De Carthagène à la Mosquée Bleue | Merveilles du Monde

De Carthagène à la Mosquée Bleue | Merveilles du Monde

Cartagena de Indias is a port city located on Colombia’s northern coast, facing the Caribbean Sea. The city was founded on June 1st, 1533, by the conquistador, Pedro de Heredia, and in 1550 it became a large port of the Spanish colonial empire. In the 16th and 17th centuries, fortresses were built on the port,

And for nearly four centuries it was a bastion of the Spanish crown in South America. Due to its geographic position, it is a port of entry leading to the Andes, a place of transit for the gold that was being looted from the Inca empire. The colonial city of Cartagena quickly grew rich

Since it had the thankless privilege of being the greatest African slave market in the Americas. On the port, along the robust walls of the old town, the bovedas of the former slave market have been renovated. Today, the cells have been converted into souvenir shops and stores

To the great enjoyment of the city’s visitors. The city is protected by 12 kilometers of ramparts. The Clocktower gate is the main gate created in the 19th century. It is the symbol of Cartagena. The colonial old town is surrounded by ramparts and holds a special spot in the country’s history.

In 1811, after having been the best protected city of South America, Cartagena de Indias was the first city of the viceroyalty of New Granada to declare its independence. Today, the Colonial City welcomed 2 million visitors. However, the finest hours of the colonies came to an end in South America.

Cartagena de Indias was home to the first insurrections that led to the independence of Colombia in 1819. Between 1812 and 1813, the young Venezuelan, Simon Bolivar, liberated the city while serving the Patriot Army of Cartagena de Indias. The revolt spread throughout the land. The country freed itself from Spain and created a republic.

The historical city then remained frozen in the colonial era and maintained its very special charm. At the time because it was rich, Cartagena was a source of envy from both the colonial powers and the pirates. The city was often attacked by pirates like the British Francis Drake in 1586.

A year earlier, war had been declared between Spain and England, Drake then set sail for the New World and captured the city. The house where he lived still stands today. While he was alive, he was considered a hero by the British for his legendary feats,

While the Spanish considered him a pirate and sought to capture him dead or alive. The impressive Santa Catalina de Alejandria Cathedral is seen from afar amidst the narrow streets. It was built during the Inquisition in the late 16th century and stands as a reminder that converting the Native Americans to Catholicism

Was one of the major goals of the conquistadors. The cathedral is in Herrera style, which is characteristic of King Felipe II, it corresponds to the last developments in Spanish Renaissance architecture. It was designed by the architect, Simon Gonzalez, who was inspired by the Andalusian basilicas in Southern Spain.

Everything here was designed to impress the Native Americans and to speed up their conversion to Catholicism. The cathedral includes three naves and a number of chapels which stand adjacent to the gospel nave. They are all richly adorned. This building can be considered as one of the oldest cathedrals in America.

Facing the Simon Bolivar Plaza, the Historical Museum of Cartagena is located in the former Palace of the Inquisition. This 18th century house formerly held the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition. The museum showcases the torture chambers and instruments used by the conquistadors to extirpate pagan beliefs.

Philip III of Spain decreed the construction of the palace, and the site was the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition’s Tribunal of Repression. Jews and other non-Catholics were tortured here. Over 800 people were judged guilty of performing crimes like black magic and were then tortured and publicly executed during this period.

This monument was influenced by the architecture of Southern Spain and combines the populist vision of the city’s builders. It is one of the most tangible results of the unique encounter between different cultures in the Americas. At the Plaza Santo Domingo, a very pleasant plaza with restaurants, bars and street vendors,

Visitors come face to face with a surprising figure. The locals call it La Gordita, the fat one. It is a statue by Fernando Botero, a work weighing 650 kilos. It has become a tourist attraction in Cartagena. Near the harbor in the city’s historical center,

The Church of San Pedro Claver is a still active Jesuit church that was built in the 17th century. Beside it to its left, stands the former Jesuit College and the residence of Saint Peter Claver. Because it contains the body of Saint Peter Claver, the apostle of African slaves,

The church has become a sanctuary and a site of pilgrimage. Under the sanctuary’s main altar is a large glass shrine that contains the mortal remains of Saint Peter Claver. He had great spiritual, moral and physical compassion for the African slaves who were deported from their native land.

