23.11.2019

The ancient kingdom of hell. ancient lost kingdoms ancient kingdom

Amazing cities, kingdoms, ruins of palaces, strangely preserved statues... and mysteriously disappeared inhabitants...

Anchor Wat
The golden age of Khmer civilization occurred between the 9th and 13th centuries during the reign of Kambuja, whose name gave Cambodia its name. He ruled vast territories from the capital of Angkor, in the west of Cambodia. Under the reign of Jayavarman VII, Kambuja reached its political and cultural heyday, which is now evident from the ruins of this palace, the central towers of which symbolize the peaks of Mount Meru - the center of the universe according to Hinduism, and on the towers the smiling faces of the gods carved from stone.

Ruins of Anuradhapura
This is the former capital of Sri Lanka during the heyday of the ancient Lankan civilization. This place is considered one of the most sacred, most important and longest inhabited among the ancient Lankan cities. The city was built around 380 BC and prospered until the population was resettled in Polonnaruwa in the 10th century AD. Still sacred to Buddhists and Hindus, this city is surrounded by monasteries.

Hugo Kingdom, Tibet
The mysterious Tibetan kingdom, founded by the son of King Glang Darma, formed around the 10th century and then collapsed under mysterious circumstances 700 years later. Its population of tens of thousands of people disappeared without a trace. The ruins to this day lie on the slopes of Ngari, famous for their Buddhist monasteries, snow-capped mountains and lakes. The preserved frescoes in the walls of this city are very important, showing the daily life of its former inhabitants, as well as the amazing statue of Buddha, made of gold and silver, is unique.

Humpy
Hampi is located among the ruins of Vijayanagara, former capital empire now known as the village of Karnataka, India. Perhaps thanks to this ancient city and the temple located in it, the village, which is located nearby, is considered the most important religious center. Since the village itself is located in the center of Vijayanagara, it is often confused with the ancient city itself. This place is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kingdom of Kerma
This kingdom was a rival ancient egypt in a period of time from about 2500 BC to 1520 BC. It was founded in Upper Nubia - now roughly between the Sudan and the east bank of the Nile - and was the main shopping center in the Middle Kingdom during Egyptian times. There is a cemetery in this place: on which you can see many large barrows, which are the tombs of emperors. Some archaeologists believe that the kingdom of Kerma could be related to the legendary Kingdom of Kush mentioned in the Book of Genesis.

The Buried Kingdom of Kotte
This kingdom is located on the border of the current city of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, it flourished on the territory of the current state in the 15th century. Its ruler was the last hereditary who managed to unite all the peoples of Sri Lanka. By 1450, Parkamab VI completed the unification. During his reign, literature and the arts flourished.

Kingdom of Koguro
Scattered across the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning are the remains of three cities - the mountain city of Wunu, Guonei and the mountain city of Wangdu - these are the sites of 14 royal tombs. All these cities once belonged to the Koguro culture, named after the dynasty of the same name, whose representatives ruled in different parts northern China and the northern part of the Korean peninsula from 277 BC to 668 AD.

sabaen kingdom
The Sabaenese lived in what is now Yemen between 2000 BC and the 8th century AD. This temple was recently discovered in Sirvaa, located east of Sanaa. Known as Almaga, the temple has been preserved in excellent condition with wide entrances and large interior rooms. All made of wood and stone, the tower-like ledges weigh about 6 tons. 7 huge columns were raised using a mechanism resembling a crane. The front of the temple is adorned with two huge sculptures of the Sabi kings.

Sukhothai Historical Park
Located in the north of Thailand. This city was the capital of the state of the same name, the heyday of which fell on the period of the 13th-14th centuries. The city walls form a rectangular space of 70 square kilometers, each wall has a gate. Inside you can find the remains of the royal palace and 26 temples, the largest of which is Wat Mahatha. The park is under the protection of the Department of Arts of Thailand, and is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The park is visited by many people to see and admire the ancient Buddha figure, the ruined palace complex and the ruins of temples.

"Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Najera", which received this title from the Castilian king Enrique IV in 1454, has a long and rich history. Research during archaeological sites prove that settlements on the site of the modern city of Naher and in its environs were still in the Bronze Age.

During the Iron Age, there was a rapid concentration of population in the territory of Nahera, which leads to the emergence of villages of a more complex organization, with rectangular houses, partially recessed into the rocks. It is these settlements of the Celtiberians that the Romans met during the conquest of the peninsula.

