50 Fascinating Things From The Past That Survived For Future Generations To See
Human talent knows no bounds, and this holds true both for the people of the past and those in our current times, especially when it comes to crafting impressive structures. These range from small yet stunning creations like hand-carved coins bearing the faces of past rulers to large-scale structures as vast as the Colosseum's Basement in Rome.
Historical landmarks and artifacts continue to inspire and fascinate people all over the world, even hundreds or thousands of years later. Thanks to Facebook groups such as 'Ancient Wonders of Archaeology, Art History & Architecture,' we are able to keep track of these captivating examples, some of which prove to be quite elusive. With that being said, feel free to scroll down and see what we have in store for you!
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This 18th Century Sculpture Called Disillusion, Which Includes An Intricate Net Carved From A Single Block Of Marble, Was Created By Francesco Queirolo Without Assistance, Since No Apprentice Would Touch It For Fear Of The Delicate Net Crumbling In Their Hands. It Took Him Seven Years. Amazing
This is insane skill. It takes an absolute master to carve the marble net at such realism and accuracy.
This 14th Century Door At Exeter Cathedral, UK, Is Thought To Be The Oldest Existing Cat Flap
A cat was paid a penny each week, to keep down the rats and mice in the north tower, and a cat flap was cut into the door below the astronomical clock to allow the cat to carry out its duties.
Records of payments were entered in the Cathedral archives from 1305 to 1467, the penny a week being enough to buy food to supplement a heavy diet of rodents
Bazaar Of Kashan Is An Old Bazaar In The Center Of The City Of Kashan, Iran
It is thought to have been built in the Seljuk era with renovations during the Safavid period. The bazaar has an interesting spatial structure, especially at its Timche-ye Amin od-Dowleh section, where a grand light well was built in the 19th century. The bazaar is still in use and is a few miles in total length. In the bazaar’s complex, there are several mosques, tombs, caravanserais, arcades, baths, and water reservoirs, everything built up in a different periods.
As we mentioned before, Pandas, human artistry, and talent know no bounds at all. I mean take a look at a single Roman coin, minutely etched with the proud countenance of Caesar, surviving through centuries, roughened by time but with the essence of its creator's craft still apparent. Just as a poet weaves stories through his words, ancient craftsmen told their tales through the etchings or the masterpieces that they built, allowing us a glimpse into their world, their society, and their lives.
The Hidden Treasure Of Bharat! Built 1000+ Years Ago In The Abhaneri Village Of Rajasthan. India 64 Ft Deep, 13 Floors, And Has 3,500 Narrow Steps Arranged In Perfect Symmetry! The Chand Baori Is One Of The Largest Stepwells In The World And Also One Of The Most Beautiful Ones
Colosseum's Basement, Rome
The whole entire structure looks incredible, with incredible history behind it too. Glad it’s still standing as is and has held up well over the years. And to think, as with everything else featured in this article, all man made, perhaps the most incredible part of all.
Petra
Moving on to larger structures, we could perhaps think of the labyrinthine layout of the Colosseum's Basement in Rome, a marvel of engineering and a testament to the grandeur of the Roman Empire. Each of its complex designs and carvings exudes a feeling of seeing something grand, something bearing the weight of countless gladiatorial fights and public spectacles.
Intricately Carved Violin Of Domenico Galli, 1687
Michelangelo Buonarotti Was Only 23 Years Old When He Created The Famous Pietà. A French Cardinal Commissioned The Work And It Took Michelangelo Only Two Years To Complete (1498-1500). It Was Made From A Single Block Of Carrara Marble And It's The Only Sculpture The Artist Ever Signed
Embark On A Journey Through Time And Marvel At The Exquisite Renaissance Architecture Of The Royal Château Of Blois, Nestled In The Stunning Loire Valley Of France
This magnificent complex of buildings spans several centuries of construction, from the 13th to the 17th century, offering visitors a glimpse into the rich history of this storied region.
These artifacts and historical landmarks not only serve as remnants of the past but also act as bridges connecting the ancient and modern worlds. To this day most of these landmarks tend to inspire contemporary designers and architects, allowing them to tap into the creative genius of their predecessors.
