50 Of The Most Fascinating Creations Of Archaeology, Art And Architecture That Continue To Inspire Us Centuries Later
Throughout our time on Earth, we humans have created some pretty cool stuff. However, since all of it can't possibly fit into our curriculum, most of us miss out on a lot of our heritage.
Luckily, those who want to catch up can come together on the internet and share with each other the discoveries they unearth. And the Facebook group 'Ancient Wonders of Archaeology, Art History & Architecture' is an excellent example of that.
Created in 2013, it now unites 562K members who have amassed quite a collection. So we figured it would be nice to dig through their most impressive finds. Continue scrolling to check out what we stumbled upon.
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Gloucester Cathedral - An English Cathedral Of The 11th Century, It Is One Of The Masterpieces Of Gothic Architecture Around The World...
I always wonder how many people had to live poor to make this possible.
Kailasa Temple In Ellora, Maharashtra, India, Is The World’s Largest Monolithic Piece Of Art
Master craftspeople carved the gigantic structure from a single piece of solid rock in a cave on a mountainside. The entire building took more than two decades to carve.
Even After 1000 Years, The Ancient Persian Vertical-Axis Windmills Are Still Operational Today
The Prague Astronomical Clock, The Medieval Clock Was Installed In 1410 And Is Considered To Be The Oldest Operating Astronomical Clock In The World
A Bookshelf In The Abbey Of Waldsassen In Bavaria,germany
Built In The Abhaneri Village Of Rajasthan, India, It Is More 1,000 Years Old And Is 100 Feet Deep With 13 Floors And 3,500 Symmetrically Placed Thin Steps!
One of the biggest and most stunning stepwells in the entire world is the Chand Baori.
How is it possible without understanding of geometry, mathematics, physics, and engineering?
Why do present time people think everyone in the past was stupid?????
The Ark (Узб. Ark, Перс. ارگ بخارا) Of Bukhara Is A Massive Fortress Located In The City Of Bukhara, Uzbekistan . 5 -20 Centuries
This Enormous Underground City That Once Housed 20,000 People Was Accidentally Discovered By A Man After Knocking Down A Wall In His Basement
When archaeologists later arrived to the site, they revealed that the city was 18 stories deep and had everything needed for underground life, including schools, chapels, and even stables.
Castle Runkelstein/Roncolo Dates Back To The 13th Century
Upper Lausitzian Library Of Sciences, 1779, Gorlitz, Germany
It is the region’s most important library containing about 150,000 volumes, making it the largest library in Görlitz and the region, revered for promoting knowledge sharing between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Templo De Los Guerreros, Chichén Itzá
The statue in the front? Looks like a dude leaning back, just chilling? Yeah, that's where the sacrifices happened.
This Building, Known As The Treasury Is One Of A Series Of Buildings In Petra That Was Built By The Nabateans Who Followed A Pagan Religion And Were Closely Linked To The People Of Thamud. They Were Renowned For Their Elaborate Skill Of Carving Into Rocks
Chepstow Castle Sits Atop A Cliff Across The River Wye Which Separates England And Wales
Mycenaean Bronze Daggers, Inlaid With Gold And Silver. 16th Century Bc
If I owned any of these, I would never use them for fear or ruining the gorgeous designs. Look at them!! Beautiful!
Bird Perfume Bottle With Stopper, 1880-1890
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
Divers Shining Lights On A Head Of Serapis, Found In The Sunken Egyptian Coastal Town Of Canopus
The full statue was once over 4 metres tall and dates to circa 200 B.C.
Terrace Houses In Ephesus
The Spanish Synagogue Is The Most Recent Synagogue In The Prague Jewish Town
Built in 1868 for the local Reform congregation on the site of the 12th-century Altschul, which was the oldest synagogue in the Prague ghetto.
It was called the Spanish Synagogue for its impressive Moorish interior design, influenced by the famous Alhambra. The building was designed by Josef Niklas and Jan Bělský, the remarkable interior (from 1882–83) by Antonín Baum and Bedřich Münzberger.
What people forget is the Altschul was demolished in 1867 (a grand Gothic architecture synagogue built in 1270, that was the grandest ancient synogogue in all of Europe). The majority of the Jewish community opposed the demolition of the old house of worship, but the Reform minority who had control of it since the 1820's (due to Francis I, Emperor of Austria, favoring Reform over the larger Orthodox, and gave the Reform leaders the power to seize Orthodox houses of worship and force them to go Reform, shut down ritual bathouses, etc. Reform Judaism's early days were a very persecutory movement). They basically destroyed a 600 year old grand house of worship that was an architectural marvel for a more modern structure. Official reason was the old place was too small for worship, the real reason was part of their "De-Orthodoxying" campaign as part of their war against Orthodox Judaism at the time.
