What is the oldest building in the world?

Answer 1

As usual, seveeral of these answers are clueless. There are quite a few neolithic constructions that predate the pyramids -- but whether you can call them buildings or not depends on how you define the word 'building'.

I think the archeologists feel that the oldest inhabited settlement that we know of is the town of Catal Hoyuk which has been excavated in Anatolia (Turkey) It is much older than the pyramids, but it consists basically of the ruins of the foundations of some houses. So, is that a 'building'?

http://www.focusmm.com/civcty/cathyk07.htm

Answer 2

I'm surprised at how many people are saying the Egyptian (or even Mayan) pyramids are the oldest; they're not. Neither is Stonehenge. There are plenty of ruined sites where buildings once stood that are far older than the pyramids, around the world, but one person earlier mentioned a place in Ireland, in County Meath, that has a small window designed to let the sunlight in on a certain day of the year; that would be Newgrange. Although it is considered a burial mound by purpose, it has walls, a roof, a floor, a doorway... it is a building, any way you look at it; and like most ancient Celtic sites it probably had more than one use. Newgrange itself was built sometime around 3200 BC, making it more than 5,000 years old, and much older than the pyramids. It's possible that there might be other Celtic sites that are older, but I'm not aware of them; and it's likely that one of them would be the only other contender for "oldest building in the world" status.

Answer 3

jap archaeologists have uncovered the continues to be of what's assumed to be the international's oldest synthetic structure, on a hillside at Chichibu, north of Tokyo. The safeguard might want to were equipped through an historic ancestor of people, Homo erectus, who's ordinary to have used stone equipment. the region has been dated to one/2 a million years in the past, in accordance to a record in New Scientist. It includes what seem 10 submit holes, forming 2 abnormal pentagons which will properly be the continues to be of two huts. Thirty stone equipment were also discovered scattered around the region.

Answer 4

As has been noted already, probably the oldest intact building in the world is Newgrange in Co. Meath (I think?) in the Republic of Ireland, but there is also a similar structure, Gavrinis, in Brittany that dates from the same time. But I seem to recall from my university days that the first towns were in northern Turkey and dated from about 7000BC. Obviously these are just archaeological remains rather than standing structures.

Answer 5

The oldest stone structure is often attributed to the Step Pyramid outside of Cairo in an area call Saqqara- also known as the Djoser pyramid. They recently found a structure in the same complex that may pre-date the pyramid itself.

The Step Pyramid was built from 2668-2649 B.C.E.

Answer 6

The most famous are the Egyptian pyramids — huge pyramids built of brick or stone, some of which are among the largest man-made constructions, constitute one of the most potent and enduring symbols of Ancient Egyptian civilization.

Pyramids functioned as tombs for pharaohs. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The ancient Egyptians capped the peaks of their pyramids with gold and covered their faces with polished white limestone, though many of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or been removed for other structures over the millennia.

Answer 7

Neolithic Temple of Hagar Qim. On the Mediterranean Island of Malta.

www.walkabouttravelgear.com/hagar.htm

Answer 8

Pyramids Egypt

Answer 9

Don't take my word for it, check it out first, but recently the buildings at Skara Brae on the Orkney Islands were recently re-classified as pre dating any other known standing structures on earth, I think 5000 years was the dateline given.

Answer 10

That place in Eire where the sun only shines through a small window on the shortest day of the year. It has been confirmed as pre-dating the pyramids,sphynx etc; it's in county Meath...seriously!