The most mysterious buildings of antiquity online. Excursions. Pueblo Bonito. USA

On our planet, along with modern, technologically and industrially developed megacities, there are many places created by ancient masters or by nature itself.

Each such attraction has its own legend and, of course, a lot of things are silent. Mysterious places cause a huge number of questions among scientists, confuse anomalous phenomena and unknown.

1. Devil's Tower, USA

In size, the Devil's Tower is several times larger than the pyramid of Cheops and from the side resembles man-made structure. Due to its unrealistic size and unnaturally regular configuration, the rock has become the object of attention of many scientists, and local residents claim that Satan himself built it.

2. Mounds of Cahokia, USA

It is still unknown why almost 40,000 people left their settlement, and which Indian tribes are direct descendants of the Cahokians. Despite this, the mounds of Cahokia are a favorite place for many tourists who come here in the hope of unraveling the mystery. ancient city.

3. Chavinda, Mexico

Chavinda is of interest to many treasure hunters, because according to legend, this area hides unprecedented riches. Unfortunately, no one has yet been able to find the treasure. Unfortunate treasure hunters often attribute their failures to otherworldly forces.

4. Newgrange, Ireland

It is still unknown how ancient people were able to build such a perfect structure, which for five millennia was not only lucky enough to survive, retaining its primitive appearance, but also to remain completely waterproof.

5. Pyramids of Yonaguni, Japan

In the course of numerous studies, it was possible to establish that the age of the Yonaguni pyramids is more than 10 thousand years. Therefore, if the Yonaguna monuments created mysterious civilizations unknown to us, then the history of mankind should be rewritten.

Mysterious civilization. Underwater cities of Yonaguni

6. Geoglyphs of Nazca, Peru

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to ask the creators, but scientists offer 2 main versions: some, leaning towards the cosmic theory of the origin of geoglyphs, believe that they are landmarks for alien ships, others argue that these are giant lunar calendars. In any case, the Nazca rock paintings are proof of the existence of an ancient and mysterious civilization on the territory of modern Peru, which lived here long before the famous Incas and was distinguished by a high level of development.

7. Black Bamboo Hollow, China

They say that children and pets disappear without a trace here, which has a lot of documentary evidence. Scientists have been interested in the hollow of black bamboo for decades, who managed to prove that the valley in the Chinese province of Sichuan is an anomalous area with a difficult climate and rapidly changing weather conditions, which together provoke subsidence of the soil, which, according to scientists, are the reasons for the disappearance of people .

8. Path of the Giants, Ireland

Natural landmark belongs to the number of objects world heritage UNESCO. This place deserves admiration, so it is visited annually by more than one thousand tourists from all over the world.

9. Goseck circle, Germany

The original appearance of the building was returned only after a complete reconstruction. Scholars have little doubt that the Goseck Circle was used for astronomical observations and calendaring. This proves that our ancestors also studied space bodies, their movement and kept track of time.

10. Moai Monuments on Easter Island

In total, about 1000 remains of such man-made monuments were found on the island. Most have already gone under water.

Today, the vast majority of the statues are again placed on platforms facing the ocean, from where they continue to meet the guests of the island and remind of their former power. ancient people that inhabited these spaces.

Easter Island - Moai Message

11 Georgia Guidestones, USA

The height of the monumental structure is a little over six meters, and the slabs are oriented towards the four sides of the world and have holes. In one of them you can see polar star at any time of the year, in the second - the Sun at the solstice and equinox. A few years ago, the monument was vandalized and damaged by paint, which has not yet been removed.

12. Richat (Eye of the Sahara). Mauritania

This object has an incredibly huge size (up to 50 kilometers in diameter), so it can be seen even from space. The structure has several ellipsoidal rings formed by sedimentary rocks and sandstones about 500 million years ago.

13. "Gate to Hell" - Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan

During such geological research, a group of scientists discovered an underground cavern with natural gas, which almost led to the death of a huge number of people. Therefore, the management decided to set fire to the gas so that it would not threaten the local residents. But the fire, which was supposed to burn no more than 5 days, is still burning, instilling fear in everyone who comes close to it.

Courageous people are ready to take a selfie at the "Gate of Hell"

14. Arkaim, Russia

Arkaim is not only a unique architectural monument with thousand years of history, but also a place of concentration of healing energy flows that can save a person from any diseases.

15. Stonehenge, England

We fly into space, race to build skyscrapers, clone living organisms and do a lot of things that until recently seemed impossible. And at the same time, they are still unable to unravel the mysteries of the builders and thinkers who lived millennia ago. An ancient cobblestone weighing a hundred tons surprises us more than a computer the size of half a palm.