During the Roman period, modern Najera was part of Tritium Magalium (Trisio), located 2 kilometers from its current position, as evidenced by numerous fragments of ceramics and the remains of Terra Sigilata. (Tritium Magalium - in the historical aspect was one of the most important objects of the Roman Empire)

During the reign of the Moors, Castle de la Mota was erected here, a fortress on top of a hill overlooking Najera. This castle became the main platform for control over Upper Rioja and the main border point of the Christian world.

It was the Moors who gave the name to this city "Nashara", which meant "city among the rocks", and the Nalya River, on which the city was located, was nicknamed Nashara.

Since the beginning of the 10th century, Nahera has been constantly mentioned in the chronicles that tell about the struggle between the Moors and Christians.

In 923, King Sancho Garces I of Pamplona, with the assistance of King Ordoño II of Leon, returns Najera and the lands of Upper and Middle Rioja and transfers them to the rule of his son Garcia Sanchez under the name of the Kingdom of Najera.

After the destruction of Pamplona by Abderraman III in 924 and the death of his father, the following year García Sánchez moves his residence to Najera and proclaims himself King of Najera-Pamplona.

García Sanchez develops an active policy of settling new territories and acts with generous donations to the monasteries of the region, especially the Monastery of San Millan de la Cogolla.

The same policy is maintained in the early years of the reign of Sancho Garces II (970-994), but Almansor's campaigns force him and his son Garcia Sanchez II El Temblon (994-1004) to sign a surrender and pay tribute to Cordoba.

Under King Sancho III the Great (1004 - 1035), the Kingdom of Najera reaches its peak, occupying a third of the north of the peninsula between Cantabria and Catalonia. Sancho III was the great patron of the city of Najera, where he conducted the Cortes and gave the city the famous fueros, gave rise to the legislative activity of Navarre and the basis for the National Law. He patronizes the pilgrims going to Santiago de Campostela and builds shelters and hospitals in Najera, making the city a key town on the Camino de Santiago.

After the death of Sancho III, his empire was divided among the sons of Garcia Sanchez III de Navarra, Fernando I de Castilla, Ramiro I de Aragon and Gonzalo Sanchez. Thus, the Kingdom of Najera became the cradle of the kingdoms of Navarre, Castile and Aragon. According to the primacy at birth, Garcia Sanchez III (1035 - 1054), who received Najera and Navarre, had political hegemony over other territories.

Garcia Sanchez III increased the territory of his kingdom at the expense of Lower Rioja, having conquered Calahorra and Zaragoza, founded the monastery of Santa Maria la Real, as an episcopal see. He also founded the order of chivalry De la Jarra (or De la Terrace), the first order among the Christian kingdoms of the peninsula, supports the monastic writers of San Millan, Najera and Albelda. He died at the Battle of Atapuerca fighting his brother Fernando I of Castile in September 1054.

He is replaced by Sancho IV de Peñalen (1054-1076), who completes the construction of the Monastery of Santa Maria la Real. Together with Sancho Ramírez de Aragon, he faces attempts to annex the King of Castile.

In 1067, a council meets in the monastery, at which Mossarabian rituals are replaced by Roman ones.

In June 1076, Sancho IV becomes the victim of a conspiracy between his brothers, as a result of which he dies while hunting, being thrown off a mountain cliff. The conflicts caused by this event led to the division of the kingdom. Part of Navarre joins the kingdom of Aragon.

In 1113, Alfonso Batallador (Warrior) replaces Diego López de Haro I, who owned Najera, the main city of the present La Rioja region, and appoints Fortuna Garces Cajal, one of the most devoted barons of the Aragonese king, who manages the estate of La Rioja until 1134 .

After the death of Alfonso the Warrior, Najera, Calahorra and other border areas were captured by the King of Castile Alfonso VI, claiming to have hereditary rights to these lands. Thus ends the history of the Kingdom of Nahera.

Najera city keeps on playing important role in Spanish political and economic life and becomes the scene of other remarkable events.

In Najera there is a statue of King Fernando III the Saint. On May 1, 1218, Dona Berengela, with the support of the lord Lopez Diaz II de Haro, hands over the Spanish crown to her son Fernando III, the Saint. The coronation takes place in Najera at the site where the monument was erected, as evidenced by ancient manuscripts. Every year, on May 1, celebrations of this event are held in the city.

Later, Najera was involved in a fratricidal war between Pedro I the Cruel and his brother Enrique Trastamara. On April 3, 1367, the "Battle of Najera" took place, one of the bloodiest battles in the Hundred Years' War. Pedro the Cruel, with the support of British troops under the command of the Black Prince, defeats the army of Enrique II. After the battle, the city is subjected to severe repression, confirming the nickname of Pedro I.

