushan kingdom, founded by immigrants from China - the Eastern Sarmatians (Yuezhi), became the "golden mean" of the ancient world both directly (in terms of wealth) and in figuratively. Greco-Buddhism, an oriental religion saturated with Hellenistic culture, became widespread in it.

According to the description of Chinese travelers, the stupa built in honor of the Kushan king exceeded 400 chi (128 m) in height, there were gold and silver umbrellas at the top, and the relics of the Buddha inside. Size data vary, but the stupa could be equal to or exceed the height of the pyramid of Cheops. There are many Buddhist legends and predictions associated with the stupa. It was destroyed by Muslim conquerors in the Middle Ages and has not survived to the present day.

Aksumite obelisk

Height: 24 m

Construction time: 4th century AD

Place: Aksum, Ethiopia

The construction of the Aksumite kingdom, the most influential in Black Africa, which has survived to our time, weighs 160 tons. Decorated on all sides with false windows and doors. Similar obelisks were erected by pagans, but this obelisk was erected in honor of King Ezana, who spread Christianity in Ethiopia. In 1937, it was actually assembled in parts and rebuilt.

Pyramid in Cholula

Height: 66 m

Construction time: 3rd century BC – XI century AD

Place: Cholula de Rivadabiya, Mexico

tallest building Ancient America and the largest pyramid in the world. Built in ancient Teotiukan. The temple dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl was built over 12 centuries by the pre-Aztec culture until it became the largest religious center. Today it is a tetrahedral overgrown hill, not most of which has been recreated in its original form.

According to experts, architecture structures appeared long before our era. The ancient structures preserved on our planet are amazing, they amaze the imagination. Find out what are the most ancient buildings in the world. The buildings of the ancient world that have come down to us are completely different from the structures of modern architecture.

Who built ancient buildings, for what purpose, and by what technology, how they have survived to this day - all these questions arise when you see the structures of the ancient world. Further more about the most interesting buildings of that period.

The Bugon Necropolis is the oldest surviving building

The oldest building in the world is located in the Bougon Necropolis, which was discovered in France on the banks of the Bougon River in the first half of the nineteenth century. Extensive excavations were carried out there in the late sixties of the last century. The necropolis consists of five megalithic burial mounds dating back to the Neolithic era. As a result of the excavations, it turned out that the oldest building of this complex was built in 4800 BC. e.

Skara Brae - the remains of the oldest settlement in Scotland

Ten houses built in what is now Scotland in 2500 B.C. e. are the oldest structures in Europe. This settlement is called Skara Brae. It is located on the islands. All houses are perfectly preserved, thanks to which scientists have found out how ancient people lived. According to the researchers, the dwellings were well equipped - they had water supply, heating, covered passages.

Greater Zimbabwe- one of ancient structures on the ground

IN South Africa the oldest and at the same time the most big building considered Great Zimbabwe. This building appeared in the eleventh century, its population was at least eighteen thousand people. Scientists do not know why Great Zimbabwe was abandoned in the fifteenth century. The height of the ancient ruins reaches eleven meters. All structures were erected using the dry masonry method - granite slabs are laid in rows. This is surprising, since the standard material of Africa of that period was wood and clay.

The Pyramid of Djoser at Sakar is the oldest of the Egyptian pyramids.

In two thousand six hundred and fifty BC. e. In Egypt, the pyramid of Djoser was built by the architect Imhotep. As you know, this is the most old pyramid in Egypt and one of the oldest buildings in the world. Its height is sixty-two meters.

Mamertine Dungeon - one of the oldest prisons

The Mamertine dungeon was erected in Rome not far from capitol hill even before n. e. in the year five hundred and seventy-eight. Criminals were kept there, and many of them were innocent. It was in this prison that Saints Peter and Paul ended their lives.

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut famous building ancient world

work ancient architecture, in excellent condition that has survived to this day, is the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. He is in Egypt. The year of construction is not known for certain, presumably 1473 BC. e. Even now we can say that the architect who created the temple is a genius.

