Sunken cities and civilizations. Ancient cities that went under water: description, history and interesting facts

There are many in the world settlements, which for a number of reasons sank to the sea or river bottom. These are the so-called flooded cities. Each of them has its own interesting, and often tragic fate. We will now find out which cities were flooded and what were the causes of these floods.

Causes of city flooding

The causes of city flooding can be very diverse, but they are divided into two main groups: natural and artificial. At the same time, each of these categories is subdivided into many specific cases.

When people talk about artificially submerged settlements, they primarily mean cities flooded by reservoirs. The purposes for creating these man-made reservoirs were different. They were created for the operation of hydroelectric power stations, for fish breeding, storage of fresh water in large volumes, and so on. Especially many reservoirs in other post-Soviet states were built during the USSR. Based on the type of reservoir, they are divided into river and lake.

Flooding of the territory also occurs along natural reasons. It could be sea level rise groundwater or other factors. The consequences of a flood are especially catastrophic when it is sudden.

Sunken cities of our Motherland

The flooded cities of Russia are an unchanging part of our history. The reasons for the flooding were different. But most of them went under water in the 30-50s of the last century, when large-scale construction of reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations was carried out. How many cities were flooded at this time? There are 9 large settlements, seven of which were located on the Volga, and one each on the Ob and Yenisei. Which cities were flooded? These are Mologa, Kalyazin, Korcheva, Puchezh, Vesyegonsk, Stavropol-Volzhsky, Kuibyshev, Berdsk and Shagonar. Some of these settlements were completely flooded, others - partially. We will now find out what the flooded cities of Russia were like and what their fate was.

Mologa: history of the city

The most famous of the Russian settlements sunk to the bottom is Mologa, a city that was flooded. This village was located at the confluence of the river of the same name into the Volga, at a distance of just over a hundred kilometers from Yaroslavl.

The exact time of settlement of the territory where the city of Mologa appeared in the future is unknown, but already in the first half of the 14th century the Principality of Mologa existed as a specific part of the Yaroslavl reign. In the following centuries, the settlement grew and developed. It became known as a fairly large shopping center. Since 1777 he became the main county town, also receiving its own coat of arms. It housed several churches and a monastery. With the Bolsheviks coming to power, the city became a regional center.

This is how Mologa developed. At the time it sank to the bottom of the reservoir, the flooded city had nine hundred houses and seven thousand inhabitants.

Flooding of Mologa

But despite the intense economic development region, in September 1935 a decree was announced on the creation of the Rybinsk Reservoir, which implied the flooding of large areas. At that time, it was to become the largest artificial reservoir in the world.

The project began the same year. According to the original plan, the water level was supposed to be raised by 98 meters. Considering that Mologa was also at this level, it was not in danger of flooding. But two years later the plan was revised, and the water rise level increased to 102 meters, which significantly increased the flood area. The implementation of this project was supposed to turn Mologa into a flooded city on the Volga.

The resettlement of residents to other cities began at the beginning of 1937, mainly to the nearby village of Slip, and took 4 years. In the 1940s, the city was flooded. Private houses, business buildings, churches and the Afanasyevsky Monastery went under water.

Since then, Mologa has been a flooded city. But in 2014, there was a significant decrease in the water level of the Rybinsk Reservoir, which allowed entire streets of this once bustling settlement to surface.

Kalyazin - a city on the Volga

Another flooded city on the Volga is Kalyazin. First historical information about Kalyazin date back to the 11th century. But for a long time it was a rather small settlement, which was far from becoming a city. Life in Kalyazin began to liven up after the construction of the Makaryevsky Monastery in the 15th century. This monastery became a place of mass gathering of pilgrims, which served as a significant impetus for the development of the city. By the way, among them was the famous Tver traveler Afanasy Nikitin. We can say that this spiritual institution has become a kind of “city-forming enterprise.”

The city managed to go down in history thanks to the famous Battle of Kalyazin, in which Russian troops under the command of Prince Skopin-Shuisky defeated the Polish army in 1609.

In 1775, Kalyazin received city status and became the center of the county. From now until the establishment Soviet power this settlement was a significant regional trading center.

Kalyazin goes under water

In 1935, construction began on the Uglich hydroelectric power station. In this regard, in 1939-1940, Kalyazin was also lowered under water. The flooded city was only partially so. The historical part of the settlement was the first to be damaged. In addition, such outstanding architectural monuments as the Makaryevsky and Nikolo-Zhabensky monasteries perished.

