Amazing Old Buildings/Structures Around The World

[Tania Admin]

I have a huge interest in Old/Ancient buildings and history and thought it would be cool to have a thread where we can all share Old/Ancient buildings/structures that perk our interest.

I am starting with one that isn't commonly talked about.


Citadel of Erbil-Kurdistan - World Heritage List
The site of the citadel may have been occupied as early as the Neolithic period, as pottery fragments dating to that period have been found on the slopes of the mound. Clear evidence for occupation comes from the Chalcolithic period, with sherds resembling pottery of the Ubaid and Uruk periods in the Jazira and southeastern Turkey, respectively. Given this evidence for early occupation, the citadel has been called the oldest continuously occupied site in the world.
Human settlement at Erbil can be dated back to the 5th millennium BC, and it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the world. The earliest historical reference to the region dates to the Third Dynasty of Ur of Sumer, when King Shulgi mentioned the city of Urbilum. The city was later conquered by the Assyrians

 

[Tania Admin]

This place absolutely fascinates me!

Derinkuyu

The volcanic rock landscape of Turkey’s Cappadocia region is pockmarked with several different underground cities, but perhaps none is as vast or as impressive as Derinkuyu. This labyrinthine complex dates to around the 8th century B.C. and was most likely built to serve as a refuge during periods of war and invasion. With this in mind, its 18-story interior was a self-contained metropolis that included ventilation shafts, wells, kitchens, schoolrooms, oil presses, a bathhouse, a winery and living space for some 20,000 people. When threatened by attack, each level of the city could be sealed off behind a collection of monolithic stone doors. Historians believe that the Hittites or the Phrygians were among Derinkuyu’s earliest builders, but it was later occupied and expanded by a host of other groups including Byzantine-era Christians, who left behind a collection of underground frescoes and chapels. Despite its long history, the city wasn’t rediscovered until the 1960s, when a local man stumbled upon some its tunnels while renovating his home.

 

[thirsty]

Definitely on the To Do list.

 

[Tania Admin]

The oldest house in Aveyron, France; built in the 13th Century.

 

[thirsty]

They don’t make them to last like that anymore.
Imagine if those walls could talk, the stories wow.

 

[Tania Admin]

They don’t make them to last like that anymore.
Imagine if those walls could talk, the stories wow.

I often think that about buildings old and new. How the truth would be there for all to know.

 

[TantraShiva]

What an interesting thread! Love to visit the Turkey underground. We have something similar here in an outback town where everyone lives underground due to the heat.

 

[thirsty]

I often think that about buildings old and new. How the truth would be there for all to know.

I know. Imagining the whole story in every detail.
I once went to Anne Frank’s house the girl who hid from the nazis in a tiny attic in Holland for over two years and it felt as if the whole house was talking to you as you went through it.
I love these old buildings

 

[Down boy]

The oldest house in Aveyron, France; built in the 13th Century.
View attachment 84492

I love this. Unfortunately today it would be on the shonky builders Facebook page with someone complaining about the tiling inside.

 

[Phoebe]

 

[thirsty]

 

[Tania Admin]

Timgad: Location: Algeria

- Touch down in Algeria and explore Timgad, a lost Roman city on the edge of the Sahara desert that remained hidden beneath the sand for nearly a thousand years. Positively obscure compared to the international notoriety of Pompeii, this ancient city is nonetheless one of the best surviving examples of Roman town planning anywhere in the historical Empire. No one believed the first 18th century European explorer who claimed to have found a Roman city poking out of the sand in the North African desert, and the full extent of the 50-hectare site wouldn’t be realised and excavated in its entirety until the 1950s.

 

[Down boy]

Not old, but awesome.
View attachment 84986

 

[Tania Admin]

This isn't exactly like the other places I've posted on this thread. But when you think about it's history it still fits.

Aerial view of Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan. It has lived through the Aztec period, the Spanish conquests, devastating smallpox epidemics, riots and revolutions to become one of the most densely populated cities in the world today.

 

[thirsty]

Wow

 

[Tania Admin]

This 150ft tall superimposed-looking sea stack, known as Dun Briste (Broken Fort) is located off Downpatrick Head, Mayo, Ireland, and likely formed around 300 million years ago.

In the year 1393 an arch that connected it to the mainland collapsed after a battering storm ravaged the coast.

A team of scientists landed upon it in a helicopter in the 1980’s for a closer look. While it’s difficult to imagine a person living in such extreme isolation, the team found an old ruined medieval dwelling and a quern stone for grinding corn right at the top. Furthermore, an upright stone slab likely marks a grave. Legend holds that it belongs to Pagan chieftain Crom Dubh.

 

[thirsty]

Last time I was thinking n County Mayo I spent most of my time studying the old structures inside those wonderful old pubs.

 

[TantraShiva]

This isn't exactly like the other places I've posted on this thread. But when you think about it's history it still fits.

