13 Mysterious Historical Monuments

Our ancestors built some outstanding buildings that are impossible to make. These buildings were so unique that, for centuries, scientists have been looking for clues on who, why, and how they were built. From practical to extraterrestrial, many kinds of theories were made.
Stonehenge, England
According to a myth, the Stonehenge was assembled by the magician Merlin, since it was first seen long before the time of King Arthur’s companion. However, the big question was how they transferred these unbelievably heavy boulders from the quarry located hundreds of kilometers away. To this day, the purpose of its construction is unclear. We might never know whether it was built to emulate the solar system, or be a sanctuary of Druids and Celtic priests.

Baalbek, Lebanon
This antique style of a temple was once called the pearl of the ruins of a formerly wealthy city. However, these blocks of stones that weigh up to 1000 tons each was impossible for the Romans to install since there was no technology to help them that time. In comparison, the Parthenon in Athens is just half as big as the Lebanese giant, and the Great Pyramid’s biggest block only weighs 90 tons. The foundation is credited to the Egyptians, or if not to giants. Others believe that it might be the foundation of the Tower of Babel.

Newgrange, Ireland
People began their research on this mystifying landmark three centuries after its discovery in the 17th Century. The excavation revealed a perfectly round hill that was older than the pyramids of Egypt. At the very center of the hill, archaeologists found a tomb. During the solstice in Newgrange, one can witness an actual astronomical occurrence where a trace of light slowly fills the entire room. They believe that is mound was an entry to the place of fairies and elves.

Dolmens of North Caucasus, Russia
These flat-stone houses is located on the mountain slopes of North Caucasus, Russia. The holes in front of the house can be sealed using a stopper. These stoppers usually weigh in tons, but what's even more astonishing is the fact these plates fit perfectly into the holes. The measurement is so precise you can't even insert a knife blade between them. These structures is about 5000 years old and some of them are well-known for their healing properties.

Tikal, Guatemala
One of the biggest Maya settlements is hidden in one of the many green jungles of Guatemala. And although there are playing fields for ball game, synthetic ponds and palaces built all around the place, the main focus is still given to the pyramids that make the town square. They were constructed in a temporary arrangement that corresponds to the period of its evolution. There are a lot of theories as to what they were built for: from religious buildings to cemeteries to research centers. Even the origin of the name ’Tikal’ is also unclear. But the place became popularly known as the 'City of Voices' because even a whisper there echoes hollowly.

Bolshoi Zayatsky Island’s stone labyrinths, Russia
The Solovetsky islands in Russia are decorated with spiral shaped labyrinths. The entrance and the exit are the same, so if you strictly follow the tracks formed by the boulders, you'll eventually exit where you entered. The locals called them ’Babylons.’ But what were they for? Some scholars claimed they were like fish traps, while other believe they were used as a playground for round dances and games. But the agreed that these labyrinths were ritual structures used to communicate with the spirit world.

Petra, Jordan
At the height of 900 meters above sea level, an enormous ‘nest’ is concealed within rocks. This kind of work is impossible without scaffolding, but the builders at the time had an extraordinary patience to transform the rocks into a masterpiece of Petra. It is believed to be a mausoleum or a temple.

Stone spheres of Costa Rica
The Pacific coast’s prehistoric petrospheres were almost ruined: the workers who found the stones thought that there was gold inside. The artifacts still suffered though as they were placed on the city square to attract tourists. Due to the constant movements, an exact dating is hopeless. The theory of their origin by water proved not to be viable. What are they? No one really knows.

Terracotta Army, China
More than 8000 statues of Chinese warriors and horses were preserved in the mausoleum Qin Shi Huang. They were buried together with the governor irrespective of their tradition. This handcrafted army from 200 BC is life-sized and no two faces are alike. Scientists had be very cautious during the 1970s excavation. This was for security reasons because of an ancient legend which states that a river of mercury had to escort the emperor in the afterlife.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Europeans weren’t aware that this complex existed until the 19th century. Having learned of it, they doubted that this was the work of Khmer people because the brickwork was very solid. Sometimes the seams are unnoticeable as the stones are exceptionally smooth. The building was kept intact by its own weight. The collection of 200 temples was strategically planned in such a way that a tourist approaching from both sides can only see three of them. In the rainy season, the scenery is quite stunning: a wide water-filled moat makes Angkor Wat looks like an island in the middle of a vast ocean.

The Easter Island Statues, Chile
These monoliths were discovered along the Easter Islands of Chile, but there’s evidence that these colossal maoi statues were moved from place to place. Unfortunately, the people whose descendants could shed light on these mysterious statues died a long time ago because of slave trading. The only way now to solve the mysteries of the island is to study the statues. Although experiments confirmed that moving the giants statues was possible, we still don’t know exactly how they did it.

Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt
The Great Sphinx of Giza is, perhaps, the biggest mystery of all time. Many believed that this was the work of the Pharaohs. Nonetheless, they only restored the Sphinx. His body, similar to a lion, is covered with markings which could be the traces of the Great Flood. Another peculiar thing is that the head clearly isn't proportionate to the body. And as it turns out, there are rooms inside and underneath the Great Sphinx. Any attempt to study the rooms were met with accidents or restrictions from the authorities. So we still don't know whether the Sphinx was really built to guard the desert or as a gateway to something even more mysterious, like the sunken Atlantis.

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