EntranceA famous city that no longer exists. Cities that are not on the map
Our planet, it turns out, consists not only of cities and countries represented on the world map. There are also places that will never be depicted in atlases and globes, you won’t hear about them in geography lessons and it’s difficult to visit them. We are talking about cities that are not on the map.
Closed administrative-territorial entities (CLATE)
On the territory of Russia there are so-called closed cities, which were created during the “ cold war"in strict secrecy. Foreign intelligence knew nothing about the existence of such places. Here only actions were taken to develop nuclear weapons, as well as to improve satellite communications and the deployment of military units. Currently, about 1.5 million people live in the Russian Federation in cities that are not on the map. Immediately after the Iron Curtain was destroyed, people gradually began to learn about ZATO. In accordance with disarmament treaties, foreign observers began to arrive in some previously closed cities to monitor how reactors were being shut down in closed administrative-territorial entities. Until now, it is very difficult for Russians to get into the territory of the ZATO, even if they have relatives living there. Cities that are not on the map are characterized by the presence of a strict access control regime. Almost all such settlements are surrounded by barbed wire. At the entrance to closed administrative-territorial entities, customs officers are on duty, allowing only those citizens who have permits through.
Small states that are not mentioned on the world map
There are also places that are not subject to any jurisdiction. One of these cities is Bir Tawil. 
However, there is no moisture in this desert area. The area under the above name occupies about 2000 square meters. Bir Tawil is located between Egypt and Sudan, and neither of these countries needs it.
Another unique city object that is not on the map is the creation of an Austrian artist named Edwin Limburger. In 1984, a man built a house in the center of the Austrian capital, which has a spherical shape. After very lengthy disputes with representatives of the city authorities, the artist decided to proclaim his property as the independent Republic of Kugelmugel (“a hill with a spherical shape”) and fenced himself off from Austria. 
Edwin Limburger was sentenced to prison for unauthorized issuance of postal cards, as well as non-payment of taxes. But when the President of Austria learned the story of the eccentric architect, the actions of Edwin Limburger seemed nice to the head of the country, and it was decided to release the man from custody. The artist was allowed to live in his sovereign spherical house.
Cities that don't exist
One of the cities that is not on the map is "RPM-1200". This is an iron city that was created by a Japanese man named Chu Enoki. Such a structure was exhibited in the Japanese city of Kobe within the walls of the local Museum of Art. The composition was created exclusively from scrap metal, which the artist took from one of the city factories. 
Besides, in Russian city Ulyanovsk some time ago a mini-city was built, whose name is Kartonsk. This structure was erected on the territory of the Pushkarevskoye Ring shopping center. Every detail of such a city was made of cardboard paper, and the project turned out to be so extensive that one could actually live in such a city. 
Kartonsk gained fame outside Russian Federation. In this city, which is not on the map, in just a few hours everyone could visit a cafe or attend a theater performance.
Culture
Ghost towns may seem scary and sad to some, but they are quite interesting places, since they retain part of the soul of the society that lived here, but which has long left these places. There are a large number of ghost towns in the world, whose stories always have a sad ending, however, the reasons why the local residents left them are completely different from each other. Many of these cities have long been hidden underground, and archaeologists are trying to dig them up, but some of them were abandoned relatively recently, so life in them seemed to have stopped and we can see the life of that time.
1) Bodie, California, USA
Probably the most famous ghost town in the United States is Bodie, which is located east of San Francisco. This city was once prosperous locality thanks to a nearby gold deposit. It was the precious metal that attracted thousands of wealth hunters from all over the country to these places; he also forced local residents to abandon their homes and move to other areas. However, nothing lasts forever, so as for Bodie, as gold reserves began to deplete, everything more people began to move. In 1932, there was a fire in the city that destroyed the entire business part of the town and finally decided its fate.
2) San Zhi, Taiwan
San Zhi is a city that began to be built in the early 1980s according to the latest concept, whose architecture should have made it known throughout the world as an ultra-modern city of the rich. However, due to a number of problems that occurred in the city during construction, in particular due to a large number of accidents, as well as due to insufficient funding, the project was no longer developed, although most of the buildings were already standing. Today no one lives in the city; all the engineers and builders also left it, without completing what they started.
