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0 / 30 Fotos
Thebes, Egypt
- Thebes, once Egypt's capital, is home to iconic sites like the Valley of the Kings, Karnak, and Luxor. These monumental ruins leave visitors feeling small and awestruck by their scale.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Angkor Wat, a 12th-century temple complex in Cambodia, is renowned for its grandeur, intricate friezes, and sculptures. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains a major tourist attraction, best explored with a guide.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Ephesus, Turkey
- Ephesus offers a deep dive into Ancient Roman and Greek history, with highlights like the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Cave of the Seven Sleepers.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Ciudad Perdida, Colombia
- Ciudad Perdida, or the Lost City, can only be reached by a challenging four-day jungle trek. It reveals ancient Teyuna (as the locals call it), with 169 terraces, roads, and plazas once home to 8,000 people.
© Shutterstock
4 / 30 Fotos
Hampi, India
- Hampi, the last capital of the Hindu Vijayanagar kingdom, was built by wealthy princes between the 14th and 16th centuries. Despite being attacked in 1565, 1,600 structures, including stone chariots, remain.
© Shutterstock
5 / 30 Fotos
Machu Picchu, Peru
- Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city in Peru, sits atop a granite mountain. Notable structures include the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of Three Windows.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Pompeii, Italy
- Pompeii, founded in the sixth-seventh century BCE, was buried by Mount Vesuvius' eruption in 79 CE. Today, it's a famous archaeological site, preserving victims and their remains under ash.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Arykanda, Turkey
- Arykanda, nestled on a mountainside in Turkey, is often overshadowed by nearby ancient cities like Perge and Side. The fifth-century BCE ruins, built in levels, offer stunning views.
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Chichen Itza, Mexico
- Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, features stunning ruins like El Castillo, the Warriors' Temple, and El Caracol, built by the Mayas and Toltecs between the sixth and ninth centuries CE.
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Xi'an, China
- By the third century BCE, Xi'an had been China's cultural and political center for nearly 1,000 years. It's home to the Terracotta Army, Qin's tomb, and the eastern end of the Silk Road.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Herculaneum, Italy
- Though Pompeii steals the spotlight, nearby Herculaneum, also destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, often goes unnoticed. This seaside town offers well-preserved ruins, including villas, baths, mosaics, and frescoes.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Persepolis, Iran
- Persepolis, the Persian Empire's capital, features 2,500-year-old ruins of the royal palace, treasury, and military compound. These survived Alexander the Great's invasion, burning, and looting in 330 BCE.
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
Ollantaytambo, Peru
- Ollanta, located in Peru's Sacred Valley, isn't as famous as Machu Picchu but still attracts visitors. Built by Inca ruler Pachacuti, it features steep stone terraces, a royal estate, and military defenses.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Mesa Verde, United States
- Mesa Verde, located in southwestern Colorado, was home to the Ancestral Puebloans from the sixth to 13th centuries. It features over 600 cliff dwellings, with the Cliff Palace being the most famous. The city was abandoned after a severe drought.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Abu Simbel, Egypt
- Abu Simbel, home to remarkable Ancient Egyptian rock temples, includes the famous Temples of Ramesses II. The site, relocated to prevent flooding, was rediscovered in 1813 and is now a UNESCO site.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Teotihuacan, Mexico
- Teotihuacan, located 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Mexico City, is one of Mexico's most awe-inspiring archaeological sites. Built in the first century BCE, it once housed 25,000 people and featured massive pyramids.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Jerash, Jordan
- Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman sites, features impressive ruins like the Temple of Artemis and the Forum. Highlights include the Cardo street and the South Theatre.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Luoyang, China
- Luoyang, China's cultural cradle in Henan Province, boasts 4,000 years of history as a 13-dynasty capital. Key sites include the Buddhist Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple, and Peony Festival.
