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"Venice of the Pacific" -

The remains are made up of 92 man-made islands constructed on coral reefs and connected by canals, earning the nickname "Venice of the Pacific."

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The meaning of the real name -

"Nan Madol" translates to "the space in between," alluding to the canals, while also acknowledging the city's historical significance and reputation for paranormal activity.

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The million dollar question -

What could motivate the construction of a city in the ocean, situated far away from any other known society?

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One thing is for certain -

The construction is an engineering marvel, comprising massive basalt slabs, created without the help of any of the tools we have today. 

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Impressive size -

The colossal basalt walls reach heights of around 25 ft (7.6 m) and are 17 ft (5 m) thick in certain areas.

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Megalithic architecture -

According to carbon dating, certain structures are approximately 900 years old, while the islets themselves can be traced back to the 8th and 9th centuries CE.

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Humans arrived before then -

According to Atlas Obscura, there is evidence of human activity dating back to the first or second century BCE. Limited information is available about the ancient civilization that resided in the region.

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Where did all that basalt come from? -

According to reports, the basalt stones originated from a volcanic plug on the other side of Pohnpei. Magma had solidified within the vent of an active volcano there.

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How was it transported? -

Archeologists today are unable to comprehend the means by which the immense stones were relocated and stacked on Pohnpei island, given the limited technological resources of that era.

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It rivals the work of the pyramids -

According to Oddity, constructing the megalithic structures would have demanded a comparable level of effort as the Egyptian pyramids, considering the rocks' estimated weight of 750,000 metric tons.

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Transportation theories -

Experts have proposed that rafts might have been employed to ferry the massive rocks to the reef, although there remain no explanations as to how they were initially transported from distant quarries or how they were transformed into those awe-inspiring formations.

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The location alone is baffling -

Why would someone opt for a remote location on a coral reef to transport all those rocks to, far away from civilization?

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Unusual islets -

The 92 islets are all similar in size and geometric shape, but no one knows why they are there or why they were built this way. 

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Mythology arrives -

According to Pohnpeian legend, the city was built by Olisihpa and Olosohpa, twin sorcerer brothers.

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A site for worship -

The brothers sought a location to construct an altar for worshipping Nahnisohn Sahpw, the deity of farming, an activity that is ironically impossible due to the islands' unfavorable conditions.

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How were the stones transported? -

According to legend, the brothers utilized rituals and enlisted the aid of a flying dragon to raise the enormous basalt and construct the islets of Nan Madol.

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Naturally, they ruled the city -

Olosohpa later became the inaugural Saudeleur, initiating a dynasty that governed Nan Madol until approximately 1628.

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When sorcery makes sense -

According to reports, the belief among many Pohnpeians remains that the ancient city was constructed through sorcery, as there is no other known explanation for how a massive 750,000 metric tons of basalt was transported.

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A sacred site -

This place, regardless of its origin, is known as a holy location established by the Saudeleur dynasty. This dynasty was home to chiefs, priests, and ordinary people who served them. The image depicts the tomb of the Saudeleur dynasty.

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Political seat of power -

The Saudeleur rulers required local chieftains to live in Nan Madol to oversee their activities and retain authority.

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Multiple applications for the islets -

According to Atlas Obscura, numerous islets were designated for specific purposes like residential areas, food preparation, coconut oil production, and canoe construction.

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It had quite a significant population -

The population of Nan Madol was believed to be over 1,000, while Pohnpei had around 25,000 people in total.

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No food, no water -

The Pohnpeians, who were under subjugation, had to supply the city with food and water because it was impossible to cultivate crops or gather fresh water on the reef.

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Surviving presented a logistical challenge -

This issue could be the reason why this remarkable city was left behind.

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Contesting stories of how it ended -

There are many tales of how the Saudeleur reign ended, but all of them attribute it to the legendary warrior Isokelekel in the 15th century, who, it’s said, implemented a new system of tribal chiefdom.

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It is known as "the ghost city" -

The mystery of the ancient city’s origins and purpose has naturally inspired quite a few legends involving spirits and ghosts. Some are scared to visit, while others go precisely for the spookiness!

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Inspired H.P. Lovecraft -

Howard Phillips Lovecraft, a well-known American writer, drew inspiration from Nan Madol for his fictional sunken city of R'lyeh in his Cthulhu mythos.

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'Call of Cthulhu' -

In his short story, he references the actual island of Pohnpei and incorporates the Nan Madol mythology into his portrayal of "The nightmare corpse-city of R’lyeh" which was "built in measureless eons behind history."

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It's a recent protected area -

Nan Madol became part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2016.

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But it is also at risk -

The ruins face multiple threats such as climate change, rising sea levels, encroaching mangroves, and unpredictable Pacific weather. These factors have led to its inclusion on the World Heritage in Danger List.

See also: The world's largest artificial islands

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