Everyone should be at least a little familiar with the ancient history of the world, as it’s the story of our civilization. Of course there is a lot of information about the ancient times including mythology, legends. However it’d be better if we’d try to understand history with our experience. The best way to do so is by visiting the most ancient cities, where the history is tattooed on every brick. This way you’ll get the whole image of the ancient times. That’s why we’ve decided to present a list of 12 most ancient cities in the world, where you can enjoy your holidays while developing your knowledge.
1. Troy, Turkey
Surely we’re all familiar with the ancient writer and poet Homer, who wrote the unrepeatable Iliad. The latter is a work that tells us about the Trojan War and the place where the war took place in the 12th century BC. Thus, Troy is one of the most famous archaeological sites on Earth that has a cultural importance for everyone, interested in ancient times. In Troy you can feel the strength of the city and the atmosphere of the Great War. Can you imagine? Every little stone has a story of thousands years? Despite the ruins, you can easily imagine the mythical city, which is one of the most visited places by archaeologists and historians.
2. Tikal, Guatemala
Tikal is considered a historical and famous place in the world. Being the capital city of Mayan states, it’s known for its Mayan history and incredible monuments, pyramids and temples. This ancient city in Guatemala has a history of thousand years, according to what, numerous ceremonies, such as sacrifices, took place there.
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3. Ancient Memphis, Egypt
Memphis was the capital city of ancient Egypt, founded in 3,100 BC. It has a great importance in the Egyptian history. It also had a great role for Egyptians for its location, being situated on south of the Nile River, which provided the country with waters for irrigation. Besides, it had numerous monuments, such as the great temple, the statue of Ramses II and numerous places. Now it’s an important archaeological site, where you can find the ruins of the ancient city.
4. Babylon & the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Iraq
Babylon is one of those cities, which are worth visiting, as it has a rich history. Besides, it’s said that one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Hanging Gardens of Babylon were located there. You can find the ruins of the city in Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Nebuchadnezzar II built these incredible gardens for his homesick wife, Amyitis. It was a really wonderful gift for the wife, to relieve her depression.
5. Mesa Verde, United States
Mesa Verde is one of the most wonderful and ancient cities in the United States. It was built from the 6th to the 12th century and is located in Mesa Verde National Park. The city is unique with its huge cliffs and stone houses, which are situated exactly in the enormous mountains. Well, the ancient city attracts visitors with its massive cliff palace, which is a unique place to have an unforgettable adventure.
6. Ani, Turkey
This wonderful architectural city, belonging to the Turks now, is the pride of Armenians, as it was the greatest capital city of the Armenian Kingdom in the 10th century. By then the country was ruled by the genus Bagratuni. The city is known for its 1001 churches that were unrepeatable treasures during the ancient times. It’s a pity you can find there only the ruins of the churches, anyway these architectural wonders can still be explored.
7. Thebes, Egypt
This legendary city has a great importance for the history of Egypt. It’s an excellent proof that Egypt has an incredibly huge mythology. Thebes worshiped the sun god, Amon, who was the main god of Egyptian mythology. That’s why the city was built divinely beautifully. The most important attraction of the city is tomb of Tutankhamun, which is a unique architectural treasure. The city is also full of incredible statues that have a rich story behind.
8. Vijayanagar, India
Vijayanagara belongs to list of the largest ancient cities in the world. This city was the capital of the enormous Vijayanagara Empire. Now the city is located in India and has a great importance for Indians. It has a lot of interesting attractions, such as the Hindu temples and ancient caves, which give the city special view.
9. Persepolis, Iran
Another ancient and historical site is Persepolis, located in Iran. This city has a story of thousand years. It’s believed that it took the citizens a century to build the city and that’s why it was the richest city in the world during the ancient times. Today it is one of the most wonderful ancient cities and home to numerous incredible monuments and palaces. It’s a pity you can find only the ruins of those wonders, since the great city was burnt by Alexander the Great.
10. Palenque, Mexico
Palenque is the second Mayan city we included in this list, since the Mayan civilization was the most ancient one in the history of the world. This impressive city is located in Mexico and is home to numerous architectural treasures, which unfortunately have been ruined. Palenque was a developed city in ancient times. It even had numerous aqueducts, which provided the city with standing water. Moreover, the city had a lot of special places for Mayan customs and traditions, such as the human sacrifices or deadly games.
11. Angkor, Cambodia
Angkor is undoubtedly the most beautiful ancient city in the world, even in a ruined condition. The city was full of numerous magnificent buildings and had more than a million inhabitants. Also it was the largest and most famous pre-industrial city in the world. Today Angkor is located in Cambodia and is a famous destination for archaeologists and historians. The main attraction of the city is the famous Hindu Temple, Angkor Wat, which is one of the most important treasures of the ancient times.
12. Ctesiphon, Iraq
The last ancient city in our list, which is really worth a visit, is the famous historical city of Ctesiphon, located in Iraq, near the Tigris River. The first thing you’ll be amazed at here is the incredibly beautiful architecture of the city, designed with a special technology. The main attraction of the city is the huge vaulted hall, inherited from the ancient times. The hall is also considered the largest brick arch in the world.
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