People who lived in the part of the settlement that went under water were resettled to unaffected areas, but despite this, Kalyazin is essentially a flooded city.

Korcheva

The city of Korcheva shared the fate of Mologa. These settlements are the only flooded cities in Russia that have completely gone under water. The rest sank to the bottom only partially.

At one time, Korcheva was also the center of the county. But with the beginning of industrialization, construction of the Ivankovo ​​reservoir began. People for the most part were resettled in the village of Konakovo, and Korcheva itself was flooded.

Other sunken cities on the Volga

In addition, there were four more flooded cities on the Volga. These are Puchezh, Vesyegonsk, Stavropol-Volzhsky and Kuibyshev.

Puchezh was partially flooded in 1955-1957 during the construction of the Gorky Reservoir. Mainly the ancient part of the city with architectural monuments and buildings went under water.

The city of Vesyegonsk was flooded somewhat earlier, in 1939, like Mologa, during the construction of the Rybinsk Reservoir. As in the case of Puchezh, the city partially sank to the bottom.

Another flooded city - Stavropol - had the unofficial name Stavropol-on-Volga, or Stavropol-Volzhsky, to distinguish it from its North Caucasian namesake. At the time of the flooding, which occurred in the mid-50s of the last century, 12,000 people lived in the city. All of them were moved to a new place, not far from the old settlement, which took over the name of the city that went under water. Thus continuity was maintained. And on the site of the former settlement, the Kuibyshev Reservoir is now overflowing.

New Stavropol in 1964 was renamed Togliatti, in honor of the famous communist figure of Italy. Now it is one of the largest cities in Russia with developed industry (primarily the automotive industry) and a population of seven hundred thousand.

In the 50s of the 20th century, the city of Kuibyshev, until 1936 called Spassk-Tatarsky, was also flooded. It was located on the territory of modern Tatarstan. Before the flooding, people were resettled to a new place, near the destroyed historical city Bulgar, but the new settlement was still called Kuibyshev. Only in 1991 the city was renamed Bolgar.

Flooded cities of Siberia

Among the more or less significant settlements flooded in Siberia, the cities of Berdsk and Shagonar can be distinguished.

Berdsk was founded back in the 17th century on one of the Patriotic War. True, he did not last long in this status. In the 50s of the last century, large-scale construction of the Novosibirsk reservoir on the Ob River began. Berdsk was subject to flooding. People were resettled to a new location, located eight kilometers from the old city, during 1953-1957. As we see, this was not a momentary process, but one that lasted for four whole years. As a result of the transfer of the old city to a new location, it became a major industrial center. But Berdsk completely lost its historical buildings, as they were all under water.

Another one who experienced flooding is Shagonar. It was located on the territory of the Tuva Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and was located on the banks of the high-water Irtysh. This city was flooded later than other Russian settlements during the construction of the Sayano-Shushenskoye reservoir in the 70s of the last century. Then it was moved to a new location, seven kilometers from the old settlement. But, unlike Togliatti and Berdsk, the transfer to a new location did not have a positive effect on the development of the city. Now it is a small town of just over ten thousand people, mostly ethnic Tuvans.

Flooded cities in other countries

Flooded cities exist not only in Russia, but also in other countries of the world. Often the cause of their flooding was also human economic activity. For example, in the USA, about a hundred small towns were sunk to the bottom for the construction of various electricity-producing structures. In addition, they produce fresh water.

For the same purposes, a settlement in Venezuela called Potosi was flooded in 1985. But since then, the water level has dropped significantly, and therefore the flooded city is gradually beginning to emerge to the surface.

Back in 1938, the artificial Mead Reservoir was formed in America. It so happened that to build this reservoir it was necessary to flood the small town of St. Thomas. Now this lake is drying up, and, as in the case of Potosi, the tops of old structures appear on the surface of the water surface.

In 1950, in northern Italy, two lakes - Resia and Muto - were artificially combined into one. This was done for the purpose of implementing a project for the production of electricity. As a result, the small town of Kuron was flooded. The only evidence that there was once a settlement here is the bell tower of a 14th-century church sticking out of the water.

To build Brazil's largest power plant, the settlement of Petrolandia also had to be flooded. New town was erected a little further from the flooded settlement.

Also, in order to increase the country's energy supply, in 1972, a town in the north of Portugal called Vilarinho das Furnas was lowered under water. Moreover, a settlement has been located here since ancient Roman times.