In 1438, Juan II of Castile gave Najera the title of "city".

In 1454, Enrique IV the Powerless, King of Castile and Leon, awarded the city the title: "Most Noble and Most Loyal".

In 1465, Henry IV handed over the city of Najera, its castle and fortifications to Pedro Manrique de Lara, Count of Treviño, which was subsequently confirmed by the Catholic Kings, who also granted him the title of Duke of Najera. Manrique de Lara was a passionate admirer of Isabela I the Catholic, and then her grandson Carlos I, which he demonstrated more than once in the war for unification.

In 1520, the common people of the city of Najera took part in uprisings against the imperial policy of Carlos I. The rebels captured the fortress of Malpica, attacked the Alcazar and bombarded the city from there. The uprising was crushed by the troops of Antonio Manrique de Lara, the second Duke of Najera.

Emperor Carlos V visited Najera in 1520, 1523 and 1542. His son Philip II in 1592 on his way to Tarasona, where he participated in the Cortes of Aragon.

During Spanish war for independence against the troops of Napoleon, Najera was occupied by French troops, which caused heavy damage to the entire cultural and historical heritage of the city, especially the Monastery of Santa Maria la Real, from where all valuables were taken out.

We offer you to look at photographs of the ruins of amazing ancient cities, which still have not lost their beauty and grandeur.

(Total 9 photos)

The name Ankor Wat is translated from Khmer as "temple city". This largest religious building of all known on Earth was built at the beginning of the 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II. giant temple dedicated to Vishnu, one of supreme gods Hinduism. The huge temple symbolizes the sacred mountain Meru - the center of all universes and the abode of the gods. In the central part of the temple are more tall buildings, and along its perimeter there is a moat with water 200 m wide. The temple is decorated with five majestic lotus-shaped towers covered with carved figures. Many sculptures of this complex were badly damaged in the late 70s of the last century during the reign of Pol Pot. The total height of the temple is 65 m above the ground.

2. Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura is still the capital of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Today the city is divided into two parts - old and new, separated by a river. In the 1950s, the government specifically resettled local residents V " new town to save the ancient temples from destruction. The first settlements in these places date back to the 6th century BC. In 377 B.C. the city became the capital of the Sinhalese state. In the 11th century A.D. Anuradhapura was almost completely destroyed when the island was captured by the rulers of the South Indian state of Chola. Today this city attracts tourists and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world.

3. Guge Kingdom, Tibet

The founder of this Tibetan kingdom was the son of King Glang Darma, who ruled around the 10th century. 700 years after its founding, the kingdom perished under mysterious circumstances, and its population, numbering several tens of thousands of people, disappeared without a trace. The surviving ruins of the palace, standing on an impregnable rock near the cliff, allow us to judge how high the culture of this ancient kingdom was. In addition to numerous above-ground structures, the palace complex also includes caves with frescoed walls, and an intricate underground labyrinth.

4. Hampi, India

Hampi is a small Indian village, which is located right in the middle of the ancient ruins of the city of Vijayanagara (the name translates as "City of Victory") - the capital of the ancient Vijayanagar Empire, which occupied the entire south of the Indian subcontinent until the serena of the 17th century. Today, the remains of gopur temple towers rise right in the middle of the village. Thanks to this unique architectural heritage, the village of Hampi is included in the World Heritage List.

5. Realm of Kerma

This kingdom rivaled ancient Egypt in its power and grandeur from about 2500 BC. until 1520 BC The kingdom of Kerma was located in the Nile Valley in Upper Nubia, and was an important trading center of its time. Today, large burial mounds rise in the preserved cemetery, hiding the imperial burials. Some archaeologists believe that Kerma may have some connection with the kingdom of Kush, which is mentioned in the Book of Genesis.

6. Kotte State, Sri Lanka

This state existed on the island of Sri Lanka in the XV - XVI centuries, and stretched along almost the entire western coast of the island. Its last ruler, who managed to unite the entire island under his rule, was King Parakramabahu VI, who ruled the country for almost 55 years. After his death, the struggle for power became so aggravated that the state broke up into three regions, which were in a state of constant war with each other. In the 1550s, the Kote state was completely captured by the Portuguese.

7. Koguro Kingdom

Today, the remains of 14 tombs of the rulers of this state are scattered in three cities: Wunu, Guonei and Wangdu, located in the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning. In ancient times, all these cities belonged to the state of Koguro. Representatives of the ruling dynasty of Goguro ruled both in northern China and in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, starting from 277 BC. and up to 668 AD.

