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10 ancient buildings that have resisted time

All around the world, we can find examples of the architectural wonders created by ancient civilizations, but many of these have reached our days as ruins. Many, but not all. Some have resisted the wear and tear of time so well —be it because they were maintained or due to their excellent construction— that they are not only standing, but they are functional and in use today. What are they being used for? Let’s find out!

The original Pantheon had been commissioned by General Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa during the reign of Augustus and built on the site of an older temple. Destroyed in a fire, the current building was built in the 2nd century under Emperor Hadrian’s orders and has been, since the 7th century, a Catholic temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the Martyrs.

What makes this building so impressive? The round building has the world's largest and oldest unreinforced concrete dome, excellently preserved. The dome, built in one piece and with a central opening as the only light source for the building, has served as a blueprint for many other buildings. Besides being regularly used as a church, it is also the resting place of two Italian monarchs.

Located at the foot of Mount Sinai, St. Catherine’s Monastery is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery. It was built between 548 and 565 under the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. The important relics enclosed in it—mainly, the remains of St. Catherine of Alexandria, and the burning bush seen by Moses—have made the place an important pilgrimage site for many believers.

Built around the already existing Chapel of the Burning Bush and the Well of Moses, the fortified complex includes a 6th-century basilica, a bell tower with a bell donated by a Russian tsar, a mosque, a library, a museum, and a sulfur spring. The basilica encloses the prior church, and it is one of the oldest surviving Christian buildings in the world.

Dating back to the 1st century AD, the Maison Carrée (meaning ‘square house’) was built as a temple for the imperial cult in the French city of Nîmes. It has been used as a temple, a church, a royal residence, a museum, a government building, and even as a stable. Nowadays, it is used as a museum.

The building presents similarities with other Roman temples of Tuscan style, but follows the Corinthian order. The portico and its columns are richly decorated with vines and leaves, and the entire building is situated on a high podium, giving it a towering presence over the area. The Maison Carrée has served as inspiration for many neoclassical buildings, the most famous being Virginia’s State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson.

How old is this Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and Shakti? Well, it depends on who you ask. Locals claim that it was built during the 1st century, but most of its elements date to the 6th century, so it might have been rebuilt or modernized.

No matter the date, the Mundeshwari Temple is one of the oldest continuously working Hindu temples in the world. It has an octagonal floor plan, not common in this kind of building, and its walls are intricately carved. Up to this day, it is still a major pilgrimage site for Hindus across the world.

A cathedral, a mosque, a museum, and a mosque once again. Built in 360 AD, destroyed in a fire, and rebuilt in 537 AD as the main Byzantine cathedral, Hagia Sophia (meaning ‘Holy Wisdom’) is a testament to old Constantinople, and it was intended to be the biggest church in the world.

After the Ottoman conquest, its conversion into a mosque involved the addition of minarets and other architectural elements. Many mosaics and paintings, forbidden in Islamic tradition, were covered with plaster, although they have been restored during the 20th century and given fabric coverings that protect them and hide them from view.

This stupa—a Buddhist building containing relics—is located in Sri Lanka, and it is said to contain body relics of the historic Buddha, making it a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists everywhere. Built in the 2nd century by King Dutugemunu after the unification of Sri Lanka, it is nearly as tall as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The stupa has suffered numerous attacks during its history, and in the 19th century, it was completely covered by wilderness. Renovation efforts started in the early 20th century, and it is now a point of pride for Sri Lankans.

Founded in 607, this complex stands out from others on this list for one simple reason: it is made out of wood. One of the main Buddhist temples in Japan, it was completely burned down and was rebuilt in the year 670, and its main five-story pagoda is considered one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. In 1949, another fire caused grave damage, but it was luckily contained.

Built around the time Buddhism was introduced in Japan, the complex showcases architectural influences from Korea and China, fused with unique Japanese elements. During World War II, big sections of the complex were dismantled and hidden, but the area was ultimately spared from attacks.

Dating to the late 1st Century AD, the tower of Hercules is the oldest Roman lighthouse still standing. Built under Emperor Trajan, it was originally called Farum Brigantium or Lighthouse of Brigantia after a nearby Roman settlement in Galicia, Spain. Its current name comes from a mix of Classical and Celtic myths, according to which Hercules fought and defeated a giant and built a tower over his buried head, the same tower from which ancient Celts discovered Ireland and sailed towards it.

The building has been in continuous use since its construction, not only as a lighthouse, but also as a fortress and a lookout point. As a testament to its cultural importance, the Tower of Hercules is depicted in the Galician coat of arms, alongside the head and bones of the defeated giant.