1. Stonehenge, UK, Salisbury

Altar, observatory, tomb, calendar? Scientists have not come to a consensus. Five thousand years ago, a ring ditch and ramparts around it with a diameter of 115 m appeared. A few centuries later, ancient builders brought here 80 four-ton stones, and a couple of centuries later - 30 megaliths weighing 25 tons. The stones were set in a circle and in the form of a horseshoe. The form in which Stonehenge has survived to this day is largely the result of human activity in recent centuries. People continued to work on the stones: the peasants chipped off pieces of amulets from them, the tourists marked the territory with inscriptions, and the restorers figured out for the ancients how they had it right.

2. Pyramid of Kukulkan, Mexico, Chichen Itza

Every year, on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, thousands of tourists gather at the foot of the sanctuary of the supreme Mayan deity - the Feathered Serpent. They observe the miracle of the "appearance" of Kukulkan: the Serpent moves down along the balustrade of the main staircase. The illusion is created by the play of triangular shadows cast by the nine platforms of the pyramid at the moment when the setting sun illuminates its northwestern corner for 10 minutes. If the sanctuary had been displaced even by a degree, none of this would have happened.

3. Karnak stones, France, Brittany, Karnak

In total, about 4,000 megaliths up to four meters high are arranged in slender alleys near the city of Karnak. The rows run parallel to each other or diverge like a fan, in some places they form circles. The complex dates back to the 5th-4th millennium BC. There were legends in Brittany that it was the wizard Merlin who made the ranks of Roman legionnaires turn to stone.

4. Stone balls, Costa Rica

Pre-Columbian artifacts scattered close up pacific coast Costa Rica, were discovered in the 1930s by banana plantation workers. Hoping to find gold inside, the vandals destroyed many balls. Now most of the rest are kept in museums. The diameter of some stones reaches 2.5 meters, weight - 15 tons. Their purpose is unknown.

5. Georgia Guidestones, USA, Georgia, Elbert

In 1979, someone under the pseudonym R.C. Christian ordered a construction company to manufacture and install a monument - a structure of six granite monoliths with a total weight of more than 100 tons. On the four side plates are engraved ten commandments to descendants in eight languages, including Russian. The last paragraph reads: "Do not be a cancer for the Earth, leave a place for nature too!"

6. Nuraghi of Sardinia, Italy, Sardinia

Semi-conical structures resembling huge beehives (up to 20 m high) appeared in Sardinia at the end of the 2nd millennium BC, before the arrival of the Romans. The towers were built without a foundation, from stone blocks superimposed on each other, not fastened with any mortar and held only by their own weight. The purpose of the nuraghe is unclear. It is characteristic that archaeologists have repeatedly discovered miniature models of these towers made of bronze during excavations.

7. Saxahuaman, Peru, Cusco

The archaeological park at an altitude of 3700 meters and an area of ​​3000 hectares is located north of the capital of the Inca Empire. Defensive and at the same time temple complex was built at the turn of the XV-XVI centuries. The zigzag battlements, reaching 400 meters in length and six in height, are made of 200-ton stone blocks. How the Incas installed these blocks, how they adjusted them one under the other, is unknown. From above, Saxahuaman looks like the toothy head of the puma Cuzco (the city was founded in the form of a sacred animal of the Incas).

8. Arkaim, Russia, Chelyabinsk region

The settlement of the Bronze Age (III-II millennium BC) is located on the same latitude as Stonehenge. Coincidence? Scientists don't know. Two rows of circular walls (the diameter of the far one is 170 m), a drainage system and a sewerage system, a well in every house are evidence of a highly developed culture. The monument was discovered by students and schoolchildren from an archaeological expedition in 1987. (In the photo - a model-reconstruction.)

9. Newgrange, Ireland, Dublin

The Celts called it Fairy Mound and considered it the home of one of their chief gods. A round structure made of stone, earth and rubble with a diameter of 85 meters was erected more than 5000 years ago. A corridor leads inside the mound, ending with a ritual chamber. On the days of the winter solstice, this chamber is brightly illuminated for 15–20 minutes by a ray of sun that enters the window above the tunnel entrance.

10. coral castle, USA, Florida, Homestead

The whimsical structure was single-handedly built in 28 years (1923-1951) by the Latvian immigrant Edward Lindskalnin in honor of lost love. How a man of modest height and build moved huge blocks in space remains a mystery.

11. Statues of "reptilians", French polynesia, Nuku Hiva island

Statues in a place called Temehea-Tohua in the Marquesas Islands depict strange creatures, the appearance of which in the mass consciousness is associated with aliens. They are different: there are large large-mouthed "reptilians", and there are others: with small bodies and disproportionately large elongated helmet-heads with huge eyes. They have one thing in common - an evil expression on their faces. Whether they were aliens from other worlds or just masked priests is unknown. The statues date from around the beginning of the 2nd millennium.

12. Yonaguni pyramids, Japan, Ryukyu archipelago

Monuments of huge stone platforms and pillars located under water at a depth of 5 to 40 meters were discovered in 1986. The main of these structures has the form of a pyramid. Not far from it is a large platform with steps, similar to a stadium with spectator stands. One of the objects resembles a huge head, like the moai statues on Easter Island. IN scientific community there are disputes: many believe that the formations lying on the bottom of the ocean have exclusively natural origin. But loners like Masaaki Kimura, a professor at Ryukyu University who has repeatedly dived to the ruins, insist that a person was involved.

