25 Most Amazing Ancient Ruins of the World

Aug 10, 2023

25 Most Amazing Ancient Ruins of the World

Check out all the places seen in this video: https://www.touropia.com/ancient-ruin…

The world is home to a plethora of fascinating ancient ruins, from crumbling cities to temples that have withstood the test of time. Many of these ancient societies were incredibly innovative and forward thinking. Just take a look at their meticulous city planning and incredible feats of engineering; some of which we are yet to fully understand. Some of the most captivating ancient ruins are full of thousand-year-old mysteries that will boggle even the most curious of minds.

Content

13.4 -> The world is home to a plethora of fascinating ancient ruins, from crumbling cities to temples

20.2 -> that have withstood the test of time.

22.59 -> Many of these ancient societies were incredibly innovative and forward thinking.

27.77 -> Just take a look at their meticulous city planning and incredible feats of engineering;

33.09 -> some of which we are yet to fully understand.

36.44 -> Some of the most captivating ancient ruins are full of thousand-year-old mysteries that

41.44 -> will boggle even the most curious of minds.

55.04 -> Number 25.

56.92 -> Ayutthaya.

58.36 -> Founded around the year 1350, Ayutthaya is a historical city that began as a Khmer military

64.71 -> and trading post.

66.21 -> It wasn’t long before this thriving trading port became the ancient capital of Thailand.

71.47 -> It held onto this title for four centuries until it was burned down by Burmese invaders.

77.17 -> As many of the temples and relics of the city were crafted from wood, the large majority

81.79 -> were destroyed.

83.39 -> Only around 50 stone relics and temples survived the fire and can still be seen today.

89.28 -> Since renovations started in the 1970s, exploring Ayutthaya’s mix of Siamese, Sri Lankan and

95.45 -> Khmer architecture has become a popular day trip from Bangkok.

114.57 -> Number 24.

116.45 -> Stonehenge.

117.78 -> Dotted along the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, Stonehenge is easily one of the most

122.45 -> recognized ancient ruins in the world.

125.51 -> Dating back over 5,000 years, these curious stone rings are some of the oldest stone structures

131.22 -> on the planet.

132.95 -> Created out of sandstone, they are ensconced in mystery.

136.7 -> Who built them and why is still largely unknown.

140.73 -> Two popular theories maintain that Stonehenge was used as a site for religious rituals or

146.079 -> otherwise to monitor the movements of the sun and moon.

149.529 -> As you only need two hours to explore the ruins of Stonehenge, a day trip from London

154.439 -> is often combined with a visit to Windsor or Bath.

165.739 -> Number 23.

167.4 -> Mesa Verde.

168.879 -> Deep in the American Southwest, you’ll find Mesa Verde National Park with its fascinating

174.099 -> collection of 600 ancient clifftop dwellings.

177.69 -> The most famous of these dwellings is the Cliff Palace, built into an enormous sandstone

182.8 -> alcove that’s protected it from the elements for over seven centuries.

187.439 -> It’s the largest of its kind in North America and unlike the rest of the dwellings that

192.549 -> contained just a few rooms for residential purposes, the palace had over 150 rooms and

198.79 -> 23 sacred kivas.

201.409 -> Having been lived in for close to a century, these unusual cliff-side villages were suddenly

206.65 -> abandoned in the 13th-century.

223.049 -> Number 22.

224.049 -> Sigiriya.

225.049 -> Sigiriya is an ancient fortress carved into a 200 meter vertical rock face in Sri Lanka.

231.98 -> On top of what is now known as Lion Rock are the fascinating remains of an ancient civilization,

237.84 -> thought to be the capital of the kingdom of Kassapa.

241.189 -> In its heyday, it included a citadel, a mirror wall with stunning colorful frescoes, and

246.989 -> a gateway in the shape of a lion.

249.269 -> After the king passed, the capital was abandoned and it was used as a Buddhist monastery.

255.049 -> While the climb to the top of Sigiriya is certainly not for the faint-hearted, the views

259.459 -> of the ramparts, terraced gardens and cave shrines will be worth the effort.

