shenu
10-28-2011, 01:56 PM
1. Machu Picchu (Peru)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-machupichu.jpg
The most famous of all the Inca ruins, Machu Picchu appears to be suspended between two mountains and is often enshrouded in mist. It can’t be seen from the Urubamba Valley below and is an enchanting place, especially considering that the Incas didn’t even have the use of the wheel when they built it.
Machu Picchu was built in the mid 15th century, but since its existence was not recorded by the Spanish Conquistadors who ramsacked the region in the 1530s, we don’t really know what its purpose was. Many of the ruins incorporate ceremonial features, so it could possibly have been a religious sanctuary. It’s likely that the place was already deserted by the time of the Spanish invasion, as otherwise it would have been mentioned in their reports of the Inca civilization.
The Inca had no system of writing and left no written records, so archaeologists have been left to piece together bits of evidence as to why Machu Picchu was built, what purpose it served, and why it was so quickly vacated.
2. Babylon (Iraq)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-babylon.jpg
Some 90 kilometers south of modern Baghdad lies the ruins of ancientBabylon, the original name of which, “bab-ili”, may be translated as “the Gate of the Gods”. For the world at large, Babylon ranks as one of the most famous cities of antiquity, reknowned alike for its refinement, beauty and magnificence. In classical times, the city walls of Babylon were spoken of with admiration and astonishment, while her “Hanging Gardens” were accounted one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
As a centre of culture and government, it flourished for about fifteen centuries, from the arrival of the Amorites ca. 1850 B.C. down to Alexander the Great, who died there in 322 B.C. One of the best known of the city’s early rulers was the great law-giver, Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.).
The ruins of Palenque are among the most important Mayan archaeological sites in all of Mexico and Central America. Set on a ledge overlooking the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico, Palenque resides into the dense tropical forest of the foothills of the Tumbala mountains of Chiapas, Mexico.
Although analysis of pottery shards demonstrates that the area was occupied by 100 B.C., most of the buildings we see today were constructed between the 6th to 10th centuries AD.
The greatest ruler of this city-state was Pacal, who took power in 603 AD and commenced a construction boom of architecturally innovative buildings that lasted through and beyond his 68-year reign. One of the most impressive projects was the Palace. Its walls and roofs are covered with stucco carvings depicting the ceremonies and activities of rulers and gods, giving modern observers insight into the lives and beliefs of the Mayas. Another magnificent structure, the Temple of the Inscriptions, contains tablets of glyphs recounting the ancestral history of long ago rulers.
The true reward of a trip to Palenque is to revel in the mystery of the unanswerable questions that arise as you meander through the ruins in morning mists that swirl around the ancient structures. Only 34 of perhaps 500 buildings have been excavated
3.Palenque (Mexico)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-palenque.jpg
The ruins of Palenque are among the most important Mayan archaeological sites in all of Mexico and Central America. Set on a ledge overlooking the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico, Palenque recedes into the dense tropical forest of the foothills of the Tumbala mountains of Chiapas, Mexico.
Although analysis of pottery shards demonstrates that the area was occupied by 100 b.c., most of the buildings we see today were constructed between the 6th to 10th centuries a.d.
The greatest ruler of this city-state was Pacal, who took power in 603 a.d. and commenced a construction boom of architecturally innovative buildings that lasted through and beyond his 68-year reign. One of the most impressive projects was a complex called the Palace. The walls and roofs are covered with stucco carvings depicting the ceremonies and activities of rulers and gods, giving modern observers insight into the lives
and beliefs of the Mayans. Another magnificent structure, the Temple of the Inscriptions, contains tablets of glyphs recounting the ancestral history of long ago rulers. The true reward of a trip to Palenque is to revel in the mystery of the unanswerable questions that arise as he meanders through the ruins in morning mists that swirl around the ancient structures. Only 34 of perhaps 500 buildings have been excavated.
4. Ruins of Ayutthaya (Thailand)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-ayutthaya.jpg
Ayutthaya, whose name means “undefeatable” in Sanskrit, may not be as popular as Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket but it’s one of the many places in Thailand that’s frequented by tourists who want to see its world-reknowned ruins.
In its heyday, Ayutthaya was a bustling metropolis of international repute, whose progress, according to historians, rivaled even Europe’s capitals at the time. So prosperous was the kingdom that her neighbor Burma (now Myanmar) coveted her, so the Burmese army burned and sacked the city. Today, only the debris of the empire’s glory remains, forming part of what is now known as the Ayutthaya Historical Park, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
5. The Colosseum (Italy)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-colosseum.jpg
One of the greatest works of Roman architecture and perhaps the most recognized ruin in the world, the Colosseum or Roman Coliseum –originally the Flavian Amphitheatre– is an elliptical amphitheatre in the center of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire.
Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. As well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. About 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.
Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined due to damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and its breakthrough achievements in earthquake engineering. It is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit “Way of the Cross” procession around the various levels of the amphitheatre.
6. Tikal Ruins (Guatemala)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-tikal.jpg
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in northern Guatemala. This amazing site is part of Guatemala’s Tikal National Park, and in 1979 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. Though monumental architecture at the site dates from the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. 200 to 900 AD, during which time the site dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. There is also evidence that Tikal was even conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century.
Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal and there is evidence that elite palaces were burned. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century.