One hundred years after his death in 1747, Peter Claver was declared venerable by Pope Benedict the 14th. Here, he is paid tribute. The colonial building beside the former Jesuit college was the residence of Saint Peter Claver for 40 years, and today, part of the building houses the Jesuits

Who serve at the parish church. Another part of the building includes a museum dedicated to Saint Peter Claver. With its museum, the San Pedro Claver Church is truly worth seeing. Cartagena was undoubtedly the most beautiful Spanish colonial city of the Caribbean Sea,

Only Havana, Cuba could have rivaled it during its time of splendor. However, that was before the revolution which led the beautiful residences to be abandoned for good. Thankfully, its cultural heritage was preserved, and the restoration works that began many years ago bring this rich history to life.

Listed a World Heritage site by UNESCO, Cartagena is a unique gem worth visiting. In upper Egypt, in the Nile Valley, among the numerous temples and tombs left there by the different Pharaonic dynasties that were later restored. The temple of Philae is unique in that it was moved stone by stone.

After the British built the first Aswan Dam in 1894, the annual rise of the Nile River floods the island of Philae ten months out of the year. The temples and other structures on the island were either partially or fully submerged by water. Plans of how to save the site were discussed

And the chosen solution was similar to that which had been employed at Abu Simbel a few years earlier, dismantling the ruins and reconstructing them on a site about 300 meters away. Agilkia Island is located about 300 meters from the original island.

In the ancient town of Philae, there was a temple dedicated to ISIS. Its construction was begun by Nectanebo I, one of the first Egyptian Pharaohs and finished by the Romans. The temple was dedicated to the cult of the goddess and attended by the Nubian community until the mid sixth century,

When Emperor Justinian ordered it to be transformed into a Coptic church. Isis was the mother goddess of the Egyptian cult. She was woman, wife and universal mother, goddess of marriage and of children. As a magician who had brought her husband to Cyrus back from the dead,

She was seen as a healer and protector of children. Eighteen meters tall, the first pylon stood at the entrance to the temple sacred enclosure. It was Nectanebo I squared gateway, topped with a winged disc and decorated with a series of depictions of offerings featuring Horus, Hathor and Isis that was badly damaged

During the Christian era. On the second pylon, which is 30 meters wide and 14 meters high, the king officiates before Horus and Isis. It was during the Ptolemaic era that the cult of Isis and Osiris started to spread southwards. The first courtyard leading up to the first pylon

Of the Grand Temple of Isis contains a number of different structures. On the right, an unfinished portico from the Roman era made up of a facade of 16 columns leads to a series of minor sanctuaries dedicated to Aaron Suphis, Mandulis and Imhotep.

The second courtyard is bordered on the western side by the mammisi dedicated to Isis, the ancient. To the east is a colonnade, which opens onto five rooms, including the library and the laboratory where they mixed perfumes. The central door in the second pylon leads to the holiest area of the building

And opens on to the Hypostyle Hall. This room is lit by an opening in the ceiling at the back of the second pylon. The ten columns are richly decorated with scenes of worship and offerings. This was a tribute to Isis, the most beautiful goddess of all.

On one of the columns is the cartouche of Cleopatra, the third. Despite what some guides might claim, there are absolutely no cartouches of the Cleopatra the seventh, the one with the big nose. The holy of holies, the most secret part of the temple bathed in shadow.

Greatly complex, it comprises 12 rooms and a crypt. The rooms are all ornaments with liturgical scenes and scenes of offerings related to the myth of Isis and Osiris. The shrine itself lies deep inside in the central room. The naos sheltering the statue of the goddess.

You can still see the pedestal for Isis’ bark made of red granite. Here, once again, the walls are literally covered with magnificent ritual scenes. The lithic art of Philae at its best. Egyptian mythology says that in the beginning, Osiris ruled the Nile with his sister and wife, Isis.

Osiris was a good, wise king and Egypt prospered. Isis and Osiris had a jealous brother, Seth the king of the desert, who wanted to take the place of Osiris. One night, Seth invited Osiris and Isis to dinner, and brought out a magnificent sarcophagus,

Promising to give it to the one who could fill it. Several nobles tried without success. Then came Osiris’ turn and he laid down in the sarcophagus, hardly imagining that it had been designed specifically for his dimensions. The treacherous Seth closed his brother in the sarcophagus and threw it into the Nile.

Isis left to search for her husband. Her voyage led her to the place of King Byblos across the seas, but Seth discovered it, cut it into 14 pieces and dispersed them into the Nile. Isis persevering, found them all. Then, after having put the pieces of her husband back together,

She brought the body back to life. The god Horus was born from this love. Since that day, Isis cries every year for the death of her husband. Legend has it that the Nile floods, because it is full of her tears.

