The oldest building in the world. The oldest buildings in Russia. The most ancient defensive structures

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 conventional - for them they are their own, for America - theirs (the beginning of the colonization of the continent by Europeans).

Amazing Legacy

During 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 dating back to the first century AD, the remains of Greek temples, the Jervan aqueduct in Iraq, and the concrete domes of Roman temples.

Civilizations close to us

Every continent is sure to have ancient sites. 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 Anthony loved her.

In addition, they and other ancient Roman emperors dreamed of enslaving Egypt. Russian literature and art until the beginning of the 20th century were associated with the myths of Greece and Rome. And Mediterranean civilizations are considered the cradle of humanity. Therefore, we need to start looking in more detail at the famous structures and buildings of antiquity with Greece and Rome.

Acropolis - the pearl of world architecture

In Greece there are a lot of monuments dating back to prehistoric times, and the entire country is dotted with the ruins of ancient Greek palaces and places of worship. It is quite 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, its width is 300 m, and its length is 170. This is a well-fortified upper city, towering over the unprotected lower one. The Acropolis was the place where the temples of the gods and patrons were located of this city, residents could hide in it during the war. The majestic Acropolis of Athens is its history well studied.

Parthenon - the dominant feature of the Acropolis

It should be noted that sculptures and statues from this Acropolis are in many museums around the world. It contains 21 objects, the most significant of which is the Parthenon - business card not only of Greece, but of the entire Ancient World.

Listed as one of the World's Greatest Temples, it was built on the foundations of an older temple in the 5th century BC by the architects Callicrates and Ictinus. He dominates the entire area. This ideal, harmonious structure is rich unique features. But dozens of books have been written about every smallest detail. The only thing that can be noted is that it is surrounded all along the perimeter by columns (this form is called a peripter). This is what makes the temple irresistibly beautiful.

Athens - a treasure trove of ancient architecture

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

Priority of religious buildings

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-mentioned ancient objects, only the Areopagus is an administrative building, all the others are places of worship. The largest sanctuary is Olympia, which is located on the Peloponnese peninsula. The cult of Zeus reigned in it.

The main visiting card of Rome

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

The buildings of ancient Rome in this article are presented by 10 greatest architectural examples, with which many inhabitants of the Earth are familiar, even those who are far from learned. Who doesn’t know the Colosseum - the main symbol of Rome? A half-destroyed three-tiered outer wall surrounds the oval arena. In ancient times, the total number of arches on the wall was 240, 80 of them were 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 they know about the sad death of Spartacus’s companions, chained alive to the pillars located along it, from school. And the final shots of the cult American film touched film lovers in many countries around the world.

The famous buildings and structures of antiquity located in the ancient capital are worthily represented by the Roman Forum, which already during the reign of Tarquicius 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. Each of them is associated with tragic or happy pages of ancient history. The perfectly preserved Trajan Column dates back to the beginning of the 2nd century AD. 185 steps located inside lead to the 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 gods. Built in 126 AD, it dominates the Piazza della Rotonda.

You can find out what the famous structures and buildings of antiquity looked like by looking at the marble Arc de Triomphe of Titus. This oldest building was erected in 81 in honor of the capture of Jerusalem. The arch rises above Via Sacra. Single-span, it has a height of 15.4 meters, a width of 13.5 m, a span depth of 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 victors got its main shrine - the minor. All this can be seen on the bas-relief.

Famous Roman baths and unique temples

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

The seventh line in the list of “Architectural structures of Ancient Rome” is occupied by a composition of two temples of different configurations - rectangular and round. These temples were erected in honor of Portunus (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

At number eight is the Campus Martius - the left bank part of Rome. Next to it 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, topped with a statue of the emperor in the image of the Sun God, driving a quadriga (a team of 4 horses). This huge structure was not used for its intended purpose; it became a strategic object.

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

Masterpieces of the East

The greats of the world are worthily complemented by another grandiose monument. This is the Great Wall of China, the length of which from edge to edge is 21,196 kilometers. Built by one fifth (exactly one million) of the country's population in the 3rd century BC, it clearly defined the borders of the state and made China impregnable. This unique monument antiquities. What about 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, like the buildings of Ancient Rus', belong to the great world heritage. Only our civilization is young compared to others. The architecture of Novgorod, Pskov and Kyiv is considered the most ancient in our country, where from 989 to 996 the Church of the Tithes was erected, destroyed by Batu.

The next oldest architectural monument by our standards 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 a cross, and the temple was crowned with a dome. Such churches are the main type of ancient religious buildings in Rus'.

Byzantine masters and their creations

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

Triumph of Orthodoxy

It was followed by the St. 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-pillars.

The Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was built by specially invited Greeks in 1073-1079. This temple, called the “Great Church,” became 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 cathedral, 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, masterpieces of applied art and literature were left to descendants. The Tale of Bygone Years was first mentioned in 852.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Moscow is an ancient city, and sometimes, walking along the old streets, examining ancient churches and chambers of the 17th century, we ask ourselves: “Which house is the oldest in Moscow? Well, that is, absolutely the oldest? Answering this question is not so simple, because many ancient houses were rebuilt over centuries, and even exact time construction is not always easy even for restorers. But, nevertheless, we will try to systematize the selection of the oldest buildings in Moscow according to various parameters. The list can be divided into two parts: the first - ancient buildings (the oldest chambers, the most old church, etc.), and the second is the oldest building by other parameters, for example the first gas station, train station, etc. They themselves are already relatively modern buildings. Also, we will not neglect the lost buildings. So, the oldest houses and buildings in Moscow —>

The oldest building in Moscow (and the most ancient temple) is the Spassky Cathedral of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery. Years of construction: 1420-1425.

It is considered the most ancient temple in Moscow, although it is not completely preserved. And, accordingly, the oldest building in Moscow, because almost no stone civil buildings were built then, at least nothing from the beginning of the 15th century has survived to our time. And the oldest fortifications are the Kremlin wall, already at the end of the 15th century. According to chronicles, the monastery itself was founded in 1357. After the fire of 1368, in which the original wooden cathedral of the Andronikov Monastery burned down, the stone Spassky Cathedral was built from plinth, from which white stone reliefs with fragments of zoomorphic and plant compositions, archaic in their style and execution, were preserved. Between 1420 and 1425, the Spassky Cathedral was rebuilt again, and the white stone church of that time has survived to this day. It is a single-domed, four-pillar, three-apse temple. Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny participated in the painting of the cathedral (only fragments of floral patterns on the window slopes have survived from the original frescoes). In the 19th century, the cathedral underwent significant changes, which began with the partial restoration of the destruction that occurred in 1812. In 1846-1850, according to the design of the architect P. Gerasimov, the porches were rebuilt, two chapels were built to the north and south of the cathedral, a tent roof was built above it, and significant alterations were made inside the building. And, the 20th century greeted the temple in this form:

In 1934, in connection with the proposed demolition of the entire Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, the monument was measured and examined by the architect P.N. Maksimov and drew up a restoration project. The work on this monument published in 1940 by the Academy of Architecture finally gave everyone a clear idea of ​​the architectural value of the Spassky Cathedral. In 1959-1960 The cathedral building was reconstructed in its original forms according to the design of L.A. David and S.S. Podyapolsky. However, the reconstruction of the lost upper part of the temple (the number of kokoshniks at the base of the drum, the shape of the dome, the proportions of the drum) and the pre-portal staircases remains controversial. Compared old photograph With the view after reconstruction, one can judge what remains of the original 15th century temple:

In conclusion, it is worth saying that the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery itself is by no means the oldest in Moscow. The most ancient is considered to be Svyato-Danilov, founded by Moscow Prince Daniil Alexandrovich (Daniil of Moscow), the youngest son of Prince Alexander Nevsky at the end of the 13th century. But such ancient buildings have not survived there.

The oldest civil building in Moscow is the faceted chamber in the Kremlin. Years of construction: 1487 - 1491.


Photo taken from here: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faceted_Chamber