It is not for nothing that ancient buildings are called portraits of the civilizations that built them. Moreover, these portraits conceal the mysteries of entire cultures. After all, these structures stood for thousands of years after their builders disappeared from the face of the earth. It has strange burials to cities unknown until recently - all these architectural artifacts sometimes reveal ancient secrets, and sometimes even more confuse scientists.

1 Teotihuacan Tunnels

Mexico
In 2017, a restoration project was launched to renovate one of the most famous places Mexico - the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan. During work on central square archaeologists used a non-invasive technique to view underground voids. Scanning with electrical impedance tomography showed the unexpected - under the area there was a tunnel leading to a neighboring pyramid. Scientists are still wondering why the Pyramid of the Moon, which is a colossal feat of ancient architecture, could be connected to something else by an underground tunnel.

So far, it is impossible to explore it, and one of the reasons is the depth at which the tunnel passes - 10 meters. Curiously, this tunnel is very similar to another, previously discovered in one of the temples of Teotihuacan. Given that they were built by people who lived 2,000 years ago, it is difficult to say today whether the tunnels served a practical or mystical purpose.

2. Tungundzhi barrows

Australia
For over 60 kilometers along Western Cape York, coastal zone Australia, you can see a number of large burial mounds. Researchers have been discussing the specifics of this phenomenon for years. They apparently did not take the local Aboriginal community seriously (the Tungunji people claimed that their ancestors were buried in barrows). Not surprisingly, a number of strange theories have emerged. For example, some have suggested that these 250 mounds were created by ... birds.

In 2018, when the mounds were illuminated by radar, it turned out that locals and the archaeologists who thought the mounds were artificial were right. Eleven sand structures were scanned, and many of them still contained human remains. The juxtaposition of the interior also showed how burial procedures changed over time. But even in different time various things were placed in all the tombs, such as flowers, spears and corals. The age of the burial mounds is not yet known, but some may be around 6000 years old, i.e. they were created around the same time that the Egyptians were building the pyramids.

3. Tel Edfu urban complex

Egypt
In 2018, during excavations in the Egyptian Tel Edfu, a 4,000-year-old two-story complex was found, which was one of the earliest among the many large ruins in this region. Archaeologists have identified rooms that were used for storage, copper smelting, beer production and bread production. However, the purpose of the other premises has not been determined. Appearance the facade of the building was typical of ancient egypt but it was very well built. Another mystery is why people abandoned the complex after it was built.

Usually such abandoned places were taken apart for bricks for other construction projects. The same complex not only retained its walls 1.5 - 2 meters thick, but also the entrance doors. Given that they were made from extremely rare wood in Egypt, the doors must have been stolen a long time ago. This brewery-bakery is different from any other that has been preserved since ancient kingdom. Scholars believe that the ancient city of Edfu was an important settlement and a starting point for expeditions to distant places.

4. Villa in Warwick

England
IN English city Warwick recently decided to move high school. The builders who dug the foundation pit discovered a large Roman villa. Its size was 28 meters long and 14.5 meters wide. In their own words, this villa was "the size of a medieval church." Carved from local sandstone, it was probably part of a vast estate in the second century AD.

The villa itself was a very imposing building. In addition to being the largest structure in the region, it was connected to a Roman road. The discovery of corn drying chambers showed that the building, in addition to being someone's home, was used for agriculture. The one who lived in the villa left it about 200 years later.

5 Stonehenge Construction Camp

England
Within walking distance of Stonehenge there are military base in Larkhill. During preparations for new military exercises in 2018, the remains of an ancient fence were discovered. It is believed that ancient trade and meetings took place in such places. Nine wooden pillars stood exactly in the same position as the dolmens in the stone ring of Stonehenge.

This showed that Larkhill was a sort of design center for an overhaul. famous temple, which was also once also a modest ring of wooden poles. The original version of Stonehenge was erected around 3000 BC, but archaeologists believe that the fence is six to seven centuries older than it. It was probably a construction camp.

