Throughout the long history of our planet, countless civilizations have risen and fallen. They left their mark on history by building incredible cities that challenge our own understanding of history.
In this article, we'll take a look at some of the most amazing ancient, lost cities that you've most likely never heard of.
Angamuko - a lost, undocumented city
Angamuko is a city lost in ancient times in Mexico that is believed to have had as many buildings as Manhattan. The city was discovered using laser geodetic techniques in Western Mexico.
It is believed that at the very beginning there were about 40,000 buildings in Angamuco, located on an area of about 25 square meters. Km, which is about the same number of buildings as Manhattan, but on a much smaller piece of land.
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Termessos - an ancient city that Alexander the Great could not conquer
The city that Alexander the Great wanted to conquer, but could not.
Termessos was founded on a natural platform on the summit of Gyuluk Dagi, near Antalya in modern Turkey, at an altitude of 1665 meters.
A city hidden in the mountains in 333 BC tried to take by storm Alexander the Great but could not take it.
The city has a theater in the style of a Roman theater, which can seat up to five thousand spectators.
The city of Termesos was abandoned in 200 AD. after a series of strong earthquakes that destroyed all communications necessary for the city's life support, including its main aqueduct.
Bailly - lost Las Vegas in Rome
Bayi was an ancient city called by experts the Las Vegas of the ancient Roman Empire. After all the inhabitants left it, it was swallowed up by the sea near Naples. Today, the city is only visited by divers who admire the incredibly well-preserved buildings and statues.
Ruins of Gedi
Located near the Indian Ocean, east of Kenya. The ancient city of Gedi included a massive wall that protected the city. The ruins of Gedi were first discovered by colonialists in 1884 after the British resident of Zanzibar Sir John Kirk visited the site. Most archaeologists agree that the city is of great commercial value. The city was one of the most modern ancient sites in the region. Its inhabitants had flowing toilets hundreds of years ago!
Legendary city of Troy
Thought it was a simple myth, the ancient city of Troy was actually found in modern Turkey. According to Homer's epic poem The Iliad, this is where the Trojan War took place.
Today, the archaeological region of Troy houses a storehouse of historical artifacts. The city contains several layers of ruins. The modern place is known as Gisarlik.
Timgad - Lost City of the Roman Empire
Founded by Emperor Trajan around 100 AD, Timgad was a Roman military colonial city located in present-day Algeria.
The ancient city is famous for being one of the best-preserved examples of the grid layout used in Roman urban planning.
Chan Chan - a little-known diamond in Peru
Peru is home to many incredible archaeological sites. One of them is Chan Chan. This ancient city is considered by archaeologists as the largest city that existed in pre-Columbian America.
The city is surrounded by a series of ramparts, which are believed to house ceremonial rooms, burial chambers, and temples.
More than 30,000 people lived in the city.
The Chan Chan buildings were constructed using adobe bricks and treated with mud, which was decorated with patterned relief arabesques.
Vijayanagara is one of the largest ancient cities in the world
The ancient city of Vijayanagara was one of the largest cities in the world with over 500,000 inhabitants. The ancient Hindu city flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries. The city was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. The name translates as "Victory City".
Ctesiphon is one of the largest cities in Mesopotamia
The ancient city of Ctesiphon was one of the largest cities on the planet and also one of the most impressive cities in ancient Mesopotamia.
Ctesiphon was conquered by Rome and the Byzantine Empire five times. The city is located on the east bank of the Tigris. It is believed that Ctesiphon was founded in the late 120s BC. The most conspicuous structure remaining today is Tak Kasra, sometimes called the Arch of Ctesiphon.
Ciudad Perdida-Lost City of Colombia
Located in Sierra Nevada, Colombia lie the ruins of the Lost City. Believed to have been founded around 800, the city has many endless terraces carved in ancient times on the Colombian slopes of the mountain.