Built in 1487 - 1491 by order of Ivan III by Italian architects Marco Ruffo and Pietro Antonio Solari. The name is taken from the eastern facade, decorated with faceted stone rustication (diamond rustication), characteristic of Italian Renaissance architecture. It is sometimes mistakenly believed that the name comes from the main hall of the chamber, located on the second floor. The hall is covered with cross vaults resting on the central pillar, which give the ceiling a kind of “cut”. Originally called the Great Chamber. Built on the site of an ancient gridna (dining room). The Great Chamber was the front reception area of ​​the palace. The Middle Chamber was built next to the Great Chamber. The Upper Porch (Front Walkways) was built in front of the Middle Chamber. Between the staircase at the Great Chamber and the middle staircase there was the Red Gate, which led from the courtyard of the palace to the square. Middle staircase led into the vestibule of the Middle Chamber. Since 1517, the middle chamber has been called the Middle Golden Chamber, or simply the Golden Chamber. Behind the middle chamber was the Dining Hut. Behind the Dining Hut there were towers. In 1681, the Dining Hut and the Middle Golden Chamber were dismantled. In the 16th century, the walls and vaults in the interior of the chamber were painted with frescoes. In 1668, Simon Ushakov resumed painting, compiling a detailed inventory of the subjects. Our contemporary painting was made by Palekh icon painters in 1881 in accordance with Ushakov’s inventory. The Faceted Chamber was remodeled in 1684 by the architect Osip Startsev. The double lancet windows were hewn and decorated with elegant white stone frames with columns entwined with vines. During the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace in 1838-1849, the building was integrated into the complex with the Terem Palace and the Grand Kremlin Palace. Through the Holy Entrance it connected with the Vladimir Hall. The Faceted Chamber is the main ceremonial reception hall of the Grand Duke's palace. It hosted meetings of the Boyar Duma, sessions of Zemsky Sobors, festivities in honor of the conquest of Kazan (1552), the victory at Poltava (1709), and the conclusion of the Treaty of Nystadt with Sweden (1721). Here, at the Zemsky Sobor in 1653, a decision was made to reunite Ukraine with Russia. A secret viewing tent was set up for the queen and the king’s children in the Chamber of Facets. The observation tent was located on the western side of the chamber, above the Holy Entrance, opposite royal place(throne). An observation grill was inserted into the window. The grille was covered with a curtain. In the viewing tent, the queen and children watched various magnificent ceremonies, including receptions for ambassadors. On the south side of the facade there is a staircase, which is now called the “Red Porch”. Russian tsars and emperors passed along it for their coronation in the Assumption Cathedral. The last procession took place during the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896. In 1930, the staircase was removed by order of I.V. Stalin and restored again in 1994. The area in front of the entrance to the Faceted Chamber was called the red porch. All petitioners who brought petitions addressed to the Tsar had to stand at the Red Porch. Petitions were collected by Duma clerks. The Streltsy guard was stationed at the Red Porch and in the basements of the Faceted Chamber. Currently, the Chamber of Facets is one of the representative halls at the Residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

The oldest civil building outside the Kremlin is the English Court in Zaryadye. Years of construction: end of the 15th – beginning of the 16th century.

These white-stone living chambers appeared in the 15th century and belonged to the bed-keeper Ivan Bobrishchev, also known by the nickname “Yushka”. Since the latter apparently did not leave behind any heirs, in the next century the building became a state building and was somewhat rebuilt. In 1553 Sir Richard Chancellor discovered the northern sea ​​route, connecting England with Russia. In 1556, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, interested in establishing trade relations with Europe, “gave the English a court in Moscow,” giving them the right to free and duty-free trade in all Russian cities, serious customs benefits, as well as a number of other trade privileges. This state of affairs served as the basis for the creation of the Moscow trading company in London in 1555. The British supplied Russia with weapons, gunpowder, saltpeter, lead, pewter, and cloth. In return, they exported wood, hemp, ropes, wax, leather, blubber, and furs. A house in Zaryadye was allocated to British merchants as premises for a Moscow office. Like many merchant houses of that era, the building combined state rooms with extensive storage and utility rooms (goods were lifted along the wall to the warehouse window using a simple block). For its maintenance, the English embassy received daily a quarter of an ox, 4 rams, 12 chickens, 2 geese, one hare or black grouse, 62 loaves of bread, 50 eggs, a quarter of a bucket of Mediterranean wine, 3/4 of a bucket of beer, half a bucket of vodka and 2 buckets of honey. Trade relations with England were severed in 1649, when the execution in Great Britain of King Charles I provoked a deep diplomatic crisis between Russia and England. By order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, British trade and diplomatic representatives were expelled from the country, and the property of the Moscow Company was confiscated. After the British, the tsar’s relative, boyar I.A., owned the chambers for 20 years. Miloslavsky. After the death of Miloslavsky, the chambers again became the property of the state and were assigned to the Ambassadorial Prikaz, and at the end of the 17th century they were allocated as a metochion of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolitan. At the beginning of the 18th century, Tsar Peter I organized one of the first Arithmetic schools in Russia here. In the middle of the 18th century, the chambers passed into private ownership, and throughout the 18th-20th centuries the building was owned by representatives of various merchant families (Solodovnikovs, Milas, etc.). Various owners constantly rebuilt the building, and by the middle of the 20th century, the chambers of the Old English Court on Varvarka finally lost their original appearance and were considered irretrievably lost. During Soviet times the house was used for residential apartments and various institutions. From 1949 to 1966, the Library of Foreign Literature was located here. This is what the rebuilt and built-on English Court looked like before the restoration in the 1960s:

In the mid-1960s, when Zaryadye was already demolished, restorer Pyotr Baranovsky discovered this historical and cultural monument behind the later layers. Baranovsky insisted on preserving the monument, since it was planned to build a car ramp in its place. In the course of his research in 1968-1969, the historical basis of the monument, hidden by the structures of later extensions, was revealed, and it was comprehensively studied. Then, based on the information collected in 1970-1972, the chambers were returned (with a certain degree of approximation) to the appearance that they had at the end of the 16th century. Based on the data preserved in the masonry of the walls, window and door openings that were cut at a later time, as well as lost decorative elements, were restored. Where evidence of the most ancient forms was not preserved at all, later reconstructions were abandoned. For example, wide window openings from the late 18th century were left on the eastern façade of the building.

