A temple can be defined as a building dedicated to religious or spiritual purposes. Temples have been constructed throughout history, and many new ones are established each year. Two recent examples are the Akshardham Temple in New Delhi, which was completed in 2008, and the White Temple in Chiang Rai, which is still under construction. The ancient temples on this list, on the other hand, were built millennia ago by individuals who no longer practised their religion or belief system. These constructions are among the world’s oldest man-made structures. They bear witness to the gods and goddesses of ancient societies and civilizations.
1: Stonehenge
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Stonehenge, one of the world’s most iconic sites, is made up of earthworks that surround a circular setting of enormous standing stones in south west England. Because Stonehenge was built by a culture that left no written records, many features of it are still up for contention. According to evidence, Stonehenge was built circa 2500 BC, with the final known work taking place around 1600 BC. The massive stones may have come from a quarry on the Marlborough Downs, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Stonehenge. Although the exact purpose of Stonehenge is unknown, many academics assume it was utilised as a ceremonial or religious site. Today, Stonehenge is a renowned tourist site in England, with excursions departing from a number of English cities. Also read, Best Bora Bora Hotels.
2: Temple of Hatshepsut
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Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple is located beneath the cliffs at Deir el Bahari on the west bank of the Nile, where she governed Egypt from roughly 1479 BC until her death in 1458 BC. It is a colonnaded edifice conceived and built by Senemut, Hatshepsut’s royal architect, to serve as a place of posthumous worship and to celebrate Amun’s splendour. The temple is constructed into a cliff face that rises dramatically above it, with three stacked terraces reaching a height of 30 metres (97 feet). Long ramps that were formerly encircled by gardens connect these terraces.
3: Luxor Temple
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The Luxor Temple was built in 1400 BC under the New Kingdom on the east bank of the Nile River in the ancient city of Thebes. The temple was devoted to Amun, Mut, and Chons, three Egyptian gods. This ancient temple was the focal point of Thebes’ most important celebration, Opet. The sculptures of the three Gods were transported from Karnak to Luxor’s temple down the avenue of sphinxes that connects the two temples during the annual celebration. During the 18th Dynasty, the celebration lasted 11 days, but by the time of Ramesses III in the 20th Dynasty, it had increased to 27 days. Luxor vacations are immensely popular with tourists nowadays, despite the fact that it is no longer an active religious site. Also read, Best Christmas Hotels In The UK.
4: Temple of Seti I
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The Temple of Seti I is Pharaoh Seti I’s mortuary temple in Abydos, on the west bank of the Nile. The ancient temple was built near the end of Seti’s reign and may have been completed after his death in 1279 BC by his son Ramesses the Great. The temple was dedicated not just to Seti I, but also to a variety of other gods. The raised reliefs of this ancient temple are among Egypt’s finest and most detailed. The Abydos King List is also kept in the temple. From Menes, the Egyptian ruler credited with creating the First Dynasty, until Ramesses I, Seti’s father, it is a chronological list of many dynastic pharaohs of Egypt.
5: Hypogeum
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Malta’s Hypogeum is the world’s only prehistoric underground temple. The temple is made up of rock-carved halls, rooms, and passageways. It was formerly a sanctuary before becoming a necropolis in prehistoric times. The complex is divided into three levels: upper (3600-3300 BC), middle (3300-3000 BC), and lower (3600-3300 BC) (3150 -2500 BC). The lowest level’s deepest room is 10.6 meters (35 feet) beneath. Only a limited number of tourists are permitted admission, and tickets can take up to 2-3 weeks to get. Also read, Best Hotels to Stay In Portugal.
6: Ggantija Temples
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The Stone Age Ggantija prehistoric temple complex is located high on a hill on the island of Gozo. The Ggantija temples, built between 3,600 and 3,000 BC, are the earliest of a sequence of megalithic temples in Malta, dating back over 1,000 years and predating Egypt’s pyramids and Britain’s Stonehenge. This megalithic monument consists of two temples that are built side by side and separated by a boundary wall. The abundance of figurines and statues suggest that the temples were formerly home to a fertility cult. Malta’s temples are the world’s oldest temples.
7: Temple of Amada
The Temple of Amada is Nubia’s oldest temple, having been built in the 15th century BC by Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III. Amun and Re-Horakhty were honoured in the temple. Later pharaohs made changes and embellished the tomb. For example, Akhenaten had the name Amun erased from the temple, but Seti I had it reinstated. The temple’s interior boasts some of the most skillfully cut reliefs with bright and vibrant colours, despite its small size and disintegrating facade.
8: Palace of Knossos
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The Palace of Knossos is the most prominent and well-known Minoan palace complex in Crete, located 5 kilometres (3 miles) south of Heraklion. Between 1700 and 1400 BC, the great palace was progressively erected, with recurrent rebuilding after demolition, until it was completely destroyed by fire. Living quarters, reception halls, workshops, shrines, and storerooms were all placed around a central square of the palace. The palace’s primary role is still up for contention. In a theocratic approach, it might have served as an administrative center, a religious center, or both. Knossos is also linked to the tale of Theseus, the Athenian hero who killed the Minotaur.