8. Sabaean kingdom

This ancient state existed on the territory of the present day from the end of the 2nd millennium BC. according to the III century. AD It was one of the largest states of the ancient Near East. The dawn of the Sabaean state fell on the VIII century. BC. In the picture you can see the ruins of an ancient Sabaean temple, which was recently discovered by archaeologists. The temple was decorated with huge columns and statues of rulers.

9. Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand

This historical monument, located in the northern part of Thailand, includes many beautiful ancient temples. The city of Sukhothai itself (the name translates as "Dawn of Happiness") was the capital of the state of Sukhothai in the 13th - 14th centuries. The city, whose territory was 70 square kilometers, was surrounded by fortress walls around the perimeter, and in the city itself there was a royal palace and 26 temples. The largest of these temples is Wat Mahathat, which combines a tower temple and a Buddhist stupa. Inside the temple is big statue seated buddha

In 1868, the book "Journey to the Kingdoms of Siam, Cambodia, Laos and other areas of central Indo-China" was published in Paris. These were the travel diaries of the French scientist Henri Muo. By that time, he himself was no longer alive: he died of a fever in Laos on November 7, 1861. Sap, there are the remains of ancient temples and palaces, the remains of canals, walls - a whole city. Half-forgotten and abandoned, half-ruined and deserted, overgrown with bushes, it is beautiful and mysterious.

In Europe at that time, many did not believe Muo.

From the book "Journey to the kingdoms of Siam, Cambodia, Laos and other areas of central Indo-China."
Chapter XVIII: "Ongkor. City, temple, palace and bridge":

Page 187: “Nkhor or Ongkor was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Cambodia or Khmer, once so famous among the great states of Indo-China that, according to the legends prevailing here, 123 tributary kings were subordinate to it. The army of the Khmer king numbered five million soldiers, stationed in an area of several leagues.

Exaggerations? Undoubtedly. But is it their business? After all, Henri Muo could not provide more reliable information that was stored at that time by no one yet disturbed in the archives of Portugal and Spain: the documents had to be found.

But the idea is correct. For indeed Cambodia had a glorious past, and majestic was its ancient civilization.

... Walls dotted with ancient reliefs, colonnades, galleries, towers, statues, terraces. He wandered around picturesque ruins, enjoyed their outlandish beauty for the eyes of a European, was surprised at their giant size. Muo simply did not know much then, and quite naturally. But he understood the main thing: the ruins he saw were unique. This is not only one of the most outstanding creations of the human spirit in the history of world art, but at the same time the history of a large and unique civilization frozen in stone.

Scientists subsequently measured the entire vast complex of buildings, freed stone walls and statues lost in the wilderness from lianas. They sketched and photographed the "temple-mountains" located on the ledges of terraces tapering upwards, and painted reliefs, and sculptures, and stone towers similar to pineapples, and ornament, and the faces of rulers ... Dozens of books, hundreds and hundreds of articles will be written about city, and temples.

But, perhaps, no one expressed his admiration more heartfelt than Muo. He wrote: “The temple (Muo meant the temple of Angkor Wat) is incomprehensible to the mind and beyond all imagination. You look in embarrassment and confusion, admire and, seized with reverence, freeze in reverent silence ... How sublime must have been the genius of this Michelangelo of the East, the genius of the creator of such a wondrous creation! He managed to connect the various parts into a single whole with such art that one can only be surprised at this. He followed the fulfillment of his dreams and achieved, both in general and in particular, such completeness of details worthy of the whole, which only the most gifted can do.

The ancient Kingdom of Sweden is one of the most highly developed countries, it occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of quality and standard of living. At the same time, the ecology and nature here are in excellent condition. Sweden is the Baltic Sea with picturesque islands, dense forests, deep lakes, Scandinavian mountains with ski resorts and, of course, Lapland. So in winter time this country literally turns into a fairy tale.

Walking through the streets of smart Stockholm, it's hard not to succumb to the temptation and stop by one of the many cafes that smells of mulled wine and fresh cinnamon and ginger buns. The whole of Stockholm is located on 14 islands connected by bridges. Its central part is Gamla Stan (or Old city) - This Royal Palace and many excellent museums and galleries. And most importantly - narrow, cobbled streets and colorful houses, on the roof of one of which Carlson certainly lives.

Gamla Stan - Old Town (Carlson is somewhere there!).

Christmas in Stockholm.