The oldest civil building outside Zemlyanoy Town is travel palace Vasily III. Years of construction: end of the 16th century.

The travel palace of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III (father of Ivan the Terrible) was discovered on Staraya Basmannaya Street (house 15). The find became a real scientific discovery, because previously it was believed that this was a beautiful legend, and nothing remained of the former palace. The modest-looking mansion turned out to be a double monument. As it turned out during the restoration, the building served as the basis for the construction of the Golitsyn estate. Nowadays the house of the Golitsyn estate of the 18th century is located on top. Inside is a travel palace, as historians suggest, of the father of Ivan the Terrible, Vasily III. White stone masonry from the end of the 16th century was discovered when the restoration of the later Golitsyn part began. The layout of the palace has been preserved almost completely. Historians have found out that they built this kind of royal hotel in a special place. Here they met the famous icon of the Vladimir Mother of God in 1395, which, according to legend, saved Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane. Unfortunately, historical monuments suffered from the invasion of unprofessional restorers. First, time worked on the appearance of the house on Staraya Basmannaya, and then plasterers and painters from neighboring countries. This is what the building looked like before the recent unsuccessful restoration:

It is impossible to get inside the building: the new tenants of the royal chambers prefer to keep the doors locked. For now, the priceless white stone vaults have been sealed with plasterboard. Restorers remain optimistic: owners change, but the building remains. It is hoped that in the future it will be possible to carry out some more work.

The oldest of the current residential buildings is the Golitsyn chambers. Years of construction: second half of the 17th century.

The Golitsyn Chambers (Krivokolenny Lane, 10) is the oldest of the buildings that still remain residential. Three stone buildings (the main building and two long side wings) with fragments of buildings from the late 17th - early 18th centuries constituted a city estate; from the 1760s. belonged to P.F. Golitsyn and even then had a symmetrical layout, which makes it an early example of construction according to an orderly planning scheme. The ends of the outbuildings are placed on the red line, the main building is moved deeper into the courtyard. Previously it was believed that the 17th century chamber was preserved only on the first floor of the main house, but a few years ago restorers discovered that the second and even third floors were also built at the same time, in the 17th century! In the outbuildings, vaulted chambers with 2-sided lighting and fragments of cornices made of profiled bricks were discovered. In 1859 the buildings were expanded with extensions and received their modern appearance. The house is still inhabited to this day. From the side of the courtyard, a very picturesque front garden with a hammock and tables adjoins the house:

Until recently, this building’s competitor was the built-on chambers of the Guryevs, which stood in the neighboring Potapovsky Lane. Also a residential building, but due to a fire in 2009 it was evicted.

The oldest five-story building is the malt house in the Simonov Monastery. Years of construction: XVI – second half of the XVII centuries.


Photo taken from here: http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/alex-raduga/view/33947/?page=0

The height of this building is truly impressive - we see a five-story house of the 16th-17th centuries! Four floors, and a high attic, which is essentially the fifth floor. According to surviving documents, this building was intended to store the monastery's food supplies. Despite all the modesty of its architecture, the hand of an experienced architect is visible here too, who skillfully used the arrangement of window openings for the rhythmic division of the facade and built the once existing spectacular gallery on pillars with a wide staircase. From the east, a second staircase rose to the end wall of the building, which at one time was richly decorated with a figured pediment, leading to the third floor, which was due to the unwritten rule of having external rather than internal staircases. The first floor of the drying room, which consisted of two chambers on either side of the vestibule, indicates the influence of the layout of residential buildings. The halls of the second and third floors (the vaults of the second are now broken), striking with an abundance of light, speak of the influence of new planning forms of public and industrial buildings of that time. A competitor to this building is the Terem Palace in the Kremlin, which is essentially also 5-story, but everything is not so obvious there, the upper floors were built in the 17th century on earlier chambers, and its volume turned out to be stepped, not as vertical as the malt house.

Part 2.
The second part is represented by relatively new buildings, but nevertheless, according to certain parameters, they are the oldest - this is the very first train station, the oldest mosque and Catholic church, the oldest gas station currently preserved.

The oldest station is Leningradsky (Nikolaevsky). Years of construction: 1844-1849.

The station building was built in 1844-1849 according to a single design by architects K. A. Ton and R. A. Zhelyazevich. The construction was carried out by the Board of the IV District of Communications and Public Buildings, the sole contractor was the merchant of the 1st guild A.L. Torletsky. Built for the Petersburg (later Nikolaevsky) station in Moscow and the Moskovsky station in St. Petersburg by the Petersburg-Moscow railway, traffic on which began in 1851. In 1934, the Oktyabrsky Station was refurbished: ticket offices expanded, inquiry Office, post office, telegraph, savings bank, room for transit passengers. In the former royal chambers A mother and child room was organized. In 1948-1950, the interior of the station was updated and the interiors were redecorated. The next major restructuring took place in 1977 - the station was reconstructed and new buildings were built. Next to the station, from the Yaroslavsky station side, there is an above-ground pavilion of the Komsomolskaya metro station.