This myth is depicted by the reliefs on the nouse at the temple of Philae, the temple of love. Fez, a millinery city, was the first Oriental style city in Morocco. Over the centuries, Fez became a political and intellectual capital in Morocco, then a center for international meetings and exchanges.

Nowadays, with a population of approximately 1 million, Fez is the third largest city of Morocco. Next to the original Medina, the Marinid district, built in the 13th century, constitutes the old town of Fez, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are a wide variety of palaces in the Medina.

The Riad Mukri Palace belonged to the Grand Vizier, whose illustrious family was linked to the Marinid princes. He enjoyed living there in the vicinity of the court. This fabulous residence is now home to the Institute of Traditional Building Crafts. The house is undoubtedly an inspiration to the students

With its carved and painted doors, and its wonderful views. The gardens are the best in Fez, full of fruit trees, jasmine, honeysuckle, rosemary or lavender. The Mukri Palace is an integral part of the architectural heritage. It reflects the ancient art of Morocco. One may admire the handsome wood and plaster work,

As well as the delicacy of the iron pieces where the prodigious finely worked ceramic mosaics. Blue is the color of the city. Later, the Pasha El Glaoui, another illustrious man, also had his own palace in the city. He came from a warrior tribe existing since the 18th century.

He was a military, political and spiritual leader. The palace covers some 13,000 square meters and is composed of 17 edifices. It comprises more than 1,000 rooms. No room is alike in the whole palace. Souk El Attarine is the grocers souk where dates and walnuts are traded.

It is undoubtedly the most colored marketplace in Fez. The Medina of Fez is the largest and most enchanting Medina of Morocco. Its narrow and labyrinthine streets lead to 1,001 historical wonders and the souks are full of groceries of all kinds. Situated in the heart of the Medina,

The nearby palace is one of the most beautiful monuments in Fez. It took the very finest Moroccan craftsmen a full 15 years to complete in the late 19th century. It was the residence of the defense minister under the sultan’s reign before the establishment

Of the French protectorate over Morocco by the Treaty of 1912. Since then, the palace has been used as a venue for various receptions. Situated in the Cabinet district, Najjarine is a former Fondouk Caravanserai which has been turned into a museum. The sober structure and wood decoration lay on white marble pillars.

Everything is beautifully presented and reflects a great sense of harmony. After the fall of Granada in 1492, Fez became the main heir of the Hispano Maghrebian civilization. It received many influences transmitted by the refugees from Andalusia. Until the establishment of the French protectorate,

Fez remained the greatest capital of art in the Muslim West. In Fez, an intellectual and manual capital, there are some tens of thousands of craftspeople. Their number shows the importance of crafts in the Medina’s economy. Ceferin is a pretty shaded square where the hammering of the copper tools can be heard.

Close to suffering square, a range of smells leads to the Tanners district, where the craftsmen carry out particular work for the city’s well known for its highly skilled craftspeople whose expertise is jealously guarded, Passed down from father to son for generations. Tannery is a millinery corporation. As a cultural and spiritual capital,

Fez promoted Muslim religion by building mosques and madrasas where the students came from afar to study theology. The Al-Attarine madrasa is a Quranic university founded in 1323 by the Marinid Sultan Abu Zayd, whose decor is of breathtaking delicacy. The Islamic University Bou Inania madrasa was built 30 years later,

Around 1350 and 1357, still during the Marinid dynasty. Its architecture is a true masterpiece of the Moorish art. Its rich interior decoration is typical of all Marinid monuments with its calligraphic mosaics, with its complex wooden carved star patterns. The Bou Inania Madrasa is the only madrasa in Fez with a minaret.

It was both used as a college and as a mosque for Friday prayers. A cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco, Fez is a millenary city. The Golden Horn constitutes the historical district of Istanbul, Turkey. It holds many splendid monuments over a mere few hundred square meters.

The Church of Saint Sophia, also called by her Greek name, Aya Sophia, was built at the request of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in 537. This edifice, which is 15 centuries old today, was turned into a mosque after Constantinople was seized by the Ottomans in 1453.

