As modern people, we cannot fully grasp how impressive and developed these ancient cities were in their time. This is why we fail to realize how advanced the civilizations that founded those huge cities were, even though they lived thousands of years ago.
What did the most important cities in human history look like thousands of years ago? Let’s take a time travel for a few minutes and take a closer look at these fascinating cities where everything was built with pure human power and intelligence…
A small note: The images of the ancient cities of the past consist of artist drawings and three-dimensional animations in harmony with the depictions. Therefore, it should not be forgotten that they are all representations.
The Ancient City of Knossos, which hosts a labyrinth-like palace
The Ancient City of Knossos consists of a large ancient city and palace in Crete, which served as the capital of the Minoan Civilization in the 2000s BC. Although the history of the palace dates back to 2000 BC, there are many remains that indicate that there was life in the Knossos region from 7000 BC.
This ancient city, which has managed to remain a large living space for many years, and its most important structure, the huge palace, are thought to have been abandoned in the 1100s BC. In the meantime, it is thought that the palace was destroyed and rebuilt due to earthquakes. There are settlements in a large area stretching over an area of 5 kilometers from north to south and 3 kilometers from east to west. The palace covers an area of 14,000 square meters…
First, let’s see how the palace and the city look now;
This is how Knossos used to look, with its imposing palace and elaborate architecture;
Nineveh, which has been the largest city in the world for decades
Nineveh has been the capital of the Assyrians for years, and during these years it has become one of the largest cities not only of the Assyrians but also of the world. In the region, where traces of settlement were found until 7000 BC, the city began to develop and increase its influence in the region from 2900 BC.
However, the real era of the city began in 700 BC. The city expanded with large squares and avenues during this period. Inside the city of Nineveh, which was surrounded by 12 km long walls, there was a huge palace and living quarters. In addition, giant sculptures weighing tons were among the prominent structures of the city.
Unfortunately, the walls and gates of the city were destroyed by ISIS… But before that, they looked like this;
This is what this city used to look like, with walls over 20 meters high, huge gates, giant statues weighing tons and large squares…
The once great port city; ur
Although now located in the middle of nowhere in arid lands, Ur is an ancient city that grew and developed in an area that was much closer to the Persian Gulf than it is now, where traces of life have been found since 6000 BC. The city, which has grown since 3800 BC, has become one of the commercial centers of Mesopotamia.
The most distinctive structure of Ur, which is located within the borders of Iraq today, is the gigantic ziggurat thought to have been built between 2047-2030 BC. Ziggurats are large temple towers with a terrace at the top, resembling pyramids, and have been seen in Mesopotamia since 4000 BC. Apart from this, there are many adobe houses in the city, which covers an area of 71,000 square meters.
III, a Sumerian dynasty. Developed by king Ur-Nammu during the Ur Dynasty, the city was divided into quarters; It is thought that merchants lived in one neighborhood and artisans lived in another. It is also known that there are different temples, developed irrigation systems, and structures to prevent floods in the city apart from the ziggurat. The Ur-Nammu laws, which are the oldest known laws about 300 years before the Code of Hammurabi, were found in Istanbul at the time and are an important data belonging to the Dynasty of Ur.
Unfortunately, nothing remains of the city of Ur except the Ziggurat, which has been restored many times today, and the remains of a few mud-brick houses;
In the past, Ur was a large and crowded port city in the middle of fertile lands.
One of the biggest cities of Mesopotamia with its legendary Hanging Gardens; Babylon
Babylon was founded at the end of 1800 BC and was the capital of the Babylonian Empire; It was one of the largest cities in Mesopotamia. The city was the largest city in the world in its heyday; In fact, it is thought to be the first city to become so crowded for that period with a population of more than 200 thousand.
But of course, many of us know Babylon for its famous and legendary Hanging Gardens. Built on both sides of the Euphrates River and covering an area of 9 km², the city contained a ziggurat, the famous Tower of Babel, the Hanging Gardens, campuses, large squares and streets. The subject of the Hanging Gardens is highly controversial. Experts argue that the famous Hanging Gardens are not in Babylon as claimed, but in Nineveh, another Mesopotamian city mentioned above…
Babylon consists of some ruins of walls, houses and gates that have been restored today;
Babylon was such a city thousands of years ago;
Memphis, the great capital of ancient Egypt
This large and magnificent city, which was thought to have been founded in 3100 BC and was the capital of Ancient Egypt for many years, is still more remarkable with its pyramids, giant statues and ruins that have survived to the present day.
Listed as a World Heritage Site, the city was founded thousands of years ago during the Old Kingdom and has remained an important city for many years, with its critical location at the mouth of the Nile Delta.
The remains of the city are exhibited as an open-air museum in an area stretching for kilometers today;
When the city was the great capital of Ancient Egypt, it was dazzling with its golden-topped columns at the entrance, its famous huge white walls and giant statues;
Bergama (Pergamon), one of the most impressive ancient cities of our country
Pergamon Acropolis, located in the Bergama district of Izmir, was built and developed to a large extent when it was the capital of the Pergamon Kingdom as a large city between 281-133 BC, although traces of settlement can be found since 700 BC.
The region, where traces of many buildings are still seen today, attracts attention with its ancient treatment center, giant library and ancient theater built in the name of Asclepius, the god of health.
This is how the Pergamon Acropolis looks today;
The city used to be as impressive as it is now;
Another ancient city from our country with its library and giant ancient theater; Ephesus Ancient City
The Ancient City of Ephesus, also located within the borders of İzmir, is perhaps one of the most famous ancient cities of our country. Celsus Library, which is a huge library in the city, which spreads over a very large area, has maintained its critical position for many years with its capacity of 24 thousand people, its unique atmosphere, its ancient theater and being a port city at that time.
Today, the majority of the city offers an impressive tour opportunity with its restored buildings and ruins. The city was one of the twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League, and the Church of the Virgin Mary, which is also an important place for Christians, makes the region a special location even today.
The city still offers an impressive atmosphere today;
The city used to be much more colorful;
So which one would you like to live in?
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