The human race has always been passionate about the many deities that we’ve worshipped over the last few thousand years. This passion has led to countless temples being erected across the planet, with some little more than shrines, while others are incredibly complex works of architecture that often match even our modern standards.
We’ve been building temples for at least 10000 years, and while we’ve yet to find them all, these are some of the oldest that we have discovered so far.
1. The Temple of Seti I
This incredible site is the mortuary temple of the Pharaoh Seti I and can be found on the west bank of the Nile river. It was created at the end of the reign of the Pharaoh, and most likely was only finished when Ramesses the Great had taken over control of the region.
This temple was dedicated to a number of different deities, with many of the reliefs within the construction showing incredible detail of their beliefs. It’s among the most important archaeological sites in Egypt to this day, and worth seeing for those that win big at spin Australian online roulette tables.
2. The Temple of Hatshepsut
Another mortuary temple from ancient Egypt, this was constructed in honour of Hatshepsut, who was the ruler of Egypt for 19 years. It can be found on the west bank of the Nile below the cliffs of Deir el Bahari.
Designed by the royal architect of the time, Senemut, the temple was designed to serve as a place of posthumous worship, as well as to honour Amun.
3. Stonehenge
As one of the most famous temples in the world, Stonehenge almost never needs an introduction. Consisting of a number of massive stones set in a circle, Stonehenge is a marvel of engineering and mathematical design.
Much of the site remains a mystery to this day, as the original British culture that first built it left behind no records of what it was really used for, and how they were able to build it with such precision. How the stones were moved and placed is also a mystery, but many believe it took dozens generations to fully complete.
4. Hagar Qim
Found on a cliff in the southern half of the island of Malta, these temples can be found almost a kilometer down from the cliff. Hagar Qim consists of a single, main temple, along with a number of small structures around it.
These temples were built between 3600 and 3200BC, and a number of valuable artifacts have been discovered. It’s believed they were used for religious purposes.
5. The Ggantija Temples
Found on the island of Gozo in Malta, these temples are considered to be the oldest in Europe, having been constructed between 3600 and 3000 BC, meaning they predate both the pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge by over a thousand years.
Consisting of two main structures, Ggantijia’s true purpose remains a mystery, although some experts believe that it was part of a fertility cult.
