From Ruins to Grandeur, a Teatro de Roma - Puffin Foundation Resources
There are famous ruins all over the world, with notable sites originating from ancient China, the Indus Valley, ancient Iran, ancient Israel and Judea, ancient Iraq, ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, ancient Yemen, Roman, ancient India, sites throughout the Mediterranean Basin, and Incan and Mayan sites in the Americas. Learn more about the ancient ruins, Neolithic temples and UNESCO World Heritage Sites you can see on your travels with National Geographic Expeditions. The world is home to a plethora of fascinating ancient ruins, from crumbling cities to temples that have withstood the test of time.
Understanding the Context
Many of these ancient societies were incredibly innovative and forward thinking. From Easter Island to Tikal, plan a trip to see these 18 famous ancient ruins around the world—all of them are UNESCO World Heritage sites. From towering temples hidden in the jungle to lost cities carved into cliffs, these sites whisper secrets of lost civilizations and forgotten empires. If you think you’ve seen it all, think again.
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Key Insights
These 22 ancient ruins will leave you speechless—and maybe even questioning everything you thought you knew about history. From Angkor Wat in Cambodia to Machu Picchu in Peru to Pompeii in Italy, discover some of the most amazing ancient ruins on Earth. There are countless incredible ruins around the world, from the earliest dwellings of hunter-gatherer families to the fortified castles of empires. Few things excite me more in my travels than the opportunity to explore ancient ruins. From crumbling temples to meticulously planned cities, ingenious engineering, and mysterious monuments, these structures have (somewhat) withstood the test of time.