One Time Most Powerful Cities in the World But Now Lost

As the world continued to change, so many things changed along side with it. Civilizations got lost and new ones were reborn, nations lost their powers to other nations, even powerful cities that were once leaders of the world got drowned in oblivion. When we look back at the past, we would actually see that there were places that once existed but right now they are no where to be found. Most of them now lies in the hands of dilapidation...however, some of them used to be strong holds and economic powers of the world. Their oblivion could actually be traced to either the effects of war or simply natural disasters or the progression of life.   

Ephesus is an ancient city and one time a city of the Roman Empire. It reflects centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire. The important role the city played in the spread of Christianity actually made it famous. The city itself no longer exist however, it is currently located in the present day Turkey. 

Pompeii is a vast archaeological site in present day Italy. The city used to be a very powerful Roman city with economic and social prosperity under Emperor Titus. It became buried under meters of ash and pumice after the catastrophic volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Most people perished as well as their various possessions. However, the city of Herculaneum also suffered the same catastrophe but many people didn't loose their lives compare to Pompeii because the city was evacuated promptly. 

Mesa Verde National Park is an American national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado. It contains over 600 cliff dwellings once inhabited by the Anasazi people, who lived there from the seventh to fourteenth centuries AD. The city was mainly built from sandstone, wood and mortar. The park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States.

Palenque used to be an ancient city-state of Maya during the Maya civilization. The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples. The little empire is notable for its logosyllabic script— which was one of the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in pre-Columbian Americas. It architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system made the civilization more popular all across history. 

Built by the Inca people in the 15th century was the Machu Picchu city of ancient Peru. This lost city is renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar. The city spent just around 100 years before it was abandoned. However, it was latter discovered in 1911 and now a tourist center that attracts tourist all across the globe.  

Xanadu, was the summer capital of the Yuan dynasty of China. The city was designed by Chinese architect Liu Bingzhong from 1252 to 1256. At its peak, over 100,000 people lived within its walls. Today, only ruins remain, surrounded by a grassy mound that was once the city walls. However, efforts is being put in place to restore this ancient city. 

Great Zimbabwe is an ancient city in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe near Lake Mutirikwe and the town of Masvingo. Construction on the city began in the 11th century and continued until it was abandoned in the 15th century. The ruins that survive are built entirely of stone; they span 1,800 acres.