One of the most amazing archaeological ruins in the world

The world is home to a vast number of fascinating ancient ruins, from crumbling cities to Temples that has stood the test of time.

Many of these ancient societies were incredibly innovative and forward-thinking as well.

You only have to look at the meticulous layouts of the cities and his amazing engineering feats to see how true this is.

Some of them we don't even fully understand yet, here are the most amazing archaeological ruins in the world.

The most amazing archaeological ruins in the world

Archaeological Ruins - Ayutthaya, Thailand

Founded around 1350, Ayutthaya is a historic city that began as a trading and military center.

It was not long before this thriving trading port became the ancient capital of Thailand.

It held this title for four centuries until it was burned by Burmese invaders.

Since many of the city's temples and monuments were made of wood, The vast majority of them were destroyed.

Only about 50 artifacts and stone temples survived the fire and can still be seen today.

Since renovations began in the 1970s, exploring Ayutthaya's blend of Siamese and Sri Lankan architecture has become a popular day trip from Bangkok.

Ayutthaya, Thailand

Archaeological Ruins - Mesa Verde National Park, USA

Located deep in the American Southwest, you'll find Mesa Verde National Park with its impressive collection of 600 ancient clifftop dwellings.

The most famous of these residences is Cliff Palace, built into a massive sandstone cavity that has protected it from the elements for more than seven centuries.

It is the largest of its kind in North America and unlike the rest of the residences it has only a few rooms for residential purposes.

After being inhabited for nearly a century, these unusual cliff-side villages were suddenly abandoned in the 13th century.

Nobody knows why.

Today, about 4,800 archaeological sites dating back to 550 AD can be found on Mesa Verde, some of which are open to the public.

Mesa Verde Park, USA

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya is an ancient fortress carved into a 200-metre-high vertical rock face near the town of Dambulla in Sri Lanka. 

Further up on what is now known as Lion Rock are the impressive remains of an ancient civilization, believed to have been the capital of the Kassapa Kingdom. 

In its heyday, it included a castle, an upper palace, with stunning colorful frescoes, and a lion-shaped gate.

After the king's death, the capital was abandoned and used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.

While the climb to the top of Sigiriya is definitely not for the faint of heart, the views of the water features, ramparts, terraced gardens and cave shrines are well worth the effort.

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Hampi, India

Hampi is the second largest surviving medieval city after Beijing, and was once one of the richest cities in India.

Once a thriving centre of the Karnataka Empire with imperial temples and palaces, now only crumbling ruins remain.

Founded in the 14th century by princes, the former capital began as a simple religious centre on the riverbank. 

Highlights include the temple, which served as a personal place of worship for the royal family.

The House of Victory, the Temple of Vitala with its stone columns, and the Main Temple with its carvings depicting strange-looking sea creatures.

Hampi, India

Pompeii, Italy

The ancient ruins of the eerie city of Pompeii can be found near the Italian city of Naples.

When the famous Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted in 79 AD, it destroyed the Roman city in waves of lava and took more than 2,000 residents with it.

The ancient city was first discovered by chance under volcanic rock in the 1950s, and is well preserved.

However, it was not properly excavated and uncovered until two decades later.

To date, only 22 hectares of the original 66 have been discovered.

You can walk through the streets of these ancient Roman ruins and imagine the city as it was in its heyday.

There are remains of stone houses, temples and bakeries.

Pompeii, Italy

Tulum, Mexico

An hours drive from Cancun, the Tulum Ruins are the remains of an ancient clifftop fortress built by the Mayans.

Surrounded by walls on three sides and the fourth side open to the Caribbean Sea, the views are simply incredible.

Although it dates back to 564 AD, Tulum was at its peak during the 13th and 14th centuries.

Home to only 1,600 people, it was a powerful trading center for turquoise, jade, cotton, and cocoa beans.

Aside from the El Castillo pyramid, the main attraction, you can check out the beautiful mural inside the Temple of Frescoes and go swimming at Tulum's secret beach.

While you will have your choice of guided tours, you will discover more at your own pace.

Tulum, Mexico

Ephesus, Türkiye

Despite being one of the most impressive Greek and Roman monuments on Earth,

However, the ancient city of Ephesus is located in western Türkiye.

Dating back over 2,000 years, it was once home to the famous Temple of Artemis.

Unlike many other protected archaeological sites, you can touch, stand on and walk through every part of the city.

Notable landmarks include the Library of Celsus, the Bath of Varius, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Prytaneion.

It is also home to the 25,000-seat Great Theatre of Ephesus, the largest outdoor theatre in the ancient world.

Ephesus, Türkiye

Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Athens generally contains some of the most beautiful archaeological ruins in the world.

From its position above the city of Athens, the Acropolis topped by the Parthenon can be seen from any corner of the city. 

First built and inhabited by Pericles in the 5th century, the Acropolis eventually became a city of temples. 

These ancient structures were made of bronze and Pentelic marble, some of them plated with gold. 

Restoration work is still underway, so don't be surprised to see scaffolding.

Many of the original artifacts have been moved to the Acropolis Museum, so it's worth a visit while you're there too.

Acropolis, Greece