The oldest wooden building in the world. The strangest and most mysterious buildings in the world

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. Have survived to this day famous buildings and buildings of antiquity. 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 of the 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 Ancient Greece in 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.

The last in the list of the most important architectural masterpieces of the Roman Empire are the 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 of which stretches 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.

Going to almost any country, you can see architectural buildings that are over 5,000 years old. . The buildings that have survived on our land are sometimes simply amazing. They don't look like buildings. modern architecture people don't live there. Historians wonder which of them is the oldest building in the world? To this day, they cannot give a definite answer to this question. However, there are a couple of cities that should be visited by any traveler, because they contain the history of mankind since the birth of great civilizations. About them we will talk In this article.

The oldest buildings in the world

In India, the oldest building is considered Taj Mahal Palace . The temple was built from white marble Padishah of Shah Jahan in the name of love and devotion to his wife amazing beauty Mumtaz Mahal. Erected in 1631, it combines several styles. A bright element of the palace is a white marble dome. The mausoleum occupies the main place in the palace. Inside it is a huge number of halls, decorated with mosaics. In one of the rooms there is the coffin of the ruler, who, after his death, wished that the body be buried near his beloved.

In the list "The oldest buildings preserved in modern world» historians included Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Egypt .He is named after a woman who was the only recognized pharaoh. Construction went on from 1482 to 1473 BC. The building turned out to be of magnificent beauty, but, unfortunately, over time it has undergone severe destruction. Some of them occurred due to natural causes - the building is located near a steep cliff. Also damage ancient building was caused at the direction of Thutmose III, whom the queen removed from rule for as much as 15 years. Restoration began in 1961. Today, Polish restorers are assembling the sanctuary bit by bit. The object is located at a considerable distance from the buildings of other kings erected in the Theban necropolis. On the walls are pictures of reliefs that reflect the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the country, the pyramids of that time. The main plot of the reliefs is the story of the birth of the queen. In front of the entrance to the upper terrace there are statues of the queen with a false golden beard - an attribute of male power. In terms of religion ancient egypt, a woman could not take the place of a ruler, because the pharaoh was considered the incarnation of the god Horus, and he is a man. Therefore, the ruler is depicted in this form.

Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara - the oldest surviving on earth architectural buildings. architectural masterpiece It was created by the ancient Egyptian architect and supreme dignitary of the pharaoh - Imhotep around 2650 BC as a funeral structure for the pharaoh's family.

preserved in Rome Mamertine Dungeon 578 BC, where the offenders were. According to legend, they spent last days life of the apostles Peter and Paul.

Also the oldest mysterious building in the world - Stonehenge in England . Years of construction - from 1100 to 3500 BC. Approximately 80 stones of different breeds, weighing up to 50 tons, were used for the building: dolerite, volcanic tuff. For a long time, no historian could unravel the reason for its appearance. D. Hawkins published a book about this in the 60s. In it, he described how the stone ring, built of stones, was used as an observatory, allowing the British to make astronomical observations and calculations.

The oldest building in Russia

There are many buildings in the Russian Federation that were witnesses historical events. Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin , erected from 1475-1479, was rebuilt by workers under the control of the city planner Aristotle Fioravanti. The building has been well preserved to our times. To this day, services are held here.

Can't be ignored Church of John the Baptist in Kerch , which dates back to the 8th century AD. Located in the very center of the city, the oldest known building in Russia today is the St. Sophia Temple, built by Prince Vladimir in 1050. The monastery of the princess in Vladimir, of the thirteenth century, which was rebuilt many times, experienced ruin, but survived. Walking along the streets of the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, you can see the church built by Yuri Dolgoruky.

World Travel

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Buildings - man-made structures for protection, prayer, lodging, gatherings, living, or any other use - were built long before the advent of our era. And, looking at the oldest buildings (or well-preserved picturesque ruins), one can only wonder how people created these masterpieces without having any modern technologies, no machines, no tools. The age of the oldest buildings in the world is estimated at several thousand years, and they - at least that! Shall we look at them?

They are from 3250 to 6800 years old: the oldest buildings on the planet

Treasury of Atreus: monument of Mycenaean Greece

The tomb, which is called the Treasury of Atreus, was built during the Bronze Age, around 1250 BC (over 3250 years ago). And this is only the first member of our top, so the oldest buildings on the planet should be called very ancient! Before the completion of the Pantheon, this tomb was famous for the highest and widest dome in the world. The monumental building and the area surrounding it is one of the most impressive monuments left over from the era of Mycenaean Greece.

Palace of Knossos: home of the Cretan Minotaur

Palace of Knossos (fallen into disrepair ancient city in Crete) was ceremonial and political center Minoan civilization. The palace was excavated and partially restored under the direction of Arthur Evans in the early 20th century (although attempts were made in the 1870s). It is believed that the very first palace in Knossos was built in 2000-1700 BC. It was destroyed by an earthquake, and a new, even more powerful and beautiful building, built in 1700 BC. In the XVI century BC. e. the palace was damaged by a volcanic eruption, and after about another half a century, a fire completed this dirty deed. Myths bind main building Knossos with Daedalus and his legendary labyrinth guarded by the Minotaur.