316.81 -> Number 21.

318.31 -> Masada.

319.43 -> The ancient fortress of Masada is possibly one of the most impressive ruins on the planet.

325.12 -> Perched on a cliff top overlooking the Judaean Desert and the Dead Sea in Israel, the site

330.43 -> is hauntingly beautiful.

332.43 -> Dating back over thousands of years, it was built as the palace of King Herod.

337.04 -> It had modern creature comforts such as a bathhouse and even private swimming pools.

342.389 -> More famously, the enormous fortification saw the last stand of the Jewish Revolt who

347.36 -> chose death over a life of Roman slavery.

350.85 -> Two pathways lead to the top and while grueling in the beating sun, the views are worth it!

379.27 -> Number 20.

380.689 -> Hampi.

381.689 -> The second-largest medieval city after Beijing, Hampi was one of the wealthiest in India.

387.46 -> Once the thriving epicenter of the Karnata Empire with temples and imperial palaces,

392.38 -> now only crumbling ruins remain.

395.5 -> Founded in the 14th-century by two princes, the former capital began as a simple riverside

400.92 -> religious center.

402.65 -> Highlights include the temple that served as the royal family’s personal place of

406.21 -> worship, the House of Victory, the Vitthala Temple with its stone chariot and musical

411.409 -> pillars, and the main temple with its carvings of strange-looking sea creatures.

466.99 -> Number 19.

468.53 -> Pompeii.

469.55 -> The eerie ruins of Pompeii can be found near the Italian city of Naples.

474.58 -> When the iconic Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it destroyed the Roman city in waves

480.979 -> of lava and took the lives of over 2,000 residents along with it.

485.72 -> The ancient city first discovered by accident beneath the volcanic rock in the 1950s is

491.379 -> remarkably well preserved.

493.34 -> However, it wasn’t until two decades later that it was properly excavated.

498.62 -> You can walk down the streets of these ancient Roman ruins and imagine the town as it was

504.3 -> in its heyday.

505.499 -> There are the remains of stone houses, temples, bakeries, and even a brothel.

553.75 -> Number 18.

554.8 -> Tulum.

555.8 -> An hours’ drive from Cancun, the Tulum ruins are the remains of an ancient cliff top fortress

561.4 -> built by the Mayans.

563.34 -> Walled on three sides with the fourth open to the Caribbean Sea, the views are simply

568.09 -> incredible.

569.45 -> Even though it dates back to 564 AD, Tulum was at its prime during the 13th and 14th

576.01 -> centuries.

577.01 -> It was a powerful trading hub for jade, cotton, and cacao beans.

580.72 -> Apart from the El Castillo pyramid, the main attraction, have a look at the beautiful mural

585.78 -> inside the Temple of the Frescoes and go for a swim at Tulum’s secret beach, surrounded

591.45 -> by palm trees and sunbathing iguanas.

643.14 -> Number 17.

644.56 -> Ephesus.

645.56 -> One of the most impressive Greek and Roman ruins on Earth, the ancient city of Ephesus

651.12 -> can be found in western Turkey.

653.18 -> Dating back over 2,000 years, it was once home to the famous Temple of Artemis.

658.44 -> But what makes these ruins stand out is just how immersive they are.

663.12 -> Unlike many other protected archaeological sites, you can touch, stand on and walk through

668.52 -> every part of the city.

670.57 -> Highlights include a series of ancient public toilets, the Library of Celsus and Hadrian’s

676.16 -> Temple.

677.16 -> It is also home to the 25,000-seater Great Theater of Ephesus, the largest outdoor theater

682.88 -> in the ancient world.

735.37 -> Number 16.

736.73 -> Ellora Caves.

738.4 -> The Ellora Caves are made up of a series of caves, monasteries and temples carved into

743.83 -> the side of a basalt cliff.

746.1 -> Out of 100 caves, only 34 are open to the public.

750.36 -> Located in Maharashtra, India, Ellora dates back to 600 AD and took Buddhist, Hindu and

756.67 -> Jain monks over five centuries to craft.