Colossal 16th-Century Sculpture Unveiled In Florence, Italy
IIRC there's a stairwell inside so you can look out his eyes, but I could have been dreaming.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Dracorex Hogwartsia : This Fossil Is Truly Amazing, Hard To Believe It Is Real
It looks very much like a dragon. This is the skull of Dracorex hogwartsia a dinosaur with a armoured skull. Upper Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Taking Care Of The Extraordinary "Mosaico Di Orione" (Orion Mosaic) From The Late II Bc - Early I Bc. This Amazing Piece Of Art Is Located In The “House Of The Orion”, Pompeii. The “House Of Orion” Survived With Much Of Its Interior Preserved
Stunning. I recently learned they are still excavating Pompeii and Herculaneum even today.
Known For Their Building Skills, The Khymer Empire Created Many Structures Between The Ninth And Fifteenth Century
The Column Of Marcus Aurelius, Located In Rome, Italy, Is A Remarkable Historical Monument That Depicts Various 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜 And Narratives From The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius' 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚢 Campaigns. It Is Situated In The Piazza Colonna, In Close Proximity To The Palazzo Chigi
The World's Oldest Undeground Station, Baker Street, England. 160 Years Apart. Stunning!
The Underground is amazing all round when you consider its age. Not much fun in rush hour though.
especially not in summer when several people seem to forget showering is a necessity.
Load More Replies...There's a series called 'Secrets of the London Underground' which covers the history of the tube and how it all fits with what is still there today. Well worth a watch!
I remember they have Sherlock Holmes tiles at Baker St station as well. Which might not be 160 years old, but it's a nice touch.
When I visited London England, I was overcome with emotion by all the history. Sitting and looking at Tower of London right in the city blew my brain into pieces. Another place I visited was a pub that was underground and for the life of me cannot remember the name of it. The whole experience was mind blowing. I opted to NOT see the palace or Big Ben and all the touristy things because I wanted to have an authentic experience and I don't regret it one bit. Outside the underground pub, a photographer was shooting a bride and groom and they were the most beautiful couple I've ever saw.
im glad you had such a fabulous time but the Tower is one of the most touristic places in the whole UK?
Load More Replies...Makes me want to drink the night away and forget about everything. I used to think that it was so easy I used to say that it was so easy But I'm tryin', I'm tryin' now
What especially impressed me, was they kept the original lamps or at least used some that looked like them.
Can confirm that Baker Street is a stunning station. A lot of the older ones are, but Baker Street in particular.
What the f**k bruv, I'm using this station right now to get to work before the bloody tourists!
Most of the stations have their own ghost stories - check out YouTube
Load More Replies...They were. A average height of an adult male from the UK in the 1850s was around 5'6" or 5'7". Some were much shorter depending on health and access to food.
Load More Replies...wow, i never knew! I dont like Baker Street as a station, always manage to get into the wrong train there. Untill last weekend.
Wow, if the CHUDs have been breeding since THAT far back, getting ever more vicious and ever less human with each generation, then how the hell could the U.K. government possibly be dealing with all the attacks on commuters, without resorting to some sort of MASSIVE conspiracy to cover up the...? Holy Batshit, Fatman! That must be what Boris Johnson was blathering on about, when trying to defend himself after promoting a grope-ophile and other abject failures of leadership: When he said "Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers", I thought he said "Intercontinental Ballistic Human-Voiding Ground Pounders." I thought that was just Boris being Boris, and he was referring to what normal people call offensive missile strikes. Wow. Can the U.K. really afford to let conservatives stay in charge?
The Gold Roman Ring In The Form Of A Snake. 2000 Years Old
Sumela Monastery, Trabzon, Turkey
Victorian Courting Conversation Chair, Europe 19th Century. Three Tub Back Chair With Fine Turned Wood Spindles Over Finely Turned Legs Ending In Castor Wheels Upholster In Deep Green And Botanical Velvet
Acropolis Of Athens
Isn't it the Parthenon? I thought the Acropolis was the hill that it sits on.
The 4,000-Year-Old Al Naslaa Rock Formation Has A Mystery Laser-Like Cut Through Its Center This Incredible Pair Of Standing Stones Of Al-Naslaa, Is Located At The Tayma Oasis In Saudi Arabia And Of Course, It Looks Like A Huge Boulder Cut In Half With Laser-Like Precision
Ever since it was first discovered in 1883 by Charles Huvor, the formation has fuelled debates amongst academics, alternative researchers and tourists, and there are many who believe that what we are looking at is evidence of Ancient High
The « mystery » remains to attract tourists. That’s a joint fracture.
