The oldest city in the world is now over 11 thousand years old
The 3 oldest cities in the world are located in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria
These countries are situated in the territory of Levant — one of the places where civilization developed on planet Earth
Левант "Джерело - rashidfaridi.com"
Jericho, Palestine — the oldest city in the world
Founded 11 thousand years ago (9th millennium BC)
A city that has been destroyed and rebuilt many times
It was previously called the "City of Palms," and it was a center of trade and social life
Followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam come here as pilgrims
Єрихон - найдавніше місто у світі "Джерело - www.touristisrael.com"
Byblos (Biblos), Lebanon
Phoenician city
Founded 10 thousand years ago (7th millennium BC)
Now the city is called Jbeil
40 thousand residents
It has a Roman theater, the Church of St. John, and an archaeological park
Місто Джубейль (Бібл), Ліван
Aleppo, Syria
The city was founded in the 5th millennium BC.
It was ruled by Assyrians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Crusaders, Mongols, and Ottomans
Aleppo resembles a European city with an Eastern flavor
Over 2 million residents
Many historical sites have been completely destroyed due to armed conflicts
The city is now being rebuilt again
Алеппо, Сирія. Травень 2013
El-Fayoum, Egypt
The city was founded at the turn of the 5th-4th millennia BC.
El-Fayoum became famous for the Fayum portraits, which replaced burial masks on mummies 2 thousand years ago
One of the city's landmarks is the Waterwheels from the Ptolemaic state
Over 300 thousand residents
Водяні колеса. Ель-Файюм, Єгипет
Портрет Фаюма розташований на обличчі померлого "Джерело - Вікіпедія"
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The city was founded 6 thousand years ago (4th millennium BC)
Plovdiv, like Rome, was built on seven hills, making it important for the Roman Empire and later the Ottomans
The city is now a center of modern Bulgarian art
350 thousand residents
The city lives simultaneously in the past and the modern world, as the central street divides it into two parts — old and new
Пловдив, Болгарія "Джерело - plovdivcitycard.com"
Athens, Greece
The city was founded in the 3rd millennium BC.
The residents of Athens managed to preserve the ancient charm in the modern city
The rich history of the oldest city in Greece can be seen on the sacred hill of the Acropolis
Over 670 thousand residents
Афіни, Греція "Джерело - www.norwegian.com"
Jerusalem, Israel, Palestine
The city was founded in the 3rd millennium BC.
Center of three religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam (it preserves ancient buildings and artifacts that are equally important for these religions)
In the center of Jerusalem is the Old City
On its territory are the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock mosque on the Temple Mount
According to legend, Adam and Eve settled in this place after being expelled from paradise
Damascus is considered the oldest capital in the world
The city was founded in the 8th millennium BC, but became an important center in the 2nd millennium BC.
The city was ruled by ancient Romans and Greeks, Crusaders, and Muslims
In the old city, the fortress wall and gates from the Roman Empire era and the largest mosque in Syria, the Umayyad Mosque, have been preserved
Over 1 million 800 thousand residents
Дамаск, Сирія "Джерело - eden.uktv.co.uk"
Tyre (Sur, Tzor), Lebanon
The city was founded in the 3rd millennium BC by the Phoenicians
Tyre is one of the cities mentioned in the Bible
The old part of the city has been preserved with a hippodrome, a Roman road, and a large Triumphal Arch
Over 60 thousand residents
Головна дорога через руїни стародавнього Тира, Ліван "Джерело - www.britannica.com"
Varanasi, India
The city was founded in the 1st millennium BC.
Varanasi is a holy city in Hinduism and an educational center of India
Thousands of pilgrims come here to complete their life journey and bathe in the Ganges River
The city has suffered many attacks, so almost no ancient architecture remains
Nearly 1.5 million residents
Варанасі, Індія "Джерело - www.britannica.com"
Venice — the city that ruled the world
In the 4th century, when the Western Roman Empire declined, Europe was engulfed in chaos and constant wars
Germanic tribes, Huns, and other barbarians plundered and ravaged the cities of Northeastern Italy
Italians were forced to seek refuge along the Adriatic coast, among a mass of marshy islands that were absolutely unsuitable for permanent habitation due to the lack of fresh water sources. However, it was safer here
Soon they discovered that fresh water could be obtained by boiling seawater, which also produced salt, which began to be called "edible gold"
The soil on the islands consisted of mud and sand and did not allow for sturdy dwellings to be built
Venetians established massive piles that became the foundation for future buildings
Over time, Venetians became known as sailors and shipbuilders, and Venice, thanks to salt trade, became the trading capital of the Mediterranean, and after the decline of Constantinople — the richest city in contemporary Europe
Карта Венеції. Розмальована гравюра, 1565 рік "Джерело - Вікіпедія"
Басейн Сан-Марко, Венеція, 1697, Гаспар ван Віттель "Джерело - Wikimedia Commons"