759.87 -> The highlight of the Ellora Caves is the Kailasa Temple.

763.33 -> Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is the largest monolithic sculpture in the world.

768.9 -> Other worthy sights include the large preaching Buddha in the Carpenter’s Cave, so-called

773.96 -> because of the rock’s resemblance to polished wood.

823.07 -> Number 15.

824.73 -> Terracotta Army.

825.88 -> The Terracotta Warriors are an impressive collection of thousands of life-sized soldiers

830.59 -> and horses.

831.84 -> Located in Xi’an, China, there are around 600 underground pits dating back to the 3rd-century

838.29 -> BC.

839.29 -> They were discovered by accident in the 1970s when locals were digging for a well point.

844.75 -> While many remain unexcavated, three of these pits are open to the public and are enclosed

850.19 -> within the Museum of the Terracotta Army.

852.75 -> Apart from their sheer volume, what’s interesting about these clay soldiers is that every single

858.43 -> face is unique.

860.11 -> They were hand-carved with individual features and took around 40 years of craftsmanship

865.3 -> in total.

883.75 -> Number 14.

884.95 -> Chichen Itza.

886.3 -> One of the most famous archaeological sites on Earth, Chichen Itza was once a thriving

891 -> city on the Yucatan Peninsula.

893.44 -> Built by the Mayans in 600 AD, it was abandoned in 1221 when Mayapan became the region’s

900.37 -> new capital.

901.69 -> Highlights include the Temple of Kukulkan, a giant stone pyramid with four stairways

906.56 -> representing a compass and 365 steps for each day of the year.

912.26 -> It is best visited during the spring or fall equinox when the sun creates a light show

917.48 -> on the stairs of the pyramid.

919.67 -> Other must-see sites include the Ball Court, the Wall of Skulls, and the Sacred Cenote

924.56 -> that was once a site of human sacrifice.

957.98 -> Number 13.

959.58 -> Acropolis.

960.69 -> From its perch above the city of Athens, the Acropolis topped by the Parthenon can be seen

965.76 -> from any corner of the city.

968.11 -> First built and inhabited by Pericles in the 5th-century BC, the Acropolis was eventually

973.44 -> transformed into a city of temples.

976.38 -> These ancient structures were crafted out of bronze and marble, and some were even gold

981.47 -> plated.

982.47 -> Restorations are still ongoing so don’t be surprised to find scaffolding still in

987.07 -> place.

988.16 -> Many of the original artefacts were relocated to the Acropolis Museum so this is worth a

993.32 -> visit while you’re here.

1037.06 -> Number 12.

1038.6 -> Bagan.

1039.6 -> The ancient city of Bagan is a captivating temple town in Myanmar.

1044.339 -> Once the capital of a powerful kingdom during the 11th and 13th centuries, it had over 10,000

1050.17 -> temples, monasteries, shrines, pagodas, and stupas in its zenith.

1055.03 -> In the years since, these sacred sites have fallen into ruin as a result of Mongol invasions,

1060.2 -> neglect and natural disasters.

1063.37 -> Just 2,000 temple ruins remain and are scattered over the horizon.

1068.25 -> While you can explore the Archaeological Zone on foot, the sheer volume of temples is best

1073.54 -> appreciated from the air.

1075.26 -> A hot air balloon ride over Bagan is a worthy addition to the bucket list!

1104.69 -> Number 11.

1106.17 -> Tikal.

1107.23 -> With its grey temple-tops protruding through the lush canopy of the Guatemalan jungle,

1112 -> catching a glimpse of the ruins of Tikal is something truly special.

1116.13 -> A popular day trip from Flores, these remote ruins are dotted with pyramids, temples and

1121.81 -> palaces.

1122.81 -> One of the biggest archaeological sites in Mesoamerica, Tikal was the largest and most

1127.93 -> powerful of the Mayan cities around 600 AD.

1130.53 -> Don’t miss the Temple of the Two Headed Snake while you’re here.

