Four Amazing Ancient Stone Structures From Around the World
Natural stone is one of the world’s oldest building materials and there are many ancient structures still standing today as a testament to its strength and durability. Stone is still a widely used building material in the modern age and it’s mined in great quantities from quarries across the world. While simple stone buildings and structures are still being constructed every day, there are many from ancient times that are in a class of their own. There’s an abundance of impressive structures to choose from, so see our roundup below for just four of our favourites.
Stone Henge - Salisbury, England
Arguably the most famous stone structure in the UK, if not the world, Stone Henge dates all the way back to 3000 B.C and some mystery still surrounds exactly how it was built. It’s formed from larger sarsen stones (a type of sandstone) and smaller bluestones, with the largest sarsen stone weighing an impressive 30 tons.
Church of Saint George - Lalibela, Ethiopia
This is actually just one of 11 rock-hewn monolithic churches in the region and the site is named after the King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty. The church was carved from a type of rock formed from volcanic ash and dates back to the 12th or 13th century. The Church of Saint George attracts pilgrims from many different countries and is sometimes referred to as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’.
The Colosseum - Rome, Italy
Standing at a spectacular 620 feet long and 513 feet wide, the Colosseum had enough space to seat 50,000 spectators. The structure was so well designed it could even be purposely flooded to host aquatic events.
The Great Wall of China - Northern China
Stretching almost 4,000 miles across Northern China, the Great Wall was commissioned in the third century B.C by Emperor Qin Shi Huang to protect Chinese borders. Much of the original wall didn’t stand the test of the time, but it was restored by the Ming Dynasty in the 1300s to become the structure we see today.
Stone really is a remarkable building material, so if you’re in need of quality aggregates or quarry products for your next project, get in touch with W M Thompson & Son Ltd. We’ve been the proud suppliers of quarry products for over 70 years and can supply a wide range, including natural sand, gravel, armour stone, recycled aggregates and more. To find out more about any of our products or services, give us a call or visit our website.