3) Varosha, Cyprus
Once upon a time, these places were famous throughout the world for being a luxury resort attracting thousands of wealthy tourists, including many celebrities. Everything changed in 1974 when the Turks invaded Cyprus. They turned this piece of paradise into a fortress and cut off access to the area even for local residents who fled during the attack.
4) Gunkanjima, Japan
Another town that began to develop thanks to the minerals found here is a city on the island of Hashima, which is often called Gunkanjima (Japanese for “cruiser”). At the end of the 19th century, coal was found near a small rock in the sea, during the mining of which an artificial island was formed, where the workers settled. Thus, little by little, the city of miners began to be built. The city became very popular, and crowds of people began to flock here. In 1959, the city had a population of 1,391 people per hectare of land, and there were less than 5 hectares! However, later other alternative coal deposits were found, residents began to gradually move out, and eventually it became clear that the city was doomed. Despite the fact that the city has long been abandoned by residents, many tourists come here to admire it.
5) Balestrino, Italy
This city, which today is one of the ghost towns of Europe, hides many secrets, in particular, no one knows exactly when it was built, and it is also not clear exactly why the local residents began to leave it. Balestino refuses to reveal his secrets. However, it is obvious that natural disasters, which took place about 60 years ago, forced local residents to look for a new refuge.
6) Katoli World, Taiwan
Katoli World was one of the most successful amusement parks on the island of Taiwan. It was famous for its fun roller coasters and many other attractions. Why was it abandoned? In 1999, a powerful earthquake occurred in this area. Thousands of people died, and the park itself was so badly damaged that it has not been restored to this day. It seems it has closed its doors forever.
7) Centralia, Pennsylvania. USA
This city also fell victim to the closure of coal mines, which were the main source of income for the city's residents. There was no other work in this area, so the townspeople were forced to move. The situation was further complicated by the fact that there were underground fires in the city that could not be extinguished for many years. Naturally, no one wanted to live on such a powder keg, because harmful gases were released into the air, poisoning everything around. When the situation became unbearable, the local population left their homes.
8) Yashima, Japan
City with ancient history Yashima is the site of a famous battle that took place in 1185 during the Gempei War. Famous for the temple, this place was a popular tourist attraction in the 1980s. Funds were invested to build hotels, shops and other tourist facilities. However, suddenly everyone realized that tourists were unlikely to come here due to the proximity of rock mining enterprises, so construction was frozen, perhaps for another thousand years.
9) Pripyat, Ukraine
It may seem strange that a relatively large city of 50 thousand people was deserted in an instant. Pripyat is notorious for the events that took place in this area in 1986, namely, a disaster occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near the city. Due to dangerous levels of radiation, residents were forced to evacuate quickly, never to return to the once thriving city.
10) Craco, Italy
This beautiful city, once inhabited by 2,000 people, is now abandoned as a result of a series of misfortunes that have befallen it, from war, poor farming conditions and a series of earthquakes, which have convinced the last remaining inhabitants that the time has come to find a more suitable place to live.
11) Kolmanskop, Namibia
In 1908, the diamond mining industry became a very profitable business in Namibia. People from all over the country flocked to the Namib Desert to try their luck. In just 2 years, an entire city was built, and in an area that had previously been completely barren and of no use to anyone. Kolmanskop became a prosperous town with a school, a hospital, exclusive residential buildings and even a casino. Everything was fine until diamond sales began to decline after the First World War. Since local businessmen were losing profits, they went in search of new income. Food became increasingly difficult to find, and city residents began to leave Kolmanskop. The town became a ghost town back in the 1950s. Since then, the desert has increasingly engulfed the once beautiful and rich buildings.
12) Kadykchan, Russia
The city of Kadykchan once had 12 thousand inhabitants, who were mostly coal miners. After the collapse of the Union, this city suffered seriously. Due to the reduction in demand for coal, many companies were forced to close. And finally, a collapse in a coal mine, which occurred in 1996, resulting in the death of 6 people, decided the fate of the city. In the following months, the city's residents were evacuated to nearby towns, and the population dwindled to a trickle until it disappeared completely.
