Even hundreds or thousands of years after their discovery, historical landmarks and artifacts continue to inspire and fascinate people around the world. Each day, fresh discoveries emerge, offering glimpses into life from centuries past. Here, we've put together a special collection of pictures featuring everything from historic structures to unusual archeological discoveries, among other things, such as ancient coins, old bazaars, and centuries-old cat flaps. Let's take a look!
Related: These Archeological Finds Left the World Mystified
1. Francesco Queirolo's 18th Century sculpture, "Disillusion," is a remarkable feat, featuring an elaborate marble net carved from a single block. The artist toiled alone for seven years, as apprentices shied away from handling the delicate net, fearing it might crumble.
2. This 14th-century door at Exeter Cathedral in the United Kingdom is thought to be the oldest surviving cat flap.
3. The Bazaar of Kashan, situated in the heart of Kashan, Iran, is an ancient marketplace.
4. Colosseum's basement, Rome
5. The Chand Baori is a stepwell built over a thousand years ago in the Indian village of Abhaneri in Rajasthan. It is one of the largest stepwells in the world and has 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry.
6. Domenico Galli's intricately carved violin, 1687. Galli was an Italian composer, cellist, and instrument maker.
7. The exquisite Renaissance architecture of the Royal Château of Blois, nestled in the stunning Loire Valley of France
8. When Michelangelo Buonarotti created the famous Pietà, he was only 23 years old. The work was commissioned by a French Cardinal and took Michelangelo only two years to complete (1498-1500). It was created from a single block of Carrara marble and is the only sculpture signed by the artist.
9. Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
10. A massive 16th-Century sculpture in Florence, Italy
11. Dracorex Hogwartsia is a newly-discovered dinosaur that resembles a fairy-tale dragon, with its bony skull covered in spikes and knobs.
12. The Khymers, known for their building skills, built many structures between the ninth and fifteenth centuries.
13. The Marcus Aurelius Column, in Rome, Italy, is a magnificent historical monument that depicts various battle scenes and narratives from the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius' military campaigns. It is located at Piazza Colonna, next to Palazzo Chigi.
14. If you're looking for an extraordinary work of art, head to the "House of Orion" in Pompeii. Here, you can marvel at the stunning "Mosaico di Orione" (Orion Mosaic), dating back to the late 2nd century BC to early 1st century BC. Despite the passage of time, much of the interior of the "House of Orion" has survived.
15. Acropolis of Athens
16. Collection of ancient Greek silver coins