Margravial Opera House. Bayreuth, Germany
The Margravial Opera House, one of the masterpieces of Baroque theater architecture, built between 1745 and 1750 Commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine, wife of Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg Bayreuth, it was designed by the famous theater architect Giuseppe Galli Bibiena.
Bodiam Castle, England
I’ve been here! To get there, you can go on a steam train too! Also, anyone remember the kids tv show Knightmare? The exterior shots were filmed here!
El Mosaico Antiguo Intacto Más Grande Del Mundo- Antakya-Turquía
A Fayum Portrait Of A Little Girl From Hawara, Egypt, 1st Century Bc. Discovered With The Mummy Of Demos, Who May Have Been The Child's Mother. Egyptian Museum, Cairo
The Algerian City Of Sivar.. The Eighth Wonder Of The World
The oldest civilization in the world
The city of Sivar, also called the city of mystery and the eighth wonder of the world, is located in the "Tassili N'Ajer" series in the middle of the Djanet desert, southeastern Algeria.
The largest open-air museum includes drawings and engravings dating back more than 15,000 years, representing the oldest civilization in the world and is registered with UNESCO.
Leadenhall Market, 14th Century, Gracechurch Street, London, UK
It is a covered market and one of the oldest markets in London, located in the historic centre of the City of London financial district.
The Grottoes And Niches Of Longmen Contain The Largest And Most Impressive Collection Of Chinese Art Of The Late Northern Wei And Tang Dynasties (316-907)
These works, entirely devoted to the Buddhist religion, represent the high point of Chinese stone carving.
Hajmasker Castle Hungary, Abandoned
The Celsus Library, Ephesus
This is one of the most beautiful structures in Ephesus. It was built in 117 A.D. to store about 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a mausoleum for Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus (Roman proconsul of Ephesus).
The scrolls of the manuscripts were kept in cupboards in niches on the walls.There were double walls behind the bookcases to prevent them from the extremes of temperature and humidity.
The capacity of the library was more than 12,000 scrolls. It was the third richest library in ancient times after the Alexandria and Pergamum.
The facade of the library has two levels , with Corinthian style columns on the ground floor and three entrances to the building. There is three windows openings in the upper floor.
The statues in the niches of the columns today are the copies of the originals. The statues symbolize wisdom (Sophia), knowledge (Episteme), intelligence (Ennoia) and valor (Arete).
The interior of the library was destroyed, supposedly by an earthquake in 262 A.D., (though other evidence points to a fire during a Gothic invasion in that same year).
Architecture Of Sun Temple
The Koutoubia Mosque Is A Cultural, Religious And Symbolic Landmark For Marrakesh And The Kingdom Of Morocco
The mosque was first built in 1147 during the reign of the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mumin, who completely rebuilt it in the year 1158. As for the minaret, its construction was completed in 1195 during the reign of the Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur. The mosque was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, as part of the city of Marrakesh
Part Of The Aphrodite Statue Re-Emerges After More Than Two Millennia In The Ancient City Of Aizanoi, Greece
Modern Symbolism. Old religions are re-emerging from suffocating oppression.
Athens, Greece A Caryatid Is A Sculpted Female Sculptural Figure Used As A Pillar, Serving As An Architectural Support. The Greek Term Karyatides Literally Comes From An Ancient Town In The Peloponnese, Meaning "Daughters Of Karyai"
Box Mirror With Head Of Athena (Lid), Greece 330–270 Bc
Fossilized Footprints Found In White Sands National Park
A multidisciplinary team of scientists recently announced the discovery of the oldest human footprints in North America. These fossilized prints were made between 23,000 and 21,000 years ago along the shores of an ice age lake that once filled the Tularosa Basin in south-central New Mexico, in what is now White Sands National Park. This finding fundamentally changes the timeline on North American human habitation – turning back the clock of human arrival in the Americas nearly 10,000 years. The footprints were formed when ancient peoples walked over damp, sandy ground surrounding the former lake. Over time, sediment filled in the footprints as the ground hardened fossilizing the prints. Recently, erosion has resurfaced the prints, making many of them visible to the naked eye. By testing the sediment, researchers were able to carbon date the prints, with the oldest set being 22,800 years old.
Predjama Castle - Mysterious Castle In Guinness Book
Predjama Castle was built in the middle of a rocky cliff 120 meters or 400 meters high 800 years ago. The castle is partially built in a natural cave and is connected to the cave system...