In the late 50s of the last century, the ancient Chinese city of Shi Cheng on Lake Qingdao was flooded to create a dam on the Xian River. During the resettlement of local residents, about 290 thousand people were provided with housing. This is probably the largest resettlement in the world in history, associated with artificial flooding of the city.

In 1988, the Romanian town of Bezido Nou was flooded as a result of a natural disaster. The tragedy of the event is enhanced by the fact that as a result of this disaster, all 180 residents who lived there died.

Ancient cities under water

But it was not only in the last century that cities were flooded. Similar cases occurred in ancient times and in the Middle Ages, but they were often caused not by human intervention, but by natural disasters.

Everyone probably knows the legend of Atlantis. This is the first evidence of the sinking of urban settlements, although its historicity, of course, can be argued. If you believe the writings of Plato, then as a result of the largest flood, not just one city, but an entire continent went under water.

Another evidence of such a catastrophe is given in the Bible. This is the death of cities that, according to legend, sank to the bottom of the Dead Sea. Unlike the sinking of Atlantis, the hypothesis of the existence of these cities has significant scientific basis.

Also at one time, Alexandria, Canopus and Heraklion in Egypt were partially or completely flooded, a city on the Japanese island of Yonaguni, which sank 2000 years ago, Saefting in the Netherlands, which died in deep sea in 1584, Port Royal in Jamaica, destroyed by flood in 1692, Port Julius and Bailly in Italy, Pavlopetri and many other island cities in Greece, Atlit Yam in Israel, an unknown Mayan city in Guatemala, discovered at the bottom of Lake Atitlan, ancient cities on the island of Kekova in modern Turkey.

As for Russia, first of all it should be noted the former capital of the Khazar Kaganate - the city of Itil that disappeared without a trace, which, according to some experts, was washed away by the Volga.

These are not all the flooded cities of the world, but we have mentioned the most famous of them.

Flooding for good?

There have long been debates about whether the flooding of some settlements is justified and expedient, or whether there cannot be a decent justification for such actions? On the one hand, the state, and its population as a whole, after the construction of a hydroelectric power station or fresh reservoir, have significant economic benefits.

But at the same time, we should not forget that the relocation of people from one place to another causes various social and economic difficulties in adaptation, which not every person endures painlessly. In addition, flooding of populated areas is associated with the destruction of houses and commercial structures, and often cultural values.

And the fate of the settlements moved to a new location turned out differently. Some grew and became major industrial centers, becoming larger and more beautiful than the flooded cities, while others disappeared altogether.

Therefore, the problem of ethical and economic feasibility flooding of populated areas is quite controversial.

We have all heard the legends about Atlantis, the Continent of Mu and other great cities and continents that sank into the abyss of the ocean. Even though these legendary cities have not yet been found, the idea of ​​the possibility of their existence still remains in the minds and hopes of millions of people around the world. But Atlantis and the Mu Continent are not the only victims of rising water (ocean) levels. There are many other sunken cities, each of which has a lot of beauty, mysteries and legends. Here we show you 5 incredible underwater cities that were recently discovered. Some of them were considered a myth, but since they were found, the myth has become reality. Maybe we'll find Atlantis soon?

Long ago, this ancient city was one of the most important places for pirates, where they could enjoy alcohol, prostitutes and parties. Port Royal has become known as the most diabolical and sinful city in the world. This was until June 1692, when a powerful earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale shook the island of Jamaica, flooding Port Royal and killing about 5,000 of its inhabitants. Was this a terrible disaster caused by the forces of nature or was it the revenge of the “Gods” for the sins committed on the island? Since the city sank in 1692, hundreds of artifacts have been discovered at its resting place. This underwater city attracts many divers and underwater archaeologists.

Since the discovery of the underwater complex, experts have continued to debate whether the Yonaguni monuments were of natural origin or man-made. Even though some consider these “mysterious structures” to be the work of mother nature, the immaculately formed terraces with straight lines and angles indicate that this is not a natural creation. The Yonaguni underwater complex even has a 76-meter-high pyramid. Some experts claim that the age of these structures is from 10 to 16 thousand years.

This ancient city, owned by the Great King Krishna, was considered only a myth until its ruins were found. According to legend, King Krishna had a magnificent city with 70,000 palaces made of gold, silver and other precious metals. It was an extremely rich and important city that sank after the death of King Krishna. The ruins were found at a depth of 40 meters at the bottom of the sea in the bay modern city Dwarka, one of the oldest in India. Archaeologists have recovered numerous artifacts, but one of them is believed to be more important than all the others, as it dates back to 7500 BC, justifying the theory of the existence of this "mythical" ancient city.

