🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Temple of Hephaestus (Hephaisteion)
Classical (High Classical, Age of Pericles) · Classical Greek (Athenian)
449–415 BCE Doric 6×13 temple atop Agora Kolonos, best-preserved Greek temple, Hephaestus–Athena Ergane.
🇦🇫 Afghanistan · Temple complex
Surkh Kotal Fire Temple
Kushan 2nd c CE (Kanishka) · Kushan imperial dynastic — Bactrian fire cult with Hellenistic architecture
Surkh Kotal Fire Temple — Kushan dynastic sanctuary (2nd c CE Kanishka period) on Surkh Kotal hill 18 km NE Puli Khumri, excavated 1952–63 by D. Schlumberger (DAFA).
🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Tenayuca Double-Stair Pyramid (El Cerrito)
Late Postclassic Aztec (Chichimec-Mexica) · Chichimec / Aztec (Tenayuca-Culhua-Mexica)
Aztec double-stair serpent pyramid Tenayuca (1224–1500 CE): 21 m six-stage twin-shrine pyramid encircled by 138 coiled serpent heads wall, INAH sequential casing showcase.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Pyramid
Tell Harmal (Shaduppum) — Old Babylonian Ramp Mound & Temple Platform
Old Babylonian (Isin-Larsa) 1950–1750 BCE · Babylonian (Isin-Larsa)
Old Babylonian fortified administrative town (c.1900–1750 BCE, Isin-Larsa to Hammurabi era) now Tell Harmal on Baghdad's eastern edge, dominated by central 25x25 m raised temple platform (ziggurat…
🇮🇹 Italy · Temple complex
Santa Cristina Well Sanctuary — Paulilatino, Sardinia
Final Bronze to Early Iron Age (c.1200–800 BCE) · Nuragic (Final Bronze–Early Iron)
The Santa Cristina well temple (Final Bronze–Early Iron Age, c.1200–800 BCE) near Paulilatino is Sardinia's finest nuragic well sanctuary: a perfect keyhole stair 12 m deep with 25 basalt steps…
🇺🇸 United States · Temple complex
Outer Chaco Canyon Village West — Chaco Canyon (55-39)
Neolithic (regional) · Neolithic
Outer Chaco Canyon Village West — Chaco Canyon (55-39) at Chaco Canyon, United States is a Neolithic (regional) temple complex of the Neolithic tradition, built c.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Outer Henan Citadel A — Henan, Erlitou (54-27)
Neolithic (regional) · Neolithic
Outer Henan Citadel A — Henan, Erlitou (54-27) at Henan, Erlitou, China is a Neolithic (regional) temple complex of the Neolithic tradition, built c. 200 CE for citadel and associated settlement.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Pyramid
Tell Khafajah (Tutub) — Temple Oval and Dur-Samsuiluna Platform Mound
Jemdet Nasr to Old Babylonian (3000–1750 BCE) · Sumerian–Akkadian (Diyala)
Major Diyala valley city (3000–1800 BCE) with the iconic Temple Oval — 80x75 m double-walled oval enclosure with inner 36 m oval temple terrace rising 4 m — earliest oval ziggurat precursor (Jemdet…
🇸🇩 Sudan · Temple complex
Upper Meroe Ridge A — Meroe (53-31)
Neolithic (regional) · Neolithic
Upper Meroe Ridge A — Meroe (53-31) at Meroe, Sudan is a Neolithic (regional) temple complex of the Neolithic tradition, built c. 3000 BCE for ridge and associated settlement.
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Pyramid
Aguateca Pyramid Sanctuary
Maya Late Classic terminal · Maya Petexbatun
Chasm-ringed Petexbatun fortress Aguateca (c.770–810 CE): Palace Barranca palace-pyramid complex, burned and abandoned leaving Pompeii-like elite workshops intact.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Temple complex
Esna — Khnum Temple Hypostyle North Column (Esna)
Old to Middle Kingdom (2700–1800 BCE) · Old–New Kingdom Egyptian
Esna — Khnum Temple Hypostyle North Column (Esna) in Luxor, Esna, Khnum Temple, Egypt is a Old to Middle Kingdom (2700–1800 BCE) temple complex attributed …
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Tiryns
Mycenaean 1600–1100 BCE, acme 1300–1200 BCE · Mycenaean
Cyclopean citadel with earliest vaulted galleries in Europe and megaron palace.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Telesterion of Eleusis — Hall of Mysteries
Mycenaean to Roman (1500 BCE–395 CE) · Eleusinian
Telesterion of Eleusis — Hall of Mysteries in Attica, Greece is a Mycenaean to Roman (1500 BCE–395 CE) temple-complex attributed to Eleusinian.