One of the oldest buildings in the U.S. territory, San Juan’s Casa Blanca was built as the residence of the first Spanish governor of Puerto Rico in 1521. Originally made out of wood, it was rebuilt in stone after a fire and was used as a fortress during conflicts.

Serving as the governor’s residence for more than two centuries—until La Fortaleza was built—it was then used for military purposes and later left in disuse in the 20th century. After renovations, it is nowadays a museum and a testament to the Puerto Rican colonial period.

When we think about Roman arenas, we are likely to remember the Colosseum. However, there are older arenas that are still in use and have better resisted the passage of time. The Arena of Verona is one example. Built around 30 AD with a capacity for 30,000 people, it was temporarily abandoned after the fall of the Empire, but was used again during medieval times.

The exterior part of the building was partially destroyed by an earthquake in the 12th century, and some sections were demolished to make way for new buildings, but laws to protect it were established during the Renaissance period. Nowadays, the arena serves as a venue for opera, concerts, and other musical performances.

Sailors slang

You won't believe these 10 phrases have a salty sailor past

Life on ships was all about teamwork and facing the unknown. Sailors dealt with changing weather, rough waters, and threats that weren’t always easy to anticipate. Many phrases that still sound familiar today came out of that world, even though most of us don't use ropes or read the wind anymore. Even far from the ocean, these 10 expressions still describe everyday life.

Can you imagine what "true colors" meant in sailing slang? It was actually a direct reference to a ship’s flag. Back then, flags could show a ship’s country or empire, loyalty, or even surrender. But ships could also sail under false colors to deceive other ships and hide their real intentions. When those intentions were finally revealed, the ship showed its true colors.

That meaning is not far from the one we use today. Today, the expression is used when someone reveals their real feelings or intentions after keeping them hidden for some time.

We’ve all entered a new job or tried a new activity, and had to learn how the whole system works before taking the first steps. That is the moment you get to learn the ropes, before things start to flow naturally. And on a ship full of real ropes, sailors had to learn, one by one, which rope was for which function and where it belonged before starting to sail by themselves.

When the ship faced a dangerous or urgent situation at sea, everyone’s help was needed, and the call was simple: all hands on deck. In that phrase, "hands" meant the sailors or workers on board. It was a call for when the crew had to act quickly. The phrase keeps almost the same spirit these days. We use all hands on deck when a task is too big for one person, and everyone’s effort is required to get the job done.

Imagine standing on the shore and spotting a ship far out at sea, which isn’t close enough to arrive yet. That distant part of the sea was called the offing, so when a ship was in the offing, people knew it was on its way. The phrase made its way from ships to everyday life, and today, "in the offing" means something will happen soon, and you already see it coming.

When getting ready for difficult situations, we often say we’d better "batten down the hatches." Originally, the expression meant getting ready for rough weather. Sailors would close and secure the ship's hatch covers so water couldn’t get below deck. The word "batten" refers to strips used to fasten things down. Years had passed, and the meaning went from protecting a ship from bad weather to protecting yourself before any challenge.

Cannons were extremely heavy and mounted on wheeled carriages. If the heavy ropes or tackles securing them broke during a battle or a heavy storm, the cannon would become a "loose cannon," sliding and rolling violently across the gun deck, destroying everything and everyone in its path. That dangerous image stuck over the decades, and today, we use the phrase to refer to someone who is unpredictable or to a situation that is dangerously getting out of our control

In sailing, the sheets were the ropes or chains that controlled the sails, and when the sheets came loose, the sails could flap, and the boat would start to move in a messy, unsteady way. The comparison is easy to imagine: someone very drunk can stumble like a boat that can’t stay steady. Sailors already used that image for a person who was too drunk to walk straight, and to this day, there may be no better way to describe it.

Out at sea, "by_"_ meant sailing close to the wind, while "large" meant sailing with the wind coming more from behind or from the side. So, when a ship sailed well by and large, it was capable of handling different kinds of wind. Over the years, that idea became a way to express something in a broad sense; it is used when talking about something in general, describing the big picture without getting stuck in every small detail.

Currently, "taken aback" describes a shocking or unexpected situation, but back in the sailing days, it was all about the wind. It described the moment when the wind hit the sails from the wrong side and pushed back against the mast. Now, when people are taken aback, it's probably because they received unexpected news or were caught off guard, leaving them unsure how to react.

The phrase smooth sailing comes from the kind of trip every sailor wanted: calm water, good wind, and no major trouble ahead. When conditions were right, the ship could move forward easily. Today, the phrase works almost the same way, but outside the sea. People use it when situations become easier after a problem is fixed. A work project or a trip can become smooth sailing once the hardest part is over.