It is considered to be one of the most impressive sunken cities in the world. The city was built during the reign of the Han Dynasty, its total area was 62 football fields. Now this incredible city can be found at a depth of 40 meters at the bottom of Qiandaohu Lake. The area was deliberately flooded in 1960 to create a dam. The sculpture that adorns the city can compete in beauty with Egyptian Alexandria. This underwater city is one of the most popular tourist attractions in China.

This city was also considered a myth before its discovery. Some believe that his discovery changed our understanding of history forever. The ancient city of Heraklion was known to many ancient Greek philosophers, among them was Herodotus, who mentioned this ancient city in his numerous writings, although the existence of this city was not proven until the nineteenth century.

With the discovery of Heraklion, countless mysteries have been solved and we have been able to learn much more about our past. Like most incredible discoveries, this too was made by accident when maritime archaeologist Franco Goddio was searching for Napoleon's warships that sank during the Battle of the Nile in 1798 along the coast of Alexandria. And only when he had already decided that there was nothing there, he stumbled upon one of the most important discoveries that a marine explorer can make.

Among the Egyptians and Greeks the city was referred to as "Heraklion Thonis". It was believed to have been a prosperous empire that existed between the seventh and eighth centuries BC. The city was located near the coast of Alexandria in the Gulf of Abukir.

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In the first half of the 20th century, rapid development of hydraulic engineering began all over the world: dams and hydroelectric power stations were erected, artificial lakes and reservoirs were created. So, as a result of humanity’s desire to solve some problems, others appeared - hundreds of cities fell into the zone of complete or partial flooding, the fate of which was different. Today I will talk about just a few of them:

1. Kalyazin (Russia). Kalyazin can rightfully be considered one of the most famous domestic drowned cities. The city went under water back in the 30s of the twentieth century during the construction of the Uglich reservoir and hydroelectric power station.

Old Kalyazin was famous, first of all, for its merchant settlement and the Trinity Monastery.

Today, all that remains of the city is the bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral and a few streets, small churches on several “monastic” islands. The bell tower owes its preservation to the Soviet leadership, which expressed a desire to re-equip its parachute tower and use it as a landmark beacon.

In the 90s, the bell tower was restored, returning it to its original appearance, and an additional artificial island with a pier for boats was created to strengthen the soil. The place has become a new attraction for residents and tourists.

2. St. Thomas (USA). The waters of the Mead Reservoir contain more than one flooded settlement. During the construction of the Hoover Dam, due to the threat of flooding, a number of settlements were evacuated, the most famous of which is St. Thomas.

The last inhabitant left the city in 1938. The ruins of St. Thomas are sometimes visible when the lake level drops below normal.

3. Mologa (Russia). Mologa was first mentioned in chronicles back in 1149, and in the 14th century there was even a Principality of Mologa, which under Ivan III became part of the Principality of Moscow.

Until 1917 Mologa, thanks to his successful geographical location at the intersection of water trade routes (the confluence of the Mologa River with the Volga), remained a developed trading city, with a population of more than 5,000 people. There were nine operating in the city educational institutions, several factories and factories.

In 1936, at the stage of preparation for the construction of the Rybinsk reservoir, a decision was made to gradually resettle residents. According to NKVD documents, 130 thousand people left the city, and 294 people voluntarily wished to stay.

Mologa completely disappeared under water in 1947. Periodically, during fluctuations in the level of the reservoir, you can see old paved streets, remains of houses and buildings emerging from the water.

4. Vilarinho de Furnas (Portugal). The Roman Empire-era city of Vilarinho de Furnas was completely flooded in 1972 as a result of the construction of a dam.

It is noteworthy that before the flooding, the Portuguese government had no idea about the life of the three hundred inhabitants of this city.

Until the 70s of the last century, a completely unusual communal political system operated in Vilarinho de Furnas, which, according to some historians, was preserved from the period of the occupation of Italy by the Visigoths.

5. Berdsk (Russia). The city of Berdsk, founded in 1716 as the Berdsk fortress at the confluence of the Ob and Berd rivers in the Novosibirsk region, was partially flooded during the construction of the Novosibirsk reservoir in the late 50s.