© Shutterstock
18 / 30 Fotos
Aksum, Ethiopia
- Aksum, once the powerful capital of an Ethiopian kingdom, features ruins from the first to 13th centuries CE, including tombs, obelisks, and the rumored resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
Tiwanaku, Bolivia
- Tiwanaku, near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, was the spiritual and political hub of a vast empire from the eighth to 11th centuries. Its ceremonial centers include the Gateway to the Sun and Kalasasaya temple complex.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Varanasi, India
- Varanasi, on the Ganges, is a sacred Hindu city and among the world's oldest. Explore temples, ghats, cremation sites, and nearby Sarnath, where Buddha delivered his first sermon.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Carthage, Tunisia
- Carthage, once a powerful city of the ancient world, is located near Tunis. Key sights include Byrsa Hill, the Carthage Museum, Antonine Baths, the Roman Amphitheater, and the reconstructed Roman theater.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Mohenjo Daro, Pakistan
- The Indus Valley civilization, dating back 5,000 years, includes the mysterious Mohenjo Daro in southern Pakistan. Its advanced ruins feature baths, homes, and drainage systems.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Taxila, Pakistan
- Taxila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Pakistan's Punjab, dates back to the sixth century BCE. It offers insights into Buddhism, Gandharan art, and ancient subcontinental cultures.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Petra, Jordan
- Petra, meaning "rock" in Greek, showcases ancient Nabataean architecture and water systems carved into rose sandstone. Explore this UNESCO site, then safari through Wadi Rum's red-rock wilderness.
© Shutterstock
25 / 30 Fotos
Taos Pueblo, United States
- Taos Pueblo, a Native American settlement in New Mexico's Rio Grande, dates back centuries. This UNESCO site features authentic architecture, restricted access, and tours exploring its secretive pueblo culture.
© Shutterstock
26 / 30 Fotos
Leptis Magna, Libya
- Leptis Magna, near Khoms, Libya, is a UNESCO-listed archaeological site. Founded by Phoenicians, it later thrived under Roman rule, featuring remarkable ruins like the Forum, Basilica, and Severan Arch.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Choquequirao, Peru
- Choquequirao, high in Peru's Andes, features Inca temples, terraces, and baths. Reaching this remote site requires a challenging four-day trek, which is richly rewarding.
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Matera, Italy
- Matera, a hill town in Basilicata, Italy, features the UNESCO-listed Sassi cave dwellings. Once maligned for poverty, these 9,000-year-old limestone caves now host chic restaurants, hotels, churches, and shops. Sources: (Mental Floss) (Viator) (The Collector) See also: The oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
Thebes, Egypt
- Thebes, once Egypt's capital, is home to iconic sites like the Valley of the Kings, Karnak, and Luxor. These monumental ruins leave visitors feeling small and awestruck by their scale.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Angkor Wat, a 12th-century temple complex in Cambodia, is renowned for its grandeur, intricate friezes, and sculptures. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains a major tourist attraction, best explored with a guide.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Ephesus, Turkey
- Ephesus offers a deep dive into Ancient Roman and Greek history, with highlights like the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Cave of the Seven Sleepers.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Ciudad Perdida, Colombia
- Ciudad Perdida, or the Lost City, can only be reached by a challenging four-day jungle trek. It reveals ancient Teyuna (as the locals call it), with 169 terraces, roads, and plazas once home to 8,000 people.
© Shutterstock
4 / 30 Fotos
Hampi, India
- Hampi, the last capital of the Hindu Vijayanagar kingdom, was built by wealthy princes between the 14th and 16th centuries. Despite being attacked in 1565, 1,600 structures, including stone chariots, remain.
© Shutterstock
5 / 30 Fotos
Machu Picchu, Peru
- Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city in Peru, sits atop a granite mountain. Notable structures include the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of Three Windows.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Pompeii, Italy
- Pompeii, founded in the sixth-seventh century BCE, was buried by Mount Vesuvius' eruption in 79 CE. Today, it's a famous archaeological site, preserving victims and their remains under ash.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Arykanda, Turkey
- Arykanda, nestled on a mountainside in Turkey, is often overshadowed by nearby ancient cities like Perge and Side. The fifth-century BCE ruins, built in levels, offer stunning views.
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Chichen Itza, Mexico
- Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, features stunning ruins like El Castillo, the Warriors' Temple, and El Caracol, built by the Mayas and Toltecs between the sixth and ninth centuries CE.
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Xi'an, China
- By the third century BCE, Xi'an had been China's cultural and political center for nearly 1,000 years. It's home to the Terracotta Army, Qin's tomb, and the eastern end of the Silk Road.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Herculaneum, Italy
- Though Pompeii steals the spotlight, nearby Herculaneum, also destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, often goes unnoticed. This seaside town offers well-preserved ruins, including villas, baths, mosaics, and frescoes.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Persepolis, Iran
- Persepolis, the Persian Empire's capital, features 2,500-year-old ruins of the royal palace, treasury, and military compound. These survived Alexander the Great's invasion, burning, and looting in 330 BCE.
