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Building
is defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting
or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy. This article attempts to
list the some top oldest buildings. The extant freestanding buildings
constructed in the world which are the masterpiece of the skill and
handwork of the people of that era. Today we become astonished to see
these wonders that in so remote ages without any modern technology and
machine how so great construction were made.
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Treasury of Atreus, Greece
This tomb was constructed during the Bronze Age, around 1250 BC over
3,250 years ago. Until the completion of the Pantheon, it was the
tallest and widest dome in the world. The site with its monumental shape
and grandeur is one of the most impressive monuments surviving from
Mycenaean Greece. |
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Tarxien Temples, Malta
The Tarxien Temples are an archaeological complex in Tarxien, Malta.
They date to approximately 3150 BC. The site was accepted as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1980. The Tarxien consist of three separate, but
attached temple structures. The main entrance is a reconstruction dating
from 1956, when the whole site was restored. At the same time, many of
the decorated slabs discovered on site were relocated indoors for
protection at the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. The first temple
has been dated to approximately 3150 BC and is the most elaborately
decorated of the temples of Malta. |
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Newgrange, Ireland
A prehistoric monument and the oldest buildings in Ireland. It was built
during the Neolithic period, around 3200 BC or up to 5,100 years ago.
Newgrange is older than the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge.
The building consists of a large circular mound with an inner stone
passageway and chambers. In these chambers, human bones, possible grave
or votive offerings were found. It is believed that the site had
religious significance, but there is no agreement about what the site
actually was used for. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction. The
site was regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of
Ireland. It was also noted as one of the most important megalithic
structures in Europe. |
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La Hougue Bie, Jersey
La Hougue Bie is a historic site, with museum, in the Parish of
Grouville, Jersey. This site was in use around 3500 BC. The site
consists of 18.6 meter long passage chamber covered by a 12.2 meter high
earth mound. The site was first excavated in 1925 by the Société
Jersiaise. In Western Europe, it is one of the largest and best
preserved passage graves and the most impressive and best preserved
monument of Armorican Passage Grave group. During World War II it was
used as a key lookout point, and an underground command bunker was built
in the mound and adjacent. |
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Knap of Howar, Scotland
This is the oldest stone house in Europe. It was originally part of a
Neolithic farmstead. Radiocarbon dating shows that it was standing since
3700 BC to 3100 BC, or up to 5,500 years ago. Now this site is in the
care of Historic Scotland. It is the third among oldest buildings in the
world.
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Megalithic Temples of Malta
These Temples on the island country of Malta have been claimed as the
oldest free-standing structures in world. The structures were
constructed during three distinct time periods approximately between
3600 BC and 700 BC, also over 5,500 years ago. Megalithic Temples of
Malta were used as religious temples, and are the oldest of their kind
in the world.
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