6. Hardnott Pass Fort

England
During the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian (AD 117-138), part of Britain was part of the empire. Several forts were built to protect this frontier. One fortress stands near Hardnott Pass in Cumbria. It wasn't until 2015 that scientists noticed that its gates align perfectly with the Sun during the solstices. Located in a square building, the gates face each other in two pairs.

On the longest day of the year (summer solstice), at sunrise, the Sun shines through the northeast gate, and at sunset, into the southwest gate. On the shortest day (winter solstice), the process repeats, but in reverse. Why this particular fort was made the way it is is unknown. It is also not clear why the four towers of the fort were built perfectly in accordance with the cardinal directions. One plausible idea is that the fort is linked to religion (several ancient religions).

7. Ritual Hall and Moche Throne

Peru
In 2018, the news of a remarkable find appeared in the press after Peruvian archaeologists examined the monument of Huaca Limon de Ucupe. They found two rooms of the mysterious culture. Long before the Incas, the Moche culture flourished in Peru. Existing for many centuries until 700 AD. this magnificent culture left behind monuments, golden artifacts and advanced agricultural techniques. Any new findings may help explain mysterious disappearance given culture, or at least provide more knowledge about it.

In one room there was a beautiful ritual hall. Unlike the geometric and mythical paintings found elsewhere, the walls of the hall were decorated with realistic sea scenes. One painting was 10 meters in size. Over 100 tables once held plates, hinting at large and varied banquets. The two stepped thrones faced each other. The taller one was intended for the ruler, while the other was probably intended for the patron of the holiday. Next to the door of another room was a podium, perhaps for making announcements during meetings.

8. An ominous Stone Age burial

Sweden
In 2009, a strange grave was found in Sweden that puzzled even experts. In it, on a huge limestone platform measuring 12 by 14 meters, 11 skulls without jaws rested. Moreover, when this burial was created 8000 years ago, it was at the bottom of the lake. The skeleton of a newborn and animal bones were also found. Why they were "buried" underwater is just one of the grave's mysteries. Seven skulls were found to have blunt trauma marks. Men were hit from above or in front, and women from behind.

The sacrifice was unlikely. All injuries were clearly treated, and people lived for some more time. The bones were also oddly laid out. Human skulls were in the middle, and two of them were pierced with stakes. In the south were the bones of bears. Wild boar, deer and elk "decorated" southeastern part. In addition, most of the bones were taken from the right side of the body. In truth, researchers cannot figure out the location or meaning of the ritual.

9. Religious objects in the mountains of Eilat

Israel
In 2015 in Israeli mountains Eilat, about 100 ritual objects were discovered. In the Negev desert, dense groups were located stone circles and phallic structures. On an area of ​​80 hectares, archaeologists counted 44 places of worship. Although little is known about what took place in these places, themes of abundance and death were especially common. About 8000 years ago, male symbols were created on these objects, such as stone phalluses, indicating "female" stone circles with a diameter of 1.5-2.5 meters.

As the locations of the objects, flat areas with good view to the neighborhood. Given the small population and the desert around, the huge number of monuments is a mystery. In addition, similar finds continue to be made in other places. Only during one study found 349 ritual sites outside the mountains of Eilat.

10 Maya Archeology

Guatemala
During a recent aerial survey of northern Guatemala, more than 60,000 unknown Mayan archaeological sites were added to the map. Under the dense cover of forests, pyramids, walls, city fortifications, dams and fortifications- all this within 2100 square kilometers. The study revealed entirely new places to explore, but also prompted immediate clues about other aspects of civilization.

The sheer number of private homes suggested that the Maya outnumbered those who live in the area today. They avoided deforestation and fell forests for agriculture like modern farmers, proving that large population can thrive without deforestation. One fortress was strong enough that it could be argued that the Maya fought serious wars. Although most of the new structures are houses, the number of roads is just as amazing.

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