Aranya Doloi
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Once upon a time, there was a city really advanced, some would say too progressive for its time. As the legend says one day, the ocean swallowed the city and it was never seen again. Yes, we are talking about the legend of Atlantis. To this day, the legendary city is yet to be found but over the years many other underwater cities have been found, each of them as eerie as they are mind blowing.
Here’s a list of the most incredible ancient cities that we lost to the sea.
#1 Dwarka, Gulf of Cambay, India
Reality has met mythology deep down under the sea. The home of Krishna is no longer a myth as the discovery of ruins prove that Dwarka wasn’t just an Indian tale. Located 130 feet beneath the ocean surface, it is considered one of the seven oldest cities of India. Raise your hand if you would love to dive deep into the Arabian Sea as coming in such close proximity with the Dwarka folklore will be a surreal experience.
#2 Shi Cheng, China
Also known as The Lion City, Shi Cheng was once the economic hub of the eastern province of Zhejiang. However, the amazing architecture and intriguing statues could not be saved from flooding in the 1950s when the government decided to build a hydroelectric power station. Finding Nemo would have been impossible if it swam all the way to The Lion City which is equal to 63 football fields in size.
#3 Port Royal, Jamaica
Jack Sparrow started his voyage from Port Royal. It is known as the Pirate hub of Jamaica and as the most sinful city of the world. However, the big earthquakes that hit Jamaica in 1962 resulted in Port Royal being swallowed by the ocean. The city lying forty feet below the ocean is claimed by some as God’s punishment for the world’s most sinful city. What do you think?
#4 Villa Epecuen, Argentina
34 years ago, one of Argentina’s most famous spa towns vanished when the Lake Epecuen completely flooded town after heavy rains. 5000 Argentines lost everything they had with the blink of an eye. The lake began to recede in 2009 and in 2011, the town got back one of its inhabitants – Actor Pablo Novak who is currently the only inhabitant of Villa Epecuen. Seems like a tale right out of a novel!
#5 Cleopatra’s Palace, Egypt
Think of an Egyptian landscape and your mind jumps to Giza’s Great Sphinx or the Pyramids. But not all Egyptian treasures sit on dry land. Near the coast of Alexandria lies the magnificent ancient palace of Cleopatra that has been cast into the sea after an earthquake hit the country around 1600 hundred years ago. And to your delight, you can now actually walk down to The Lighthouse of the Pharaohs as an underwater museum is being built on the Mediterranean Sea.
#6 Baia, Italy
The city of Baia was ancient Rome’s Las Vegas. Famous for its hot springs and its bohemian status, the city attracted noble people from around the kingdom. However, the luxurious city was abandoned as water levels flooded the city, drowning the ancient remnants. Today the remains of this ancient city are partying 20 feet below the surface. We are sure your curious mind just wants to get a taste of the ocean’s Las Vegas.
#7 Jal Mahal, India
A real jewel of the Rajput architecture style, the water palace of Jaipur is partially sunken. Construction of a dam took the palaces first four floor under water. However, if the water levels rise, the rooftop is the only thing you can see. Imagine when the levels go down – the palace would look like something just emerging from water. It’ll surely be a magnificent sight to behold.