Despite the fact that the city was rebuilt in a more convenient and safe place, old Berdsk with many historical buildings was lost forever. The city very rarely appears from the water, but when this happens, many tourists come who want to see the outlines of the streets, the old water tower and other city attractions. In 2008, the “Ob Sea” became very shallow and people found various 19th-century objects literally under their feet, and scientists discovered the burial place of the famous Berd merchant Gorokhov.

6. Potosi (Venezuela). The city of Potosi in Venezuela was flooded in 1985 when the authorities decided to build a hydroelectric dam to provide energy to several areas of the country.

Today, all that remains of the city is the church spire - once the highest point in the city.

7. Shanogar (Russia). The Tuvan town of Shanogar, founded in 1888 just west of Kyzyl, was flooded during the construction of the Sayano-Shushenskoye reservoir in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The new Shagonar was built approximately 8-9 kilometers from the previous location. According to some archaeologists, the main loss of old Shanogar is the allegedly flooded priceless archaeological monuments and rock paintings.

8. Petrolandia (Brazil). It was decided to “sacrifice” Petrolandia for the construction of one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in South America.

During the construction of a giant hydraulic structure, the entire city was moved to higher ground in advance. And now only the surviving arch of the church reminds people of old Petrolandia.

These Atlantis have been waiting in the wings for thousands of years to be explored and told about them to the world. In the meantime, these are unique diving spots.

For centuries, humanity has been dreaming of finding the mythical Atlantis, and the depths of the sea are full of ruins of absolutely real cities. Some of them once destroyed thousands of people under their rubble, others were abandoned and forgotten. Architectural monuments of ancient civilizations and empires lie dormant under a thick layer of silt. Many have been explored and protected by UNESCO, while most have been waiting in the wings for thousands of years.

Heraklion-Thonis, Egypt

Heraklion, or Thonis, is famous for its numerous historical finds. In this underwater city, resting at a 50-meter depth in the Gulf of Abu Qir, where the Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea, household items, jewelry, ruins of palaces and temples, ancient statues were found under a layer of sand... In addition, in 6 km from the coast to this day the wreckage of 64 Egyptian ships rests. According to the famous underwater archaeologist Frank Goddio, it could take up to 200 years to study all the underwater artifacts! Most of the finds were preserved in good condition despite being underwater for 2000 years.

The underwater city was named after one of the artifacts - a slab on which it was written that it should be erected in “Herakleion-Thonis”. The city owes its double name to its rich Greco-Egyptian history. Heraklion is a Greek name: according to the mention of Herodotus, the heroine of the myths, Helen the Beautiful, with her beloved Paris, fled to Heraklion from the just wrath of her husband, the Spartan king Menelaus. The Roman part of history is notable for the fact that the famous Cleopatra was crowned in the city of Thonis - as the Egyptians called it.

One of the most popular versions of the disappearance of the city under water is an earthquake that led to a tsunami.

Samabah, Guatemala

The city of Samabah rests in the depths of the beautiful Lake Atitlan, surrounded by three volcanoes. The lake is considered sacred - according to legend, the first Mayans came out of it. At a depth of 30 m, traces of several buildings of different sizes and ancient temple with the preserved main staircase. The flooded buildings date back to the period when the Mayan state had not yet reached its greatest prosperity - 250 AD. e. In addition, ceramics were found, including altars and censers, as well as several steles decorated with carvings. This confirms the scientists' guess that the city was a Mayan religious center.

Found ceramics indicate that the residents left their houses in a hurry, abandoning all their property. Scientists suggest that the city sank to the bottom about 2000 years ago as a result of volcanic activity.

Samabah was discovered by archaeologist and diver Roberto Samayoa during one of his amateur dives. The first part of the name, “sam,” comes from the surname of the discoverer, and the second, “abah,” means “stone” in Mayan language. Samabah is included in the tourist route to the main Mayan cities in Guatemala.

Dwarka, India

Dwarka is another city of legends. This city is mentioned as the capital of the god Krishna in the Puranas and the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic. Legend has it that Dwaraka was built in one night at the behest of Krishna. According to legend, the capital existed for about 10,000 years, and seven days after the death of Krishna, the city was swallowed up by the sea.

In ancient legends, Dwarka is described as a very rich and unusually beautiful capital: “... the city was built in the middle of the sea: it had straight roads, wide streets and alleys, as well as wonderful gardens and parks where ... wishing trees grew. There were many palaces and gates in the city... Almost all the palaces were unusually high.”

