The world is full of so many ancient ruins that are still unknown to many people. Most of them are really amazing and fascinating, and their architecture will blow your mind. It also shows how intelligent these pre-historic people were and how much we can learn from them.
Here are the top 15 ancient ruins of the world that are worth a visit:
1. Machu Pichu
A very famous travel destination in Peru; it’s a famous city of the ancient Incan Empire. These were discovered accidentally by Bingham (an explorer) only in 1911. Almost 60% of the construction of the city was built underground. You can only reach here by foot or by train.
2. Stonehenge
Located in England, these stone rings are amongst the oldest stone structure. It is a very popular ancient ruin, and still, it has so many speculations regarding its formation. According to the two major theories, it is believed that either it was built to observe the movement of the sun and moon, or maybe it was used for religious purposes.
3. Giza
The Pyramids of Giza are the most mysterious ancient place on earth. People still wonder about the unique architecture behind it and how they were built. Some of them still believe that it was built by angels or aliens. This is a must-visit place, and tourists can enter all three pyramids.
4. Sigiriya
Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, now known as Lion Rock, is a fascinating ancient ruin. It is an ancient fortress that is carved into a vertical rock. At the time of its zenith, the place included so many beautiful things, but after the death of the king, the city was abandoned. It was later used as a Buddhist monastery till the 14th century.
5. Borobudur
It’s the largest Buddhist temple in the world, located in Indonesia. It consists of three circular platforms over the six square platforms and is most popular during sunrise. The place is known to gain enlightenment, and it consists of around 500 Buddha statues, each one with a teaching of his.
6. Masada
This is possibly the most impressive and hauntingly beautiful ruin in the world. Located in Israel, it was built for King Herod. The place also consists of a bathhouse and a private swimming pool.
7. Terracotta Army
Located in Xi’an, China, this is a spectacular collection of thousands of soldiers and horses. While digging for a well-point in 1970, it was discovered accidentally. The most interesting thing about these armies is that each and every one has a different face. It took around 40 years to hand-carve each individual feature of these armies.
8. Ephesus
It is one of the most famous Roman and Greek ruins in the world. Located in Turkey, it was home to the Temple of Artemis around 2000 years back. It also has the largest outdoor theatre in the world with a 25,000 seater capacity, known as the Great Theatre of Ephesus. Apart from this, you are also allowed to touch anything you want, unlike most other protected archaeological sites.
9. Pompeii
This ancient city was discovered in 1950 that too by accident. Located near the Italian city of Naples, it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. It took the lives of over 2000 people and ruined the entire city. Tourists can walk down the streets of this city and can find various things, such as temples, stone houses, shops, and even a brothel.
10. Ellora Caves
Located in Maharashtra, India, these caves were built around 600 AD. It was carved by the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain monks. These monks used to live in this place, and it contains a lot of monasteries, caves, temples, and chapels. It has around 100 caves, and only 34 are open for public visits. Also, the Kailasa temple is a very significant place here.
11. Colosseum
Unveiled in 80 AD, it is an ancient gladiator arena that was used for the staging of various events. It had a seating capacity of 50,000 people and is one of the most classic Roman ruins. The architecture of the Colosseum is magnificent and even praised in this era too.
12. Ajanta Caves
Just like the Ellora caves, this also consists of around 30 Buddhist monuments carved in the rocks. It is located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra (India). These caves serve the beauty of Indian art through their paintings and rock-cut sculptures.
13. Great Wall of China
This 2000-year-old wall is the longest man-made wall in the world, spreading through 15 Chinese provinces. It was built over the time period of six Chinese dynasties, and the motive was to protect the country from invaders. It takes 18 months to walk through the entire length of the Great Wall of China.
14. Hampi
Considered one of the wealthiest cities in India, it flourished much during the Karnata Empire. It is the second-largest medieval city and was founded in the 14th century. The temples having musical pillars and stone chariots, along with beautiful carvings, are quite an attraction amongst the visitors.
15. Angkor
This was once the capital of the Khmer Empire. Around 1000 temples were found all around the forest along with the farmlands. It is most famous for its Angkor Wat Temple, and today it is entitled as the largest religious temple in the world.
These wonders of the ancient world give us an insight into how simple yet thoughtful was the way of life then. It’s our job to understand their significance.
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