A Three-Fold Bed Found In Tutankhamun’s Tomb In The Valley Of The Kings, Luxor, Egypt. It’s Believed To Be The First Of Its Kind, And Highly Sophisticated For Its Time. The Bed Folded Up Into A Z-Shape, Making It Compact And Easy To Transport
Statue Of Athene (“The Peiraeus Athena”). Medium: Bronze. Date: 340—330 Bce. Athens, Archaeological Museum Of Piraeus
The Norias Of Hama Are A Group Of Large Water Wheels Located Along The Orontes River In The City Of Hama, Syria
These wheels are also known as "Hama wheels" or "Hama Norias" and are considered to be one of the most impressive examples of traditional water-raising technology.
The Norias of Hama were constructed during the medieval period, likely in the 14th or 15th century, although some estimates suggest they may be even older. The wheels were used to lift water from the river to nearby aqueducts and irrigation systems, which were used to water crops and provide drinking water for the people of Hama.
Northern Gate To The Bayon Temple Complex, With 4 Giant Faces. Cambodia, Khmer Empire, 12th-13th Century
Tiger's Nest Monastery, Also Known As Paro Taktsang, Is A Sacred Buddhist Site Located In The Cliffside Of The Paro Valley In Bhutan
It consists of four temples, interconnected by staircases and bridges, perched on the cliffside over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level. The buildings are adorned with intricate carvings and paintings that depict Buddhist teachings and deities.
Tribal Chief Eli Mabel Holds The Body Of His Ancestor, Agat Mamete Mabel. Agat Mamete Mabel, Was A Tribal Chief Who Ruled A Remote Village In Papua, Indonesia Some 250 Years Ago
Honored after death with a custom reserved only for important elders and local heroes among the Dani people. It is embalmed and preserved with smoke and animal oils.
Wazir Khan Mosque (Masjid) In Lahore City Of Punjab Province
An Incredible 4,500 Year Old (!) Ancient Egyptian Tunic. The Egyptian Museum, Cairo
St Mark's Basilica, Venice / Completed In 11th Century
A 12th Century Ce; Bayon Temple, One Of More Famous, Popular And Beautiful Of Structures In Angkor Wat Archaeological Park, Cambodia
Wadi Rum Is A Desert Valley Located In The Southern Part Of Jordan
It is also known as the Valley of the Moon due to its unique landscape of red sandstone and granite rock formations that resemble a lunar surface. It has been inhabited by various civilizations throughout history, including the Nabataeans, who built the famous city of Petra.
Rani-Ki-Vav, On The Banks Of The Saraswati River, Was Initially Built As A Memorial To A King In The 11th Century Ad
Stepwells are a distinctive form of subterranean water resource and storage systems on the Indian subcontinent, and have been constructed since the 3rd millennium BC. They evolved over time from what was basically a pit in sandy soil towards elaborate multi-storey works of art and architecture. Rani-ki-Vav was built at the height of craftsmens’ ability in stepwell construction and the Maru-Gurjara architectural style, reflecting mastery of this complex technique and great beauty of detail and proportions. Designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, it is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality; more than 500 principle sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery, often referencing literary works.
The Medieval Church Of St Mary's Stands In The Centre Of Barnard Castle, A Few Steps From The Iconic Market Cross That Is The Signature Building Of This Attractive Market Town In Upper Teesdale
St Mary's was founded around the year AD 1130 by Bernard de Balliol, who rebuilt the nearby castle begun by his father.
"Mahishasura Mardini". 12th Century Kedareshwara Temple Halebidu
About 2000-2200 Years Old Sculpture Of Mermaid Material : Terracotta West Bengal Bharat (India)
Chinese 700 Years Old Chang Kong Cliff Hiking Path
I really respect all those artists and architectures for creating the most beautiful architects and making it last for over the centuries.
Don't forget this wonder... Eise Eisinga Planetarium - Franeker - The Netherlands https://www.planetarium-friesland.nl/en/ The Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium (Dutch: Koninklijk(e) Eise Eisinga Planetarium) is an 18th-century orrery in Franeker, Friesland, Netherlands. It is currently a museum and open to the public. The orrery has been on the top 100 Dutch heritage sites list since 1990 and in December 2011 was placed on a provisionary list of future UNESCO World Heritage Site candidates. It is the oldest working orrery in the world. Planetariu...f4d6cd.jpg
I really respect all those artists and architectures for creating the most beautiful architects and making it last for over the centuries.
Don't forget this wonder... Eise Eisinga Planetarium - Franeker - The Netherlands https://www.planetarium-friesland.nl/en/ The Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium (Dutch: Koninklijk(e) Eise Eisinga Planetarium) is an 18th-century orrery in Franeker, Friesland, Netherlands. It is currently a museum and open to the public. The orrery has been on the top 100 Dutch heritage sites list since 1990 and in December 2011 was placed on a provisionary list of future UNESCO World Heritage Site candidates. It is the oldest working orrery in the world. Planetariu...f4d6cd.jpg