There are so many remarkable historical places around the world to experience first-hand. Some sites have undergone major transformation, while others remain mostly unchanged over time. Historic images tell an engaging narrative about a place and its inhabitants as it changed over time and cultures that shaped its development.
From Giza’s pyramids to Petra’s ancient cliff city, here are five of the world’s most important historical places.
1. The Pyramids of Giza
Giza’s pyramids have long captivated the imaginations of visitors, mathematicians, engineers and archaeologists. While ancient Greek writers such as Herodotus and misinterpretations of biblical texts led some people to assume these mighty monuments were constructed using slave laborers alone, archaeological discoveries point towards paid laborers being the true culprits behind their construction.
History researchers speculate that it took 20 years to cut, transport and assemble the Great Pyramid from its 2.3 million blocks. Historians suspect most workers who worked on its construction were agricultural laborers who dedicated their spare time from other fields only when needed for Pyramid work.
Skeletal remains have revealed that workers lived in a temporary city near the pyramids covering 17 acres, where they enjoyed well-fed lifestyles with access to supplies from other parts of Egypt. Recent discoveries also point out part-time crews of skilled builders supplemented the year-round masons for increased production.
2. Petra
Petra is one of the world’s premier archaeological sites, once an important city full of tombs and temples carved into rock faces. It holds immense allure for visitors from around the globe and boasts a powerful aura of mysticism which draws them there from all directions.
Petra was inhabited during both prehistoric and ancient periods, yet its greatest flourishing came under the Nabataeans during the third century BCE when they made it an important center for trading spices, silk fabrics and incense.
Petra’s most iconic attraction today is undoubtedly its Treasury, an exquisite pink facade carved into a rock face. However, there’s much more to this city besides that iconic attraction; such as Monastery (once used as tomb) later converted to church status.
3. Easter Island
Easter Island (Rapa Nui), is an amazing historical treasure with a mysterious past and present. Attractions to visit include its impressive collection of moai statues – stone head-and-torso figures with ancient significance that number over 900 on Rapa Nui alone!
Moai were created as monuments to honor ancestors and chiefs from Rapa Nui. Due to their enormous weight and complexity, erecting and moving them around required tremendous efforts.
Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutch admiral, made the first recorded European contact with Rapa Nui Island in 1722 when he visited. Later named by Roggeveen after the date he arrived, this island soon began losing population as ships visited by European navies brought slavers who would kidnap any available men for their crews. By 1860s many visitors brought slavers with them that kidnapped men able to work the plantations.
4. Nan Madol
Nan Madol lies on a reef surrounding Temwen island in Federated States of Micronesia and represents one of the most isolated UNESCO World Heritage sites ever recognized, yet is home to ancient Polynesian culture.
This astounding complex of over 90 artificial islets and canals, known as “Venice of the Pacific,” was constructed by people who knew how to take advantage of what nature provided them. Their symbol of power was a dark-smooth prism-shaped basalt log which stood as a testament to their hard work.
Nan Madol served as both a place of religious ritual and political influence for Pohnpeians during the Saudeleur dynasty that ruled from around 1100 to 1500. Most of Nan Madol has fallen into disuse today; however, there are ongoing efforts underway to clear parts of its jungle-covered surface for better visitor access.
5. The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty, also known as Libertas, is a Roman goddess clad in white who holds a torch in one hand and an inscribed tablet bearing the date of independence (JULY IV MDCCLXXVI) written in Roman numerals on it in her other. She stands on broken chains to symbolize freedom from slavery.
Frederic Auguste Bartholdi designed this statue as a gift from France in commemoration of their alliance and friendship during the Revolutionary War. Gustave Eiffel designed its iron framework supporting its copper exterior as part of his plans for building the Eiffel Tower itself.
Over time, the Statue of Liberty has come to symbolize many things – welcoming immigrants while serving as an inspiration for suffragists and civil rights activists in America, along with those looking for freedom and progress worldwide.
