18.04.2013

Oddly enough, but often residents leave entire cities, they are overgrown with grass and rot. Often this departure is caused by war or natural disaster. The city becomes a kind of time capsule, because it remains in the state in which the owners left it. Many of lost cities were found, others have remained a legend. This top 10 can be called differently and abandoned cities, abandoned cities, lost cities, disappeared cities, cities of legend, etc. but whatever you call it, these are the greatest cities that forever left a mark on history.

10. City of the Caesars

Also known as the Eternal City and the City of Patagonia. It was never found, but presumably it is located in the south of South America, in the Patagonia region. It was founded by Spanish travelers who were shipwrecked off the coast of South America. A bunch of legends surround the city: someone talks about mountains of gold, someone that the city was inhabited by 10-foot giants, someone claims that it is a city of ghosts that appear and disappear.

9. Troy

Troy, sung in the poems of Homer, was previously located somewhere in the territory of modern Turkey. It was a developed and well-armed city with a reliable security system. Its coastal location allowed it to become a major port, and the nearby plains allowed for the development of agriculture. The remains of Troy were first discovered in 1870 by Heinrich Schliemann. Despite the fact that the excavations of Troy have since been often stopped and looted, the scale is still impressive.

8. Lost City Z

Supposedly located in the jungles of Brazil, City Z was the foundation of a well-known advanced civilization. The complex network of bridges, roads and temples excite the imagination. Rumors about its existence have been going on since 1753, when a Portuguese navigator wrote a letter claiming that he had visited the city. In 1925, explorer Percy Fawcett and several teams that went looking for him went missing.

7. Petra

Perhaps the most beautiful of all the cities on this list. Petra is located in Jordan near the Dead Sea and was formerly the center of the Nabataean trade caravan. Its architecture is most striking - the temples are carved right into the rocks and the surrounding mountains. The city was built in 100 BC. and as studies show, he achieved many technological successes: dams, cisterns and much more helped him survive during floods and droughts. After the conquest by the Romans and the earthquake in 363 AD. the city fell into decay, and soon became abandoned city. Petra stood in the desert until 1812.

6. Eldorado

Allegedly located in the jungles of South America, a golden city ruled by a powerful king, and the locals are rich in gold and precious stones. Obsessed with this idea, many expeditions lost and died in the jungle. The most famous of these was organized in 1541 by Gonzalo Pizarro, who led a group of 300 soldiers and several thousand Indians. They did not find any evidence of the existence of the city, many died from the epidemic, hunger and attacks by the natives.

5. Memphis

Founded in 3100 BC, Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt and served as the administrative center of civilization for hundreds of years before losing influence with the rise of Thebes and Alexandria. At its peak, the population of Memphis exceeded 30,000 people - the largest city of antiquity. The city's location was lost until Napoleon's expedition discovered it in the 1700s. in connection with the subsequent growth of modern cities, many parts of Memphis are lost.

4. Angkor

Angkor in Cambodia was the center of the Khmer Empire from 800 to 1400. AD The region was abandoned after a gradual decline that ended with the invasion of the Thai army in 1431, leaving massive cities and thousands of Buddhist temples without a single inhabitant in the jungle. The city remained relatively untouched until the 1800s, when it was discovered by a group of French archaeologists. Angkor and its environs are recognized as the largest pre-industrial city in the world, and its famous Angkor Wat temple is considered the largest religious monument in existence.

3. Pompeii

The Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed in 79 AD by the eruption of Vesuvius, which buried it under 60 feet of ash and stone. The city, according to experts, lived about 20,000 people, it was considered one of the best luxury resorts for the Romans. The ruins of the city stood intact until the 1700s, when it was rediscovered in 1748 by workers building a palace for the king of Naples. Since then, excavations have not stopped there.

2. Atlantis

Today it is already argued that Atlantis is nothing more than a myth, but at one time it was the main attraction and at the same time the attraction of gold miners from all over the world. The city was first mentioned in 360 BC. in the writings of Plato as a developed civilization, a powerful naval city. According to some scientists, Atlantis conquered almost all of Europe before it sank under water as a result of an ecological disaster. Such a legend of a technologically advanced city full of treasures has captured the imagination of many writers and would-be adventurers. But none of the expeditions aimed at finding him was found.