13. Goseck circle, Germany, Gosek

A ring system of concentric ditches and wooden fences was created between 5000 and 4800 BC. Now the complex is reconstructed. Presumably, it was used as a solar calendar.

14. Greater Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, Masvingo

One of the largest and oldest stone structures South Africa It was built from the 11th century, and in the 15th century it was abandoned for some unknown reason. All structures (up to 11 meters in height and 250 in length) were built using the dry masonry method. Presumably, up to 18,000 people lived in the settlement.

15. Delhi Column, India, New Delhi

Iron column over 7 meters high and weighing over 6 tons - part architectural complex Qutub Minar. It was cast in honor of King Chandragupta II in 415. For unclear reasons, the column, which is almost 100% iron, is virtually indestructible. Scientists are trying to explain this fact by various reasons: the special skill and technology of ancient Indian blacksmiths, dry air and specific climatic conditions in the Delhi region, the formation of a protective shell - in particular, as a result of the fact that the Hindus anointed the sacred monument with oils and incense. Ufologists, as usual, see in the column another proof of the intervention of extraterrestrial intelligence. But the secret of "stainless steel" has not yet been unraveled.

17. Nabta Observatory, Nubia, Sahara

In the sands next to dry lake is the oldest archaeoastronomical monument on the planet, 1000 years older than Stonehenge. The location of the megaliths allows you to determine the day of the summer solstice. Archaeologists believe that people lived here seasonally, when there was water in the lake, so they needed a calendar.

18. Antikythera mechanism, Greece, Antikythera

A mechanical device with dials, hands and gears at the beginning of the 20th century was found on a sunken ship sailing from Rhodes (100 BC). After lengthy research and reconstruction, scientists found that the device served astronomical purposes - it made it possible to monitor the movement of celestial bodies and make very complex calculations.

19. Baalbek Plates, Lebanon

The ruins of the Roman temple complex date back to the 1st-2nd century AD. But the Romans did not build sanctuaries in an empty place. At the base of the temple of Jupiter lie more ancient slabs weighing 300 tons. The western retaining wall is made up of a series of "trilithons" - three limestone blocks, each more than 19 m long, 4 m high and weighing about 800 tons. Roman technology was not able to lift such a weight. By the way, not far from the complex for more than one thousand years there is another block - under 1000 tons.

20. Göbekli Tepe, Türkiye

The complex on the Armenian Highlands is considered the oldest of the largest megalithic structures (approximately X-IX millennium BC). At that time, people were still engaged in hunting and gathering, but someone was able to erect circles from huge steles with images of animals.

“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 further 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 of the 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, full-flowing rivers, dozens and hundreds of natural wonders - Avacha Bay, Kungurskaya 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.

Built thousands of years ago and miraculously preserved to this day, erected from materials of unknown origin and hiding their true functions in incomprehensible forms, there are many mysterious structures on the planet with unsolvable riddles associated with them. Some of them are able to amaze with their impressive age, others with their impressive size, and others with truly fantastic architectural characteristics. Looking at such structures, one can only guess what our world was like thousands of years ago. How people managed to extract unique building materials and process them skillfully, build indestructible stone walls and carve monoliths of an incomprehensible purpose from rocks - scientists have been pondering these questions for hundreds of years.

1 Georgia Guidestones, USA

Located in northeastern Georgia unique monument, which is known to the general public under the name "Georgia Guidelines". The impressive structure is a complex of six granite slabs, each of which is 6.1 meters high and weighs 20 tons. Commemorative inscriptions in eight languages ​​of the world were applied to the granite slabs, they represent a kind of instruction for those who will survive after the apocalypse and will be engaged in the restoration of civilization.

Opening unusual monument in Georgia took place in 1980, its construction was carried out by employees of the construction organization Elberton Granite Finishing Company. The author of the idea of ​​an unusual monument is not known for certain, according to one version, he is a certain Robert Christian, who ordered the erection of a monument in private. The monument is also remarkable for its astronomical orientation, it is oriented in such a way that it allows you to track the movement of the sun. In the central part of the monument there is a hole through which you can see the North Star at any time of the year.

Despite the fact that the age of the monument is relatively small, it never ceases to attract public attention. Most Interest for visitors is a mysterious message, which contains very fair and well-founded commandments. You can read the mysterious message in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, as well as in Hindi and Hebrew.

2. Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek, Lebanon

A unique building is the ancient temple of the god Jupiter, located in the ancient Lebanese city of Baalbek. Even though today ancient building is in ruins, it never ceases to amaze with its scale and design features. The main mystery of the temple is the huge platform slabs at its base, as well as carved marble columns, the height of which, according to rough estimates, reached 20 meters.