This is what Nikolaevsky Station looked like in the middle of the 19th century. Leningrad Station has 10 tracks, 5 of which serve trains long distance, 5 - commuter trains. Initially, the station had a landing stage where trains entered. However, in the mid-70s, the landing stage was eliminated, and in 1977, the Great Hall of the Leningrad Station was built in its place.

The oldest gas station. Years of construction: 1930s.

The oldest currently operating gas station in Moscow, the only gas station within the Boulevard Ring, is located on Volkhonka, opposite the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a stone's throw from the Kremlin. There is a version that its design was created by the famous architect Alexei Dushkin. Just a few years ago there were almost antique speakers on it - just like in old Soviet films. Now they are replaced by modern devices, but everything else - the roof, the columns, the booth with the cash register - remains untouched. The gas station is still in operation, but gasoline, as before, is sold only to cars from the Kremlin garage, so an ordinary person will not be able to refuel here. There is also the same gas station in the Chasovaya Street area, but it is now in the yard and abandoned...

The oldest Catholic church. Years of construction: 1833-1835.

This is the oldest surviving Catholic church. Located at: Malaya Lubyanka, 12/7С8. In 1789, the French living in Moscow submitted a petition for permission to build a Catholic church. After receiving permission from the Moscow authorities and its approval by Empress Catherine II, a small wooden temple was built on the site between Malaya Lubyanka and Milyutinsky Lane. Consecration of the church in the name French king Louis IX Saint took place on March 30, 1791. In the 19th century, the construction of a modern church building was carried out on the site of the previous one. Construction began in 1833 and was completed two years later. The temple was built according to the project famous architect A. O. Gilardi. The consecration took place, however, only on June 17, 1849, as is recalled by the marble plaque in the altar part of the church. At the Church of St. Louis there were two gymnasiums - the men's gymnasium of St. Philippa Neri and the girls' gymnasium of St. Catherine; as well as the charitable shelter of St. Dorothea. It should be noted that the Church of St. Louis was not closed after the October Revolution, and services in it (albeit with very significant interruptions) continued. In 1992, the entire complex of buildings that belonged to it until 1917, including the lyceum building, was transferred to the church. It is worth saying that the first Roman Catholic church in Moscow was the Church of Peter and Paul, opened in 1705 in the German Settlement on the orders of Peter I. But this church existed only until 1838.

The oldest mosque is “historical” in the Tatarskaya Sloboda. Year of construction: 1823, rebuilt in the 1880s.

The Moscow Historical Mosque is the oldest mosque in Moscow, founded in 1823, although a mosque existed on this site before the fire of 1812, at least in the 18th century. Located at: Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street, 28 (inside the block), in the historical center of the Tatar community of Zamoskvorechye. The mosque, which existed in Moscow at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries in the courtyard of the translator of the Foreign Collegium, Prince Shulamite-Murza Siminei, after the plague epidemic, when most of the parishioners of the mosque, including the prince himself, died, was sold by his heirs to the merchant Shchukin and destroyed by fire in 1812 of the year. In August 1816, Muslim merchants petitioned for permission to build a new mosque, but were refused. Only at the end of 1823 the community received permission to build a prayer house in the possession of the Zamoskvoretsky merchant Nazarbai Khashalov, on the condition that it “would not be called a mosque...” and “... being common with other houses, it should not have the slightest sign of a mosque on the outside.” The mosque operated under the guise of an ordinary one-story house until 1880, when permission was received for its reconstruction with the construction of a minaret and dome. The imam-khatibs of the mosque were Rafik Ageev, Khairetdin Ageev and Abdulla Shamsutdinov. In 1939, the historical mosque was closed, the minaret was demolished, and even earlier, in 1936, the last imam of the mosque, Abdulla Shamsutdinov, was repressed and shot. The mosque building housed a military registration and enlistment office and workshops. The mosque has been operating again since 1993.

This is what the mosque looked like at the beginning of the twentieth century. View from Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street (now the mosque and the street are separated by a Soviet five-story building).

Part 3. Lost.
Many ancient buildings, both temples and chambers, and city walls, built in the 14th-15th centuries, have been lost, and have been lost for quite a long time. All of them were replaced with new ones in the 15th-17th centuries. But there is an example of one ancient church, which survived until the 1930s...

The oldest building in Moscow (destroyed) is the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor. Years of construction: 1328-30.

