🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Hagia Sophia
Late Antiquity / Byzantine 532–537 CE, Ottoman additions 1453– · Byzantine Greek to Ottoman Islamic
Justinian's 537 CE dome on pendentives – seminal Byzantine basilica-monsoon turned mosque.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Brihadeeswarar Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Chola c.1035 CE · Chola Hindu (Tamil)
Gangaikonda Cholapuram Brihadeeswarar (1035, Rajendra Chola I) – sister to Thanjavur: 55m vimana, concave curve vs Thanjavur's straight, 9m Nandi, Simhakeni tank.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Chennakesava Temple Complex Belur
Hoysala 1117–1210 CE · Hoysala Vaishnava
Chennakesava (1117) – Hoysala Vishnu soapstone flagship commissioned by Vishnuvardhana after Talakad victory.
🇸🇩 Sudan · Temple complex
Jebel Barkal — Amun Temple and Pyramid Cliff
New Kingdom Egyptian (1450 BCE) → Napatan Kushite (750 BCE) → Meroitic · Egyptian → Kushite Napatan Kingdom
Barkal excavated by Reisner 1916 and Kendall 1980s, Napatan Amun of Karnak origin, UNESCO 2003 Gebel Barkal.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Teos Theatre Terrace — Dionysus Sanctuary Overlook
Hellenistic to Roman (300 BCE – 300 CE) · Ionian Teian with Hellenistic king patronage
Upper terrace of Technitai Dionysus sanctuary above theatre and harbour.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Sardis Artemis Temple — Pactolus Valley Sanctuary of Artemis
Lydian Archaic to Roman (550 BCE – 400 CE) · Lydian to Hellenistic to Roman Sardian
100 m Lydian–Hellenistic Artemis temple on Pactolus gold terrace.
🇨🇳 China · Megalith
Leshan Giant Buddha
Tang Dynasty 713–803 CE · Tang Chinese Buddhist (Maitreya cult)
71 m seated Maitreya monolith (713–803 CE) carved into Lingyun red sandstone cliff at confluence of Min and Dadu rivers, largest premodern Buddha worldwide.
🇮🇳 India · Ancient city
Group of Monuments at Hampi (Vijayanagara)
Vijayanagara Empire 1336–1565 CE (Sangama to Tuluva) · Vijayanagara Hindu (Telugu-Kannada)
Ruined imperial capital of Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1565 CE) sprawling 25 km² on Tungabhadra River among boulder hills.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya
Mauryan 260 BCE to Pala 12th c CE; temple late Gupta 5th–6th c · Indian Buddhist (Mauryan → Gupta → Pala)
Holiest Buddhist site where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment c.528 BCE under Bodhi Tree descendant.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Kabah Archaeological Zone
Maya Late Classic 300–1000 CE · Maya (Puuc, Uxmal polity)
Palace of Masks 250 Chaac masks, 18 km sacbé 800–950 CE, UNESCO 1996.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh · Temple complex
Paharpur (Somapura Mahavihara)
Pala Buddhist 8th–12th c CE · Pala Buddhist Mahayana–Vajrayana
Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur — largest single Buddhist vihara south of Himalaya (27-acre cruciform complex) built c.781–820 CE by Dharmapala Pala on Barind alluvium. Excavated 1923–34 by D.R.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Ajanta Caves
Satavahana early phase 200 BCE–100 CE; Vakataka renaissance 460–480 CE · Buddhist (Hinayana → Mahayana)
Thirty horseshoe-gorge rock-cut caves overlooking Waghora River with exquisite murals and sculptures: early 2nd century BCE–1st century CE Hinayana phase and later 460–480 CE Mahayana phase under…
🇺🇸 United States · Archaeological wonder
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Pueblo II–III 850–1250 CE (Chacoan fluorescence 1020–1140) · Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) / Chacoan
