The railway journeys capable of crossing entire continents
Did you know that some of the world's most modern cities are in fact among the most ancient? While their contemporary steel and glass veneer suggest a recent history, many of these cities are built on foundations that date back to antiquity. These historic building blocks have preserved a wealth of breathtaking monuments that provide a compelling contrast between the old and the new. So, what are the oldest and newest cities on the planet?
Click through and discover these fascinating urban destinations.
Mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast, Lisbon has served as an important seaport since the Roman era. Subsequently occupied by the Visigoths and later the Moors, the city is quite literally built on the foundations of several different civilizations.
Vestiges of Roman and Moorish rule are visible in Lisbon's historic zones, noticeably parts of the Cerca Velha ("Old Wall"), originally built by the Romans.
Modern-day Luxor sits on the east bank of the Nile River in southern Egypt. It occupies the site of ancient Thebes, the great capital of Upper Egypt during the New Kingdom.
Luxor has given its name to the southern half of the ruins of this historic destination, which contains some of the most impressive monuments from antiquity, including the temple complexes at Karnak (pictured) and Luxor, both of which stand within the modern city.
This sprawling megalopolis was founded as Mexico-Tenochtitlan by the Mexica people in 1325. It was Hernán Cortés who was tasked with rebuilding Plaza del Zocalo, the Aztec ceremonial and political center that serves as Mexico City's main square.
Few remnants of Mexico City's ancient Aztec civilization still exist. The best example is the outstanding Templo Mayor, one of the last standing ruins dating back to the pre-Columbian Aztec Empire. It's set in the very heart of the city.
There are pockets of modern-day Rome that are almost entirely bereft of contemporary new-build structures, such is the astonishing collection of ancient gems that define this fabled city.
Rome was founded in 753 BCE and is one of the oldest continuously-occupied cities in Europe. Its rare and precious landmarks include the mighty Colosseum and the Roman Forum (pictured).
Lima, the capital of Peru, is one of the largest cities in the Americas, with a population of nearly 10 million people in its urban core alone.
Lima was established in 1535. The city, however, is set over ancient foundations that date back to the pre-Columbian era. In the 1950s, archaeologists uncovered an adobe pyramid believed to have been used by the Incas and the Hullala people more than 2,000 years ago. It was given the name Huaca Huallamarca, and is located in Lima's San Isidro district.
One of the world's global cities, London has a population of nearly nine million souls. It's been a major settlement for over two millennia.
The city was founded by the Romans in 47 CE as Londinium, the capital of Roman Britain. Vestiges of their occupation can still be seen in the surviving sections of wall that would have once ringed the entire city.
Athens is the perfect example of a modern city coexisting with its ancient past. The Greek capital boasts a recorded history spanning over 3,400 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.
Evidence of classical Athens can be seen everywhere. This image, for example, includes the Acropolis of Athens, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, Hekatompedon Temple, the Sanctuary of Zeus Polieus, the Roman-era Odeon of Herodes Atticus, and the Erechtheion.
The Fortress Wall of Seoul stands as a solid reminder of the city's 14th-centuy heritage, and originally circled the heart of the old city as protection from would-be invaders.
The origins of Catalonia's culturally rich capital date back to at least the Romans, who established a colony at the site of present-day Barcelona. The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century and later by the Moors, in the 8th century.
A Roman necropolis from the 3rd century CE supposedly contains the remains of up to 70 individuals, and the remains of Roman-era walls are still discernible.
One of the world's major centers of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, gastronomy, science, and arts, Paris stands on a site once occupied by Iron Age settlers. It was known to the Romans as Luteciam Parisiorum.
By the 8th century CE, Paris was the largest and most prosperous city in France. But it was running out of room. By the beginning of the 19th century, the city had expanded over the series of underground ossuaries built around 1786 and containing the remains of more than six million people. Today, the Paris Catacombs are a major tourist site.
The Bosphorus river cuts Istanbul in half to anchor one part of the city in Europe, the other in Asia. Turkey's largest city is home to over 15 million residents.
A settlement was established by Greek colonists on the site of the present city in the 7th century BCE, and was named Byzantion. It was the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great who renamed it Constantinople, around 330 CE. Istanbul today numbers a rich collection of monuments including the Column of Constantine, seen in this image at the bottom left.
Xi’an, the capital of China's Shaanxi Province, is one of the oldest cities in China, the oldest prefecture capital, and one of the Chinese Four Great Ancient Capitals.
Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin dynasty—the first dynasty of Imperial China, lasting from 221 to 206 BCE—was responsible for the city-sized mausoleum guarded by the life-sized Terracotta Army, today one of the most unique visitor attractions in the world.
Located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Madurai is one of the oldest cities in the region, mentioned in texts as early as the 6th century BCE.
Madurai is built around the Meenakshi Amman Temple, which served as the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city. The building is renowned for its exquisitely decorated exterior.
Tulum, a bustling city of 46,000, sits on the east coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea.
The modern conurbation embraces the site of a pre-Columbian Mayan walled city, which dates back to around 564 CE. The well-preserved ruins of ancient Tulum serve as a major tourist destination, with the Templo Dios del Viento ("God of Winds Temple") an architectural highlight.
Founded in 794 CE as the new seat of Japan's imperial court by Emperor Kanmu, Kyoto was originally named Heian-kyō and once served as Japan's capital.
Kyoto is still regarded as the country's cultural capital, however, for its numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, decorative pagodas, beautiful palaces, and colorful gardens.
Sources: (World Atlas) (National Geographic) (Britannica)
Modern cities built on ancient ruins
The fascinating history of some modern cities...
TRAVEL History
Did you know that some of the world's most modern cities are in fact among the most ancient? While their contemporary steel and glass veneer suggest a recent history, many of these cities are built on foundations that date back to antiquity. These historic building blocks have preserved a wealth of breathtaking monuments that provide a compelling contrast between the old and the new. So, what are the oldest and newest cities on the planet?
Click through and discover these fascinating urban destinations.