Title Anchor Wat in Khmer means "city-church." This is the great religious building of any known on Earth was built in the early XII century during the reign of King Suryavarman II. The giant temple dedicated to Vishnu, one of the supreme gods of Hinduism. The huge temple symbolizes the sacred Mount Meru - the center of all universes and the abode of the gods. In the central part of the church are more tall buildings, and passes around the perimeter of the moat width of 200 m. The temple is decorated with five majestic towers in the shape of lotus flowers, covered with carved figures. Many of the sculptures of this complex were severely damaged in the late 70s of last century during the reign of Pol Pot. The total height of the temple 65 m above the ground.
Anuradhapura and today is the capital of North-Central Province of Sri Lanka. Today the city is divided into two parts - the old and new, separated by a river. In 1950 the government resettled residents especially in the "new city" to save the ancient temples from destruction. The first settlements in this area date back to the VI century BC In 377 BC the city became the capital of the Sinhala state. In the eleventh century AD Anuradhapura was almost completely destroyed when the island was captured by the Chola rulers of South Indian States. Today it attracts tourists and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world.
The founder of the Tibetan kingdom was the son of King Glang Darma, who ruled around the tenth century. 700 years after its foundation, the kingdom perished under mysterious circumstances, and its population, numbering tens of thousands of people disappeared without trace. The surviving ruins of the palace, which stands on an impregnable rock near the cliff give an idea of how high the culture of this ancient kingdom. In addition to the numerous above-ground facilities in the palace complex are also caves with murals painted walls, and intricate underground labyrinth.
Hampi - a small Indian village, which is located right in the middle of the ancient ruins of Vijayanagara (the title translates as "City of Victory") - the capital of ancient Vidzhayanagarskoy Empire, which until Serena XVII century occupied the entire south Indian subcontinent. Today the remains of the temple towers of the Gopuram tower in the middle of the village. Because of this unique architectural heritage of the village of Hampi is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This kingdom was competing with its power and majesty of ancient Egypt from about 2500 BC to 1520 BC The Kingdom of Kerma was located in the valley of the Nile in Upper Nubia, and was an important trade center of its time. Today in towering high-preserved cemetery mounds that cover the imperial burial. Some archaeologists believe that the Kerma may have some connection with the kingdom of Kush, which is mentioned in Genesis.
This state existed on the island of Sri Lanka in the XV - XVI centuries, and dragged along almost the entire western coast of the island. Its last ruler, who managed to unite under his rule the whole island, was King Parakramabahu VI, who ruled the country for almost 55 years. After his death, the struggle for power is so acute that the state was divided into three areas that are in a constant state of war. In the 1550s the state was fully captured Cote Portuguese.
Today, the remains of 14 tombs of the rulers of this state are scattered in three cities: Vunu, Guoney and Wanda, are in the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning. In ancient times, all these cities belonged to the Koguryo. Representatives of the Koguryo dynasty ruled in northern China, and in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula from 277 BC and up to 668 AD
This is an ancient state existed on the territory of Yemen in the late 2nd millennium BC on the III. BC It was one of the largest states in the ancient Near East. Dawn Sabaean state accounted for the VIII century. BC In the picture you can see the ruins of the ancient Sabaean temple, which was recently discovered by archaeologists. The temple was decorated huge columns and statues of the rulers.
As part of this historic monument, located in the northern part of Thailand, is a lot of beautiful old churches. The city itself Sukhothai (the title translates as "Dawn of Happiness") was the capital of Sukhothai in the XIII - XIV centuries. The city, whose territory is 70 square kilometers, surrounded by perimeter walls, while in the city was the royal palace, and 26 churches. The biggest of these temples - Wat Mahathat, combining the temple-tower and a Buddhist stupa. Inside the temple there is a large statue of a seated Buddha