Aerial view of Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan. It has lived through the Aztec period, the Spanish conquests, devastating smallpox epidemics, riots and revolutions to become one of the most densely populated cities in the world today.

View attachment 85195

Could you imagine living there! So many people. Makes me glad I live in Australia. Do want to visit though

 

[Tania Admin]

Castles absolutely fascinate me. The architecture, the atmosphere, the strategy,,all of it.


Inveraray Castle is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland’s longest sea loch. It is one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture. It has been the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, since the 18th century.

 

[thirsty]

Between the 14th and 16th century the monks of the Greek Orthodox Church built 20 monasteries, precariously perched on rock pillars in the centre of Greece. The aim was to get as high up as possible, so they could be isolated from the world below, and get closer to god. Boy oh boy, those monks really brought their A-game. Building them on rock pillars 400 metres above the ground was a seriously treacherous task: To transport themselves and their materials up the cliff face they hoisted themselves up in baskets tied to ropes

 

[Tania Admin]

This is the kailasa temple in Ellora (cave 16) this Is truly one of the wonders of the world, The entire temple was cut out through solid basalt bedrock from the top to bottom, The temple symbolizes Mount Kailash, the home of Lord Shiva, one of the most important ancient Hindu deities. The Ellora caves consists of 34 individual caves, and every one of them are cut in to the solid basalt bedrock that surrounds the area. But the kailasa is the most colmpex and majestic of them, the archaeologist and the quacademics say this temple was constructed in 18 years.. and experts have confirmed that over 400,000 ton of rock had to be cut out from just the kailasa temple alone, witch means that 5 tons of basalt rock had to be removed every hour!! Just to construct this temple!? is that even possible to do with our modern technology? The temple was carved from top to bottom with supposedly only simple hammers and chisels.. judge for yourself, is that even possible? I think we are looking at some lost ancient high technology here.. Even with our modern technololgy I think the kailasa temple would be almost impossible If not impossible to create even to day. Ellora is one of the most mysterious places on Earth

 

[Design Guru]

This place absolutely fascinates me!

Derinkuyu

The volcanic rock landscape of Turkey’s Cappadocia region is pockmarked with several different underground cities, but perhaps none is as vast or as impressive as Derinkuyu. This labyrinthine complex dates to around the 8th century B.C. and was most likely built to serve as a refuge during periods of war and invasion. With this in mind, its 18-story interior was a self-contained metropolis that included ventilation shafts, wells, kitchens, schoolrooms, oil presses, a bathhouse, a winery and living space for some 20,000 people. When threatened by attack, each level of the city could be sealed off behind a collection of monolithic stone doors. Historians believe that the Hittites or the Phrygians were among Derinkuyu’s earliest builders, but it was later occupied and expanded by a host of other groups including Byzantine-era Christians, who left behind a collection of underground frescoes and chapels. Despite its long history, the city wasn’t rediscovered until the 1960s, when a local man stumbled upon some its tunnels while renovating his home.

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Amazing place!

 

[Phoebe]

@Tania Smiley I give ya 10/10 for that. Great picture.

 

[Goodstuff36 Bon truc in french]

Hi Tania thanks for those amazing photos and the information that came with them.however I have been told in ww2 USA general McArthur was based in Melbourne oz and built many tunnels and air raid shelters in Melbourne oz apparently still exist does anyone have any photos or information on them also pics of the south sea's hotel what flooded and 4 crocodiles escaped into the yarra river thanks

 

[Tania Admin]

How awesome would it be to explore!

Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is located in the county of Berkshire, England. It is one of the royal residences and it is the largest inhabited castle in the world.

 

[Tania Admin]

Hawa Mahal (English translation: "The Palace of Winds" or "The Palace of Breeze") is a palace in Jaipur, India. Made with the red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana, or women's chambers.

The structure was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, who was the founder of Jaipur. He was so inspired by the unique structure of Khetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace. It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its unique five floors exterior is akin to the honeycomb of a beehive with its 953 small windows called Jharokhas decorated with intricate latticework.

The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen, since they had to obey the strict rules of "purdah", which forbade them from appearing in public without face coverings. This architectural feature also allowed cool air from the Venturi effect to pass through, thus making the whole area more pleasant during the high temperatures in summer. Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think it is the front of the palace, but in reality it is the back of that structure.

 

[Mrs Langtrees]

I love this thread interesting guys

 

[Tania Admin]

Fort Bourtange, one of the last star-shaped forts. Bourtange, Netherlands. 1593.

 

[Flatboroque]

Some truly stunning places and photography in this thread. Thank you

 

[Tania Admin]

The Parish Church Of St Leonard's, Hythe, Kent.
Known As "The Church With The Bones" & It's Famous For Its Ossuary (Crypt).
The Norman Church Was built Around 1090 & Has Many Norman Features, It Also Has A Large Collection Of Ancient Human Skulls & Bones...