13) Gilman, Colorado, USA
The town of Gilman was founded in 1886 during the Colorado Silver Boom. The mining industry made Gilman a center for lead and zinc mining throughout the state. However, a hundred years later, in 1986, the city faced the beginning of its end. Mining became unprofitable, and the presence of toxic pollutants was also discovered. Groundwater pollution has made the city uninhabitable. In the end, the Security Administration environment ordered the evacuation of residents and closed the city to visitors.
14) Oradour-sur-Glane, France
The village of Oradour-sur-Glane in France consists of several ruined buildings reminiscent of the terrible events of World War II, more precisely June 1944, when the Germans decided to punish the residents of the city of Oradour-sur-Vaires for supporting the French Resistance. By mistake, the Nazis attacked the nearby village of Oradour-sur-Glane. All villagers were killed. Today the village remains a kind of monument dedicated to those events, and is also a ghost town.
Many historical monuments of worldwide fame cannot be seen today for a number of reasons. You can spend your holidays in Istanbul, Rome and Athens, exploring ancient ruins and monuments that have survived to this day and, in addition, enjoying the beauties of modern times.
Those for whom history and mythology are not empty words know that there were legendary cities, the glory of which significantly exceeds the glory of Rome or Athens. But, unfortunately, they disappeared from the face of the Earth and remained only in legends. The location of some of them can be calculated thanks to modern technologies. If these cities had survived to this day, today they would perhaps be the most developed and beautiful in the world. In many cases, we have the opportunity to visit the ruins of legendary metropolises and get acquainted with the architectural features, building materials and engineering of that time.
The ancient city of Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians, in what is now Tunisia, under the reign of the legendary Queen Elissa, or Dido. The city was a large, prosperous center of the region. For this reason, the rulers of Syracuse and Rome looked at him with envy.
The city survived the war with Rome, but in 698 BC. was destroyed during the Muslim invasion. At one time, Carthage, with its hills, Forum, houses decorated with mosaics and paved streets, was the pearl of the Mediterranean.
Troy
Troy - a legendary city, glorified in the epic works of Homer ("Iliad" and "Odyssey"), played an important role in history throughout the 12-14 centuries BC. e. Archaeologists carefully and carefully examined layer by layer during excavations of the city (today it is located in Turkey). Its ruins have stood for thousands of years and thanks to them we can imagine what the city was like in its best years.
The ancient city of Tikal is located deep in the jungles of Guatemala. Once upon a time it was the capital of one of the powerful and warlike states of one of the Mayan tribes. The city was founded in the 4th century BC. and existed until 200 -900 AD. Excavations have shown that Tikal had many monuments, temples and palaces, and the city itself was a center of art and architecture. In addition, there were many pyramids decorated with faces of gods and other images carved from stone.
Memphis was founded in 3100 BC. during the reign of the first Egyptian dynasty. At one time, the city was a fortress that controlled the land and water routes between Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta. The city later developed into a religious center and a prosperous capital with beautiful temples and works of art. A majestic temple, royal palaces and a statue of Ramses II were all in the center of the ancient city. The ruins exist today and beckon with their mystery, but this is only a small part of the greatness of the whole city
The capital of the Mesopotamian Empire, Babylon was known for its luxury and innovation. Today its ruins are located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq, and the Babylonian Hanging Gardens are generally considered one of the seven wonders of the world, although there is no material evidence of this fact. The legend associated with the Hanging Gardens says that King Nebuchadnezzar II built them for his wife, who missed her homeland, located in a mountainous region. The gardens were located in the center of the desert on terraces, which were watered thanks to a specially built irrigation system. If the gardens still existed today, they would be one of the most desirable attractions and a real paradise on earth.
Ctesiphon was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire and was located on the banks of the Tigris River in what is now Iraq. It could have been another incredible city with masterpieces of architecture and technology. One of the attractions of the city is the amazing, from the point of view of ancient construction technologies, vaulted wall, which was located above the massive and grandiose throne room. Today it is the largest arch in the world built of brick.