1. Machu Picchu

Of all lost cities that have been found and studied, perhaps there is nothing more mysterious than Machu Picchu. Isolated near the Urubamba Valley in Peru, the city remained hidden from human eyes until 1911. The city is divided into districts, and includes more than 140 different structures. They say it was built in 1400 by the Incas and abandoned by them less than 100 years later, most likely after its population was destroyed by smallpox brought from Europe. There are many legends around the city. Some claim that the whole city is a holy temple, others claim that it was used as a prison, but recent research shows that, most likely, the city was the property of the Inca emperor Pachacuti. And the place is chosen based on the astrological mythology of the Incas.

Updated 06/14/2019

Traveling through this wonderful country, be sure to pay attention to the lost ancient cities of India. The ruins of these once majestic places are imbued with the energy of bygone times. In many ghost towns, architectural masterpieces and ancient temples have been preserved.

Fatehpur Sikri

In the 18th century, this city was the capital of the Great Mughal Empire. Fatehpur Sikri had a lot of architectural masterpieces and its population was constantly growing.

However, the builders made a gross mistake in the planning of water supply, which gradually led to an acute shortage of water in the city. People were forced to leave their homes. And in their place came monkeys. Now this ghost town is a real monkey paradise. .

Vijayanagara

This is the most famous of the abandoned cities. Until the middle of the 16th century, it was the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire. Beautiful Vijayanagara was captured and destroyed by Islamic warriors. Gradually, the remains of the former capital were overgrown with jungle. Today, among the ruins is the small village of Hampi. This abandoned place is located seventy kilometers from Bellary.

Harappa

Ancient ruins of Harappa

It is the oldest known city in India. It was founded over three thousand years BC. Just imagine - when the Egyptians were just starting to build their pyramids, this glorious city already existed.

Mandu

The ancient name of this city is Shadiabad, which literally means "city of joy." It is located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Now only ruins remain of it, and until the 17th century it was a fabulous city with magnificent Islamic monuments. He was famous throughout Asia for his splendor. Although the city has long been abandoned, fortresses still remain among its ruins, overgrown with jungle. And its mausoleums, like palaces, are majestic and beautiful.

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ancient temples in india

Lothal

The remains of this ancient city of Lothal is located in the state of Gujatat. It was discovered in 1954. Today it is a very important property of Indian archaeologists, since its age dates back to 2400 BC. It is believed that at one time it was a very large trading port.

Prayaga

The city of Prayaga has existed since the time of King Ashot, who ruled in the 3rd century BC. The city was founded at the junction of the Ganges and Jamin rivers, and subsequently Allahabad appeared in its place. The ancient Hindus considered Prayag sacred. Unfortunately, history is silent about the reasons for its desolation.

Pataliputra

Pataliputra, India

Pataliputra was the capital and cultural center of several empires. Under the rule of the Gupta Empire, the city fell into decay. Today, the big city of Patna is built here, but on its outskirts you can touch the ruins of the glorious capital.

Ayodhya

At one time, Ayodhya was located in the Faizabad district and was the capital of Oudh. This ancient city was considered a center of pilgrimage, since legends announce it as the birthplace of the great Rama and the main city of the legendary Kosala. The remains of this city are considered one of the 7 sacred places of Hinduism.

Orchha literally means "lost place", which is quite consistent with the name of the city. Perhaps due to its abandonment, the city retained its main historical monuments in troubled times and today is considered one of the best preserved medieval cities in India. Orchha is rightly called the architectural gem of India, each of its monuments bears the imprint of the glorious history of a bygone era. An impressive fortress, grandiose palaces, majestic temples and cenotaphs scattered throughout the city retain their monumental grandeur and recreate the atmosphere of medieval India, despite their rather dilapidated condition. With the beginning of the development of the tourism industry, a stream of tourists reached here. Having visited this small and quiet town, you will never regret the time spent here.

Orchha: general information

The verdant strip of land on the banks of the Betwa River so captivated the Rajput prince Rudra Pratap Singh that in 1501 he founded a new city here, which was destined to become the capital of one of the largest and most powerful principalities in Central India. Orchha flourished during the reign of Bir Singh Deo (1605-1627), as evidenced by the surviving palaces and temples. Then the city began to decline after devastating wars with the armies of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Subsequent wars with the Marathas (Orchha and Datia were the only principalities not conquered by the Marathas) in the 18th century finally undermined the once prosperous capital of Bundelkhand and the rulers of the Bundel dynasty left it in 1783. Since that time, the city was lost in the middle of the forest and hills, turned out to be useless to anyone, because it did not occupy a strategically important position, was not located on important trade routes and communications.

