Ancient abodes that have survived into the 21st century

 Ancient abodes that have survived into the 21st century

 1.Kandovan cave houses, Osku, Iran

Nestled at the foot of the Mount Sahand volcano, the remarkable village of Kandovan in Iran's northeastern East Azerbaijan Province is made up of troglodyte homes that were carved out of the soft, porous volcanic rock 700 years ago by refugees fleeing the Mongol hordes.Troglodyte translated from Greek means 'cave-dweller' in English. These cave houses are called Karaans, possibly after the local dialect word for beehive.

Continuously inhabited since their creation, the cliff houses are carved into fantastical shapes that look straight out of a fairytale.For centuries, they have protected the village's inhabitants from enemy invasions, not to mention the region's blisteringly hot summers and bitter winters, thanks to their precarious position and wonderfully insulating walls.The homes can stretch up to four storeys in height. The ground floor traditionally houses livestock, living quarters are situated on the next two floors, while the upper level is used for storage.
As you might imagine, Kandovan is now a major tourist attraction and the village, which has a population of 670, usually welcomes 300,000 visitors a year.

Kandovan is not only home to these incredible troglodyte dwellings: the village's spring water is said to be healing, plus many of the plants that grow in the area are reported to have restorative properties. To accommodate the ever-growing number of visitors, a cave hotel opened in 2006, while this gift shop caters to tourists. 
 

2. Sky City, Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico, USA

Acoma Pueblo near Albuquerque in western New Mexico was established in at least the 12th century, though according to the Native American Acoma people, it was even earlier.

The earliest surviving homes in the village sit atop a 367-foot mesa. A mesa is a flat-topped hill or mountain with steep sides and the word comes from the Spanish word for "table" because the tops of mesas look similar. 

The homes are said to have been built between 1144 and 1150 and archeologists believe the elevated location was first inhabited as far back as 2,000 years ago.

Numbering some 300, the pueblo's structures were built using sandstone and adobe bricks, which are made by combining earth, straw, and water. They are constructed as multi-level terraces entered by ladders rather than doors.

As well as having a spiritual significance, these ladders could be removed in the event of an invasion, further protecting the inhabitants from marauding tribes.


 

3.Adobe houses, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, USA

Staying in New Mexico, Taos Pueblo is likely the oldest continuously inhabited site in the US, possibly predating Acoma Pueblo by around a century.

The home of the Native American Red Willow People for more than a millennium, the village is located in a high desert valley within the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range on either side of the Rio Pueblo.

Designated as both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark, the pueblo is made up of two multi-level apartment-style adobe houses. 

The Hlauuma ('North House'), stands five stories high and is said to be one of the most photographed buildings in the US and the Hlaukwima ('South House').

The village's adobe houses share many similarities with the homes of Acoma Pueblo, as this picture from 1877 shows. The thick adobe walls provide excellent insulation, keeping the rooms cool in summer and warm during the winter months.

Like Acoma's structures, they were traditionally accessed by a ladder, though some went on to feature doors, and ground-floor rooms were kitted out with corner fireplaces. 

4.Viking farmhouse, Kirkjubøur, Faroe Islands

Kirkjubøargarður ('Yard of Kirkjubøur') aka 'King's Farm' in the windswept Faroe Islands is one of the oldest continuously inhabited wooden homes in the world and could very well be the most venerable.

The remote farmhouse was constructed in the 11th century using driftwood from Norway. This is interesting as the Faroe Islands are virtually treeless and timber has long been a precious commodity.

The Viking farmhouse, which like many traditional structures in the Faroe Islands features a turf roof to keep out the elements, first served as a Catholic episcopal residence and seminary.
It was here that Bishop Erlendur penned the so-called 'Sheep's Letter' in 1298. This royal decree concerning sheep breeding is the earliest known document created in the Faroe Islands. It was enacted by Duke Haakon, who later became King Haakon V of Norway.

In 1538, not long after the Protestant Reformation, the farmhouse was confiscated by the King of Denmark. Kirkjubøargarður was leased to the Patursson family in the 1550s and has passed through 17 generations, with the eldest son who is dubbed the King's Farmer, always assuming the tenancy.

Today, the ultimate owner of the property is the Faroese government.

The farm remains the largest in the Faroe Islands and the current custodians raise sheep and cattle. Visitors can take a tour of the interior of the farmhouse, which is as cozy as they come and filled with a plethora of age-old artifacts.

You can also explore the surrounding historic buildings that include the 12th-century St Olav's Church and the ruins of the 13th-century St Magnus Cathedral.

5.Old Sana'a tower houses, Sana'a Governate, Yemen

The ancient city of Old Sana'a high up in the Yemeni Mountains dates back more than 2,500 years, making it one of the most esteemed continuously inhabited urban areas on the planet.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Sana'a is renowned for its rammed earth tower houses. As many as 6,000 of these multi-level homes were constructed before the 11th century.

Yemen has been in the grip of a devastating proxy civil war since 2014, after Iran-backed Houthi rebels ousted the Saudi-aligned government and took control of Old Sana'a and other parts of the country.

Since then, the city has been battered by Saudi-led airstrikes, which have destroyed a number of its iconic tower houses and many of those that are still standing are suffering severe neglect.

Adding to the multiple threats to the city's heritage, Old Sana'a endured months of exceptionally heavy rains in 2020. Weakened by the forces of Mother Nature and widespread flooding, 111 tower houses collapsed and 6,000 dwellings have leaky roofs.

With the war showing no sign of ending, the situation is only likely to get worse. Let's hope some of these incredible homes survive.

From one war-torn place to another, Aleppo's ancient Citadel which looms over the Syrian city, dates way back to the third millennium BC. However, the majority of the residences within its walls were erected by the Ayyubids during the 12th and 13th centuries.Full of history, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has withstood everything from earthquakes to sieges over the centuries.