History and traveling have been two of my favorite things since I was a little girl. I have been incredibly fortunate to have experienced putting them together, traveling to see historical sites in different places around the world. Out of the ones that I have visited, I definitely have my favorites. I also still have plenty that I hope to have the opportunity to visit one day.
Stonehenge
I had the amazing opportunity to visit the infamous Stonehenge when I studied abroad in England last year. The trip was via the school I was studying with as a paid excursion that they took students in the program on. It was a quick two hour coach trip from the school in London to Sailsbury, the town where Stonehenge is located.
A quick backstory of Stonehenge for those who don’t know much about it; the monument, a circle of stones, has been around for about 5,000 years. The most fascinating part about the monument is that, to this day, historians aren’t exactly sure why it is there or what its purpose is. However, it is clear that it shows the history of humans — humans created Stonehenge, and whether it was for farming, astronomy, or religious purposes, it tells a story of life thousands of years ago.
Like most people, I have grown up hearing about Stonehenge in various forms of media. The monument appears in films like “Thor: The Dark World” and “Transformers: The Last Knight”. To be honest, I confused it for other stone monuments like the Calanais Standing Stones, but as I got older and more into history, I learned the difference between the two. I also learned a lot about Stonehenge over the years, and I definitely wanted to see it in person one day.
What I loved the most about visiting Stonehenge was that there is a lot more to see there than just the stones. There is a museum, replicas of hut homes that were used by the people who built Stonehenge, and even an interactive map to see everything that was built in the surrounding area as well. I learned so much while visiting; there were so many things that despite my own research, I hadn’t known prior. Things that I do believe a person can only learn by visiting the site themselves. Seeing the stones up close in person felt like a dream, and I was just waiting for someone to pinch me awake.
I highly recommend visiting Stonehenge if you have any interest in English history or the history surrounding the monument itself. It is truly a beautiful sight to see, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to experience that.
Colosseum
I was able to visit the Colosseum in Rome in 2019 during my first visit to Europe. Rome was a city that I had always wanted to visit due to it being such a hotspot for history, including monuments like the Colosseum. This was quite literally my first stop after getting off the plane in Rome.
The history of the Colosseum is very long and extensive, starting around 70 A.D. when Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty commissioned it to be built for the Roman people. It wasn’t opened until 80 A.D. by Vespasian’s son, Titus, under the name “Flavian Amphitheater.” The amphitheater held 100 days of games after its opening, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights. The Colosseum measures in at 620 by 513 feet (190 by 155 meters), and it was the largest amphitheater in the Roman world. It accommodated up to 50,000 spectators and (my favorite fun fact) could be filled with water to hold mock naval battles for viewing. Unfortunately, a fire in the year 217 severely damaged the Colosseum, completely destroying the upper wooden level. Thankfully, the rest of the building was left, and it continued to be used until the 14th century when many of its materials were stripped to be used in other building projects; this disassembly only lasted until the 18th century because in 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared that the Colosseum must be protected. From then on, from the 19th century up until 2016, the Colosseum went under numerous restoration projects to get it to where it is now. Around 4 million people visit the Colosseum every year, witnessing the history and tales that have made it the important monument it is today.
Walking around the Colosseum felt completely unreal, it was so hard for me to grasp that I was walking the same path that people did in 80 A.D. While looking out onto what would’ve been the main part of the area, I thought of all the battles, fights, and Roman engagements that took place there. Being able to physically connect with history that way is so magical for me, which is a main reason why I wanted to even visit the Colosseum in the first place. I loved seeing everything — from the outside, to where the seats used to be, to underneath (where workers would ensure everything goes correctly during a performance).
Of course, every year people make a big claim that people have to go see the Colosseum as soon as they can because we aren’t sure how long it will last. However, I think if it’s lasted this long, you don’t need to be in a crazy rush to visit. I would still recommend adding the Colosseum to your list, and hopefully one day you’ll be able to visit this amazing historical monument.
St. Vitus Cathedral
This is the most recent historical site that I have had the opportunity to visit. I looked at the cathedral during winter break this year when my boyfriend and I took a trip to Prague. This beautiful city is a hotspot for Gothic style architecture, and St. Vitus Cathedral is one of the most famous Gothic buildings in the entire world. Unlike the past two sites, St. Vitus Cathedral wasn’t a place that was on my list for years — but once I learned about it, I had to visit.
St. Vitus Cathedral’s origins can be dated back to the year 925, when Prince Wenceslas (Václav) founded a Romanesque rotunda there, which after 1060 was converted into a basilica with three naves and two steeples. It took around 600 years to fully complete the cathedral, which is why it is possible to see many different architectural styles in the cathedral, with the primary one being the gothic style. The first builder was Matthias of Arras until 1352, and he was succeeded by a twenty-three-year-old Petr Parléř from Gmünd in Schwäben, who managed the construction and decorations until his death in 1399. The cathedral was used for religious purposes as well as coronations for Czech royals. It also functions as the burial place for many patron saints, archbishops and noblemen.
