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CategoriesTemple complexes
Sacred precincts, sanctuaries and the architecture of ritual.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Tell
Iron Age (c.1200–700 BCE; Moabite 900–700, destruction c.700) · Moabite → Israelite (Gad?) → Assyrian destruction
Khirbat Ataruz is likely biblical Ataroth (Numbers 32, Mesha Stele) — massive moat, double wall and Iron complex: gate, cultic building with horned altar, bull...
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Archaic to Roman (600 BCE – 250 CE) · Milesian Greek to Hellenistic Seleucid to Roman
Eastern hypaethral adyton with sacred spring and stadium of Branchidae oracle.
🇨🇳 China · Archaeological wonder
Ming to Qing 1406–1420 construction, occupied 1420–1912 CE · Ming / Qing Chinese imperial
Ming-Qing imperial palace (1420–1912, 961 buildings, 9,999 rooms) occupying 72 ha within Beijing's inner city, the world's largest wooden palace ensemble.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Hellenistic (300–150 BCE) foundation over Archaic · Hellenistic Lysimachan Heracleans with Karian memory
Athena peripteros 6×11 on cyclopean walled acropolis above Bafa Lake Endymion heroon.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Ancient city
Anuradhapura Period 377 BCE–1017 CE (peak 1st–10th c CE) · Sinhalese Theravada Buddhist (Anuradhapura Kingdom)
Sinhalese capital for 1,400 years (377 BCE–1017 CE) and great Theravada monastic center with three 4th–2nd c BCE brick dagabas among tallest premodern structures: Jetavanaramaya (originally 122 m,…
🇮🇹 Italy · Temple complex
Archaeic-Classical Greek 600–450 BCE · Greek (Achaean colonists) then Lucanian and Roman
Mainland Italy's three perfect Greek Doric temples, era 550–460 BCE.
🇵🇰 Pakistan · Temple complex
Kushan (80 BCE–500 CE) Parthian–Kushan Gandhara · Gandhara Buddhist (Takht-i-Bahi)
Takht-i-Bahi Monastery Eastern Terrace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan is a Kushan (80 BCE–500 CE) Parthian–Kushan Gandhara temple-complex attributed to Gandhara Buddhist (Takht-i-Bahi).
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Temple complex
Angkor Wat period (12th c. CE early) · Khmer (Suryavarman II)
Banteay Samre Extension — Eastern Reservoir Terrace in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia is a Angkor Wat period (12th c. CE early) temple-complex attributed to Khmer (Suryavarman II).
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Temple complex
Khmer Empire 893–1150 CE (peak 11th–12th c) · Khmer Hindu (Shaiva)
Dangrek escarpment Shiva temple (9th–12th c) aligned 800 m north-south axial causeway stairway rising 525 m, built by six kings (Yasovarman I to Suryavarman II).
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Northern Wei to Tang 493–907 CE (peak Northern Wei 493–534, Tang 618–907) · Chinese Buddhist (Wei-Tang)
1-km limestone gorge with 1345 caves and niches, 2,345 caves total? Actually 1,345 caves, 43 pagodas and 100,000+ Buddhist images (largest Vairocana 17.14 m) carved 493–907 CE from Northern Wei…
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Tang ~384–907 CE · Chinese Buddhist Northern Dynasties
Stacked-cliff wheat-plant-shaped grotto city with 7,200 sculptures on bolted plank galleries.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Classical (444–440 BCE) · Athenian (Periklean)
Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion in Attica, Greece is a Classical (444–440 BCE) temple-complex attributed to Athenian (Periklean).
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Eastern Wei to Tang (534 – 750 CE) · Buddhist Northern dynasties under Gao Qi and Tang
Cave 8 Manshan Buddha 3.6 m of Northern Qi–Tang on western slope.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Early Bronze Age (3000–2000 BCE) · Local Neolithic
Chaitya Arch Facade South in Tamil Nadu, India is a Early Bronze Age (3000–2000 BCE) temple complex attributed to Local Neolithic culture.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan (366 – 1368 CE) northern cells 960–1300 · Buddhist monastic Dunhuang oasis international
North cliff austere monastic cells 1000–1300 CE opposite southern painted scripture halls.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Temple complex
Late Classic Maya 600–900 CE, Chenes style · Maya (Chenes)
Intact Chenes palace at Tabasqueño with renowned zoomorphic portal: doorway transformed into gaping earth-monster mask with stacked Chaac masks and ear assemblages (INAH).
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Classical High 447–406 BCE over Bronze Age citadel · Athenian Classical Greek
Periclean citadel with Parthenon, Erechtheion Caryatids and Propylaia — summit of Classical Greece.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Pyramid
Ubaid to Ur III (5400–2112 BCE; ziggurat Ur III 2112–2000 BCE) · Sumerian (Eridu, Ubaid → Uruk → Ur III)
Tell at supposed first Sumerian city Eridu, sacred to water god Enki/Ea (Abzu). Eighteen superimposed mudbrick temples (Ubaid 5400–3800 BCE) culminating in Ur III ziggurat (~250 × 300 m enclosure, 3…
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Archaic to Roman 600 BCE–267 CE, Classical peak 5th c. BCE · Athenian Greek
Democratic square of Athens with intact Hephaisteion, Stoa of Attalos and Socratic stoa.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Hellenistic to Roman Hadrianic (200 BCE – 200 CE) · Karian to Roman Asia Euromian
Best-preserved Corinthian Zeus temple 6×11 with 17 standing columns at Milas plain.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · Temple complex
Kushan (1st–3rd century CE) · Kushan Buddhist
Kushan Buddhist monastery on Termez oasis — fresco hall with Alexander-processional mural (1st–3rd cent CE).
🇻🇳 Vietnam · Temple complex
Funan to Chenla (5th–12th century CE, Oc Eo phase 5th–7th, Chenla later) · Oc Eo → Chenla → Khmer
Plain of Reeds island temple (5th–12th cent) — 10 ha Funan–Chenla brick sanctuary in Dong Thap Muoi.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Mycenaean Helladic 1600–1100 BCE, peak 1350–1200 BCE · Mycenaean Greeks
Homeric citadel with Cyclopean walls, Lion Gate and gold mask tombs.
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Pyramid
Late Classic Terminal Classic transition c. 810–820 CE · Maya (Tikal late)
55 m high pyramid west of Tozzer Causeway, last great temple built at Tikal for Dark Sun / Chitam late 8th c: thickest roof comb remaining, steep 55° stair and jaguar-pelt sculpture of priest at…