The Cathedral of the Transfiguration on Bor is a monastery cathedral located in the Moscow Kremlin, in the courtyard of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The name “on Bor” comes from the coniferous forests surrounding the temple, which gave the name to Borovitsky Hill itself. According to some information, a wooden church on Borovitsky Hill (“on Bor”) was built in 1272, a small stone cathedral - in 1328-30. Grand Duke Ivan I Kalita established the Spasoborsky Monastery under him, transferring monks from the Danilov Monastery to it. In 1490 the monastery under the name of Novospassky was transferred to a new location. The initially single-domed, three-apse cathedral was repeatedly supplemented with new parts and rebuilt: in 1350 the western porch and northwestern aisle appeared, in 1478 - a new refectory, in the middle of the 16th century. - chapels of the Three Saints (northern) and Guria, Samon and Aviva (southern). At the end of the 18th century. The cathedral was restored by M.F. Kazakov. Some researchers believe that he dismantled the temple and rebuilt it from brick in the forms of the 16th-17th centuries. The Church of the Savior on Bor was demolished on May 1, 1933, despite the protests of such prominent restorers as P. D. Baranovsky. Ancient bells from belfries entered the funds of the Moscow Kremlin. A 5-story service building was built on the site of the cathedral. Starting with the book “The Forty Forty,” the popular literature spread the claim that toilets for the nomenklatura were erected on the site of the temple. Plans for the restoration of one of the oldest churches in Moscow are not yet being considered. There is an urban legend according to which fate unique temple It was decided by the servility of Stalinist officials. As if one day Stalin was driving past in a car, and saw from the window that firewood was lying next to the temple. “It’s a disgrace, remove it!” - he muttered. Since no one dared to ask what exactly was to be removed, the firewood was taken away and the church was demolished.

All old photographs are taken from the site http://oldmos.ru/
New ones are made by us unless otherwise stated.

As you know, the list of the most famous ancient attractions ancient culture includes only seven miracles. But we plucked up courage and included three more buildings in it that, in our opinion, are worthy of your attention. So.

Ajanta or Ajanta Caves is a Buddhist temple and monastery complex located near the village of the same name, 100 km northeast of the city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra state, India. It was discovered in 1839. It is a horseshoe-shaped cliff, in which, starting from the 2nd century BC. e. to the 5th century AD e. 30 (according to other sources 29) caves with columns, Buddha statues and world-famous wall paintings reflecting the life of India of that era were carved. This painting, illustrating Buddhist legends and myths, is not only a work of art, but also a valuable historical source of knowledge about those times.

Newgrange

Newgrange - ancient building made of huge blocks of stone, one of the largest and oldest corridor tombs, built by man approximately between 3000 BC. e. - 2500 BC e. (older Great Pyramid at Giza and probably Stonehenge). Located 40.2 km north of the city of Dublin, approximately one kilometer north of the River Boyne, County Meath, Ireland. The height of the mound is 13.5 meters, diameter is 85 meters. Ancient people built it from 200,000 tons of stone, wood and earth. It is a large round mound inside, which contains a 19-meter stone corridor leading to the burial chamber. Included in the list of the most mysterious attractions in the world.

Derinkuyu

Derinkuyu - ancient multi-level underground city, located near the city of the same name in the province of Nevsehir, Türkiye. It was built in the II-I millennium BC. e. Discovered in 1963. The underground city reaches a depth of 60 meters and in ancient times could shelter up to 20 thousand people along with food and livestock. Here people hid for centuries from raids by nomads, religious persecution and other dangers. Although the Derinkuyu underground city was intended as a temporary shelter, its scale is impressive. It includes numerous wine cellars, stables, cellars, warehouses, refectories, chapels, numerous ventilation ducts, and a complex network of tunnels and corridors.

7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Alexandrian lighthouse- a lighthouse built according to the design of the architect Sostratus of Knidos approximately in 279-280. BC e. on the island of Pharos, near Alexandria in Egypt, so that ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to Alexandria Bay. According to estimates, its light was visible at a distance of 51 km (according to other sources, up to 83 km). It is assumed that the Alexandria Lighthouse was about 115–120 meters high and at that time was the tallest building in the world. In the 14th century, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake, and in its place, by order of the then Sultan of Egypt Qaitbay (1416/1418–1496), the Qait Bay fortress was erected, which today is a maritime museum.

The Colossus of Rhodes is a bronze statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios built between 292 BC. e. - 280 BC e. in the harbor port city Rhodes on the island of the same name in the Aegean Sea in Greece. It was built according to the design of the architect Chares, a student of Lysippos, in honor of the victory of the inhabitants of Rhodes over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I One-Eye, who, together with his son and an army of 40,000 people, unsuccessfully besieged the city in 305 BC. The height of the statue is about 30 meters. It stood on a 10-meter pedestal and weighed, according to various estimates, from 30 to 70 tons. Compared to other wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes “lived” a short life. About 50 years after its creation, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake and melted down.

