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Architecture of some cities dating back hundreds of years,
They are cities dating back hundreds of years, constantly inhabited,
that have been developing in one unbroken series of ages.
With ever-changing values and styles which, among other things,
have given rise to architectural memories of its long history.
These cities are not like the archaeological sites we visit to see how people lived thousands of years ago;
they are exactly the places where people have lived for thousands of years.
These are the places where people still live today, with their rich history buried under layers of paint
and concrete rather than the ground.
With ancient cities located in regions around the world, the diversity of architectural treasures that can be found in these cities is vast.
Below we will present you with a selection of some of the continuously inhabited cities from different regions of the world,
ranging from the youngest to the oldest, with a small excerpt from different architectural mysteries.
Akuma Pueblo, New Mexico, USA
(Inhabited since 1200 AD)
The Akuma Pueblo is located on the edge of a sandstone plateau next to a 112-meter depression, strategically created and well camouflaged.
The city is made up of more than 250 adobe dwellings, and traditional wooden stairs adorn the three-storey buildings, the only way to enter the upper floors of the houses.
Poznan, Poland
(Inhabited since 900 AD)
Pozna is characterized by historic buildings that have special features in their atypical facade decoration, found in a variety of styles and colours.
Bagan, Myanmar
(Inhabited since 849 AD)
Bagan is famous for its religious architecture, with more than 2,200 Burmese temples in Bagan today.
A fraction of the city’s more than 10,000 religious buildings were built between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries.
Tiruvanamala, India
(Inhabited since about 800 AD)
The history and urban organization of this city revolve around the Annamalaiyar Temple,
which dates back to the beginnings of Tiruvannamalai.
Perched on the sacred Annamalai Hills, this city is a site of pilgrimage for millions of people each year,
and may explain the city’s expansion beyond the temple walls.
Architecture of some cities dating back hundreds of years
Kyoto, Japan
(Inhabited since 794 AD)
Kyoto is one of the richest Japanese cities in traditional Japanese architecture.
Deep ledges extend from the curved rooftops that are characteristic of Japanese-style buildings, and can still be found throughout the city, as well as traditional Mashiya homes.
Luang Prabang, Laos
(Inhabited since 694 AD)
In Luang Prabang there are 33 Wat temples and surviving colonial architecture,
as well as remnants of the Lan Xang kingdom from the 16th-18th centuries.
There are also low wooden saddle roofs reminiscent of the city’s Thai building styles,
dating back to this time.
Nowadays, locals often build their homes on stilts, with space for animals under the houses.
Hanoi, Vietnam
(Inhabited since 454 AD)
Building taxes in Hanoi depend on the width of the building’s façade,
so many homes in the city are very thin and tall.
Ground floors are often used as shop space for building occupants,
and patios are added to improve airflow within tightly stacked homes.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
(Inhabited since 100-300 AD)
Tanzania has monolithic Arab mansions standing next to houses with finely carved wooden balconies,
originating in India.
This is in addition to historical influences from Arab, Persian, Indian and European architecture.
Cholula, Mexico
(Inhabited since 200 BC)
Cholula is home to the world’s largest adobe pyramid.
Its architecture is closely related to that of Teotihuacan, an ancient city in the Valley of Mexico.
Architecture of some cities dating back hundreds of years
Madurai, India
(Inhabited since 300 BC)
The urban scheme of Madurai is visible from above as a series of square streets that surround the Meenakshi Aman temple in the city center.
Its design dates back to the 16th century, when the Madwari king rearranged the city according to the Shilpa Shastras, or “rules of architecture”.
Berat, Albania
(Inhabited since 314 BC)
Known as the “town of a thousand windows”, the houses along the Aussum River have a forest of dark quarters against white walls.
Suzhou, China
(Inhabited since 514 BC)
Houses are lined with canals of Suzhou, as in Venice,
which lead directly to the water on stone foundations.
The windows and balconies frame the ceilings with long cornices and intricate wooden patterns.
Constantine, Algeria
(Inhabited since 600 BC)
Constantine’s buildings were built on the edge of a strait and seemed to melt into the mountain.
Carthage, Tunisia
(Inhabited since 814 BC)
Carthage was once home to a powerful port, heavily protected by walls and gates,
and traces of this structural achievement remain in the form of a circular canal on the coast where ships would remain in port.
Flores, Guatemala
(Inhabited since about 900 BC)
The last independent Maya nation survived the Spanish conquistadors until 1697 on the island of Flores,
which is now a small part of the city of Flores.
Everything that existed before this time has been destroyed and replaced by the current architecture of the city,
including the brightly painted brick buildings.
Cadiz, Spain
(Inhabited since 1100 BC)
The densely populated and narrow streets of Cadiz dot the ocean on a narrow peninsula,
hosting cathedrals and ornate neoclassical theatres.
Varanasi, India
(Inhabited since 1800 BC)
Legends say that Varanasi was founded by the Hindu god Shiva, and the city is famous for its ghats,
or river steps that rise from the Ganges.
There is over 80 ghats in Varanasi, most of which were built after the 18th century.
Some are used exclusively for cremation ceremonies, but are mostly used for river bathing and puja prayers.
Athens, Greece
(Inhabited since 5000 BC)
It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, older than Damascus and Jericho,
as it has archaeological evidence dating back to the early Neolithic period.