1134.94 -> As one of the tallest pre-Columbian structures in the Western Hemisphere, climbing to the

1139.29 -> top will treat you to incredible 360-degree views of the rainforest and beyond.

1149.91 -> Number 10.

1151.22 -> Karnak.

1152.22 -> The Karnak Temple complex in Luxor, Egypt, is impressive due to its sheer size.

1157.61 -> Covering an area that’s larger than most ancient cities, it’s dotted with temples,

1162.31 -> obelisks, and shrines.

1164.02 -> It took over 2,000 years to build and each Egyptian pharaoh left their own architectural

1170.39 -> mark.

1171.39 -> Walk through the Avenue of Sphinxes and discover the Great Hypostyle Hall.

1175.4 -> This enormous room filled with towering pylons and solid sandstone columns is one of the

1181.1 -> most famous and photographed attractions of Ancient Egypt.

1184.57 -> While you’re here, stop to admire the Sacred Lake and the nearby granite scarab.

1205.96 -> Number 9.

1207.55 -> Borobudur.

1208.8 -> Crafted out of an impressive two million blocks of volcanic stone, Borobudur in Indonesia

1214.22 -> is the largest Buddhist temple in the world.

1217.41 -> Dating back to the 9th-century, it eventually fell into ruin until it was discovered again

1222.52 -> in the 1800s.

1223.57 -> Since then, it has been restored to its former glory and is particularly popular at sunrise.

1230.46 -> The Borobudur monument consists of six square platforms topped by three circular platforms.

1236.32 -> A pathway of enlightenment leads from the base of the pyramid up through the three levels

1241.32 -> of Buddhist cosmology, the world of forms, and the world of formlessness.

1246.02 -> It’s decorated with over 2,000 reliefs and 500 Buddha statues, each one outlining a Buddhist

1253.16 -> teaching.

1261.59 -> Number 8.

1263.19 -> Teotihuacan.

1264.34 -> Located on the outskirts of modern-day Mexico City, Teotihuacan is one of the most famous

1269.74 -> Aztec archaeological sites.

1272.03 -> But the Aztecs didn’t actually build it.

1274.86 -> Despite many theories, nobody is really sure who did.

1278.559 -> However, the Aztecs did name it and make it their own when they stumbled across the abandoned

1284.19 -> city.

1285.19 -> In its prime, it was the largest city in the Western Hemisphere and home to a plethora

1289.51 -> of residential compounds and pyramids.

1292.17 -> Today, its two iconic pyramids, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon, are

1297.121 -> the major highlights.

1298.86 -> Stroll along the Avenue of the Dead and visit the Citadel and the Temple of the Feathered

1303.98 -> Serpent.

1311.43 -> Number 7.

1312.69 -> Moai Statues.

1314.32 -> With the tallest weighing in over 80 tonnes, the Moai Statues on Easter Island in Polynesia

1320.25 -> are iconic.

1321.69 -> In fact, you’ll probably recognize them from a picture even if you hadn’t heard

1325.95 -> of them.

1326.98 -> These 800-plus statues, most of which face away from the sea, were carved from volcanic

1332.49 -> ash by the Rapa Nui people somewhere between 400 and 1500 AD.

1338.15 -> Likely created using rudimentary basalt stone picks, each of these enormous monolithic statues

1343.75 -> would have taken close to a year to complete.

1346.88 -> There are many theories as to why they were built, including as a way to honor important

1351.22 -> clan ancestors and because of a believe it would improve the soil.

1381.64 -> Number 6.

1383.17 -> Colosseum.

1384.17 -> One of the most iconic Roman ruins, the Colosseum was an ancient gladiator arena.

1390.06 -> Unveiled in 80 AD, the 50,000-seater amphitheater was used for staging various events.

1396.87 -> These included animal fights and blood-thirsty gladiator battles where contestants would

1401.57 -> fight to the death.

1402.96 -> The architecture of the Colosseum is impressive even by today’s standards.

1407.32 -> The outer walls are made up of three levels of archways topped with Ionic, Doric and Corinthian

1413.11 -> columns.

1414.11 -> In its hey-day, they were decorated with marble statues.