How thousands of years ago people managed to construct structures of such a scale, it has not been possible to understand until now. According to historical data, the temple in Baalbek existed for several hundred years and was partially destroyed during the reign of Emperor Theodosius. It is likely that thousands of years ago these places were considered truly special, it is impossible to find another explanation for the appearance of a giant temple.

When trying to imagine the process of building a temple, a huge number of unsolvable questions arise. Huge stone platforms, weighing up to 1,000 tons, people managed to lift to a height of up to 7 meters. Even today, with the most modern technology, such a task would not be easy to accomplish. Not far from the temple there is a quarry, where huge monoliths were carved out of the rocks, one of the monoliths was left untouched in the quarry. Its parameters are also impressive, the length of the monolith is 21 meters, the height is 4.2 meters, and the width is about 5 meters. According to one version, unique temple built thousands of years ago by order of King Solomon.

3. Mysterious circles in Gobekli Tepe, Türkiye

In Turkey, not far from the border with Syria, there is the Gobekli Tepe region, which is world-famous due to the megalithic circles discovered here. Each of them is a bit like the circle of Stonehenge, but the circles in Gobekli Tepe were built about a thousand years earlier. The purpose of the stone circles is also incomprehensible, as well as the method of building such large-scale and correct structures.

discovered megalithic structures a group of archaeologists led by Klaus Schmidt, excavations in the designated area began in 1994. In addition to the mysterious circles, scientists have discovered the ruins of ancient temples and other structures, whose age is about 12 thousand years. Archaeological excavations in the Gobekli Tepe region have been continuously carried out for more than ten years, over the years, scientists have managed to clear only a small part of the treasures hidden underground.

According to historians, thousands of years ago, a complex of religious buildings was located in these places, it was here that people made sacrifices to the gods of fertility. Mysterious circles are nothing but the central part of this cult complex, where the most significant rituals were performed. It is likely that the monolithic circles are only part of a huge temple complex, as evidenced by the monoliths with pictograms discovered nearby. The latter are of particular interest to those interested in history. ancient world. Among the variety of pictograms, not only images of animals were found, but also images of creatures that only remotely resemble people.

4. Inca City Machu Picchu, Peru
Attendance at the Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru is approximately 2,500 tourists per day.

Among the most incredible and amazing structures on the planet, the city of Machu Picchu occupies a very special place. This ancient city of the Incas has been best preserved for thousands of years. Today, visitors to the unique archaeological complex have a unique opportunity to walk along the ancient streets and touch history in its true incarnation. The discoverer of the unique archaeological complex is Hyrum Bingham, whose group began excavations in 1911.

The history of the city of Machu Picchu is full of secrets and mysteries, for several hundred years it remained the residence of the ruler, even in its heyday there were no more than 200 buildings on the territory of the city. In 1532, the history of the city mysteriously ends, according to one of the testimonies, all its inhabitants simply disappeared at the same time. Modern visitors of the archaeological complex will have the opportunity to see carefully restored fragments of ancient temples, residences, warehouses and other buildings that were used for domestic needs.

The mysterious disappearance of the inhabitants of the city is just one of the mysteries of Machu Picchu, the ancient city is a unique structure from an architectural point of view. Literally everything is of interest here, from the carefully processed stones from which the buildings are built, to the correct geometric shape of these buildings. Travelers who decide to walk around the archaeological area should take into account that only 2,500 tourists can visit it per day, so you should sign up for the tour in advance.

5. Greater Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

In southern Africa, there is a unique complex of ruins under common name“Great Zimbabwe”, not everyone knows that the African country of the same name got its name in honor of this archaeological site. According to historical data, more than a thousand years ago, the Shona tribes lived in these places, it was they who erected numerous buildings, the ruins of which are of such interest to tourists and researchers today.

According to rough estimates, Great Zimbabwe was founded in the 12th century BC, from the moment the city was founded, it existed for no more than 300 years. The reason why a large city became empty after several hundred years remains unknown. main feature ruins lies in their architectural characteristics. All buildings in Greater Zimbabwe were built from the same stone monoliths of the correct form, which were simply stacked on top of each other without the use of any fastening materials.

It is surprising that with such features of the buildings, they managed to partially survive after more than 3,000 years. One of the most interesting parts of the archaeological complex is the so-called "road barrier" - a huge stone circle with a diameter of 89 meters. The total length of the stone wall is 244 meters, and the height of the structure is 10 meters. Modern scientists can only guess about the purpose of such structures.

6. Ruins of Chavin de Huantar, Peru

Peru also has amazing buildings that deserve the attention of the most sophisticated tourists. Among them are the ruins of the ancient city of Chavin de Huantar. They are located on the territory of the district of the same name, which the locals since prehistoric times consider special and filled with magical powers. The ancient city of Chavin de Huantar was founded in 327 BC, its main part was occupied by temples and places of worship.

