For me, the most interesting part was the decoration around the site. Situated directly in the heart of the city, just 2 metro stops from the central train station, the ruins of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum are perhaps Italy’s top tourist draw. Göbekli Tepe – Photo via FlickrCC tonynetone, The oldest ruins on our list are the oldest in the world, with an estimated age of 10 to 12 thousand years old. So, without further ado, here are our 10 favourite ruins and ancient sites in photos. 10 of the best ancient ruins ... it flourished for over 400 years and at its peak was larger than any contemporary European city, ... and the best-preserved ancient monument in Croatia. The first is because it was the oldest site we visited, dating from 3500 BC. There are still many more to see, but I think we've checked off a good chunk of ancient ruins in Europe. In fact, some of these stone temples are believed to be the oldest free-standing structures on Earth next to Göbekli Tepe. The Acropolis of Athens – Photo via FlickrCC Jorge Láscar. Les Baux-de-Provence, in the Provence region of France, is one ancient site that has it all. Well, that’s our list of some of the more well-known and not so well-known ruins that you can explore in Europe. That’s exactly what we got when we visited Dunluce Castle. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1985. The stones have carvings of various animals on them, and perhaps one of the most puzzling aspects of Göbekli Tepe is that is seems to have been deliberately buried…. Many of the well-known structures are perched atop the so-called Acropolis and … Dunluce Castle – Photo via FlickrCC Jennifer Boyer. Turkey is full of history, from the Roman empire, to the Ottomans, to gaining its independence as its own country in 1923! We still get a kick out of the age of so many of the sites we’ve visited in Europe. Best Athens Ruins to visit. An hour’s drive outside of beautiful the Polish city of Krakow lies Ogrodzieniec Castle, a medieval castle dating from the 14th century. Like Rome’s they lie right in the centre of the ancient city. This photo shows the famous “fat lady” statue, thought to represent the Mother Goddess and used as a fertility charm. In fact, the stunning scenery is worth the trip alone and at just over an hour’s drive from Belfast, it is easy to get to. Let’s get started. This is not just a list of celebrated ruins in perfect condition. One of America’s best preserved cliff dwellings. Nothing says Northern Ireland like a moody Medieval castle, crumbling on the side of a cliff, overlooking a blustery ocean. We share our the ten best ruins and ancient historical sites we’ve visited in Europe from castles to aqueducts to a classical theatre. Or visit the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni, the only known underground temple from prehistoric times, and Mnajdra Temple, a larger complex overlooking the ocean. Built in the 1st century, the Pont du Gard, in the Occitanie region of France, was one of the first ancient sites we visited when we first moved to Europe. If you’d like to know more, Andrew, our resident castle expert, has written a great post on the history of Montaigle Castle Ruins. Many of the slabs are carved with animal figures or geometric patterns. The buildings cling to the hillside and are topped by the ruins of a once spectacular castle, The Château des Baux. Echoes of Roman domination remain throughout this vast area and one of the best examples of Roman architecture and engineering is at Pont Du Gard. Located in western Turkey and known today as Efes, Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the Ionian Coast. These cultures are the backbone of the western world, but all of them are so far away that most people see only one or two times in their lifetime. Dating from 10th century BCE, it has some Greek, but primarily Roman structures as it was conquered by the Roman Republic in 129 BCE. I settled on Pottu Codinu for a couple of reasons. ( (strlen( 'https://t.co/7inMjaWVKA' ) >= ? We were surprised to find that a lot of the ruins we visited were older than the pyramids! Many of them are thousands of years older than our country. Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the Background – Photo via Flickr CC Young Living Essential Oils. One of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world is the Roman Theatre of Orange, in Vaucluse, France. We discovered Daroca, Spain completely by chance, on a road trip while my parents were visiting Europe. The theatre is so well preserved that it is still used for drama festivals today! The Roman Forum Looking Towards the Colosseum – Photo via FlickrCC Robert Lowe. Built as a pagan temple to the gods, the Pantheon is Rome’s best-preserved ancient site, perhaps because it was later consecrated as … I love being surrounded by historic places I read about while growing up. Ruinsseem to materialize in the unlikeliest places in this former capital of the Roman province of Lusitania. Europe has a very long history. It is truly breath-taking. Poland Ancient Ruins: See reviews and photos of ancient ruins in Poland, Europe on Tripadvisor. At its height, the Roman Empire surrounded the Mediterranean Sea and stretched north, encompassing the Balkan peninsula and all of southern and far western Europe, including France, Spain, and even Britain. Day tours are available from Istanbul which include flights and transfers, so you can go there and back on the same day. Of course, Rome and Italy are the Holy Grail when it comes to Roman ruins in Europe, but I found a few not to miss treasures in southern Spain too! 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