Sacsayhuaman Also Spelled Saksaywaman (Quechua Word Meaning Satisfied Falcon), Is One Of The Most Stunning Inca Ruins, Located On The Northern Outskirts Of The Old City Of Cusco, Peru, The Former Capital Of The Inca Empire
It is one of the most important archaeological complexes of the Inca Empire, is admiring the precision of the engineering used and delving into the history of what was once the greatest civilization in America pre-Columbian. Built like a fortress, the complex cover a huge area, but they constitute perhaps only a quarter of the original complex, which could easily house more than 10,000 men
That final photo really drives home the scale of the place. That's incredible.
Collection Of Ancient Greek Silver Coins
So cool! Most of them look to be in mint condition, just imagine how much those would be worth. I’m not smart enough to know if there’d be any monetary value outside Greece or not, but I’m fairly certain just because of their history and the condition that they’re in they’d fetch a decent price regardless of where they’re from. I myself would love to have em
The Mystery Of Göbekli Tepe; Humanity's First Temple Intrigues Researchers. The Structure Was Erected Around 10,000 Years Before Christ By Nomadic Societies Of Hunter-Gatherers From The Neolithic Period
In the history of Gods, Christ is just a baby, there was a lot of Gods before him.
The Well Preserved State Chariot Of Pharaoh Thutmose Iv (R. 1401-1388 Bc, 18th Dynasty), Showing Pharaoh Smitting His Enemies. It Was Discovered From His Tomb Kv43, Luxor, Egypt. Museum Of Egyptian Civilization, Cairo
An Ancient Egyptian Faience Ring Depicting A Mother Cat With Kittens Would Have Been A Charming And Significant Artifact In The Context Of Ancient Egyptian Culture
Faience is a type of glazed ceramic material that was commonly used in ancient Egypt for various decorative and functional objects. These objects were often crafted with great skill and attention to detail
Among All The Varying Façades Of Ambleside Sits The Bridge House
This fine example of 17th-Century architecture is a rare survival in a region where the climate is bitter and the weather rules all. The little stream of Stock Beck meanders its way through the quaint town of Ambleside. Towering above it stand a whole array of houses dating from various periods; Victorian, Georgian and earlier are all represented in the slates and stones that make the region’s architecture so famous, and ever so iconic. This is also where you’ll find Bridge House, straddling both sides of the river
Roman Road-Construction. Cross Section Of An Ancient Roman Road!what Do You Think About Their Technique ?
It worked. Some places ypu can still walk on the surface of a roman road, 2000 years old. That is amazing.
The Grand Staircase At Palace Of Knossos (2200-1400 Bc), Crete, Greece. It Is The Oldest Palatial Center Of Europe
"Devil's Bridge" In Ceredigion, Wales
According to legend, the original bridge was built by the very Devil himself, as it was too difficult for mortals to build. The Devil agreed to build the bridge in exchange for the soul of the first being to cross the bridge. However he was tricked of his prize by a canny old woman, who threw bread across the bridge, which her dog ran after, thus becoming the first ‘being’ to cross the new bridge. In Switzerland there is a devil's brigde too, with a similar legend. The only difference was that the townfolk rushed a goat to cross the bridge, it's located in the Schöllenen.
In 1965, Archaeological Excavations In Mezhyrich, Ukraine, LED To The Discovery Of Four Huts Constructed From A Total Of 149 Mammoth Bones
The Main Stairway Up The Ziggurat Of Ur. Still Standing With Its Original Baked Mud Bricks From The Euphrates River, Created Over 4,000 Years Ago In The Oldest Parts
not exactly. this one was "restored" meaning a lot of what you see except the ruined part in the middle is not original.
The Ancient Roman Theatre At Hierapolis. Denizli, Turkey
St Pancratius Skeleton In Armor. Church Of St Nikolaus, Switzerland. 16-19th Century
Schwerin Castle, Is A Schloss Located In The City Of Schwerin, The Capital Of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State, Germany. It Is Situated On An Island In The City's Main Lake, Lake Schwerin
For centuries the castle was the home of the dukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg and later Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Today parts of it serve as the residence of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament (German: Landtag), other parts are open for tourists
Egyptian Stele From The Sunken City Of Heracleion
Imagine being there, in that picture. That would be amazing.