For many years, the ancient city remained a place for complex religious rites and sacrifices, as evidenced by the variety of artifacts discovered during excavations. It was here that shamans drew their strength, local residents still believe that while walking among the ruins, one can “charge” with magical powers. Central location The archaeological complex today is occupied by two temples, in the courtyards of which religious monuments and obelisks are hidden.

Like many other prehistoric structures, the Chavin de Huantar complex is notable for its construction method; its temples amaze with their scale and dimensions of the building materials used. The internal structure of the temples is very complex; visitors can walk through the labyrinths of corridors only with a guide. The history of the discovery of the ancient city is also unusual, it was found by one of the local farmers. While cultivating the land, he noticed strange stones with carved petroglyphs. For more than a hundred years, the area discovered by the farmer has remained in the attention of archaeologists from all over the world.

7. Coral Castle, USA

On the territory of the state of Florida in the city of Homestead there is a unique Coral Castle, the so-called rock garden, which can be safely considered a real wonder of the world. An impressive complex of statues, with a total weight of 1,100 tons, was built by hand, the fact of its existence has been surprising millions of people from all over the world for many years. The author of the unique rock garden is Ed Lidskalnin, an immigrant from Latvia, an unhappy love inspired him to this feat.

Walking through the rock garden, you can see some beautiful sculptures in a romantic style, including a huge table in the shape of a heart. The crescent moon erected on the pedestal is also very interesting, which always accurately points to the polar star. The largest building is a tall square tower, weighing 243 tons. Coral stones served as the main building material in the construction of sculptures, some of them weigh several tons.

Construction coral castle its author began in 1923 and continued uninterruptedly until the day of his death. The fact that beautiful garden the stones were built by one person without the use of any special equipment, it seems simply fantastic. Considering that Ed Leedskalnin was a rather fragile man, the phenomenon of the existence of the Coral Castle cannot be explained at all. The height of the man was only 152 cm, and the weight was 45 kg.

8. Valley of pitchers, Laos

In Laos, not far from the city of Phonsavan, there is an amazing Valley of Jars - an undeveloped area, on the territory of which hundreds of amazing stone structures are presented. With their outlines, these structures resemble real jugs, the difference lies only in their impressive size. The height of stone jugs is from 1 to 3.5 meters, and the average diameter is about 1 meter. The weight of the largest "jug" is approximately 6 tons, who and for what purpose many years ago created such a number of incomprehensible stone structures - one of the main mysteries of Laos.

It is noteworthy that all stone stupas were carved from stone, which is not typical for this area. A lot is connected with the Valley of pitchers interesting legends According to one of them, in ancient times, local residents used huge stupas for cremation of the dead. According to another version, huge stone stupas were used to store rice and wine. As scientists managed to establish, the age of unusual stone formations is more than 2.5 thousand years.

In total, there are a little less than 500 jugs in the suburban areas of Phonsavan. The fact that all the huge stone stupas were carved from stone by hand is indisputable, but how people managed to do this 2,500 years ago is a mystery. According to one of the Lao legends, giants once lived in this picturesque valley, and they created multi-ton stone structures. Archaeological research in the valley has been carried out since the 30s of the 20th century, and every year archaeologists manage to find out more and more unique facts.

9. Megaliths in Asuka Park, Japan

Several amazing structures can be seen in the Japanese Asuka Park. Huge megaliths have been resting here for many hundreds of years, the real purpose of which modern science can only guess. According to the main version of the researchers, huge megaliths with patterns carved on the surface are nothing but ancient altars. One of the most interesting megaliths is called Sakafune Ishi. Strange traces of wedges were found on its surface, which prompted researchers to think about cult purpose stones.

One of the largest in the park is the Masuda Iwafune monolith, which is 11 meters long, 8 meters wide and 4.7 meters high. This huge stone, which was clearly carved from a single piece of granite by hand, weighs at least 7 tons. Surprisingly, the age of the monolith is more than 2.5 thousand years. Another amazing fact is that the granite rock from which the megaliths were made is incredibly strong, even with the use of modern equipment it is extremely difficult to leave even a scratch on its surface.

How thousands of years ago people managed to process hard granite and decorate it with clear patterns is a mystery to modern science. Local residents believe in the magical power of megaliths, many try to avoid them and are afraid to even touch giant stones. Curious travelers who are photographed every day against the backdrop of huge granite stones are not at all embarrassed by such legends.

10. Carved columns of Shravanabelagola, India

Travelers who want to see the incredible buildings in India should definitely visit the city of Shravanabelagola. Here are several amazing temples, the main decoration of which are beautiful carved columns. The shape of the columns is unique, they were created more than a thousand years ago, in a century when lathes and chisels did not yet exist.

Today, carving such a column out of stone is not difficult, but how people did it 10-12 centuries ago and what secrets of stone processing they owned remains a mystery. Every day, the ancient temples of Shravanabelagol are visited by a huge number of tourists, and all in order to touch the incredibly beautiful and slender columns with a perfect polished surface and intricate patterns with their own hands.