1417.68 -> The top level once supported an enormous awning that sheltered spectators from the elements.

1472.47 -> Number 5.

1473.85 -> Great Wall of China.

1475.78 -> Spreading through 15 Chinese provinces and autonomous regions, the Great Wall of China

1481.179 -> is the longest man-made structure in the world.

1484.59 -> It is made up of a series of separate sections of walls and moats that were built over the

1489.39 -> course of six Chinese dynasties as a defense from invaders.

1493.88 -> Now well over 2,000 years old, some parts of the wall have fallen into ruin.

1499.14 -> Interestingly, for those who wanted to attempt it, walking the entire length of the Great

1503.69 -> Wall of China would take approximately 18 months.

1541.52 -> Number 4.

1542.95 -> Petra.

1543.95 -> The Rose City of Petra is an ancient desert town that was carved out of pink sandstone

1548.64 -> cliffs by nomads thousands of years ago.

1552.23 -> Located in Jordan, tucked between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, it’s hard to believe

1557.11 -> the city was once filled with green gardens, palatial houses, and bustling markets.

1562.94 -> Instead, a walk or camel ride through the ruins of Petra will reveal abandoned caves,

1568.4 -> temples, and tombs hidden within the city walls.

1571.6 -> The two-story Treasury carved into the rock face is one of the most beautiful landmarks

1576.61 -> in the old city.

1577.85 -> It’s worth viewing for the facade alone but the interior with its Indiana-Jonesy royal

1582.95 -> tomb is worth a look.

1628.45 -> Number 3.

1629.71 -> Machu Picchu.

1631.09 -> A huge tick off the travel bucket list, Machu Picchu is one of the most famous cities of

1636.48 -> the ancient Incan Empire.

1638.59 -> This historical fortress lies hidden in the mountains of Peru.

1642.61 -> So well hidden in fact that it was never found by Spanish invaders when they arrived in the

1647.68 -> 1500s.

1648.88 -> They were only accidentally discover in 1911 by an American explorer called Bingham.

1654.71 -> A wonder of advanced engineering, it’s estimated that 60% of the construction was built underground,

1661.85 -> mainly for fortification and drainage.

1664.43 -> Today, these walled ruins can only be reached by foot or by train.

1669.27 -> Don’t miss the Machu Picchu Museum for an insider’s look into the Lost City of the

1674.44 -> Incas.

1704.13 -> Number 2.

1705.54 -> Angkor.

1706.54 -> Once the capital of the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 15th centuries, Angkor was a thriving

1712.23 -> ancient metropolis.

1713.59 -> Today, the city is most famous for its Hindu Angkor Wat Temple that claims the title as

1719.5 -> the largest religious shrine on Earth.

1722.21 -> It’s famously visited at sunrise when the lighting over the temples is simply magical.

1728.07 -> But the Angkor Archaeological Park actually includes many more fascinating landmarks aside

1733.57 -> from Angkor Wat.

1735.23 -> Over 1,000 temples lie scattered throughout the forest, rice fields and farmlands.

1740.78 -> Highlights include the jungle-clad Tomb Raider Temple with trees growing out of it’s ruins

1745.9 -> and the 12th-century Bayon Temple that marks the historical center of the ancient city

1751.41 -> of Angkor Thom.

1797.54 -> Number 1.

1799.08 -> Giza.

1800.08 -> One of the most mysterious ancient sites on Earth, the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo are truly

1805.74 -> fascinating.

1807.28 -> Created as enormous tombs for the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt in the Fourth Dynasty, there’s

1812.35 -> plenty of speculation as to how they were built.

1815.18 -> With such precise and immaculate detail, they’re yet another remarkable feat of ancient Egyptian

1821.18 -> engineering.

1822.45 -> They were used as burial chambers and were littered with treasure for the Pharaoh to

1826.559 -> use in the afterlife – something that attracted many a grave robber over the years.

1831.799 -> Don’t forget to get a kissing photo with the Sphinx – it’s pretty much mandatory.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq70UHD8DrM