This Is A 5,000-Year-Old Crystal Dagger Discovered In A Megalithic Tomb In Present-Day Spain
Megalithic = Prehistoric civilizations. This crystal did not come from the area and is not unique to the region. It was buried with someone. When it was found between 2007-2010…there were 25 bodies buried there along with several crystal arrowheads. Archeologists believe that because if it’s rarity, someone very elite and wealthy sources and paid a craftsman handsomely to create this. For its time, it is considered technologically advanced.
Bridge Of Sighs, Italian Ponte Dei Sospiri, Enclosed Limestone Bridge In Venice, Italy, Spanning The Narrow Canal (Rio Di Palazzo) Between The Doge’s Palace And The Prisons
Commissioned by the doge Marino Grimani, whose familial coat of arms is depicted in the centre of the facade, the Baroque-style bridge was built about 1600 by the architect Antonio Contino
The Hanging Temple, Also Known As The Hanging Temple Of Hengshan, Is A Remarkable Architectural Marvel Located In Shanxi Province, China
Perched precariously on the side of a cliff in the Hengshan Mountains, the temple defies gravity with its unique design and construction
Nope. Nopity Nope. Beautiful but that’s gonna be a hard no from dawg.
Detail Of The Lion Armour Of French King Henry II, 500 Years Old
henry II hasn’t lived that long, even if the armor is effective. :D (edit done, marianne ;) )
The Hearth, Still In Good Condition Of A Popina. Pompeii
Oh wow would I love to have scaled down version of this to cook outside !
Corinthian Helmet From The Battle Of Marathon (490 Bc) Found With The Warrior's Skull Inside
The Old Bath Of Pompeii
Bust Of The Pharoah Userkaf, Founder Of The Fifth Dynasty And Builder Of The First Egyptian Sun Temple At Abusir
The Chronicle Of Georgia Is A Monument Located Near The Tbilisi Sea
This is interesting, but it really doesn't belong in this list, seeing as though it was built in 1985.
Ionic Temple Of Garni Armenia. 1st Century Ad
that's a really gorgeous photo. wish I'd known about this place when I went to Armenia last year!
Khotyn Fortress Is A Fortress Of The 10th-18th Centuries Located In The City Of Khotyn, Ukraine. Founded 1325 Construction 1250 - 1340s Status State Historical And Architectural Reserve
I hope it’s still safe during the war. It’s not just people and everything else that is lost…the world looses cultural heritage sites like for future generations.
Pair Of 4,000-Year-Old Ceramic Pipes Discovered In 2020. Pingliangtai, China, Longshan Culture, 2200-2000 Bc
One Of The Oldest Diving Suits In Existence - Called Wanha Herra. Finland, 18th Century
Colossal Statues Of Pharaoh Amenhotep III On The West Bank Of The Nile, Luxor, Egypt. I Have Put More Photos And Stories About The Treasures Of Luxor
Note: this post originally had 99 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Agreed. To bad I had to scroll through all that other drek to find it.
Load More Replies...They have missed a few things which shows human ingenuity in earlier days... The indus valley civilisation which now is in Pakistan... what a beauty.. See the dancing girl from this valley.. and see the Dholvira and Lothal sites... how are these not included?
They might not have been missed, just not voted up. Always look at the bottom of the article for a similar sentence: "Note: this post originally had 99 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes." You can click on the number and it will take you to the other entries.
Load More Replies...There is something called "krishna's butter ball" here in a temple in TN india ,it's really fascinating
It's sad that we can't have this type of stuff in the USA, seems like everything around gets destroyed by vandalism.
Pretty sure the ancients lamented about the same thing. We moderns get to enjoy what was left standing.
Load More Replies...I'm staggered not just by the beauty of many of these but the fact that they have survived despite all the centuries of war taking place in the parts of the world where they are located
There's much modern beauty to explore, it's just not as awe-inspiring since we see it almost everyday. Our great-great-grandchildren may feel differently though. Just a thought - maybe you should go out there and make the cool stuff you're seeking. Create your legacy like the folks above did.
Load More Replies...It's interesting that these ancient cultures that built these amazing, beautiful structures that have lasted thousands of years, are considered & socially accepted to be labeled as "primitive". But yet we can't figure out how they built them. And we can't be bothered to build anything that will last as long in current times. What does that say about us? It's as arrogant as saying the human species more intelligent than animals because we can't understand them. Uhhh... what?