After admiring the most beautiful carved columns, you should definitely visit the nearby village of Hampi, which also has several sights worthy of attention. Here you can see some of the very first multi-storey buildings in India, which were built from huge stone slabs and columns. One of the most remarkable archaeological areas is the ruins of Vijayanagar, where you can see the ruins of ancient two-story buildings.

11. Domus de Janus, Italy

In Italy, among the most amazing buildings, it is worth noting the so-called "Fairy Houses" - Domus de Janus. They represent unique stone buildings, which, with their outlines, really resemble fairy-tale houses with a doorway and small windows. Most of these structures were found in Sardinia, currently there are about 2,800 structures in the region.

Each house is unique, some of them were carved into rock ledges, and others in separate boulders. One of the main features of the structures is their relatively small size. In order for at least one person to live in such a house, its size should be on average twice as large. It is for this reason that Domus de Janus is considered to be the home of magical creatures - fairies, and some believe that witches once lived in these miniature houses.

The houses carved in stones are also remarkable for their design. You can see many mysterious symbols on their walls. According to approximate estimates of scientists, Domus de Janus was built in the period from the 4th to the 2nd millennium BC. If we take into account the generally accepted information about the level of development of civilization in those days, then we can imagine how laborious the process of building houses was. Travelers who visit the amazing landmark of Sardinia should definitely perform a magical ritual. In the center of each house there are small recesses, in which it is customary to put offerings for fairies.

12. Heerlum Stone, Japan

Length: 5.7 meters. Height: 7.2 meters. Width: 6.5 meters. A unique man-made formation is the Heerlum stone, also known as the Oishi shrine. Back in the Middle Ages, a huge stone was declared a shrine, and a temple was built next to it. The history of the origin of the stone is not known for certain, it is striking in its impressive scale. The monolith is 5.7 meters long, 6.5 meters wide and 7.2 meters high, respectively. According to rough estimates, the weight of the Heerlum stone is about 600 tons.

The stone is located in a hard-to-reach rocky area, on all sides it is surrounded by sheer cliffs. On three sides, the monolith is surrounded by rock, from which it was carved, and the lower part of the stone was never separated from the general rock. One of the main features of the shrine is connected with the processing of the lower part of the monolith; even during the construction period, they tried to separate the monolith from the rock and made a tunnel under it.

It was not possible to complete what had been started, as a result, a small depression formed under the monolith, which today is filled with water. At first glance, it may seem that a huge stone literally hovers over a small makeshift pool. According to some studies, the Heerlum stone may be part of an ancient Buddhist temple. Buddhist shrines were built according to the same principle - they were carved from solid rock.

13. Goseck Circle, Germany

Year of appearance: 4900 BC. On the territory of the German city of Goseck there is an amazing Neolithic structure, which was called the Goseck Circle. It is a combination of several concentric ditches, the diameter of which is about 75 meters, as well as palisade rings, in certain places of which a kind of gate was built. An unusual structure was discovered by researchers quite recently, in 1991. Flying over the area in an airplane, the researchers noticed a strange round silhouette against the background of a wheat field.

In 2002, in the aforementioned region, archaeological excavations, which were led by François Berthem from the University of Halle-Wittenberg. The strange Neolithic complex, which was discovered by the researchers, once clearly had a serious and very specific purpose. The complex has a strict astronomical orientation, its southern aisles exactly coincide with the points of sunrise and sunset on the days of the winter solstice.

Such features of the structure prompted researchers to think that an ancient astronomical laboratory could have been located on the site of the Gosek circle earlier. It is likely that thousands of years ago it was precisely such structures that helped people to draw up an accurate moon calendar. If the bold guesses of scientists find accurate confirmation, then the Gosek circle can be considered the oldest of the currently existing solar observatories on the planet. According to rough estimates, the observatory was built no later than 4900 BC.

14 Delhi Pillar, India

Year of appearance: 415 Height: 7 meters. The Indian city of Delhi also has its own mysterious symbol - the Delhi Pillar. It is located in one of the remote areas of the city and was built, according to scientists, about 1,600 years ago. Despite the fact that the pillar was completely built of iron, over such a long period it did not corrode at all and has continued to remain unchanged for more than 16 centuries. Explanations for this amazing fact scientists cannot find, as well as explain the way the pillar was erected.

For the locals, the Delhi Pillar continues to be one of the main wonders, they believe in its magical power. According to the testimonies of many indigenous people, after touching the pillar, one can be healed of many diseases, and also boldly count on the fulfillment of the most cherished desires. Huge height iron column is 7 meters, and its approximate weight is about 6.5 tons.