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
Ollantaytambo, Peru
- Ollanta, located in Peru's Sacred Valley, isn't as famous as Machu Picchu but still attracts visitors. Built by Inca ruler Pachacuti, it features steep stone terraces, a royal estate, and military defenses.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Mesa Verde, United States
- Mesa Verde, located in southwestern Colorado, was home to the Ancestral Puebloans from the sixth to 13th centuries. It features over 600 cliff dwellings, with the Cliff Palace being the most famous. The city was abandoned after a severe drought.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Abu Simbel, Egypt
- Abu Simbel, home to remarkable Ancient Egyptian rock temples, includes the famous Temples of Ramesses II. The site, relocated to prevent flooding, was rediscovered in 1813 and is now a UNESCO site.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Teotihuacan, Mexico
- Teotihuacan, located 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Mexico City, is one of Mexico's most awe-inspiring archaeological sites. Built in the first century BCE, it once housed 25,000 people and featured massive pyramids.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Jerash, Jordan
- Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman sites, features impressive ruins like the Temple of Artemis and the Forum. Highlights include the Cardo street and the South Theatre.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Luoyang, China
- Luoyang, China's cultural cradle in Henan Province, boasts 4,000 years of history as a 13-dynasty capital. Key sites include the Buddhist Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple, and Peony Festival.
© Shutterstock
18 / 30 Fotos
Aksum, Ethiopia
- Aksum, once the powerful capital of an Ethiopian kingdom, features ruins from the first to 13th centuries CE, including tombs, obelisks, and the rumored resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
Tiwanaku, Bolivia
- Tiwanaku, near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, was the spiritual and political hub of a vast empire from the eighth to 11th centuries. Its ceremonial centers include the Gateway to the Sun and Kalasasaya temple complex.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Varanasi, India
- Varanasi, on the Ganges, is a sacred Hindu city and among the world's oldest. Explore temples, ghats, cremation sites, and nearby Sarnath, where Buddha delivered his first sermon.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Carthage, Tunisia
- Carthage, once a powerful city of the ancient world, is located near Tunis. Key sights include Byrsa Hill, the Carthage Museum, Antonine Baths, the Roman Amphitheater, and the reconstructed Roman theater.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Mohenjo Daro, Pakistan
- The Indus Valley civilization, dating back 5,000 years, includes the mysterious Mohenjo Daro in southern Pakistan. Its advanced ruins feature baths, homes, and drainage systems.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Taxila, Pakistan
- Taxila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Pakistan's Punjab, dates back to the sixth century BCE. It offers insights into Buddhism, Gandharan art, and ancient subcontinental cultures.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Petra, Jordan
- Petra, meaning "rock" in Greek, showcases ancient Nabataean architecture and water systems carved into rose sandstone. Explore this UNESCO site, then safari through Wadi Rum's red-rock wilderness.
© Shutterstock
25 / 30 Fotos
Taos Pueblo, United States
- Taos Pueblo, a Native American settlement in New Mexico's Rio Grande, dates back centuries. This UNESCO site features authentic architecture, restricted access, and tours exploring its secretive pueblo culture.
© Shutterstock
26 / 30 Fotos
Leptis Magna, Libya
- Leptis Magna, near Khoms, Libya, is a UNESCO-listed archaeological site. Founded by Phoenicians, it later thrived under Roman rule, featuring remarkable ruins like the Forum, Basilica, and Severan Arch.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Choquequirao, Peru
- Choquequirao, high in Peru's Andes, features Inca temples, terraces, and baths. Reaching this remote site requires a challenging four-day trek, which is richly rewarding.
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Matera, Italy
- Matera, a hill town in Basilicata, Italy, features the UNESCO-listed Sassi cave dwellings. Once maligned for poverty, these 9,000-year-old limestone caves now host chic restaurants, hotels, churches, and shops. Sources: (Mental Floss) (Viator) (The Collector) See also: The oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
Remarkable ancient cities you can still visit
From the ruins of Pompeii to the mountainous Machu Picchu
© Shutterstock
Step into the past with a journey to some of the world's most remarkable ancient cities. These destinations, ranging from the majestic ruins of Angkor Wat to the vibrant streets of Varanasi, offer a window into human civilization, spirituality, and resilience. Whether carved into cliffs, nestled in valleys, or perched on hilltops, these ancient cities continue to captivate travelers, blending millennia-old stories with the allure of modern exploration.
Click on to explore these must-visit ancient cities.
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