10 monumental but little-known buildings of the world

Human civilization has created and built many amazing buildings, and these monumental projects left to us by our ancestors fill many people with pride. Unfortunately, only a few of these amazing structures are world-famous or at least recognizable.

Most people have heard of the world's greatest monuments, such as the Parthenon, the Colosseum and the Pyramids of Giza, but in this list we will try to shed light on lesser-known historical monuments that many people may not know about.

Not all monuments originate in antiquity, but some of them are among the most amazing creations of our ancestors, despite the fact that they have not received worldwide fame.

Bolivia may not be famous for its rich history and treasures, but it is full of the remains of Inca history. One of the least known, but most striking places of Inca settlements is the Incalahta Fortress, located just a few hours east of the city of Cochabamba.

Before the Spanish conquest, the Inca territory extended to the Cochabamba Valley because of its rich agricultural potential. They built complex systems of roads and fortresses, and the Incalahta fortress became a strategic effort of the Incas aimed at further expanding their territory to the Amazon River.

The fortress was originally built by Tupac Inca Yupanqui around 1465 to repel invaders from lower, tropical regions. This remote fortress has not been well preserved and has only recently been taken under the protection of the Bolivian government, on the recommendation of the San Simon University in Cochabamba.

The Temple of Hercules Victor is an ancient majestic building on the Bull Forum in Rome. This is a round temple made in the classical Greek peripteric style. This temple was built in the second century and consists of a cella located in a concentric circle of twenty Corinthian columns.

The columns supported the ancient architrave (the upper part connecting the columns) and the roof. Unfortunately, both the architrave and the roof are no longer there, but the walls of the cell and 19 of the 20 original columns have survived to this day. The specific building has a very important historical significance, as it is the oldest building built of marble in all of Rome, preserved to this day.

There are no exact sources to determine to whom this temple was dedicated and what it was originally called, but it is believed that it is connected with the legend of Hercules and Kakuse. It is because of this connection with the legend that today this temple is called the temple of Hercules Victor.

The Michon Temple Complex, located in Vietnam, is one of the most amazing groups of ancient buildings, but, unfortunately, almost nothing is known about it to the general public, especially in Western countries. At one time it consisted of more than 70 temples, and was one of the most important temple complexes of Buddhism.

Built in the 4th century, Michon was an important center of knowledge, spiritualism and politics of Champa culture. In a lush green valley in the center of Vietnam, under the stunning splendor of the Cat's Tooth Mountain, one of the most important archaeological sites of the ancient Champa state, which ruled over the territory of modern Vietnam until the 13th century, is spread out.

In 1937, French scientists began to restore the temples of Michonne. Unfortunately, many historic buildings were destroyed during the Vietnam War when American planes bombed the region. The area surrounding the complex is still extremely dangerous for tourists and locals to visit due to the presence of unexploded landmines.

The Poseidon Reserve at Cape Sounion is one of the most important reserves in the world, but outside of Greece, literally few people know about it. Random finds discovered by scientists indicate that people lived in this place in the prehistoric period, but scientists have not found any evidence of religious rituals at such an early period.

The Sounion Nature Reserve was first mentioned in Odyssey as the place where Menelaus stopped on his way back from Troy to bury his helmsman, the Onetorid Front. Numerous finds dating back to the 7th century BC prove the existence of an organized cult, the rites of which were held on two peaks of the cape, on the southern edge, where the temenos of Poseidon was located. Today, the temple of Poseidon in Sounion is a little—known cultural place, but ironically it is a well-known romantic place where young couples like to come to enjoy the amazing view and the full moon in August.

Choga Zenbil is a huge ziggurat located in Iran, which is one of the most impressive monuments in modern Khuzestan. It was built around 1250 BC by the king of Untash-Napirish in honor of the great god Inshushinak. This structure is more than three thousand years old and it has been preserved to this day in amazingly good condition. Choga Zenbil is also the only ziggurat built outside of Mesopotamia.