Despite Coca-Cola umbrellas outside restaurants and signs advertising Indian cuisine, Orchha seems to have changed little since the days of the Bundel dynasty. In this small town with a population of about 10,000, freed from the worldly bustle, there are no traffic jams and congestion, noisy streets, the hands of beggars and beggars do not reach out to visiting tourists, street vendors do not demonstrate their impudence and impudence. All historical monuments of the city are located next to each other, within sight. A visit to this ancient capital of Bundelkhand, with palaces and temples from the 16th and 17th centuries located on the banks of the Betwa River, gives a good idea of ​​what the epoch of the "Maharajas of India" had sunk into oblivion.

More than 400 years ago, the fortress and palaces of this glorious city in central India saw many battles with the invading Mughal armies and internecine wars. Today, bloody battles have receded into history, but for the surviving historical monuments of Orchha, like many other ancient cities and towns throughout India, the destructive and inexorable action of time has become enemy number one. Today, the vast complex of palaces and temples is in an extremely dilapidated state, having become a habitat for monkeys, bats, scorpions, rats and even snakes. The situation is aggravated by the neglect and vandalism of local residents, who have significantly devastated the once magnificent palaces.

Today, Orchha greets its visitors with peeling and abandoned historical monuments. However, buses bring tourists here every day. Some visit the city on their way to Jhansi, others stop here on their way to Khajuraho. Orchha is conveniently located on the way to the world-famous Khajuraho temples (about 200 km away), famous for their erotic sculpture. Most foreign tourists who come here rarely stay longer than a few hours. But the beautiful, albeit dilapidated, historical monuments of the city are well worth spending much more time with.

Attractions in Orchha

Situated on a rocky island in the middle of the Betwa River, the city's fortress is one of India's most beautiful architectural heritage from the Mughal era, with numerous arches, domes and towers soaring into the sky - a real delight for lovers of this kind of architecture. The fortress-palace includes a whole complex of magnificent palaces: Jehangir Mahal, Raj Mahal and Rai Praveen Mahal.

Raj Mahal

This is how the Raj Mahal Palace looks like from the bridge over the Betwa River (pictured above), connecting the modern city with the ancient fortress. The construction of the Raj Mahal was started by the founder of Orchha, Rudra Pratap Singh, and completed by his heir, Madhukar Shah. Built in the shape of a square divided into two courtyards, the palace is a typical example of Mughal architecture.

Jahangir Mahal

This most famous and richly decorated palace was built by order of Bir Singh Deo in 1606. Bir Singh Deo helped Jahangir ascend the throne after the death of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. As a sign of gratitude, Jahangir visited his friend, and in honor of the visit of the new Mughal emperor, a palace was built with famous balconies, terraces, graceful domes and stone elephants. A unique feature of the palace is the equal number of floors below and above ground.

Rai Praveen Mahal

The Rai Praveen Mahal Palace was built by Raja Indramani in 1675 for his concubine Rai Praveen. A poetess and a musician, Rai Praveen made legends about her beauty and talent. It is said that Emperor Akbar himself wished her to come to him in Delhi. According to legend, she made such a strong impression on Akbar with her deep feelings for Indramani that he let her go back to Orchha. In the photo above: Chaturbhuj temple on the right, Jahangir Mahal on the left, small Rai Praveen Mahal is located almost in the center.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple

One of the three most famous temples of Orchha is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance, prosperity and wealth. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple was originally built around 1622, then rebuilt in 1793. The design of the building combines elements of fortification architecture, such a fortress-temple. The Lakshminarayan Temple is one of the few Hindu temples in India built in the shape of a triangle. The interiors of the religious building are covered with very beautiful frescoes.

Chaturbhuj temple

The Chaturbhuj temple in Orchha looks more like a Christian basilica due to the unusual design of the structure in the shape of a cross. The absence of a large number of carved decorations, so characteristic of Hindu temples, is striking. Chaturbhuj was built by Raja Madhukar at the insistence of his wife, Maharani Ganesh Kunwar, between 1558 and 1573. It was originally planned to install a statue of Rama in the temple, which was kept in the palace of Ram Raja during the construction period. According to legend, at the end of construction, the statue was chained to its place, and it was impossible to lift it to move it from the palace to the temple, so Chaturbhuj was dedicated to the god Vishnu.

