12 Cities With Stunning Ancient Architecture To Explore in Your Lifetime
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If you’re a history buff, then there are cities across the globe offering treasure troves of ancient architecture to discover. From the birthplace of the Renaissance to the Lost City of the Incas in the Andes, here are some of the planet’s most breathtaking archeological sites.
Athens, Greece
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Visit Athens, and you can mine a very rich seam of ancient Greek heritage. The city’s history dates back to the fifth century BC, and the cornerstones of modern democracy were laid here.
Famous landmarks include the Parthenon, which has magnificent columns and is part of the hilltop Acropolis. The National Archaeological Museum is a treasure trove of Ancient Greek pieces, including sculptures, jewelry, and ceramics.
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Florence, Italy
Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance during the late 1300s, and much of the architecture in the Italian city reflects that. Examples of older medieval buildings can also be seen, primarily representing the Gothic or Romanesque styles. The Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is the most famous piece of Florentine architecture.
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Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul sits where the East meets the West and has an incredibly colorful past. Evidence of Byzantine, Greek, Ottoman, and Roman architectural styles are spread across the city. Hagia Sophia is the pinnacle of them all and has withstood sieges, the fall of empires, and earthquakes in its time.
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Prague, Czech Republic
Despite being bombed during World War II, Prague survived far more intact than many European cities. The result is an unbelievably well-preserved, UNESCO-listed historic center. You can see examples of Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance, and Modernist architecture, which is said to have influenced the development of other European cities.
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Barcelona, Spain
While Antoni Gaudí’s structures are among the Spanish coastal city’s most iconic sites, Barcelona has architecture dating back way further than that. The Gothic Quarter, or Barri Gòtic, comprises a network of narrow, medieval streets, and you can also see relics of the Roman city at the Museu d’Història de Barcelona.
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Angkor, Cambodia
The Buddhist temple complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the world’s biggest religious structure. Angkor Archaeological Park is home to various stunning structures from the Khmer Empire, dating from the 9th to the 15th century. Angkor Wat forms only part of this vast site, which covers over 150 square miles.
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Rome, Italy
Several sites across Rome are world-famous, and it’s a real bucket list kind of place. The Colosseum is the best-known of all, but travelers from all over the globe will also be familiar with the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps. Rome is also home to a country within a capital, the Vatican City, which is rich in history and artistic gems.
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Machu Picchu, Peru
The Lost City of the Incas is shrouded in folklore – and often wreathed in mist, too. It takes some effort to trek, and it is a popular pilgrimage many travelers make every year. No one knows why the settlement was abandoned, but the Incas left behind a spectacular citadel perched high among the Andean peaks.
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Petra, Jordan
Petra, Jordan’s masterpiece, was created over 2,000 years ago. Rose-colored buildings are carved directly into the rock faces here, and the intricate Al-Khazneh temple is the jewel in the crown. The Rose City, as it’s also known, is in Jordan’s southwestern desert.
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London, UK
Mirroring its multicultural population, London offers a real mix of architectural styles. This reflects that the UK capital grew organically over time rather than being planned and built. The city’s most ancient buildings, spanning many centuries, include All-Hallows-by-the-Tower, which dates back to AD 675, Westminster Hall from AD 1097, and Tudor-style Sutton House in Hackney.
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Chichen Itza, Mexico
Chichen Itza in Mexico is a vast site centered on the iconic Temple of Kukulcan, or El Castillo. It’s one of the most popular ancient archeological sites in the world and is incredibly well-preserved. The Mayan ruins occupy a 4 square mile site on the Yucatán Peninsula.
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Pompeii, Italy
This ancient Roman city lies close to the Bay of Naples and was buried under volcanic matter after Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. Today, the archaeological site allows visitors to explore the ancient city streets, including the houses lining them. Pompeii’s burial under all the ash has preserved it almost intact, as if frozen in time.
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