When it comes to the most ancient buildings, most people call Stonehenge and perhaps remember the dolmens in the Krasnodar Territory. About what building is considered the prototype of the Tower of Babel, what the first pyramid looks like and from the stone of what structure the pavement was made in France.
Pyramid of Djoser, Sakkara, Egypt
The pyramid, erected for the burial of the Egyptian pharaoh Djoser around 2650 BC, is considered one of the oldest surviving stone structures in the world. Its six steps, representing the path of the pharaoh to heaven, served as a model for the construction of burial structures not only in Ancient Egypt, but also in other regions.
“The pyramid of Djoser is even more impressive than the three well-known in Giza. Maybe because of the shape, maybe because of the fact that it stands apart, - says Andrey from Kolomna. "There are fewer tourists here than in Giza, but you also need less time to visit: one hour is quite enough."
Gobekli Tepe, Turkey
Promotional video:
This temple complex is considered the oldest of the large megalithic (boulders) structures. Its age, according to scientists, is about 12 thousand years. Göbekli Tepe for a long time (about 9.5 thousand years) was hidden under a hill, which ensured the relative safety of the complex.
“Compared to Stonehenge, the most famous prehistoric monument, Göbekli Tepe is not striking in scale,” says Vladimir Mokhov from St. Petersburg. "But this complex is unique with carved images of wild boars, foxes, lions, birds, snakes and scorpions."
Sardinian ziggurat, Sardinia, Italy
This ziggurat - a multistage religious building of Ancient Mesopotamia - is unique in the Mediterranean. It was built, presumably, in the second half of the fourth millennium BC, but by 1800 BC it was destroyed and used only for burials. During World War II, an anti-aircraft battery was installed here and damaged the upper part of the ziggurat.
Pentre Ifan, Wales, UK
This structure is a dolmen - a man-made monument made of large stones or stone slabs - and dates back to 3500-4000 BC. Scientists believe that these are the remains of a cemetery, and the preserved six vertically placed stones and one placed on three of them are part of a large tomb.
Ggantija, Malta
The name of this temple complex of the Neolithic era - IV-III millennium BC - is translated as "Tower of the Giants". Ggantija, consisting of two temples in the traditional clover shape for Malta, was apparently dedicated to the cult of fertility. The site on which the buildings are located is surrounded by a fence of large boulders, some of which are more than five meters high. Not surprisingly, local folklore attributes the origin of the temples to a race of giants.
Nap of Howar, Papa Westray, Scotland
The Nap of Hawar is considered to be one of the oldest surviving stone houses in Northern Europe. Radiocarbon dating shows that this farmhouse, made up of adjoining buildings with low doorways, dates from 3500 to 3100 BC. Inside, stone furniture has been preserved: beds and shelves, as well as stoves and partitions between rooms.
Ziggurat in Ur, Iraq
This is the best preserved temple complex of the ancient Mesopotamia civilization. Built around 2047 BC in honor of the lunar deity Nanna. Some researchers believe that the ziggurat in Ur or the ziggurat in Babylon erected on its model may have served as a prototype for the biblical tower of Babel.
Kurgan Barnenes, France
Barnenes Kurgan is an early Neolithic monument, erected around 4500 BC. Now it is a rectangular structure 72 meters long, 25 meters wide and eight meters high. There are 11 cells inside, which are led by separate corridors. Unfortunately, until the middle of the last century, Barnenes was privately owned and used as a quarry - streets were paved with these stones.
Tomb of Cyrus, Pasargadae, Iran
The tomb of the Persian king Cyrus II the Great was built in the 6th century BC and desecrated after the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great. A mistake saved it from destruction by the Arabs in the middle of the 7th century. The fact is that among the invaders it was widely believed that this was the tomb of the mother of the prophet Suleiman (King Solomon).
Great Stupa, Sanchi, India
Stupas in Buddhism are places of worship in which relics were originally kept. Then they were erected in honor of some important event as monuments. The Great Stupa at Sanchi is considered the first of about eighty thousand built in the 3rd century BC by the ruler Ashoka Maurya, one of the main patrons of Buddhism.
Parthenon, Athens, Greece
The main temple in Athens, the Parthenon was built between 447 and 438 BC. It took about seven years to decorate it. The best architects of that time applied the rule of the golden ratio, when each subsequent part of the whole correlates with the previous part in the same way as that correlates with the whole: this gives the structure a particularly harmonious look. There was also a majestic thirty-meter statue of Athena made of gold, which, unfortunately, has not survived.
Maison Carré, Nimes, France
The name of this well-preserved ancient Roman temple of the 1st century AD in France is translated as "square house". In the IV century, Maison Carré was turned into a church, and this saved it from destruction. In the XI-XVI centuries there was a "consular house" where the local authorities sat. In 1823, the building was declared a national museum. Today it houses an exhibition of ancient Roman art.
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
The Flavian Amphitheater, as the Colosseum is also called, is one of the most grandiose structures of the ancient world that have survived to this day. At the time of construction in 72-80 AD, it was the largest amphitheater, the capacity of which reached 50 thousand people. Here, gladiator fights, animal baiting and even sea battles were held. Most of the destruction seen today on the building was caused by the earthquake of 1349, after which the collapsed stones were used for the construction of new buildings. Currently, the Colosseum is under protection, the wreckage, where it turned out to be possible, was returned to its original place.
Temple of the Pantheon, Rome, Italy
“The Temple of All Gods”, the Pantheon is an unparalleled architectural monument of the heyday of Ancient Rome. Built in 126. Its peculiarity - the only window made in the dome - is a symbol of unity. The sunlight pouring from there alternately illuminated the statues of the gods, placed along the perimeter of the inner hall. These figures have not survived to this day.
Meteora Monasteries, Greece
Monasteries at the top of the Meteora rocks (translated from Greek - "soaring in the air"), along with Athos, are the center of Orthodox monasticism. Of the 24 monasteries known since the 10th century, only six have survived.
“Right under the stone pillars there is a small village - Kastraki, where there are many hotels of different levels. It is convenient to spend the night here and in the morning go to conquer Meteora, - advises Nikolai Miroshnichenko from Novosibirsk. - When visiting monasteries, you should correctly calculate your own strength: you have to climb to the temples on foot, and these are 200 or more steps. Not all tourists can stand it."
Irina Ovchinnikova