All that remains today of the Hippodrome of Constantinople are three columns one Greek and one Egyptian and a garden area. In the 13th century, the Crusaders took the bronze horse sculptures and set them up at Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice. Later, the Ottomans took the stones from the stands

And used them in other constructions. The Hippodrome was a monumental arena in the Byzantine Empire’s capital. It was a place for chariot races and other entertainment. In Roman times, it was a major site of interest for the city. Built in 2003 by the Emperor Septimius Severus,

It was later enlarged by Constantine in 325. The Blue Mosque is the most visited of all mosques in Istanbul. Until the end of the 20th century, it was the only mosque in Turkey to be surrounded by six minarets. It was built by the architect Mehmet Aga,

Under the reign of Sultan Ahmed I around 1610. Inside the mosque, a square courtyard spanning a length of 70 meters serves as an antechamber. The inside is illuminated by 260 windows, which give the building a mystical feeling. It became known as the Blue Mosque in the West

For the blue, green and white tiles adorning the interior. Thanks to its rich cultural heritage, both ancient and Ottoman, Istanbul is a major tourist destination and the seventh most visited city in the world with nearly ten million tourists annually. Istanbul is host to a third of the 30 million tourists

Visiting Turkey each year. The Grande Rue de Péra, a street in the old town was the business district for Western traders. Every day, 1,200,000 people walk down that street, twice that on weekends. Not far from here, the Grand Bazaar is a labyrinth of covered halls stretching out over many hectares.

It is a true enclave within the city. All the alleys are lined with shops. The bazaar used to be the standard Turkish market, but today its 3000 shops have mostly become devoted to tourists. In the Eminonu corridor, the old neighbourhood of Istanbul,

There is Yenicami, the new mosque or the mosque of the Valide Sultan. It is an Ottoman Imperial mosque in one of the best known in the city. In front of the mosque, there is a large open area where people feed the pigeons. The construction of the mosque started in 1597,

But after countless trials, it was the mother of Sultan Mehmed IV, who would finish the project in 1665, a sign of her devotion. In the center of the marble paved courtyard is the sadirvan, the fountain of absolution. The architecture displays a pyramid shaped arrangement made up of 66 domes and semi-domes.

The interior offers a place for prayer, measuring 41 meters on each side. Four pillars supporting the main dome rising up 36 meters, define the central area. On the sides are colonnades forming arcades of varying styles, along with its beautiful calligraphy. The interior includes blue, green, and white ceramic from Iznik.

Facing Eminonu, the Galata quarter is on the other side of the Golden Horn. The stretch of sea used as a natural harbor opening up into the Bosphorus Strait. Galata Bridge stretching over this part of the sea, leaves the lower city’s business district and docks to reach the quarters of comfortable holiday homes.

To go up to Taksim Square, you need to take the funicular railway or the tramway. The quarter is young and bubbly. Called Tower of Christ by the Genoese, the Galata Tower was a part of the fortifications surrounding the Genoese colony of Galata, whose ramparts were entirely demolished in 1453.

The tower offers a panoramic view of Istanbul and the Golden Horn. Istanbul today holds the greatest trade port of Turkey. It is the richest city of Turkey with a GDP that ranks 28th in worldwide metropolitan areas. Although Ankara and not Istanbul is the capital of Turkey, Istanbul remains the most important economic, industrial,

Educational and cultural city of Turkey. Situated on both sides of the Bosphorus, on two continents, Europe and Asia, and also between Russia and the Mediterranean, Istanbul is a great mixture of ideas and treasures. On the road of the Indies, Delhi is often unfairly ranked below neighboring Agra and Rajasthan,

Yet the capital of the biggest democracy in the world is highly reflective of the grandeur and ambivalences of modern day India. Today, two cities coexist within Delhi. New Delhi, the most recent was settled by the British during colonization. To the north, old Delhi dates back to the Mughal era.

At the heart of Old Delhi stands the impressive Red Fort today, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Mughal Empire, which flourished in the 16th century, left its mark on Delhi, its former capital. Both conquerors and aesthetes, the Mughals created a city on par with their military power.

The red fort was built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, around 1640. It’s a gigantic complex with towers standing atop its massive walls. The fort derives its name from the red sandstone that was used to build it. The surrounding wall is nearly 2.5 kilometers long

And 33 meter high on the side that faces the city. Passing through the monumental Lahore gate, and behind its austere walls lies a luxuriant garden interspersed with imperial palaces, marble mosques and Mughal pavilions formerly decorated with precious stones. The palace was modeled after the image of paradise described in the Quran.

On one of the walls, a simple phrase evokes this most famous epic. If there’s a paradise on Earth, here it is. Chandni Chowk is a major shopping road located further down the red fort. Around this busy avenue full of cars and rickshaws lies a huge bazaar.

