ADVENTURE

Archaeological sites to visit at least once in your life

Wonders from the past, ancient cities returned to light, breathtaking views: there are many beautiful places that each of us should see at least once in our lives.

The world and history have so much to offer us and wherever we are, we could find an ancient archaeological site that deserves to be visited.

Here are some of the most fascinating archaeological sites, scattered around the world: these places are also the most visited by tourists for their beauty and priceless historical value.

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Archaeological sites to visit at least once in your life
Wonders from the past, ancient cities returned to light, breathtaking views. The world and history have so much to offer us and wherever we are, we could find an ancient archaeological site that deserves to be visited. Here are some of the most fascinating ancient places, scattered around the world: these places are also the most visited by tourists for their beauty and priceless historical value.
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Great Wall, China
Also present among the 7 wonders of the world named by the New Open World Corporation, the Great Wall is, according to some estimates, also the most visited archaeological site in the world. The Great Wall was built at the behest of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (the same to whom we owe the famous Terracotta Army), to defend the empire from the nomadic populations and, in particular, from the Huns.
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Pyramid of Giza, Giza, Egypt
Also known as the pyramid of Cheope or Khufu, it is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids that belong to the necropolis of Giza and its construction should date back to about 2500 years before the birth of Christ. Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built as the tomb of Pharaoh Cheope: a short distance from the pyramid is also the Great Sphinx of Giza, depicting the mythological figure with the head of a man and the body of a lion.
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Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico
Chichén Itzá is an ancient city believed to have been built by Maya in the sixth century AD. This historic site was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. One of the best times to visit the place is on the occasion of the autumn and spring equinoxes, when you can admire a fascinating optical effect on the steps of the temple of Kukulkan.
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Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Originally known as Anfiteatro Flavio, the Colosseum is among the most visited monuments in the world and its construction dates back about 70 years after the birth of Christ, with the inauguration taking place 10 years later. Inside the Colosseum, which could hold up to 85,000 people according to estimates, the ancient Romans attended gladiator shows and the most important public events.
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Stonehenge, Salisbury, United Kingdom
Stonehenge is an ancient archaeological site, dating back to about 3,000-2,300 years before the birth of Christ. The function of these large boulders arranged in a circular way has not been fully clarified, but many scholars agree that Stonehenge represented an ancient astronomical observatory, useful in particular on the days of the equinoxes and solstices, which are also the moments in which today many tourists gather to watch the sun rise or set at the archaeological site.
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Teotihuacan, Teotihuacan, Mexico
Located about 40 kilometers from modern Mexico City, Teotihuacan is one of the best preserved pre-Columbian cities in the world. On this site, walking along the main street called Calzada de los Muertos, you can admire pyramids, murals and sculptures.
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Archaeological excavations of Pompei, Naples, Italy
The remains of the archaeological excavations of Pompei date back to the famous eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, when the ancient city of Pompei was buried under an immense blanket of ash and lapilli. Today this place, preserved in an excellent way, is one of the best testimonies of Roman life. In the archaeological complex it is in fact possible to admire the amphitheater, the forum, the temples, but also ancient houses and prestigious villas.
Alex Kwok, Wikimedia Commons
Longmen, LuoyangCaves, China
These caves represent a series of shrines where Buddhist characters are portrayed. This magnificent place consists of 2,345 caves and niches, 2,800 inscriptions, 43 pagodas and over 100,000 images of the Buddha. In 2000, the Longmen Caves site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey
Ephesus was one of the most important cities in Anatolia. Its ruins are among the most visited archaeological sites in the world and here you can admire the theater, the temple of Adriano, the library of Celso (in which there is also the tomb of Tiberio Giulio Celso) and ancient, as well as splendid, villas of the nobles, embellished with spectacular mosaics.
NPS Photo, Wikimedia
Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, United States of America
Protected natural area, the Canyon de Chelly was used in ancient times by nomads, who used natural caves as shelters. The canyon has numerous places of historical and scenic interest, such as the White House (in photo), an ancient settlement built into the rock.
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Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Symbol par excellence of Ancient Greece, the Acropolis of Athens is located about 150 meters above sea level and here you can admire some of the most important and significant masterpieces of Greek culture: the Parthenon (temple dedicated to the Goddess Atena), the Propylaea (the sacred entrances), the Erechtheion (Ionic temple) and finally the temple of Athena Nike.
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