This was a thriving metropolis more than 1,000 years ago, with both civic and cultural buildings that reach as high as 160 feet. So it's no wonder that this mysterious city became a Holy Grail for European explorers seeking fame and fortune. But it wasn't until 1828 that Frenchman Ren Caille reached the caravan city and returned to tell the tale. By then, however, the city was only a shadow of its former self. Nevertheless, you get a pretty good sense of the city it was as you wander the wide, sand-clogged boulevards viewing the city's ingenious adobe architecture.
Planks jutting out from the walls at regular intervals create a handy ladder for post-rain repairs.
Acropolis, Athens, Greece. The Parthenon, probably the most characteristic construction of ancient Greece, was dedicated to Athena, patron goddess of the city. Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. Although ruins are scattered throughout the cliff overhangs and canyons, the Cliff Palace is the largest and most recognizable of the Mesa Verde pueblos. It's not clear whether these pueblos were constructed beneath these overhangs as a defense against enemies or the weather, but they were almost certainly deserted after a long and devastating draught.