Ziggurats were not used in the same way that most Western temples were used — they were not intended for priests to live in them and conduct religious rituals. Instead, the ziggurat was seen as a resting place for the gods. Erecting a ziggurat near a large city, the rulers took care that the gods were nearby and protected people. In 1979, Choga-Zenbil became the first in Iran is a place listed in UNESCO World Heritage List.

Jetavanarama Dagoba, which was a favorite project of King Mahasena, is the largest structure in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. Initially, the height of the structure was at least 122 meters, which at that time made it the third tallest structure in the world, second only to the Egyptian pyramids of Dahshur and Giza.

Jetavanarama Dagoba must have towered over the ancient city just as it now towers over the ruins, despite the fact that over time its height has decreased to about 75 meters. However, despite the fact that the dome of the building was covered with greenery, and its spire broke off, at the moment the building is being restored with the support of UNESCO. If Jetavanarama Dagoba seems familiar to you for some reason, it is most likely because you remember her as a beautiful background of the classic music video of the band "Duran Duran" for the song "Save A Prayer".

Nalanda was a Buddhist university built in 450, and also the oldest university in the history of India. Among its many famous guests were Buddha and Mahavira, and at its zenith it had more than 10,000 students and more than 2,000 faculties. This place has witnessed the ups and downs of many empires and emperors who have contributed to the development of the university.

However, it was destroyed by the Turkish Muslim invaders in 1193, when students and teachers were killed, and the huge university library was burned. Currently, all that remains of the university are extensive ruins, which are located on an area of 14 hectares, reminding visitors of the greatness of the glorious past.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene of the Benedictine Abbey in Vesle, Burgundy, is one of the most important surviving monuments of architecture and sculpture of the Romanesque period. It was a pilgrimage church, in which the remains of St. Mary Magdalene were allegedly kept, to whom it was dedicated.

Built at the beginning of the 12th century, this building is famous for its high cross vaults of the nave and narfik, as well as for its stunning sculptures on the gates and capitals. The choir, built at the end of the 19th century, is an important witness to the introduction of the Gothic style in Burgundy. The molding on the exterior facade of the building was mostly destroyed during the French Revolution, but its fragments still survived.

The Temple of Hephaestus was built in 450 BC and was dedicated to the god of fire, Hephaestus. The temple is located in Tissione, one of the most popular tourist areas of Athens, which attracts more than 10 million tourists annually. UNESCO describes Hephaesteion as one of the best preserved ancient temples in the world, which actually makes you wonder how it happened that it is so little known outside of Greece. Few people know about him because of the lack of advertising and motivation on the part of the Greek authorities.

The high and pompous temple is made of marble. It was built on top of a small hill and includes 34 columns. This temple, made in the Doric style, is a must-see if you are making a trip near the Ancient Agora in Athens. This area was the center of commercial, political and social activity during the Golden Age of Pericles, and was also a meeting place for the ancient citizens of Athens.

The amazing thing that makes Meteora so special is the monasteries located on top of the cliffs, similar to towers. In the 11th century, in Meteora, a region of almost inaccessible sandstone cliffs, monks originally lived in caves inside the rocks. Meteora is rightfully considered a unique achievement of amazing architecture and human creativity. On the one hand, it is a miracle of nature with huge, unattainable rocks, and on the other hand, it is a miracle made by the hand of a man who managed to tame nature and build into it places that are almost impossible to reach. Monastery buildings began to be built in the 14th century, and by the 16th century there were already 24 active monasteries.

Monasteries were not only religious, but also scientific and creative centers. During the reign of the Byzantine Empire, they attracted not only deeply religious people, but also philosophers, poets, artists and deep thinkers of Greece. During the Turkish occupation, it was the monasteries that supported Greek culture and traditions in this area. It is believed that if it were not for these monasteries, Greek culture and religion would disappear, and modern Greece would be only a reflection of the Ottoman Empire, with very little knowledge about its roots and history. To date, only six monasteries function in Meteora. UNESCO has described the Holy Meteora as: