Here at SITECH, we offer construction management software, including Trimble construction technology, in order to help construction crews work more efficiently, decrease frequency of costly mistakes, and improve workplace safety. There is a lot that goes on in a major architectural endeavor: intricate designs, tons of earth and debris to move, whole teams and crews to coordinate. Luckily, nowadays, we have extremely powerful machines and software to help us get the job done. But how did ancient civilizations manage to finish their great architectural achievements? Here, we’ll go over some amazing ancient architectural marvels that are sure to impress!
Chand Baori, India
The Chand Baori is a well in the Indian state of Rajasthan that was built back in the 10th century. It is the deepest well in the entire world, going down a full 100 feet below the earth’s surface. There are 3,500 steps going down 13 levels in an inverted “V” pattern, and the walls are so steep that in some places, you can’t see the people standing on steps above you. . The well is located next to the Harshat Mata temple, and was built in reaction to lack of water access. It’s hard to imagine how the technology of the time could produce such an architectural wonder, but the Local legend says that it was built by ghosts in a single night.
Sacsayhuaman, Peru
Located outside the city of Cusco in Peru, Sacsayhuaman is a massive fortress made of giant stone walls, the heaviest of which weigh about 120 tons. Even the Spanish Conquistadors were impressed at the construction of the fortress, claiming that it must have been the deed of demons. It is not just the gigantic, heavy stones that make this engineering marvel impressive; it is so well put together, that you can’t even fit a piece of paper between any of the giant stone boulders. This is likely the reason why the structure has withstood major earthquakes, which devastated the surrounding areas.
Leshan Giant Buddha, China
The Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest Buddha carved out of stone in the world, measuring in at 232 feet above ground. Its fingers alone are 11 feet, with shoulders almost as big as basketball courts measuring about 92 feet long. The Buddha statue overlooks a convergence of three different rivers running through the Sichuan Province. Built over the span of 90 years in 713, by the labor of thousands of workers, the Buddha was commissioned by a monk of the Tang dynasty named Hai Tong. His purpose for the statue was to supplicate the water spirits thought to be responsible for the many boat accidents of the time.
Teotihuacan, Mexico
Teotihuacan is an ancient urban complex of grand design for the time, with even just its remains measuring at two full miles across. It has some of the largest pyramidal structures found in the pre-Columbian Americas. Established in 100 BCE, the city probably had as many as 200,000 inhabitants at one time. It is widely considered the first major urban center in the Americas. What is truly amazing, however, is that the entire complex is built around geodetic, celestial, and geographic alignments. Anthony Aveni, an astronomer and anthropologist, was the first to discover that the city was based on a grid laid out on a point of prime astronomical significance, here meaning the builders aligned the east and west axis of the city to line up with where the sun sets on August 12, which was the beginning of the city’s people’s calendar year.
El Mirador, Guatemala
El Mirador is a kind of hidden architectural marvel. That is because it is nested in a dense jungle in Guatemala. Known as the “cradle of Maya civilization”, there are five Maya cities built before even the famous Tikal, as well as the largest pyramid by volume in the world and the world’s first highway system. The whole site of El Mirador was not discovered until 1926, and even still wasn’t mapped until 1978. “La Danta” is its biggest pyramidal structure, with a 2,800,000 cubic meter volume. In fact, it rivals many of the more well known Egyptian pyramids. Unfortunately, this site is currently being threatened by deforestation, drug smugglers, and looters, which has created the need to make much of the region a national park, currently being run by the Global Heritage Fund and the Guatemalan and United States governments.
The Lost City of Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan
Another ancient city, about 4,500 years ago, Mohenjo-Daro boasted the title of one of the biggest urban settlements in the world. For over a thousand years the city prospered, until it was abandoned in 1500 BCE for reasons unknown. At its peak, the city likely housed over 35,000 residents. Surprisingly, the city had a better plumbing system (indoor toilets, sewage drains, etc.) than the rest of the western world until about the 20th century. The city was laid out in a grid of buildings, which were mostly made of mortared brick.
Hopefully you enjoyed this overview of ancient historical marvels. If you are in the business of creating modern architecture, whether that be residential or commercial construction, your team can benefit from our Trimble construction technology solutions. If you would like some more information on how our construction management technology can benefit you, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives. We would be happy to provide you with any information that you may need. We look forward to hearing from you!