Best Historical Places in the Middle East

This region represents a beautiful biography of the ancient world through various archaeological sites, powerful civilisations, and beautiful geographical features such as deserts and oases throughout the Middle East. Here lie great temples, immense deserts, and other marvellous attractions that dotted the historical map of the world.

For centuries, this was home to rising and collapsing empires, which left some structures behind from the ruined civilisations. Today, they remain a memory of a particular epoch, letting people ride through thousands of years of history.

In this blog, the author seeks to reveal some of the best historical places to visit in the Middle East region, focusing on Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Iran, and the rest. Each setting has its history, which is integral to the area’s historical background.

1. The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The Pyramids of Giza are one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a great icon of the ancient civilisation of Egyptians. These gigantic architectures were constructed more than 4,500 years ago to serve as tombs of the Pharaohs. The three major pyramids, Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, give an example of architectural design. Unknown to many, the Great Pyramid of Khufu was the tallest man-made structure on planet Earth before the construction of the Lincoln Cathedral some 3,800 years later.

Beside the pyramids is the well-known Sphinx, a vast limestone statue with a lion’s body and a king’s head. These pyramids, along with the Sphinx, make the Giza facility one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. In essence, this place is like going back in time, observing a region as magnificent as the civilisation developed in Egypt.

2. Petra, Jordan

Petra, or the ‘Rose City,’ is a splendid piece of archaeology located in the vast desert of Jordan. It was also once the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom in the 4th century B.C.E. This ancient city is now surrounded by a modern city. Located in Jordan, Petra was built entirely from sandstone cliffs; the most renowned is the treasury or Al-Khazneh, carved to open at the end of a narrow gorge called the Siq.

Petra was a trade centre during the Nabatean kingdom period and was the bridge between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean. Today, it has become part of the UNESCO Heritage list and one of the chief attractions for tourists coming to the Middle East. The good thing for Muslims is that they can have May Umrah packages with custom options from any good travel agency and add this place to the package. In May, you have low rates on almost everything in Makkah and Madinah.

The beautiful, detailed carved features, together with the steep terrains around the city, make Petra a history lover’s paradise.

3. Persepolis, Iran

Persepolis is in modern Iran and served as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, one of the ancient world’s largest empires. It is considered one of the world’s most sensational microcosms of Achaemenid culture, politics, and art. Shah Darius the Great established it in 518 BCE.

The Apadana Palace and the Hall of 100 Column are the most significant structures at the site and give an idea of the richness of artistic décor of ancient Persian architecture. Nevertheless, Alexander the Great decimated most of it in 330 BCE, but the architecture remains to tell the story of the mighty Persian Empire.

4. Jerusalem, Israel

Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world and a sacred place for the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It has a history of over 3000 years, and Jerusalem’s old city has some of the most sacred places on earth.

The Western Wall is one of the most popular sites for Jews. It is also known as the Wailing Wall, the latter being the last construction of the Second Temple. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is an essential shrine to Christians because of its location, where Christ was killed, buried, and resurrected. The Muslims have a golden dome, believed to be the site where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, known as the Dome of the Rock.

When strolling through the maze-like alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, one cannot help but notice the sacredness of the atmosphere.

5. Palmyra, Syria

Palmyra is situated in the Syrian desert, though at one point, it was a bustling metropolis and an important centre of culture and commerce in the Roman Empire. Palmyra is more popularly known as the ‘Bride of the Desert,’ where monumental colonnades, temples, and theatres were famous. The city was dominated by the Temple of Bel, one of the most significant buildings ever constructed in antiquity.

Palmyra’s remains represent a great civilisation that was the link between the Roman Empire, Persia, and Arabia. Despite destruction in recent conflicts, this place may be considered historically valuable and still evoke admiration.

6. Istanbul, Turkey (Formerly Constantinople)

Istanbul, historically called Constantinople, is a city located on two continents, Europe and Asia. Istanbul is one of the world’s most historical cities, known as the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires for more than 1500 years. One of the most famous column structures of the city is Hagia Sophia, which was initially a cathedral, then a mosque and now an art gallery. For this reason, besides the beautiful frescoes and the splendid icons, it has a vast dome that makes it one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture.

The following architectural masterpiece is the Topkapi Palace, which was the abode of the Ottoman sultans. The sulphurous blue-coloured Blue Mosque, with a half-dozen minarets, is also one of the major attractions. Indeed, Istanbul’s history is imprinted throughout the city, primarily through the streets, palaces, and mosques.

7. Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Madinah, or the ‘City of the Prophet’ as it is commonly known, is an immensely historical and sacred city to Muslims. It is the second most important city in the Islamic faith after Makkah al-Mukarramah, it is also the city where the Prophet Muhammad moved to in 622 AD, the beginning of the Islamic calendar, Hijra. Madinah is home to the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, also known as the Prophet’s Mosque, where the tomb of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) exists.

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As a city, Madinah has been an important centre of Islamic learning, civilisation and politics since the early Middle Ages. The Prophet’s Mosque, having a green colour and having a big praying hall, is one of the great pieces of architecture to visit around this place millions of Muslims from all over the world visit here every year. This shows that people go to Madinah in order to pay their respects to the prophet Muhammad and also to offer their prayers inside the mosque which is the second mosque built in the History and the most holy mosque in the Islamic world.

To Muslims, a visit to Madinah is usually combined with the journey to the holy city of Mecca, which makes it a very sacred journey indeed. Madinah was one of the most significant places in the early Islam period and remains a religious city to this day.

8. Luxor, Egypt (Ancient Thebes)

Luxor has the Nile river frontage adjoined and was earlier the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom. Anciently referred to as Thebes, the modern town of Luxor holds some of the world’s grandest Temples and monumental structures. In and around the Great Temple of a thousand years ago in the Karnak are temples, chapels and obelisks, some of the largest ever built. The Hypostyle Hall, for instance, has tall columns; one can feel like they are in the presence of a strong god because of the architecture.

On the other side of the river is the Valley of the Kings. Through this, there were the Tombs of the Pharaohs, including that of Tutankhamun. Thus, today, Luxor is considered a living museum that exposes participants to ancient Egyptian civilisation.

9. Byblos, Lebanon

Byblos is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been inhabited for over 7,000 years. It was once a great Phoenician city situated on the coast of the region that is now known as Lebanon. Byblos was one of the most prominent centres of trade around the ancient Mediterranean. The name of this city is credited with the origin of the Greek word Biblos, which means book, and thus, the town was central to the invention of writing.

Kerak is today an extraordinary place, as on its territory are Temples, a Roman theatre, and a Crusaders’ castle. Walking around Byblos and covering the whole history from the Phoenician era through the Roman and suitable to the Crusaders’ period in a single area is possible.

10. Aleppo Citadel, on the territory of Syria

Actual historical dissertation Citadel of Aleppo is one of the largest and oldest castles ever known. It is situated on a hill in the middle of Aleppo, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. The citadel’s history can be traced back to the third millennium BC, and before its occupation by the Greeks, it was inhabited by Romans, Byzantines, and Muslims.

Historically, the fortress played a significant role as it witnessed many battles, sieges, and power changes in different empires. Presently it has become an emblem of ancient Aleppo, attracting tourists and spectators as to what is left from a lost world.

Conclusion

Nothing prepares one for such a breathtaking experience as walking through the Middle East and exploring its astonishing history through relics and remnants of civilisations.

From the Great Pyramids of Giza, which have withstood time, to Petra, the City of Rocks, these are compelling stories of empires, cultures, and faiths that have built human history. Every place allows the user to be jailed by the lives, faith, and achievements of predecessors.