In fifth place on the list is the “Mausoleum at Halicarnassus” - a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC. e. in Halicarnassus (modern city of Bodrum, Turkey) for the king of Caria Mausolus and his wife-sister Artemisia III. Famous craftsmen were involved in the construction and decoration of the tomb, including the famous sculptors Skopas, Briaxides, Timotheos and Leochares. The tomb of Mausolus was a majestic and unusually shaped building, built of brick and lined with white marble inside and out. The 45-meter-high mausoleum in Halicarnassus stood for approximately 19 centuries, but collapsed in the 13th century due to a strong earthquake.

Zeus statue in Olympia - ancient greek statue Zeus, which was located in the center of the temple of the same name at Olympia on the Peloponnese peninsula. It was erected in the 5th century BC by the ancient Greek sculptor and architect Phidias. The statue of the god reached 12–13 meters in height and was made of wood (according to some sources, cedar, according to others, ebony). On this wooden base, with the help of bronze and iron nails and special hooks, parts made of ivory, gold and precious stones were attached. The circumstances surrounding the possible destruction of the statue are unknown. According to information from the Byzantine historian George Kedrin, it was transported to Constantinople, where it burned down during a fire in 476.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus - a Greek temple located in the city of Ephesus, Asia Minor (near modern city Selcuk, Türkiye). It was dedicated to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. Temple built in the middle of the 6th century BC. e, was a rectangular building 105 meters long and 51 meters wide, consisting of marble and wood, and surrounded on all sides by a double row of 127 columns, the height of which was 18 meters. Throughout its existence, it was rebuilt three times until July 21, 356 BC. e. was not set on fire by Herostratus, a resident of Ephesus who dreamed of becoming famous at any cost.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, more correctly called the Hanging Gardens of Amytis, is the only one of the seven wonders of the world whose location has not been definitively established. It is assumed that hanging gardens were built around 575 BC. e. in the ancient city of Babylon (near the modern city of Hilla, in Iraq), by King Nebuchadnezzar II, for his wife Amytis, who missed the forests of her homeland. They are a pyramid consisting of four tiers-platforms supported by columns up to 25 m high. On these tiers, fertile soil lay in a thick carpet, where seeds of various herbs, flowers, shrubs, and trees native to Media were planted. The pyramid resembled an ever-blooming green hill. However, after in 331 BC. e. The troops of Alexander the Great captured Babylon, and the great commander himself died, the city gradually fell into decay. The gardens were abandoned and eventually destroyed.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest among Egyptian pyramids, the only one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" to survive to this day, and one of the most famous tombs in the world. The pyramid is located on west bank Nile in Egypt on the Giza plateau, in close proximity to the famous “Great Sphinx”. The lion's share of Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built around 2560 BC. e. and is a tomb Egyptian pharaoh IV dynasty of Khufu (Cheops). It is believed that it was designed by the architect Hemion, the nephew of Cheops. Initially, the pyramid had a height of 146.5 m, but as a result of erosion, today its height is 138.75 m. The total weight of the pyramid is estimated at about 6.25 million tons, the area is ≈ 85,000 m².

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

Goseck Circle, Germany, Goseck

The ring system of concentric ditches and wooden enclosures was created between 5000 and 4800 BC. The complex has now been reconstructed. Presumably it was used as a solar calendar.

Reptilian statues, French Polynesia, Nuku Hiva island

The statues in a place called Temehea Tohua in the Marquesas Islands depict strange creatures whose appearance in the popular 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 angry expression on their faces. Whether these were aliens from other worlds or just masked priests is unknown. The statues date back to around the beginning of the 2nd millennium.

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 installed in a circle and in the shape 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: peasants chipped away pieces of amulets from them, tourists marked the territory with inscriptions, and restorers figured out for the ancients how things stood correctly here.

Pyramid of Kukulcan, Mexico, Chichen Itza

Every year, on the days of the spring and autumn equinox, thousands of tourists gather at the foot of the sanctuary of the supreme Mayan deity - the Feathered Serpent. They witness the miracle of Kukulkan's "appearance": 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 shifted even a degree, nothing like this would have happened.

Carnac stones, France, Brittany, Carnac

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 fan out, forming circles here and there. The complex dates back to the 5th–4th millennium BC. There were legends in Brittany that it was the wizard Merlin who turned the ranks of Roman legionnaires to stone.

Stone balls, Costa Rica

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

Georgia Tablets, USA, Georgia, Elbert

In 1979, someone under the pseudonym R.C. Christian ordered the construction company to manufacture and install the monument - a structure of six granite monoliths weighing more than 100 tons. The ten commandments to descendants are engraved on the four side plates in eight languages, including Russian. The last point says: “Don’t be a cancer for the Earth, leave room for nature too!”