Unlike many mysterious structures on the planet, the history of the appearance of the Delhi Pillar is precisely known, it was built in 415 in honor of King Chandragupta II, who died two years earlier, and was part of the temple complex. In 1050, by order of King Anang Pol, the column was transported to another part of Delhi, where it remains today. In the 5th century, iron was considered one of the key attributes of a rich and prosperous state, so it is not surprising that it was decided to build the column from it. For many years, scientists have been trying to unravel at least part of the mysteries of the Delhi Pillar, but their hypotheses give rise to more and more new questions. According to one of the assumptions, he was shackled from a special, pure iron, but the fact that the latter was mined in such a huge amount is still unclear.

15. Saksayuman Fortress, Peru

Year of appearance: 15th century. In Peru, on the outskirts of the ancient Inca capital of Cusco, there is the mysterious fortress of Sacsayuman, it is also shrouded in mass interesting secrets and legends. The central place of the building is occupied by an impressive stone structure of a rounded shape - a solar calendar. For hundreds of years, the castle has been perfectly preserved. On its territory you can see numerous outbuildings that were used to store water and food.

There are many legends about the craftsmanship of the Inca builders, the Saksayuman fortress is a clear confirmation that many of them are not fiction. The fortress is built of huge regular-shaped stone blocks, the way of processing of which delights even experienced modern builders. According to one of the legends, with the help of the juice of rare plants, the Incas were able to literally dissolve stones, and many believe that higher powers helped the builders in their hard work.

Today, the Saksayuman fortress is the largest on the continent; for thousands of years, it has retained its former power. Huge multi-ton stone blocks are stacked so tightly that they cannot be moved, and it is often difficult to insert a sheet of paper between the blocks. According to some assumptions, many years ago the fortress was not only of strategic importance, there was a large temple complex on its territory. According to historical data, the construction of the fortress began in the second half of the 15th century and lasted about 50 years. The fortress was never completed due to the outbreak of civil wars.

On a barren hill in northeast Georgia is one of the strangest and most mysterious monuments in the world. But it was not created in ancient times. Known as the Georgia Guidestones, this stone structure of six granite slabs of 6.1 meters in height and 20 tons in weight each.

The monument has inscriptions in eight modern languages, as well as a brief inscription on the top in ancient Egyptian, Akkadian, classical Greek and Sanskrit.

The letters are instructions for discouraged survivors of the Apocalypse who are trying to rebuild civilization.

The design is designed to track the movement of the sun from east to west all year round, and has holes that allow you to find the North Star.

The order for the erection of the monument was given in June 1979 to the construction firm Elberton Granite Finishing Company by a man who introduced himself as Robert C. Christian. The monument was opened a year later.

A team of researchers while working with sonar to search for sunken ships at the bottom of Lake Michigan were very surprised when they discovered a structure resembling the world-famous Stonehenge at a depth of about 15 meters.

Some of the stones are arranged in a circle, and one of them is engraved with the image of a mastodon. The structure was erected 10,000 years ago, which coincides with the post-Ice Age, when both humans and relic animals lived in the region.

Age of underwater ruins found in the spring of 1987 by a diving instructor in Japanese south coast off the Yonaguni Islands, about 8,000 years old.

Wide flat platforms, covered with an ornament of rhombuses and rectangles, pass into intricate terraces running down large steps. The edge of the object breaks vertically downwards with a wall of 27 meters.

Professor Masaake Kimura, a marine geologist at Ryukyu University, has been diving at the site for over 18 years to measure and map the structures of the Yonaguni Monument, as it has come to be called.

This huge complex buildings that include castles, monuments and a stadium, all connected by a complex system of roads and waterways, says Kimura. In all likelihood, it went under water during a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Off the coast of Alexandria, the city of Alexander the Great, lies what is believed to be the ruins of Cleopatra's royal palace.

It is believed that as a result of an earthquake more than 1500 years ago, the queen's palace irrevocably went under water. The excavations are carried out by underwater archaeologists led by the Frenchman Franck Gaudier.

Excavations are underway on the so-called Aphrodite Island. Where, according to reports, was the palace of Cleopatra. The Egyptian government plans to create an underwater museum there.

The largest Roman temple ever built stands in ruins, not in Greece or Rome, but in the ancient Lebanese city of Baalbek (the city of Baal).

The huge temple of Jupiter is part of the temple complex.

Questions are raised by the elements of the structure: giant and heavy platform slabs, twenty-meter marble columns, which were hewn in an unknown way. It seems that giants worked on the construction or magic was used.

The temple was destroyed during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius.

Despite its beauty, the ruins of Baalbek have rarely been visited by tourists in recent decades due to the war, so this majestic place has escaped much looting.

No one knows what made this place so special to the Romans, what prompted them to build such a huge structure.

In southern Turkey, north of the Syrian border, three megalithic stone circles have been found.

They are several thousand years older than the "first" stone circle built at Stonehenge. Ironically, these ancient stone circles were built during the hunter-gatherer society.

Previously, it was believed that the construction of this kind of structures requires a more complex organization of the human community, which could not be the case for human hunters.