Cenotaphs

The 14 cenotaphs built along the banks of the Betwa River in honor of the deceased rulers of the Bundela dynasty still retain their grandeur (cenotaph: a tombstone erected not on the burial site). You can climb up the cenotaphs and admire the panorama of Orchha and the surrounding area.

The beautiful city deserves to show some more photos here

While enjoying the amazing nature and cultural richness of India, one should not forget about the lost cities. Despite the fact that these cities fell as a result of wars and natural disasters, their majesty has survived to this day, thanks to the surviving temples, museums and galleries in which the surviving art objects are presented. Let's enjoy time travel together.

The dynasties of princes Harihara and Bukka Raya founded Vijayanagara in 1336. This mighty city was the capital of the empire. The golden years of this Indian region fell on the years 1509-1529. The city was surrounded by hills on three sides, and the Tungabhadra River flowed on the fourth. Like many other powerful empires, the empire eventually fell under the onslaught of the Deccan Sultan in 1565. Agricultural wealth brought great material benefits to the empire through international trade. The ruins of the city now have World Heritage status and surround modern-day Hampi in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

Tree in the courtyard of the Vitthala temple:

Puhar

The seven-storied building in the photo is now the Sillappathikara Art Gallery. Puhar is a city in the Nagapattinami district, in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu. In ancient times, this city was called the prosperous capital of kings. Located at the mouth of the Kaveri River, the city served as a large trading center, where goods brought from afar were unloaded. The legendary city is mentioned in many songs, in poetry, in the heroic epic. The history of the city is well described in the epics Silapathikaram and Manimekalai. Scientists believe that the cause of the destruction of the city was the tsunami.

Muziris

Muziris is the Greco-Roman name of an ancient port city located off the coast of Malabar (South India). Excavations in 2004 proved that trade was carried out from this port with Western Asia, the Middle East and Europe. It is believed that the city was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century AD.

Lothal

The ancient city of Lothal, or rather its remains, can be found in the state of Gujatat. Known since 2400 BC, this lost city is one of the most important archaeological sites in India. It was discovered in 1954 and excavated between 1955 and 1960. The city was also a major trading port.

Kalibangan

Kalibangan is located on the south bank of the Ghaggar district of Rajasthan. Known as the site of the earliest system of plowing an agricultural field (c. 2800 BC). Scientists came to the conclusion that the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 2600 BC, but after that the 2nd stage of the settlement took place, which was not successful due to the gradual and irreversible drying up of the river.

Surcotada

Surkotada is located in Kutch district, Gujarat. The ancient burial mound is surrounded by sandy hills and red soil, giving the whole area a reddish-brown color. The Lost City was discovered in 1964. Among the attractions of India, these lost cities are far from the last place.

Pattadakal. Pattadakal Temple

Pattadakal is a city located on the banks of the Malaprabha River in the northern state of Karnataka. The group of ten monuments from the 8th century AD includes majestic temples, a monolithic stone pillar and a Jain sanctuary.

Fresh review

I will continue to publish photos taken by a German tourist in Almaty in December 2013. Everything about the upper districts of the city will be here (well, or almost everything - something will be included in the next review). And without much detail: all the beautiful high-rise buildings, everything is clean and beautiful. In general, what our authorities want to show tourists. And of course, the Independence Monument will be detailed.

The first photo is the Telecentre on Mira-Timiryazev. The building is really very beautiful.

Random entries

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I have always wanted to see Switzerland. But after listening to friends who have already been there or even live there, as well as having read all sorts of ratings of the most expensive cities in the world (for example, according to the rating of the Swiss bank UBS in 2018, Zurich is in first place), Switzerland somehow scared me away Well, mountains, well, architecture ... - In Almaty, there are also mountains, and in Germany in any city - architecture. Suddenly, in Switzerland, a mixture of Germany and Almaty, but at the price of an airplane? It's not interesting

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In this review, I will tell you how to get there and what is there, beautiful or interesting. And in the next - about the museum and about the rocks from a more scientific point of view.

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Not much to write about. Therefore, basically, just photographs, the bulk of which are made from a moving car, therefore with glare.

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This review about Review will be large, and perhaps not the most interesting, but I think it's quite beautiful. And it will be about greenery and flowers.

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