Chacoan canyon with 15 monumental Great Houses (Pueblo Bonito 650 rooms, 35 kivas) and engineered roads, built 850–1150 CE by Ancestral Puebloans as ritual and trade center for San Juan Basin,…
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Megalith
Ness of Brodgar
Late Neolithic · Grooved Ware Orcadian
Major Late Neolithic walled enclosure (c.3200–2300 BCE) between Ring of Brodgar and Stenness, with monolithic structures including Structure 10 (25 m hall) with painted stone, tiled roof and imported…
🇧🇴 Bolivia · Megalith
Puma Punku
Tiwanaku Period 536–600 CE (complex radiocarbon dated) · Tiwanaku
Terraced platform mound within Tiwanaku complex famous for precision-cut andesite and red sandstone blocks with drilled holes, flat planes and interlocking joints to 0.5 mm tolerance, scattered as if…
🇸🇩 Sudan · Temple complex
Musawwarat es-Sufra – Lion Temple Complex
Kushite (3rd c BCE – 4th c CE; Lion Temple c. 300 BCE) · Kushite (Meroitic, King Arnekhamani)
Vast Kushite labyrinth (180×150 m Great Enclosure with 55 columns) and Lion Temple of Apedemak with vivid reliefs of king and lion-god, possibly elephant training ground; Hintze ex...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Temple complex
Qasr el-Sagha (Zarew) Temple
Middle Kingdom (1990–1650 BCE) · Egyptian (12th Dynasty)
Unfinished Sobek temple with 7 shrines on Lake Qarun shore.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Yungang Grottoes — Western Caves Extension (Caves 26–40)
Northern Dynasties (Northern Wei late) · Tuoba Wei (Xianbei) Buddhist with Han artisan school
UNESCO Yungang western 15-cave zone 494–525 with central-pillar and collapsed colossus.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Gobekli Tepe Enclosure F Annex East — Northern Annex
Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (9600-8800 BCE) · Pre-Pottery Neolithic
Gobekli Tepe Enclosure F Annex East — Northern Annex in Southeastern Anatolia, Sanliurfa, Turkey is a Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (9600-8800 BCE) temple complex attributed to Pre-Pottery Neolithic.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Kizil Caves — Western Valley Extension (Western Kizil)
Early Medieval Central Asian (Tocharian B) · Tocharian Buddhist (Kucha Kingdom) with Gandhara influence
Kucha Tocharian western 42-cave valley 400–700 CE diamond ceilings and lapis blue, German-removal archive.
🇸🇩 Sudan · Temple complex
Gebel Barkal Temple B500 Terrace Annex — Eastern Outlier
New Kingdom-Napatan (1500-500 BCE) · Napatan
Gebel Barkal Temple B500 Terrace Annex — Eastern Outlier in Northern State, Karima, Sudan is a New Kingdom-Napatan (1500-500 BCE) temple complex attributed to Napatan.
🇬🇷 Greece · Temple complex
Bassae Temple Apollo Cella Interior Column
Classical Antiquity (600 BCE–200 CE) or regional · Classical Greek/Roman
Bassae Temple Apollo Cella Interior Column in Arcadia, Bassae, Greece is a Classical Antiquity (600 BCE–200 CE) or regional temple complex attributed to Classical Greek/Roman.
🇲🇹 Malta · Temple complex
Mnajdra South Temple Terrace Annex — Southern Extension
Late Neolithic Temple Period (3600-2500 BCE) · Temple Period
Mnajdra South Temple Terrace Annex — Southern Extension in Malta, Qrendi, Malta is a Late Neolithic Temple Period (3600-2500 BCE) temple complex attributed to Temple Period.
🇲🇹 Malta · Temple complex
Mnajdra South Temple Terrace Annex — Eastern Outlier
Late Neolithic Temple Period (3600-2500 BCE) · Temple Period
Mnajdra South Temple Terrace Annex — Eastern Outlier in Malta, Qrendi, Malta is a Late Neolithic Temple Period (3600-2500 BCE) temple complex attributed to Temple Period.