16 Forgotten Places That Once Held Global Importance
The world is filled with places that once shaped human history but have since faded into obscurity. These locations were once bustling centers of trade, power, or innovation that determined the course of civilizations.
Time has a way of shifting importance, leaving once-mighty places to become footnotes in history books. Here is a list of 16 forgotten places that once commanded global attention but have since slipped from our collective memory.
Carthage
The mighty North African empire that rivaled Rome now sits as ruins near modern-day Tunis. Carthage controlled Mediterranean trade for centuries with its powerful navy and strategic position.
Its destruction by Roman forces in 146 BCE marked the end of a civilization that could have altered the course of Western history had it prevailed.
Cahokia
Before European colonization, North America had its own metropolis that housed up to 20,000 people near present-day St. Louis. Cahokia was the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico, with sophisticated urban planning and massive earthen mounds.
The city mysteriously declined around the 14th century, leaving modern Americans largely unaware that such an advanced Native American urban center ever existed.
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Petra
This ancient city carved into rose-colored rock faces in Jordan was once the capital of the Nabataean Empire. Petra controlled vital trade routes connecting Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean world.
After trade routes shifted and earthquakes damaged the city, it was largely forgotten until a European explorer rediscovered it in 1812.
Merv
Located in modern Turkmenistan, Merv was once the world’s largest city and a major stop on the Silk Road. This sprawling oasis city reached its peak in the 12th century with libraries, palaces, and markets that drew travelers from across Asia and Europe.
Its devastation by Mongol forces in 1221 resulted in one of history’s largest massacres, with estimates suggesting 700,000 people were killed.
Vijayanagara
The capital of India’s last great Hindu empire covered over 30 square miles and was described by travelers as larger than Rome. Portuguese visitors in the 16th century marveled at its markets filled with gems, spices, and textiles.
After Muslim armies defeated Vijayanagara in 1565, the magnificent city was abandoned, leaving the ruins now known as Hampi.
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Hatra
This fortified city in present-day Iraq successfully resisted sieges from the Roman Empire twice. Hatra’s unique blend of Hellenistic, Parthian, and Arabian architecture made it a cultural crossroads.
Despite surviving powerful ancient enemies, much of this UNESCO World Heritage site was destroyed by ISIS in 2015.
Angkor
Few people are aware that, despite its continued fame, Angkor Wat was a component of a huge metropolitan complex that might have housed up to a million people. With complex water management systems covering almost 400 square miles, the capital of the Khmer Empire was the biggest preindustrial city in the world.
Its downfall in the 15th century was exacerbated by war and climate change, allowing the jungle to recover its majestic temples.
Great Zimbabwe
This massive stone complex gave Zimbabwe its name and was the capital of a wealthy trading empire. Built between the 11th and 15th centuries without mortar, its impressive walls stand up to 36 feet tall.
European colonizers refused to believe Africans built such an advanced city, attributing it instead to Phoenicians or other outsiders in a clear display of historical racism.
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Ctesiphon
The capital of the Parthian and Sasanian Empires, Ctesiphon rivaled Rome and Constantinople in grandeur. Its most striking feature was the Taq Kasra, the world’s largest brick arch built without centering support.
Despite once housing Persian treasures and serving as a center of learning, today it sits mostly unvisited outside Baghdad.
Kilwa Kisiwani
This island city off Tanzania’s coast was described by Marco Polo as “one of the most beautiful cities in the world.” Kilwa controlled the gold trade from southern Africa and minted its own currency that circulated throughout the Indian Ocean.
Its grand mosque with a domed ceiling was the largest in East Africa, showcasing the wealth of this maritime power.
Ani
Known as the “City of 1,001 Churches,” Ani was the capital of medieval Armenia with a population exceeding 100,000. Positioned on a plateau surrounded by deep ravines, the city dominated trade routes between Asia and Europe.
Earthquakes, invasions, and shifting trade patterns led to its abandonment, leaving its red and black stone churches standing in ghostly isolation on the Turkey-Armenia border.
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Karakorum
Genghis Khan established this capital for his vast Mongol Empire in the 13th century. The city featured a magnificent silver fountain that dispensed various drinks for visitors, symbolizing the empire’s wealth and far-reaching connections.
After serving as the command center for the largest contiguous land empire in history, Karakorum declined when the capital moved to Beijing, leaving minimal traces in the Mongolian grasslands.
Loropéni
These mysterious stone ruins in Burkina Faso were part of a gold-trading network that connected West Africa to the Mediterranean. The massive walls enclosing nearly 10 acres likely protected valuable goods and possibly gold traders themselves.
Abandoned around the 19th century, Loropéni represents one of many sophisticated pre-colonial African urban centers largely missing from global historical narratives.
Mohenjo-daro
This remarkable city in modern Pakistan featured the world’s first urban sanitation systems around 2600 BCE. Its grid-planned streets, multi-story buildings, and advanced plumbing were unmatched in the ancient world.
The civilization disappeared mysteriously around 1900 BCE, leaving behind perfectly laid-out streets and sophisticated bath structures but no written records to explain their departure.
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Tikal
Hidden in the Guatemalan rainforest, Tikal was a Maya powerhouse with pyramids reaching 212 feet tall. The city dominated Mesoamerican politics and trade for centuries with a sophisticated calendar system and astronomical knowledge.
When Europeans arrived in the Americas, this once-mighty center with population estimates of 90,000 had already been reclaimed by jungle for hundreds of years.
Ephesus
Home to the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), this Greek and later Roman city housed 250,000 people at its peak. The third-largest city in Roman Asia Minor boasted the impressive Celsus Library and one of the largest theaters in the ancient world.
Harbor silting eventually cut off Ephesus from the sea, its economic lifeline, leading to abandonment despite its former glory.
Echoes Through Time
Even the most powerful hubs of civilization eventually wane, as these forgotten places serve as a reminder. Their ruins serve as reminders of both the fleeting nature of power and human inventiveness.
The most fascinating thing about these lost locations is not only how they fell but also how totally they have disappeared from contemporary consciousness, even though they previously attracted the attention of the entire globe.
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