We found it almost by accident. In the late 90s, Indian archaeologists explored the tidal zone in the Banapur area and discovered the remains stone wall, which were almost invisible at sea. When scientists continued their search with underwater equipment, at a depth of 7 to 40 m, the ruins of an ancient city were found: walls, buildings and temples, paved roads, sculptures, coins. Underwater excavations were new to India at that time, but research continued until funding problems arose.

Shi-Chen, China

The uniqueness of the underwater city of Shi-Chen (translated as “City of the Lion”) is that it owes its appearance not to nature, but to man. About 50 years ago, the Chinese authorities built a hydroelectric dam, for which 377 villages and 27 cities were flooded, and 300,000 people were resettled in other cities.

Surprisingly, while the ancient city of Shi-Chen stood on the surface, no one was interested in it. And it is education artificial lake Qingdao The Lion City owes its fame to one of the most beautiful underwater cities. In addition, the waters of the purest fresh lake have become a favorable environment for the conservation historical material. Scientists believe that relics are better preserved underwater, so they are not brought to the surface.

The buildings of the city of Shi-Chen date back to 621 AD. e., but in the same lake an even more ancient city of He-Chen, founded in 208 AD, was discovered. e. It is now known that the lake hides about three more cities, but exploring the underwater depths is a very expensive and time-consuming process. But at the site where Shi-Chen and He-Chen were discovered, the Chinese Ministry of Tourism built a diving center and everyone can see the ancient ruins with their own eyes.

Other cities destroyed by people are in ours.

Bailly, Italy

Also one of the favorite places for divers. On the site of the found city, the Bayi underwater archaeological park was built. Part of the park, including the castle of Bailly and the half-submerged temple of Serapis, is located on land, the other is at a depth of 3 m to 24 m. Divers can “walk” along the underwater streets, visit Nero’s villa and even swim into the Roman baths, built about 1,500 years ago. .

The city was famous for its hot springs, which contributed to its prosperity as an ancient “spa resort”. Thermal baths at that time were valued not only for medicinal properties, but also as an opportunity to have an interesting time, they even hosted political clubs. And the residents of this city knew a lot about entertainment - the resort city wasted its life in feasts and pleasures. Seneca even called the city “the hotel of all vices.” It has been established that once rich and beautiful, Bailly was sacked by the Saracens and after that, abandoned and deserted, it gradually sank under water as a result of volcanic activity.

Port Royal, Jamaica

The sunken city of Port Royal did not reveal ancient palaces and statues of ancient deities to scientists - it is of interest to others. Founded by the Spaniards in the 16th century, Port Royal was a center of trade in the Caribbean, and after passing from the Spaniards to the British, it became a “pirate Babylon.” The gangs that took a fancy to the city turned it into a brothel with taverns and brothels. The slave trade flourished here. Therefore, the earthquake that occurred in 1692, which almost completely flooded the city of many thousands, was considered by contemporaries to be God's punishment for debauchery. About the tsunami that destroyed many cities on the planet.

In 1959 and 1966, American archaeologists organized expeditions to the sunken port, but the valuables remaining after the raids were of exclusively historical interest. Scientists discovered remains of food and drink, from which it was possible to establish what they ate and drank at that time. Life can also be judged from the found tobacco leaves, smoking pipes, rum distillation apparatus, historical documents, maps and silver jewelry.

There are currently several projects under development to upgrade the underwater city into a tourist attraction.

Pavlopetri, Greece

Pavlopetri is unique in that it is the first underwater city discovered by archaeologists. It is very ancient - artifacts found indicate that the first settlement on this site dates back to the Aegean civilization, dating back to 3000-1000 BC. On an area of ​​30,000 m2, scientists found the remains of residential and religious buildings, as well as a cemetery. It is believed that the city suffered from numerous earthquakes, as a result of which it was flooded.

The underwater ruins are located at a depth of 3-4 m in the south of mainland Greece, in Laconia, near the city of Pavlopetri, which gave the name to the underwater city. What was the name of the city in ancient times, as well as the dominant form government structure have not yet been determined. Scientists suggest that it was a major port center. According to Dr. John Henderson, director of underwater research, this is “one of the few places in the world where you can literally swim along the sunken streets of an ancient city and peer with curiosity into one of the graves.”

The history of the mythical city of Atlantis is not fiction at all; there are quite a few mysterious flooded cities on earth. We invite you to go with us on an underwater excursion to twelve flooded cities.

Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. e., Egypt

This city has preserved many magnificent buildings, including the Palace of Cleopatra on the island of Antirhodos, and neighborhoods - for example, Old city Rakotis. The city was wiped out by tidal waves and earthquakes more than 1,200 years ago.

Heraklion, also known as Thonis, founded in the 8th century BC. e., Egypt

These ruins were discovered in 2000 by a team from the European Maritime Institute of Archaeology. Before the founding of Alexandria, this city was the most important port of Egypt. It sank in the 8th century AD.

At Heraklion stood the temple of Amon, which played an important role in rites associated with dynastic succession.

Canopus on the eastern outskirts of modern Alexandria

The first mentions of the city date back to the 6th century BC. e. Canopus was famous for its sanctuaries of Osiris and Serapis. It was discovered in 1933 by Prince Tucson.

Mystical rock structures in the waters off Yonaguni Island, Japan, were discovered by a local diver in 1986.

This 5,000-year-old city sank as a result of an earthquake 2 thousand years ago. It contains an amazing monolithic step pyramid or perhaps it is just a natural sandstone structure?

The city also has castle ruins, five temples, a triumphal arch and at least one large stadium. According to Masaaki Kimura, a marine geologist at the University of the Ryukyu, the sites were connected by roads and water channels.

Saeftinge in the southwest of the Netherlands, currently known as the Saeftinge Sunken Lands

The land around the city was submerged during the All Saints' Flood of 1570, and the city itself disappeared under the waves in 1584 during the Eighty Years' War, when Dutch soldiers were forced to destroy the last intact dikes around the city.

Port Royal, founded in 1518 and destroyed by earthquake, tsunami and fires in 1692, Jamaica

Many 16th-century English and Dutch privateers liked to spend their treasure here, and the city later became a major pirate base. The earthquake of 1692 caused the sand to liquefy, and many buildings slipped into the water or simply sank underground.

City of Bailly (also known as Campania) and Portus Julius, home port of the Western Imperial Fleet, Bay of Naples, Italy

The city was a popular resort for the rich in the last decades of the Roman Republic - it had a casino and a giant swimming pool.

In the 8th century, Bailly was sacked by Muslim invaders, and around 1500 it was deserted due to a malaria epidemic. Currently, most of the buildings are under water due to local volcanic activity.

Pavlopetri, Greece

The city, built 5 thousand years ago, was discovered by Nicholas Flemming in 1967, but every year archaeologists find more and more new buildings.

Neolithic village of Atlit Yam off the coast of Atlit, Israel

The settlement, now lying eight to twelve meters below sea level, was founded at least between 6900 and 6300 BC. e. The city has rectangular houses, wells and a stone semicircle with seven megaliths, each 600 kg high. Also found in the city are ten burials, including a woman and child, the earliest known victims of tuberculosis.

Lion City (Shi Cheng) at the bottom of Lake Qingdao, China

The city was flooded in 1959 to create an artificial lake and build a dam on the Xi'an River. All 290 thousand residents were resettled to other settlements.

Shi Cheng was founded during the Han Dynasty (between 25 and 200). In the 7th and 8th centuries this place was a cultural, economic and political center, but now the city lies at a depth of 27 meters.

Samabah, a lost Mayan city at the bottom of Lake Atitlan, found by Roberto Samayoa Asmus in 1996, Guatemala

Lake Atitlan has been the most important spiritual and health center of Guatemala for two thousand years. The first settlements on its banks appeared in 300 BC. e. From 200 BC. e. to 200 AD e. here stood a temple, currently hidden under water. Pottery and other artifacts were found in the sunken city.

Samabakh sank about 1,700 years ago when the water level in the lake suddenly rose by 20 meters. Archaeologists think that the reason for this could be a volcanic eruption at the bottom of the lake, which blocked the natural outflows for water.

But Lake Atitlan is still used as a ceremonial center and remains a sacred site where astrology and Mayan religion are still practiced by many of the civilization's distant descendants.

Bezidu Nou, Romania

The entire village, including two old churches, drowned in 1988, and since then only one church tower has been visible from under the water for more than two decades. This place was one of many destroyed cities and villages during the Ceausescu era.

Countess Claudine Redi von Kees-Rede, an ancestor of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, was born here in 1812, but her final resting place was in the town's Reformed church, restored in 1936 thanks to a donation from Queen Mary of England, the great-granddaughter of Countess Rede.