Three stone circles at Gobekli Tepe were deliberately buried for unknown reasons. Some believe that the Gobekli Tepe area and the biblical Garden of Eden.

Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui and Isla de Pasqua, is one of the Polynesian islands in the southeast Pacific. He became famous for his monumental statues, which were created by the people of Rapanui.

The statues, the so-called moai, were part of the ancestor worship of the island's settlers and were erected between 1250 and 1500 AD.

The heaviest statue weighs about 86 tons and proves that such work was a real feat for the people of Rapa Nui. Nearly half of all the remaining statues are still in the main quarry, and hundreds of them have been moved to stone platforms around the perimeter of the island.

The secret of creating, moving and installing statues was revealed in 1956 by the famous Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl.

The creators of the moai turned out to be an endangered native tribe of the “long-ears”, which got its name because they had a custom to lengthen their earlobes with heavy jewelry, which for centuries kept the secret of creating statues a secret from the main population of the island - the “short-eared” tribe.

Perhaps the most famous monument in the world is Stonehenge, located in English county Wiltshire. It consists of earthen ramparts that surround stone slabs arranged in a circle.

The construction dates back to 2500 BC. Although there are many theories and conjectures regarding the construction and use of the megalithic structure, no one knows for sure about the original purpose of the construction. This remains one of the greatest mysteries of the Earth.

9. Machu - Picchu

Machu Picchu is the best preserved city of the Inca Empire. A city that was hidden in the Peruvian Andes, on a high steep mountain with a flat top, a place that escaped a deadly encounter with the Spanish conquistadors.

The place has been isolated from the outside world for many centuries. The city was rediscovered by archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911.

The stones of this city are set so closely together that the blade of a knife cannot fit between them. Modern research shows that Machu Picchu was built around 1450 AD by the great Inca ruler Pachacuti, a century before his empire was conquered.

Machu Picchu was used as the residence of the ruler. Because of his modest size, he could not claim the title big city: in total there were about 200 structures. In 1532, the inhabitants of the city mysteriously disappeared.

Few people know that the modern African country of Zimbabwe was actually named after the stone ruins that dot the countryside.

The "Great Ruins of Zimbabwe" is one of the oldest and largest structures located in southern Africa. According to scientists, at one time about 18,000 inhabitants lived here.

Greater Zimbabwe is believed to have been the main shrine and ancestral center of the Shona people (Bantu people).

The city was founded around 1130 AD. e. and existed for two or three centuries.

In ancient times, it was the center of the state of Monomotapa, also known as the power of the Great (Great) Zimbabwe, Muene Mutapa or Munhumutapa. The reason why the inhabitants left it is unknown.

Although not as famous as the ruins of Machu Picchu, the ruins of the Peruvian Chavin de Huantar are part of the valuable heritage of Humanity.

Chavin de Huantar, religious center the most advanced civilization of the pre-Inca era in Peru, was built in 327 BC. e. and includes the quintessence of all the knowledge of the creators.

It is believed that it was here that the place of power was located, where the shamans drew the magical energy necessary to communicate with the gods. In one of the corridors of the "Old Temple", the mysterious five-meter-high Lanzon monolith occupies a dominant position.

The stone image of a frightening deity strikes with the size of a huge face and bulging eyes. The locals call him the "bloodsucker".

Vessels found in the temple indicate that the site may have been associated with a tradition of sacrifice.

The ruins of the city were discovered about a hundred years ago by a local farmer. The reason why the city was abandoned by the inhabitants remains unsolved.

Coral Castle - a complex of huge statues and megaliths with a total weight of 1100 tons, built by hand, without the use of machines.

The complex includes: a two-story square tower weighing 243 tons, various buildings, massive walls, an underground pool with a spiral staircase, stone map Florida, rough-hewn chairs, a table in the shape of a heart, accurate sundials, stone Mars and Saturn, as well as a 30-ton month, with its horn accurately pointing to the North Star, and much more.

How to explain the fact that a man of small stature and build (152 cm and 45 kg) built a rock garden alone, using pieces of coral weighing several tons each?

Coral Castle, in the town of Homestead, Florida - a monument to an immigrant from Latvia, Ed Leedskalnin, for a lost love. Ed began construction in 1923 after his Latvian fiancée left him a few days before their wedding, and devoted his entire life to completing it.

Construction continued even after his death in 1951. Experts wonder how a simple stonemason Leedskalnin, who only had four grades of education, could have built Coral Castle on his own. One engineer claimed that even Albert Einstein could not understand.

Reference: WebUrbanist is a blog of authors who are interested in urban life in all its manifestations: from urban projects to street art and unusual architecture. Designers, bloggers, architects and other zealous urbanists are looking for the most curious and Interesting Facts study them and write fascinating articles. The authors of the project emphasize the quality of the information and its thorough presentation. The site is popular among Internet users, monthly 500 thousand people visit this online publication about life in the city.