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-machupichu.jpg
The most famous of all the Inca ruins, Machu Picchu appears to be suspended between two mountains and is often enshrouded in mist. It can’t be seen from the Urubamba Valley below and is an enchanting place, especially considering that the Incas didn’t even have the use of the wheel when they built it.
Machu Picchu was built in the mid 15th century, but since its existence was not recorded by the Spanish Conquistadors who ramsacked the region in the 1530s, we don’t really know what its purpose was. Many of the ruins incorporate ceremonial features, so it could possibly have been a religious sanctuary. It’s likely that the place was already deserted by the time of the Spanish invasion, as otherwise it would have been mentioned in their reports of the Inca civilization.
The Inca had no system of writing and left no written records, so archaeologists have been left to piece together bits of evidence as to why Machu Picchu was built, what purpose it served, and why it was so quickly vacated.
2. Babylon (Iraq)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-babylon.jpg
Some 90 kilometers south of modern Baghdad lies the ruins of ancientBabylon, the original name of which, “bab-ili”, may be translated as “the Gate of the Gods”. For the world at large, Babylon ranks as one of the most famous cities of antiquity, reknowned alike for its refinement, beauty and magnificence. In classical times, the city walls of Babylon were spoken of with admiration and astonishment, while her “Hanging Gardens” were accounted one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
As a centre of culture and government, it flourished for about fifteen centuries, from the arrival of the Amorites ca. 1850 B.C. down to Alexander the Great, who died there in 322 B.C. One of the best known of the city’s early rulers was the great law-giver, Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.).
The ruins of Palenque are among the most important Mayan archaeological sites in all of Mexico and Central America. Set on a ledge overlooking the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico, Palenque resides into the dense tropical forest of the foothills of the Tumbala mountains of Chiapas, Mexico.
Although analysis of pottery shards demonstrates that the area was occupied by 100 B.C., most of the buildings we see today were constructed between the 6th to 10th centuries AD.
The greatest ruler of this city-state was Pacal, who took power in 603 AD and commenced a construction boom of architecturally innovative buildings that lasted through and beyond his 68-year reign. One of the most impressive projects was the Palace. Its walls and roofs are covered with stucco carvings depicting the ceremonies and activities of rulers and gods, giving modern observers insight into the lives and beliefs of the Mayas. Another magnificent structure, the Temple of the Inscriptions, contains tablets of glyphs recounting the ancestral history of long ago rulers.
The true reward of a trip to Palenque is to revel in the mystery of the unanswerable questions that arise as you meander through the ruins in morning mists that swirl around the ancient structures. Only 34 of perhaps 500 buildings have been excavated
3.Palenque (Mexico)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-palenque.jpg
The ruins of Palenque are among the most important Mayan archaeological sites in all of Mexico and Central America. Set on a ledge overlooking the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico, Palenque recedes into the dense tropical forest of the foothills of the Tumbala mountains of Chiapas, Mexico.
Although analysis of pottery shards demonstrates that the area was occupied by 100 b.c., most of the buildings we see today were constructed between the 6th to 10th centuries a.d.
The greatest ruler of this city-state was Pacal, who took power in 603 a.d. and commenced a construction boom of architecturally innovative buildings that lasted through and beyond his 68-year reign. One of the most impressive projects was a complex called the Palace. The walls and roofs are covered with stucco carvings depicting the ceremonies and activities of rulers and gods, giving modern observers insight into the lives
and beliefs of the Mayans. Another magnificent structure, the Temple of the Inscriptions, contains tablets of glyphs recounting the ancestral history of long ago rulers. The true reward of a trip to Palenque is to revel in the mystery of the unanswerable questions that arise as he meanders through the ruins in morning mists that swirl around the ancient structures. Only 34 of perhaps 500 buildings have been excavated.
4. Ruins of Ayutthaya (Thailand)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-ayutthaya.jpg
Ayutthaya, whose name means “undefeatable” in Sanskrit, may not be as popular as Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket but it’s one of the many places in Thailand that’s frequented by tourists who want to see its world-reknowned ruins.
In its heyday, Ayutthaya was a bustling metropolis of international repute, whose progress, according to historians, rivaled even Europe’s capitals at the time. So prosperous was the kingdom that her neighbor Burma (now Myanmar) coveted her, so the Burmese army burned and sacked the city. Today, only the debris of the empire’s glory remains, forming part of what is now known as the Ayutthaya Historical Park, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
5. The Colosseum (Italy)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-colosseum.jpg
One of the greatest works of Roman architecture and perhaps the most recognized ruin in the world, the Colosseum or Roman Coliseum –originally the Flavian Amphitheatre– is an elliptical amphitheatre in the center of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire.
Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. As well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. About 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.
Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined due to damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and its breakthrough achievements in earthquake engineering. It is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit “Way of the Cross” procession around the various levels of the amphitheatre.
6. Tikal Ruins (Guatemala)
http://www.forwardedemails.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/worlds-most-fascinating-ruins-tikal.jpg
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in northern Guatemala. This amazing site is part of Guatemala’s Tikal National Park, and in 1979 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. Though monumental architecture at the site dates from the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. 200 to 900 AD, during which time the site dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. There is also evidence that Tikal was even conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century.
Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal and there is evidence that elite palaces were burned. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century.