We can absolutely figure out how they were built. It's not rocket science. If it weren't for our archeologists and huge efforts then a lot of these structures would be little more than heaps of fallen stones, or hidden underground where nobody could see them. It's really easy to fall into the trap of "ancient civilizations good, modern people bad" when you spend too much time doomscrolling.
Load More Replies...Yes indeed, how impressive that a massive building has managed to remain for a whole 37 years, all of 2 generations have the privilege of witnessing it
There's some recent stuff on here, so I'm surprised the Gustav Vigeland sculpture park in Oslo, Norway isn't on this list. Or the largest monolithic church in the world in St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France. There's so many more but those 2 I'm surprised didn't make the list.
These articles are almost always filled with stuff from Europe. Maybe a few pics from India on occasion. The rest of the world exists too!
I thought this was an interesting point, so I went through the list and noted down countries. Here are the results (2 missing because of BP's weird listing system): Europe 58 in 16 countries (a whopping 20 of those in Italy alone). Asia 21 in 11 countries (2 in India). Eurasia/Caucasus 2. Africa 7 in 2 countries (6 of those Egyptian). S America 4 (all Peru). N America 2 (both US). Unknown/not applicable 3. I suspect the geographics are heavily influenced by the demographics of the source Facebook group, which is presumably European-centric, but of course they could still post of elsewhere in the world. Personally I always enjoy anything that is less US-focused than usual
Load More Replies...Agreed. To bad I had to scroll through all that other drek to find it.
Load More Replies...They have missed a few things which shows human ingenuity in earlier days... The indus valley civilisation which now is in Pakistan... what a beauty.. See the dancing girl from this valley.. and see the Dholvira and Lothal sites... how are these not included?
They might not have been missed, just not voted up. Always look at the bottom of the article for a similar sentence: "Note: this post originally had 99 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes." You can click on the number and it will take you to the other entries.
Load More Replies...There is something called "krishna's butter ball" here in a temple in TN india ,it's really fascinating
It's sad that we can't have this type of stuff in the USA, seems like everything around gets destroyed by vandalism.
Pretty sure the ancients lamented about the same thing. We moderns get to enjoy what was left standing.
Load More Replies...I'm staggered not just by the beauty of many of these but the fact that they have survived despite all the centuries of war taking place in the parts of the world where they are located
There's much modern beauty to explore, it's just not as awe-inspiring since we see it almost everyday. Our great-great-grandchildren may feel differently though. Just a thought - maybe you should go out there and make the cool stuff you're seeking. Create your legacy like the folks above did.
Load More Replies...It's interesting that these ancient cultures that built these amazing, beautiful structures that have lasted thousands of years, are considered & socially accepted to be labeled as "primitive". But yet we can't figure out how they built them. And we can't be bothered to build anything that will last as long in current times. What does that say about us? It's as arrogant as saying the human species more intelligent than animals because we can't understand them. Uhhh... what?
We can absolutely figure out how they were built. It's not rocket science. If it weren't for our archeologists and huge efforts then a lot of these structures would be little more than heaps of fallen stones, or hidden underground where nobody could see them. It's really easy to fall into the trap of "ancient civilizations good, modern people bad" when you spend too much time doomscrolling.
Load More Replies...Yes indeed, how impressive that a massive building has managed to remain for a whole 37 years, all of 2 generations have the privilege of witnessing it
There's some recent stuff on here, so I'm surprised the Gustav Vigeland sculpture park in Oslo, Norway isn't on this list. Or the largest monolithic church in the world in St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France. There's so many more but those 2 I'm surprised didn't make the list.
These articles are almost always filled with stuff from Europe. Maybe a few pics from India on occasion. The rest of the world exists too!
I thought this was an interesting point, so I went through the list and noted down countries. Here are the results (2 missing because of BP's weird listing system): Europe 58 in 16 countries (a whopping 20 of those in Italy alone). Asia 21 in 11 countries (2 in India). Eurasia/Caucasus 2. Africa 7 in 2 countries (6 of those Egyptian). S America 4 (all Peru). N America 2 (both US). Unknown/not applicable 3. I suspect the geographics are heavily influenced by the demographics of the source Facebook group, which is presumably European-centric, but of course they could still post of elsewhere in the world. Personally I always enjoy anything that is less US-focused than usual
Load More Replies...