Great Pyramid: the tomb of Cheops

The Egyptian pyramids are also among the oldest buildings in the world, because this is not just a decorative building, there are chambers and corridors inside. great pyramid Egyptian city Giza (other names - the pyramid of Khufu or the pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids of this necropolis. Despite the fact that among the Seven Wonders of the World it was she who was the oldest, the pyramid is the only one that has survived intact to this day. Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty pharaoh Khufu. The construction took about 10-20 years, and construction was completed around 2560 BC. The top of the pyramid was originally located at 146.5 m above sea level, so the Great Pyramid remained the highest man-made structure in the world for more than 3800 years.

Pyramid of Djoser built by Imhotep

Another pyramid of Egypt, bearing the name of Djoser (or the Step Pyramid), is located in the Saqqara necropolis and consists of six mastabas laid on top of each other. It was founded in the 27th century BC (approximately 2650 BC) for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser, the architect was his vizier (chati) Imhotep (not to be confused with the villain-priest Imhotep from the Mummy franchise). The pyramid is older than its "sisters" from Giza and is the first Egyptian pyramid. Initially, the pyramid of Djoser, “dressed” in polished white limestone, towered 62 meters, and its foundation was 109 x 125 meters in area. The step pyramid is considered the oldest large-scale stone structure.

Tarxien complex: a treasure of Malta

Malta is known for its impressive temples, which are great for our top oldest buildings. So, the “venerable age” is distinguished by the archaeological complex in Tarxien, dating back to approximately 3150 BC (“sunset” of the megalith). In 1980, this ensemble became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tarxien consists of three separate but connected temple structures. Main entrance- reconstruction of 1956 (when the entire site was restored). At the same time, many of the ornate tiles found at the site were moved to the Valletta Museum of Archeology.

Newgrage: the oldest in Ireland

5100 years ago (about 3200 BC) the oldest building in Ireland appeared. It's up historical monument Newgrage, built during the Neolithic period. He is older and Egyptian pyramids, and Stonehenge. The building consists of a large round mound-roof and internal stone passages and chambers. It is believed that the Scottish landmark has religious significance, but scientists did not come to a consensus - why the building was built. Human bones were found in his small rooms - perhaps Newgrage served as a place for offering sacrifices (or a tomb was built here). Now it is one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe.

La Hoog Bee: A Curiosity on the Island of Jersey

The name of the next oldest building is perceived as something Asian - La Hougue Bie. However, it is located in the parish of Grouville on the island of Jersey (UK). The building dates back to 3500 BC, now it is a historical monument with a museum. This is an 18.6-meter walk-through chamber, covered with an earth embankment 12.2 meters high. La Hug Bi was discovered only in 1925. During World War II, this structure was an important strategic observation point; an underground command bunker was set up in the adjacent embankment.

Knap of Howar: part of a Neolithic homestead in Scotland

The oldest stone building in Scotland is called Knap of Howar. It is believed that it was part of a Neolithic manor. Radiocarbon analyzes showed that the house was built from 3700 BC to 3100 BC (or 5500 years ago). The building, consisting of two rooms, has been perfectly preserved: 1.6-meter walls, shelves for things, stoves, beds. Ancient farmers cultivated wheat and barley, kept pigs and sheep, and fished. This was evidenced by the debris found by archaeologists near the buildings and in them.

Ggantija: tower of the giants in Gozo

We have already mentioned the megalithic temples of Malta, but Tarshien is not the oldest building in the archipelago. Religious buildings on the island of Gozo is even older - the structures of Ggantiy were erected around 3600 BC. The name translates as "Tower of the Giants". This and other Neolithic buildings of the country are protected by UNESCO (under common name"Megalithic Temples of Malta"). Ggantija consists of an older South Temple and a North Temple (they stand side by side on the Shaara Plateau). The start of large-scale excavations falls on the year 1827, then the area was in private hands, which negatively affected the buildings. In 1933, Ggantija passed to the government of Malta, and the temples have already been restored and studied five times.

Bugon Necropolis: French sensation

The Bugon Necropolis (France) is a group of five Neolithic mounds (they are called Tumulus A, B, C, D, E, F). The oldest building in the world got its name in honor of the Bugon River, near which it is located. Scientists believe that Tumulus began to build around 4800 BC. The opening of the necropolis in 1840 made a splash in scientific world. To protect the monuments, they were bought (in 1873) by the Department of Deux-Sèvres (New Aquitaine region). Archaeological excavations started in the 1960s, at the same time dishes and household items, jewelry, human remains, and tools were found in the cells.

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 the construction of the 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 listed them world heritage. 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.

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

Legendary buildings of the ancient world

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Egypt)

Mamertine Dungeon (Rome)

Pyramid of Djoser in Sakar

Greater Zimbabwe

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.

Skara Brae Settlement

The oldest buildings in Russia

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral (Pereyaslavl-Zalessky)

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery (Pskov)

Dormition Knyaginin Monastery

Church of Boris and Gleb (Kideksha village)

The oldest surviving building in the world

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.

And the most Old city in Russia it is Derbent. The website site has a detailed and their history.
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