The oldest cities in the world are live examples of human civilization, important historical events, and the land’s cultural heritage. Varanasi is without a doubt the oldest city in the world that receives the most attention.
The city, also called Kashi, is called India’s Spiritual Capital. One of the oldest cities in the world still inhabited is Varanasi. The city in India is well-known for its hallowed ghats along the Ganges River and its significance in Sufism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. American writer Mark Twain famously said that Varanasi is a location that is older than mythology, older than history, and older than traditions.
Known as the Arab capital, Damascus is located in Syria and dates back to 10,000 BC. In the past, the city was a major trading center and is regarded as the oldest inhabited city in the world. Byblos, a Middle Eastern city, is about 7,000 years old, while Aleppo, located in Syria, is nearly 8,000 years old. The actual witnesses of several ancient civilizations may be found in these earliest towns on Earth.
City | Country/Region | Founded |
---|---|---|
Damascus | Syria | ~10,000 BC |
Jericho | West Bank | ~11,000 years ago |
Byblos | Lebanon | ~5000 BC |
Argos | Greece | ~6000 BC |
Faiyum | Egypt | ~4000 BC |
Aleppo | Syria | ~5000 BC |
Sidon | Lebanon | ~4000 BC |
Jerusalem | Israel/Palestine | ~4000-5000 years ago |
Varanasi | India | ~11th century BC |
Athens | Greece | ~1400 BC |
Gaziantep | Turkey | ~500 BC |
Luxor | Egypt | ~3200 BC |
Beirut | Lebanon | ~3000 BC |
Balkh | Afghanistan | ~2000 BC |
Erbil | Iraq | ~2300 BC |