Every city on the planet has a special narrative to tell. The age-old cities have even better stories to tell, as they are enveloped in a rich cultural legacy. They have an amazing history, gorgeous architecture, and exhibit the marks of human civilizations as they have evolved. Apart from human invasions and natural disasters, the majority of the world’s historic cities have survived. So, let’s have a glance at some of the world’s oldest cities that are still alive today. According to an article from Education Word.

Damascus Syria


Damascus, also known as the capital of Arab culture, is the world’s oldest city, having witnessed the rise and fall of multiple major civilizations. Damascus was first inhabited in the second millennium B.C., according to scientific findings and historical evidence. It is the world’s oldest continuously populated city and a major cultural centre in the Arab world. Damascus is now a metropolis with a population of over two million people and was crowned Arab Capital of Culture in 2008.

Aleppo, Syria.

Aleppo is the capital of the Aleppo Governorate and has been inhabited continuously for over 8,000 years. It is true that human settlement remnants dating back to 11,000 B.C. have been discovered there. Aleppo is located between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia, and its strategic location made it a major trading centre throughout the ancient period. Aleppo, on the other hand, has been devastated since 2012 due to conflict between government and opposition forces, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and driven more to escape their homes.

Byblos, Lebanon


Byblos is the oldest and biggest city in Lebanon’s Mount Lebanon Governorate, located 42 kilometres north of Beirut. It is thought to have been inhabited by people for the first time between 8800 and 7000 BC, and has been continually inhabited since 5000 BC. This city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is thought that it was here that the first papyrus was imported into Greece. Because of the numerous layers of rubbish left behind by millennia of human habitation, this city is also an archeological marvel.

Argos, Greece

Argos is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, located in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Argos stayed neutral all through history, as per research, and did not take part in the Greco-Persian Wars. Argos now has a population of roughly 22,000 people and various antique sites.

Athens, Greece


Athens is Greece’s capital and largest city. It dominates the Attica region, with human habitation dating back to about the 11th and 7th millennia BC. This city is also the origin of Western civilizations and the ancient home of philosophy. In reality, it has been inhabited since before the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The city stood the test of time until the Dorian and Persian invasions when it was completely destroyed. Athens is now a huge metropolis and Europe’s oldest capital city.

Varanasi, India


Varanasi is India’s ancient city and the home of Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion. This city, also known as Benares, Banaras, or Kashi, is situated on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, India, and dates back to the 11th century B.C. Hindu pilgrims and visitors go to this metropolis from all over the world. These pilgrims take a bath in the Ganges and perform funeral customs. Along the city’s meandering lanes are over 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the Golden Temple, devoted to the Hindu god Shiva.