Take A Look At 25 Of The Oldest Buildings On The Planet

Located on the island of Gozo, these two temples are more than 5500 years old, and some of the oldest manmade religious structures in the world.

This Neolithic farm on the island of Papa Westray is the oldest surviving building in the UK and has intact stone furniture.

The megalithic temple structures at Tarxien in Malta were used for ritual sacrifices and as a cremation cemetery.

Consisting of a large circular mound filled with decorated passageways and chambers, this Neolithic structure is thought to have had religious significance.

One of the best preserved Neolithic villages in Europe, Skara Brae is one of many prehistoric structures on the Orkney Islands.

Perhaps the most famous prehistoric structure in all of Europe, no one really knows what the ring of standing stones at Stonehenge was used for.

Built by the Pharaoh Djoser (Zoser), this step pyramid predates those at Giza by more than a century, making it Egypt’s oldest surviving pyramid

One of the earliest urban settlements, this city of the Indus Valley Civilization has a sophisticated road and drainage system, with two storied brick houses and public baths.

The only remaining wonder of the ancient world, the three Pyramids of Giza are truly astonishing in their magnificent scale and grandeur.

Near the mouth of the Tigris and the Euphrates, in what was the city of Ur, this Neo-Sumerian Ziggurat was partially reconstructed in the 1980s under Saddam Hussein.

Part of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, also called Waset, the temples of Karnak and Luxor as well as the nearby necropolis, the Valley of Kings, are awe-inspiring.

This sprawling palace complex and nearby city were the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization with a population of 100,000 people.

Located on the western bank of Lake Nasser, the twin temples were entirely relocated in 1968 when they were under threat of being submerged by the Aswan High Dam

Once a major Greek city, Pasteum (Poseidonia in Greek) is famous for the remarkably well-preserved complex of three temples in the Doric style to Hera and Athena.

Part of the ancient settlement of Pasargadae, the tomb of Cyrus the Great is near the hilltop fortress of Toll-e Takht.

The ancient capital of the First Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire), the city would have been known as Pārsa to the ancient Persians.

Atop the Acropolis of Athens, this lavishly decorated temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena, patron of the city. While it is still under reconstruction, a full-scale replica can be found in Nashville.

Part of a larger Thracian necropolis near the ancient Thracian capital of Seuthopolis, this tomb is full of colorful murals representing a ritual funeral feast

One of the newest Egyptian temples, it is located on an island in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam. Said to be the burial place of the god Osiris, it also contains a temple to his wife, Isis.

Commissioned by the Emperor Ashoka the Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures in India. It houses relics of the Buddha

Built over 38 years, this vast complex houses the famous Terracotta Army which guard the resting place of Qin Shi Huang (who also built the first part of the Great Wall)

The 29 rock-cut Buddhist caves were started in the 2nd century BC, and their sculptures and paintings are among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art.

Built by King Dutugemunu, this Sri Lankan stupa was renovated in the early 20th century.

Located in Nîmes, in southern France, it is one of the best preserved Roman temples in the world.

Rome’s most famous classical ruin is also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. Seating well over 50,000 people, it is located just next to the ruins of the Roman Forum