Nuraghi of Sardinia, Italy, Sardinia

Semiconical 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 held together by any mortar and supported only by their own gravity. The purpose of the nuraghe is unclear. It is characteristic that archaeologists have more than once discovered miniature bronze models of these towers during excavations.

Sacsahuaman, Peru, Cusco

The archaeological park at an altitude of 3,700 meters and an area of ​​3,000 hectares is located north of the capital of the Inca Empire. The defensive and at the same time temple complex was built at the turn of the 15th–16th centuries. The zigzag battlements, reaching 400 meters in length and six in height, are made of multi-ton stone blocks, including 200-ton ones. How the Incas installed these blocks, how they adjusted them one after another is unknown. From above, Sacahuaman looks like the toothy head of a Cusco puma (the city was founded in the shape of the sacred animal of the Incas).

Arkaim, Russia, Chelyabinsk region

The Bronze Age settlement (III–II millennium BC) is located at 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 and sewer 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. (The photo shows a reconstruction model.)

Newgrange, Ireland, Dublin

The Celts called it the fairy mound and considered it the home of one of their main gods. The circular structure made of stone, earth and rubble with a diameter of 85 meters was erected more than 5,000 years ago. A corridor leads inside the mound, ending in a ritual chamber. On the days of the winter solstice, this chamber is brightly illuminated for 15–20 minutes by a ray of sun falling through the window above the entrance to the tunnel.

Coral Castle, USA, Florida, Homestead

The bizarre structure was built single-handedly over 28 years (1923–1951) by Latvian emigrant Edward Lindskalnin in honor of a lost love. How a man of modest stature and build moved huge blocks in space remains a mystery.

Pyramids of Yonaguni, Japan, Ryukyu Archipelago

Monuments of huge stone platforms and pillars located underwater at a depth of 5 to 40 meters were discovered in 1986. The main one of these structures has the shape of a pyramid. Not far from it there 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 debates: many believe that the formations lying on the ocean floor have exclusively natural origin. But loners like Masaaki Kimura, a professor at the University of the Ryukyu, who has repeatedly dived to the ruins, insist that there was a human presence here.

Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, Masvingo

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

Delhi Column, India, New Delhi

Iron column more than 7 meters high and weighing more than 6 tons - part architectural complex Qutub Minar. It was cast in honor of King Chandragupta II in 415. For reasons that are unclear, the column, which is almost 100% iron, is virtually resistant to corrosion. Scientists are trying to explain this fact for 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 yet another evidence of the intervention of extraterrestrial intelligence. But the secret of “stainless steel” has not yet been solved.

Nazca Lines, Peru, Nazca Plateau

A 47-meter spider, a 93-meter hummingbird, a 134-meter eagle, a lizard, an alligator, a snake, other zoomorphic and humanoid creatures... Giant images from a bird's eye view seem to be scratched on devoid of vegetation rock, and as if with one hand, in the same style. In fact, these are furrows up to 50 cm deep and up to 135 cm wide, made in different time in the V-VII centuries.

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 makes it possible to determine the day of the summer solstice. Archaeologists believe that people lived here seasonally, when there was water in the lake, and therefore needed a calendar.

Antikythera Mechanism, Greece, Antikythera

A mechanical device with dials, hands and gears was found at the beginning of the 20th century 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.

Baalbek slabs, Lebanon

The Roman temple complex dates back to the 1st-2nd centuries AD. But the Romans did not build sanctuaries out of nowhere. 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 over 19 m long, 4 m high and weighing about 800 tons. Roman technology was not able to lift such weight. By the way, not far from the complex, another block has been lying for more than one thousand years - under 1000 tons.

Gobekli 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 hunting and gathering, but someone was able to erect circles of huge steles with images of animals.

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

Looking at this outstanding cultural value, UNESCO has recognized Machu Picchu as a World Heritage Site.The ruins of Machu Picchu contain temples, palaces, storehouses, baths and other stone structures.All buildings on the site were carved from gray granite.The building blocks used to construct the structures of Machu Picchu weigh up to 50 tons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Volubilis is the largest ancient Roman building that has survived to this day in Morocco.Volubilis has been inhabited for over a thousand years, and abandoned at 11 m century. It had a bad effect on himearthquake in the 18th century. Extensive excavations at the site of this city were begun in the 19th century by the French, and in 1997, UNESCO added Volubilis to the World Heritage List.

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

7. Palenque, Mexico

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

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

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

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

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

Palmyra is an ancient Aramaic city,located among the desert in an oasis in the central partSyria. In ancient times, important caravan routes from Asia to Europe passed through the city. Palmyrawas left at 16- m century, and reopened at 5 p.m. m century. Today it is one of the most important tourist attractions in Syria and a true historical world heritage site.

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