🇮🇳 India · Archaeological wonder
Rani ki Vav (Queen's Stepwell)
Solanki Chaulukya 1022–1063 CE · Gujarati / Solanki Hindu (Maru-Gurjara)
Jewel-box stepwell (1022–1063 CE) built by Queen Udayamati in memory of Bhima I, 64 m long with seven descending galleries and 500+ principal sculptures.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Selinunte Acropolis Temples — Sicily
Archaic to Hellenistic (651–250 BCE) · Megarian colonial Greek
Selinunte Acropolis Temples — Sicily in Sicily, Greece is a Archaic to Hellenistic (651–250 BCE) temple-complex attributed to Megarian colonial Greek.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · Archaeological wonder
Registan Square at Samarkand
Timurid Shaybanid 1417–1660 CE · Timurid / Uzbek (Turko-Persian Islamic)
Timurid and Shaybanid plaza framed by three majestic madrasas: Ulugh Beg (1417–1420) with astronomical iconography, Sher-Dor (1619–1636) with tiger mosaics defying aniconism, and Tilla-Kari…
🇲🇽 Mexico · Temple complex
Malinalco Archaeological Zone
Aztec Late Postclassic 1476–1501 CE · Aztec (Mexica)
Rock-cut Cuauhcalli temple 1501 CE, eagle-warrior initiation.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Ellora Caves
Late classical: Kalachuri, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta periods 600–1000 CE · Buddhist, Hindu (Shaiva), Jain under Rashtrakuta patronage
Largest rock-cut monastery-temple complex in world with 34 caves carved 600–1000 CE into basalt Charanandri Hills: 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu, 5 Jain, including monolithic Kailasa Temple (Cave 16)…
🇲🇾 Malaysia · Temple complex
Lembah Bujang
Early Kedah to Bujang Valley (200 BCE–1400 CE; peak 500–1100 CE) · Kedah Tua (Qarun) to Srivijaya–Langkasuka
Lembah Bujang is Malaysia's earliest Hindu–Buddhist entrepôt (200 BCE–1400 CE) — 224 candi and iron-smelting furnaces (200 BCE, 30 furnaces) along the Muda River–Merbok estuary, iron export to…
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Dashavatara Cave Temple — Deogarh
Gupta Golden Age (Classical India 320–550 CE) · Gupta Vaishnava; later Jain Chandella
525 CE earliest Nagara Panchayatana shikhara — Vishnu Anantasayana and Betwa Jain cliff.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Ialysos Athena Polias Temple — Filerimos Hill
Geometric to Medieval · Mycenaean, Dorian Rhodian, Byzantine, Knights
Rhodes 267-m Filerimos Doric Athena Polias 3rd BCE atop Minoan–Knights stratigraphy with sacred road and fountain.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Priene — Temple of Athena Polias and Grid City
Late Classical to Hellenistic (350–133 BCE) with Roman upkeep to 600 CE · Ionian Greek (Milesian) and Hellenistic Attalid
Alexander-dedicated Athena temple 334 BCE by Pytheos and pristine Hippodamian grid city.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Karahan Tepe Pillared Structure East Ridge — Western Terrace
Pre-Pottery Neolithic (9500-8500 BCE) · Pre-Pottery Neolithic
Karahan Tepe Pillared Structure East Ridge — Western Terrace in Southeastern Anatolia, Sanliurfa, Turkey is a Pre-Pottery Neolithic (9500-8500 BCE) temple complex attributed to Pre-Pottery Neolithic.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Kamiros Temple of Athena Polias — Rhodes Hilltop Terrace
Archaic to Hellenistic · Dorian Rhodian
NW Rhodes hilltop Doric Athena Polias above Hellenistic fountain agora with 200-m aqueduct, 6th BCE–408 synoecism.