For me, entering St. Vitus Cathedral felt like entering an entirely new world. I’ve been to a lot of cathedrals in my life but this one was by far the most beautiful and elaborate that I have ever visited. It is so grand, with larger than life stained glass windows and huge gold accents. My jaw was quite literally on the floor as I walked through the grand halls, looking at the intricate details, beautiful paintings, and dozens of burial places. I was so confused as to why I had never heard anyone talk about it before and why I hadn’t known about it sooner. It is truly underrated, and I hope that more people learn about this gorgeous cathedral that I would say rivals even Notre Dame. I highly recommend adding this to your list of historical sites to visit one day.
Now, I want to talk about some historical sites that I haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet but definitely want to. My real list is actually quite long, since I want to see as many as humanly possible, but these are the ones that are on the top of that list.
Chichen Itza
Starting off strong with one of the seven wonders of the modern world, I would love the opportunity to visit the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. I have always felt strongly about the indigenous peoples of Mexico due to my own Mexican heritage, and while the Mayan Empire spanned all the way down to northern El Salvador, I still love learning about the life of the Maya. I have never seen any Mayan ruins, so I would absolutely love for the opportunity to one day be able to visit them and connect with the Mayan history.
The Mayan Empire spanned across 40 cities with a population of around 2 million people at its peak. There are tons of Mayan ruins in Central America, but what’s special about Chichen Itza is that it was one of the most important cities in the Mayan Empire. There are 26 ruins that are available to see at Chichen Itza, but the biggest and most famous is El Castillo. El Castillo is the 79-foot stone pyramid in Chichen Itza. The pyramid was built around 1000 A.D. and was the center of the city. The most fascinating time to look at El Castillo is (twice a year) on the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. As the Sun sets on the equinoxes, a play of light and shadow creates the appearance of a snake that gradually moves down the stairway of the pyramid.
I cannot wait until I have the opportunity to visit Chichen Itza and El Castillo;until that day, it will definitely remain at the top of my wishlist.
Petra
I wouldn’t be a history nerd if I didn’t include Petra in my list of historical sites I am dying to visit. Petra, like Chichen Itza, is one of the modern seven wonders of the world, and I have wanted to visit it since I first heard about it in middle school. Petra, Jordan is a prehistoric city nestled between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea. It was once a successful trading center and the capital of the Nabataean Empire between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106. It is half built and half carved into the surrounding rock, making it one of the world’s most important archaeological sites. I would love to visit Petra due to its extreme importance to what we know about civilizations in ancient times and what that can tell us about why life came to be how it is today.
This breathtaking city’ first settlers can be dated back to 312 B.C. when the Nabataeans built the city to be their capital. The city has innovative networks of water capture, storage, transport, and irrigation systems, which are the reasons why archaeologists continue to explore the city and surrounding areas. However, once the Roman Empire took over the Nabataean Empire, they also took over Petra in 106 A.D. which is when the city’s importance began to dwindle. Unfortunately, for a long time, Petra was left abandoned — completely forgotten by the world despite its importance in early A.D. times. It sat in ruins until the early 1800s, when a European traveler infiltrated the location while disguised in a Bedouin costume. Then, in 1985, the Petra Archeological Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site which led to the location being named a modern seven wonders of the world in 2007.
a Like I said earlier, I really want to visit Petra because of its expansive importance to the history of humans. I also think that it would be incredible to be able to see the beautiful architecture of the city. It amazes me how ancient civilizations were able to build such grand and intricate structures without the help of modern technology. I love seeing pictures of people visiting Petra, especially if I know that they’re using it as an opportunity to learn and connect with ancient humans.
The Acropolis of Athens
If you know me, you know that I have a huge obsession with Greek mythology and Greek history, so of course the Acropolis in Athens is on my list. I have been absolutely infatuated with anything Greek related after reading the Percy Jackson series in middle school. The Acropolis is a beautiful way that we are still able to see how life was like in ancient Greece, a place that has a lot of influence in many different parts of modern life. I haven’t been able to even visit Greece yet, but I do know that seeing the Acropolis would be one of the first things I do there.
The Acropolis, like most of Greece’s artifacts, is incredibly old. Archaeological evidence says that it was built between 447-437 B.C. which is also during what is considered Greece’s “Golden Age”. It was built under the statesman Pericles with the help of famous Greek architects including Iktinos and Kallikrates. It was decorated by the sculptor Phidias. The Acropolis and the surrounding area, like the Parthenon, were dedicated to the goddess Athena, who is my personal favorite goddess (which is another reason why I want to visit!). The Acropolis was also important to Athenian life due to its multitude of purposes; it was a home to kings, a religious center, a mythical home for Greek gods, and a tourist attraction even in ancient times. After Rome converted to Christianity in the 6th century A.D., the Acropolis’ temples became churches. When other civilizations invaded Greece, they were also used as mosques and other religious temples. Unfortunately, on September 26, 1687, the Venetians bombed Athens, completely destroying much of the Acropolis including the Parthenon and various precious artifacts. However, what was left thankfully survived until 1975 when the Committee for the Conservation of the Monuments on the Acropolis was established. Then in 1987, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protecting it so that it can still be seen for generations to come.
Greece in general has been on my travel bucket list for so long, which means that I know that I will definitely one day visit the beautiful and history-heavy country. I would love to be able to not only see the Acropolis of Athens but also many other Greek artifacts and historical sites.