Situated in the Indus River Valley, which today flows through Pakistan, the city of Mohenjo-Daro was built in 2600 BC. and was not inferior in size to the Greek and Egyptian cities of that period.
The ruins testify to masterpiece engineering solutions in the construction of entire residential complexes, shops and streets.
Unique ancient city, which is located on the territory of the same name National Park in the USA, surprises with more than 600 dwellings built by the Anasazi people from stone, wood and limestone in the rocks. The massive rocks are home to 100 residents. To reach these houses you need to climb stairs. If the city were inhabited today, it would be one of the unique places in the world.
Imagine a city with 1001 churches surrounded by picturesque hills. Such a city existed and was called Ani, now it is the territory of modern Turkey. It was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom in the 10th century. The ruins of these churches are still being explored, and each time they surprise with the richness of their decor and unique architectural style. The city of Ani in terms of population has always been a rival to the powerful Constantinople.
The city of the god Amun, the god of the Sun, Thebes was buried in luxury, splendor worthy of the gods. The ruins of the legendary Thebes, witnesses of past luxury, still impress visitors today. The tomb of Tutankhamun is located in Thebes. During its prosperity, talented artists lived in the city, who painted the walls of the tombs with frescoes, carved images from stone and sculpted statues. Thebes was proud of the pomp of its streets, decorated with many statues, some of which have survived to this day, having stood for thousands of years.
Vijayanagar, the ruins of which are today in India, was one of the largest cities in the world with a population of 500,000 people. At one time it was the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, which was located in southern India. The city at that time contained impressive religious buildings and sculptures, including majestic temples, some of which have survived to this day. Caves, running water, community centers and temple complexes were located in all parts of the city
The city of Persepolis, the territory of modern Iran, took a century to build, and judging by the ruins, all this was not in vain, since, obviously, in its heyday (for two centuries) the city was luxurious, and today it would be one of the most beautiful. A huge architectural complex was built at Persepolis with carved statues of slaves, kings and other figures of the Persian Empire. In addition, majestic royal palaces with columns and large halls were built in the city. Unfortunately, it's big royal palace was burned by Alexander the Great, who wanted to destroy the Persian kingdom.
Palenque is another powerful Mayan city-state located in the Valley of Mexico, which impresses with its architecture and engineering solutions. Although the city was abandoned about a thousand years ago, its ruins remain to this day and are amazing with the grandeur of massive platforms, palaces, squares and sports arenas. The city had running water thanks to aqueducts that have survived to this day - in other words, living in the city was comfortable, unless, of course, you take into account traditional human sacrifices.
Petra (Jordan)
The ancient city of Angkor, whose ruins now jut out like an island from the forests and farm fields of modern Cambodia, once boasted luxurious buildings and a population of one million, making it the largest pre-industrial city in the world. In the 9th-15th centuries the city was often visited. Temples, huge and carefully carved statues were located on 400 square kilometers. The famous Angkor temple with its famous luxurious decor is especially popular today.
Many historical monuments of worldwide fame cannot be seen today for a number of reasons. You can spend your holidays in Istanbul, Rome and Athens, exploring ancient ruins and monuments that have survived to this day and, in addition, enjoying the beauties of modern times. We offer an overview of cities whose streets you can no longer walk through, but you can still get to know them.
Those for whom history and mythology are not empty words know that there were legendary cities, the glory of which significantly exceeds the glory of Rome or Athens. But, unfortunately, they disappeared from the face of the Earth and remained only in legends. The location of some of them can be calculated thanks to modern technology. If these cities had survived to this day, today they would perhaps be the most developed and beautiful in the world. In many cases, we have the opportunity to visit the ruins of legendary metropolises and get acquainted with the features of architecture, building materials and engineering of that time.
The ancient city of Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians, in what is now Tunisia, under the reign of the legendary Queen Elissa, or Dido. The city was a large, prosperous center of the region. For this reason, the rulers of Syracuse and Rome looked at him with envy.
