20 famous lost cities

How many on our planet there are lost cities, nobody knows for sure. But those that archaeologists are able to detect, always arouse great interest, as specialists, historians, and ordinary lovers of the unusual. Here are some of the major lost cities.

1. Tikal, Guatemala

Tikal is one of the largest city-States of the Maya. It was built in the VII century BC, and in the heyday of its population reached 200 thousand people. History of Tikal was full of dramatic moments, and after numerous wars and several uprisings of the people finally left him. It happened at the end of the tenth century, and since then Tikal remains a Ghost town.

2. Ctesiphon, Iraq

In the period from II to VII century Ctesiphon was the capital of the first Kingdom of the Parthian, Sasanian and then. Come down to our times, the brick buildings of Ctesiphon and amaze the imagination with its grandeur and size.

3. Great Zimbabwe

Big or called Great Zimbabwe ruins of the ancient city, located on the territory of the South African state of Zimbabwe. Archaeologists estimated the city appeared in 1130 and for three centuries it was considered the main Shrine of the people of Shawn. For the high stone walls of the city could simultaneously accommodate about 18,000 people. Today, the city walls are one of the most amazing monuments of Great Zimbabwe. They are built without the use of any mortar, and their height reaches five meters.

4. Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan

Related to Indian civilization city with the gloomy title of Mohenjo Daro (which translates as "hill of the Dead) appeared in the Indus valley in present-day Pakistan more than four and a half thousand years ago. He is a contemporary of the Egyptian pyramids and one of the first cities in South Asia. The city flourished for nearly a thousand years, but still, in the end, its inhabitants left. Archaeologists have suggested that the reason was the invasion of the Aryans.

5. Bagerhat District, Bangladesh

This town at the confluence of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, was built in the XV century. During its heyday here there were 360 mosques. But after the death of the founder of bagerhat district went into decline, and it is almost completely swallowed up by the jungle. Today part of the city is cleared, and there are guided tours for tourists.

6. National Park Mesa Verde, United States

In a National Park Mesa Verde (Colorado) is the set of the ruins of ancient towns, built by the Anasazi Indians in the VI—XIII centuries. The largest building in the Park is considered to be great "cliff Palace", which attracts every year more than 700 thousand tourists. The city was abandoned around 1300. The reasons why people left their homes, are still unclear, but it has been suggested that the fault extended drought.

7. Vijayanagar, India

Once the Vijayanagara was the capital of a mighty Empire, which occupied the entire South of the Indian subcontinent. Today, the Town of Victory (as translated Vijayanagar) is the village of Hampi. However, here and today, apart from the majestic ruins is also a lot of existing Hindu temples, including the famous temple Pampapathi, which is even older than most of Vijayanagara.

8. The City Of Ani, Turkey

Ani is the capital of the ancient Armenian Kingdom that stands in the territory of modern Turkey. Once the population of this ancient city exceeded 100 thousand people, and thanks to the abundance of temples, it was known as the city of 1001 churches. Until today survived the ruins of many of the Armenian churches of XI-XIII centuries and the Palace of the Seljuk. But all these monuments are in a terrible state they live homeless, and on-site careless tourists picnics. Authorities do not exercise due diligence to protect this monument of history.

9. Thebes, Egypt

The first human settlements on the territory of this city date back to 3200 BC To 2000 BC in Thebes had about 40,000 people, making them the largest city of the time. The biggest cities of Thebes was retained until 1000 B. C. Even today, the ruins of the former splendour, the imagination. The most famous monuments of Thebes is the temple of Luxor, Karnak temple (the largest temple complex of Ancient Egypt) and the tomb of Tutankhamun.

10. Carthage, Tunisia

Throughout its long history, Carthage was the capital of different countries. At first it was a Phoenician state, which is also called Carthage. In 146 BC the state and the city was completely destroyed by the Romans, but pretty soon they themselves Romans rebuilt Carthage again. After the fall of Rome, Carthage became the capital of the Kingdom of the Vandals. The final fall of the great city occurred in the seventh century, when the city was destroyed by the Arabs. But still, our time has lived a lot of the ruins are mostly of the Roman period.

11. Persepolis, Iran

The founder of the magnificent city of Persepolis was the Persian king Cyrus the Great. The city was founded around 560 BC, over the centuries, the city passed from hand to hand, while maintaining the status of the capital and of the great city. But during the Arab conquest of Persepolis was completely in ruins. The most famous monument of the city is the huge Palace Apadana.

12. Ephesus, Turkey

It was in this city in the sixth century BC and was built by the legendary temple of Artemis, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. The city prospered until, while I was the sea. But when it had receded from the city walls, and trade gradually faded, and with it disappeared and the gorgeous city, leaving behind ruins.

13. Palenque, Mexico

In the III—VIII centuries Palenque had great political and cultural significance to the Maya civilization. To our time survived many beautiful stone buildings Dating back to 600 to 800 years, among which the Temple of Sun, temple of the cross and the temple of the Inscriptions. The city was abandoned long before the arrival of Columbus, probably as a result of tribal wars.

14. Pompeii and Herculaneum, Italy

These two victims of the eruption. cities are perhaps one of the most famous extinct cities. When August 24, 79 BC began a catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius, the majority of the population of Pompeii died suddenly, and then the city was completely buried under a heavy layer of volcanic ash. The residents of Herculaneum was more fortunate – many of them had to leave the city before it disappeared under the hot ashes.

15. Petra, Jordan

In the ancient city of Petra was standing on the crossroads of important trade routes that brought him untold wealth. But over time, the Romans had mastered water way, greatly weakened the land trade. Gradually, the inhabitants left the city, and it was swallowed by the Sands of the Arabian desert. Today we can see the great well-preserved ancient buildings.

16. Angkor, Cambodia

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire from IX to XV century. Today he is one of the most Grand in size of the historical attractions of the world. The area of this city-temple of over 400 sq km away, and the splendor of his sculptures in Hindu temples are absolutely stunning.

17. Ciudad Perdida, Colombia

The title of Ciudad Perdida translates from Spanish as "lost city". This city of almost 700 years older than the famous Machu Picchu. In 1972 Ciudad Perdida was accidentally discovered by a local tomb robbers. When trade archeological values from this town acquired a large scale, the government of Colombia was finally interested in, and it was discovered after the full-scale study. In this area are constantly fighting between government forces and various armed groups, so tourists is quite risky for me to go even officially proposed routes, which protect the Colombian military. The road to Ciudad Perdida is also quite heavy and requires a good physical preparation.

18. Machu Picchu, Peru

The ancient city of Machu Picchu in 2007 he received the title of a New wonder of the world. The town appeared around 1440 g and flourished until the mysterious and sudden disappearance of all its inhabitants in 1532, the City has avoided the attack of the conquistadors and destruction, but people somehow left it.

19. Chichen Itza, Mexico

Chichen Itza is one of the largest cities of the Mayan civilization. It was founded in the VII century, and in 1194 g was abandoned for unknown reasons. The Spanish conquerors destroyed a great number of manuscripts Maya, so archaeologists could not find out the true cause of the decline of a great city. Today crowds of tourists are attracted by the beautifully preserved pyramids and temples of Chichen Itza.

20. Xanadu, Mongolia

Xanadu is the summer residence of the legendary Mongol Kublai Khan, which in the West is better known under the name of Kubla Khan. In 1275 g Marco Polo described this place as a magnificent marble Palace, decorated with gold. But to have survived only ruins.