The city survived the war with Rome, but in 698 BC. was destroyed during the Muslim invasion. At one time, Carthage, with its hills, Forum, houses decorated with mosaics and paved streets, was the pearl of the Mediterranean.
14. Troy
Troy - a legendary city, glorified in the epic works of Homer ("Iliad" and "Odyssey"), played an important role in history throughout the 12-14 centuries BC. e. Archaeologists carefully and carefully examined layer by layer during excavations of the city (today it is located in Turkey). Its ruins have stood for thousands of years and thanks to them we can imagine what the city was like in its best years.
The ancient city of Tikal is located deep in the jungles of Guatemala. Once upon a time it was the capital of one of the powerful and warlike states of one of the Mayan tribes. The city was founded in the 4th century BC. and existed until 200 -900 AD. Excavations have shown that Tikal had many monuments, temples and palaces, and the city itself was a center of art and architecture. In addition, there were many pyramids decorated with faces of gods and other images carved from stone.
Memphis was founded in 3100 BC. during the reign of the first Egyptian dynasty. At one time, the city was a fortress that controlled the land and water routes between Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta. The city later developed into a religious center and a prosperous capital with beautiful temples and works of art. A majestic temple, royal palaces and a statue of Ramses II were all in the center of the ancient city. The ruins exist today and beckon with their mystery, but this is only a small part of the greatness of the whole city.
11. Babylon and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Iraq)
The capital of the Mesopotamian Empire, Babylon was known for its luxury and innovation. Today its ruins are located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq, and the Babylonian Hanging Gardens are generally considered one of the seven wonders of the world, although there is no material evidence of this fact. The legend associated with the Hanging Gardens says that King Nebuchadnezzar II built them for his wife, who missed her homeland, located in a mountainous region. The gardens were located in the center of the desert on terraces, which were watered thanks to a specially built irrigation system. If the gardens still existed today, they would be one of the most desirable attractions and a real paradise on earth.
Ctesiphon was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire and was located on the banks of the Tigris River in what is now Iraq. It could have been another incredible city with masterpieces of architecture and technology. One of the attractions of the city is the amazing, from the point of view of ancient construction technologies, vaulted wall, which was located above the massive and grandiose throne room. Today it is the largest arch in the world built of brick.
Situated in the Indus River Valley, which today flows through Pakistan, the city of Mohenjo-Daro was built in 2600 BC. and was not inferior in size to the Greek and Egyptian cities of that period.
The ruins testify to masterpiece engineering solutions in the construction of entire residential complexes, shops and streets.
The unique ancient city, which is located on the territory of the National Park of the same name in the USA, surprises with more than 600 dwellings built by the Anasazi people from stone, wood and limestone in the rocks. The massive rocks are home to 100 residents. To reach these houses you need to climb stairs. If the city were inhabited today, it would be one of the unique places in the world.
Imagine a city with 1001 churches surrounded by picturesque hills. Such a city existed and was called Ani, now it is the territory of modern Turkey. It was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom in the 10th century. The ruins of these churches are still being explored, and each time they surprise with the richness of their decor and unique architectural style. The city of Ani in terms of population has always been a rival to the powerful Constantinople.
The city of the god Amun, the god of the Sun, Thebes was buried in luxury, splendor worthy of the gods. The ruins of the legendary Thebes, witnesses of past luxury, still impress visitors today. The tomb of Tutankhamun is located in Thebes. During its prosperity, talented artists lived in the city, who painted the walls of the tombs with frescoes, carved images from stone and sculpted statues. Thebes was proud of the pomp of its streets, decorated with many statues, some of which have survived to this day, having stood for thousands of years.
Vijayanagar, the ruins of which are today in India, was one of the largest cities in the world with a population of 500,000 people. At one time it was the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, which was located in southern India. The city at that time contained impressive religious buildings and sculptures, including majestic temples, some of which have survived to this day. Caves, running water, community centers and temple complexes were located in all parts of the city.
The city of Persepolis, the territory of modern Iran, took a century to build, and judging by the ruins, all this was not in vain, since, obviously, in its heyday (for two centuries) the city was luxurious, and today it would be one of the most beautiful. A huge architectural complex was built at Persepolis with carved statues of slaves, kings and other figures of the Persian Empire. In addition, majestic royal palaces with columns and large halls were built in the city. Unfortunately, the large royal palace was burned by Alexander the Great, who wanted to destroy the Persian kingdom.
Palenque is another powerful Mayan city-state located in the Valley of Mexico, which impresses with its architecture and engineering solutions. Although the city was abandoned about a thousand years ago, its ruins remain to this day and are amazing with the grandeur of massive platforms, palaces, squares and sports arenas. The city had running water thanks to aqueducts that have survived to this day - in other words, living in the city was comfortable, unless, of course, you take into account traditional human sacrifices.
Petra is a city that became famous thanks to the Indiana Jones trilogy. The city is literally carved from pink stone right into the rock, today it is the territory of Jordan. In Petra, which stood on the trade route from Asia to Arabia, silk and spices were traded, thanks to which the city flourished. Today no one lives in the city, but at one time 30,000 people lived in the city, and 10,000 people regularly visited the settlement while traveling, including Bedouins and traders.
The ancient city of Angkor, whose ruins now jut out like an island from the forests and farm fields of modern Cambodia, once boasted luxurious buildings and a population of one million, making it the largest pre-industrial city in the world. In the 9th-15th centuries the city was often visited. Temples, huge and carefully carved statues were located on 400 square kilometers. The famous Angkor temple with its famous luxurious decor is especially popular today.
Many historical monuments of worldwide fame cannot be seen today for a number of reasons. You can spend your holidays in Istanbul, Rome and Athens, exploring ancient ruins and monuments that have survived to this day and, in addition, enjoying the beauties of modern times. We offer an overview of cities whose streets you can no longer walk through, but you can still get to know them.
Those for whom history and mythology are not empty words know that there were legendary cities, the glory of which significantly exceeds the glory of Rome or Athens. But, unfortunately, they disappeared from the face of the Earth and remained only in legends. The location of some of them can be calculated thanks to modern technology. If these cities had survived to this day, today they would perhaps be the most developed and beautiful in the world. In many cases, we have the opportunity to visit the ruins of legendary metropolises and get acquainted with the features of architecture, building materials and engineering of that time.
The ancient city of Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians, in what is now Tunisia, under the reign of the legendary Queen Elissa, or Dido. The city was a large, prosperous center of the region. For this reason, the rulers of Syracuse and Rome looked at him with envy.
The city survived the war with Rome, but in 698 BC. was destroyed during the Muslim invasion. At one time, Carthage, with its hills, Forum, houses decorated with mosaics and paved streets, was the pearl of the Mediterranean.
14. Troy
Troy - a legendary city, glorified in the epic works of Homer (Iliad and Odyssey), played an important role in history throughout the 12-14 centuries BC. e. Archaeologists carefully and carefully examined layer by layer during excavations of the city (today it is located in Turkey). Its ruins have stood for thousands of years and thanks to them we can imagine what the city was like in its best years.
The ancient city of Tikal is located deep in the jungles of Guatemala. Once upon a time it was the capital of one of the powerful and warlike states of one of the Mayan tribes. The city was founded in the 4th century BC. and existed until 200 -900 AD. Excavations have shown that Tikal had many monuments, temples and palaces, and the city itself was a center of art and architecture. In addition, there were many pyramids decorated with faces of gods and other images carved from stone.
Memphis was founded in 3100 BC. during the reign of the first Egyptian dynasty. At one time, the city was a fortress that controlled the land and water routes between Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta. The city later developed into a religious center and a prosperous capital with beautiful temples and works of art. A majestic temple, royal palaces and a statue of Ramses II were all in the center of the ancient city. The ruins exist today and beckon with their mystery, but this is only a small part of the greatness of the whole city.
The capital of the Mesopotamian Empire, Babylon was known for its luxury and innovation. Today its ruins are located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq, and the Babylonian Hanging Gardens are generally considered one of the seven wonders of the world, although there is no material evidence of this fact. The legend associated with the Hanging Gardens says that King Nebuchadnezzar II built them for his wife, who missed her homeland, located in a mountainous region. The gardens were located in the center of the desert on terraces, which were watered thanks to a specially built irrigation system. If the gardens still existed today, they would be one of the most desirable attractions and a real paradise on earth.
Ctesiphon was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire and was located on the banks of the Tigris River in what is now Iraq. It could have been another incredible city with masterpieces of architecture and technology. One of the attractions of the city is the amazing, from the point of view of ancient construction technologies, vaulted wall, which was located above the massive and grandiose throne room. Today it is the largest arch in the world built of brick.
Situated in the Indus River Valley, which today flows through Pakistan, the city of Mohenjo-Daro was built in 2600 BC. and was not inferior in size to the Greek and Egyptian cities of that period.
The ruins testify to masterpiece engineering solutions in the construction of entire residential complexes, shops and streets.
The unique ancient city, which is located on the territory of the National Park of the same name in the USA, surprises with more than 600 dwellings built by the Anasazi people from stone, wood and limestone in the rocks. The massive rocks are home to 100 residents. To reach these houses you need to climb stairs. If the city were inhabited today, it would be one of the unique places in the world.
Imagine a city with 1001 churches surrounded by picturesque hills. Such a city existed and was called Ani, now it is the territory of modern Turkey. It was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom in the 10th century. The ruins of these churches are still being explored, and each time they surprise with the richness of their decor and unique architectural style. The city of Ani in terms of population has always been a rival to the powerful Constantinople.
The city of the god Amun, the god of the Sun, Thebes was buried in luxury, splendor worthy of the gods. The ruins of the legendary Thebes, witnesses of past luxury, still impress visitors today. The tomb of Tutankhamun is located in Thebes. During its prosperity, talented artists lived in the city, who painted the walls of the tombs with frescoes, carved images from stone and sculpted statues. Thebes was proud of the pomp of its streets, decorated with many statues, some of which have survived to this day, having stood for thousands of years.
Vijayanagar, the ruins of which are today in India, was one of the largest cities in the world with a population of 500,000 people. At one time it was the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, which was located in southern India. The city at that time contained impressive religious buildings and sculptures, including majestic temples, some of which have survived to this day. Caves, running water, community centers and temple complexes were located in all parts of the city.
The city of Persepolis, the territory of modern Iran, took a century to build, and judging by the ruins, all this was not in vain, since, obviously, in its heyday (for two centuries) the city was luxurious, and today it would be one of the most beautiful. A huge architectural complex was built at Persepolis with carved statues of slaves, kings and other figures of the Persian Empire. In addition, majestic royal palaces with columns and large halls were built in the city. Unfortunately, the large royal palace was burned by Alexander the Great, who wanted to destroy the Persian kingdom.
Palenque is another powerful Mayan city-state located in the Valley of Mexico, which impresses with its architecture and engineering solutions. Although the city was abandoned about a thousand years ago, its ruins remain to this day and are amazing with the grandeur of massive platforms, palaces, squares and sports arenas. The city had running water thanks to aqueducts that have survived to this day - in other words, living in the city was comfortable, unless, of course, you take into account traditional human sacrifices.
Petra is a city that became famous thanks to the Indiana Jones trilogy. The city is literally carved from pink stone right into the rock, today it is the territory of Jordan. In Petra, which stood on the trade route from Asia to Arabia, silk and spices were traded, thanks to which the city flourished. Today no one lives in the city, but at one time 30,000 people lived in the city, and 10,000 people regularly visited the settlement while traveling, including Bedouins and traders.
The ancient city of Angkor, whose ruins now jut out like an island from the forests and farm fields of modern Cambodia, once boasted luxurious buildings and a population of one million, making it the largest pre-industrial city in the world. In the 9th-15th centuries the city was often visited. Temples, huge and carefully carved statues were located on 400 square kilometers. The famous Angkor temple with its famous luxurious decor is especially popular today.