It is one of the biggest wholesale markets of India. A giant beehive, Chandni Chowk is a must see, one of the facets of lively, colorful and spicy India. Located opposite the Red Fort and built in 1656, Digambar Temple is the capital city’s oldest Jain Temple. Jainism from the Sanskrit word Jina the conqueror

Is a religion that prescribes non-violence. It is one of the most ancient religions of the world, originating in antiquity or even prehistory around 3000 to 3500 BC. The temple is very popular and the devout come bearing offerings such as fruit, grains, rice and even candles.

When the Muslims seized Delhi in the 12th century, they erected a monument to represent their faith and their power. Qutub Minar a majestic tower over 70 meter high is to this day among the world’s highest minarets. The Qutub Minar complex contains many other buildings and the first mosque of India.

According to an engraving above the eastern entrance, it was built from materials obtained in the demolition of 27 idolatrous temples. Extracted materials reveal that the recycled elements were taken from Jain and Hindu temples. Certain parts of the mosque are decorated with floral motifs and calligraphies, a masterpiece of Hindu Muslim art.

Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory that was built in the 13th century by the Maharaja Jai Singh II. It contains a wealth of astronomical instruments devoted to studying the path of the stars, to establish astrological birth charts and to determine the most suitable time for important events such as weddings and political decisions.

The name is derived from Yantra meaning instrument, and Mandir Temple, thus the temple of instruments. Surrounded by Persian style gardens, Humayun’s tomb is a huge mausoleum made of red sandstone and white marble. It was built in His Honor from 1565 to 1569 by his widow, Hajji Begum.

It exemplifies the splendour of Mughal art, with its arcades and its dome designed by a Persian architect and built by 300 Arabic artisans. The sculpted stone works here are enchanting. This is perhaps one of the most beautiful sights of Delhi. One must spend time here to soak in the landscape model

Of paradise on earth. Humayun’s Tomb was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. Northern India and the Mughal triangle truly forms a cultural and religious mosaic, a colorful and bright melting pot. Lake Titicaca is a lake in the Andean Mountains, straddling the border between Bolivia and Peru.

It is the biggest lake in South America at an altitude above 3,800 meters. It is also considered as the highest navigable lake in the world. Puno is the largest port on the lake with a population of 100,000. Puno is considered to be the capital of the Peruvian tradition.

It was the birthplace of the dynasty of Inca culture. In the town center, Jiron Lima is a bustling pedestrian street lined with crafts, stalls and small restaurants where you can order the famous trout fresh from the lake. Lake Titicaca connects Peru to Bolivia. It is a vital link for trans Andean commerce

And Puno’s marketplace is packed with merchandise awaiting export. In the port berth to a pontoon, a vestige symbolizing the lake’s commercial activity. The Avari is the oldest functioning steamboat in the world, built in 1862, in England. It was transported to the shores of Titicaca in parts carried by mules.

During almost a century, the Yavari, together with a fleet of similar steamboats, transported passengers and merchandise across the lake between the Peruvian and the Bolivian shores. A large part of the mineral exports from Bolivia were transported by the steamboats of Titicaca. Today, thanks to tourism, the Port of Puno is the departure point

For tours to the islands and the archaeological sites around the lake. At the junction of the Andes and the pastures of the Peruvian Altiplano, the fertile shores of Lake Titicaca were once the cradle of ancient civilizations. Legend has it that the first Inca,

Manco Capac, son of the Sun god Inti, emerged from the waters of Titicaca. Having emerged from the lake, Manco Capac went north with his tribe and his ferocious warriors and founded Cusco, the future capital of the Empire. Lake Titicaca is more than 200 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide.

It has an average depth of 107 meters, and there are more than 25 rivers feeding into the lake. There are 41 islands within the lake of which some are inhabited. This is a civilization based on reeds. In addition to the traditional boats, many of the houses

And even certain islands are made from reeds. These islands originally inhabited by the Uros people who died out in the mid 20th century are still commonly known as the Uros Islands. Though it appears simple, crafting the weeds is a complex skill passed down through countless generations.

Peru’s famous floating islands are made with light reeds known as totora, which grow in abundance in the shallow waters of this part of Lake Titicaca. Each island is made of several layers of totora and layers are constantly added at surface level to replace the rotting under layers.

In this way, the ground stays supple and dry. In the past, the inhabitants here made a basic living from fishing, farming ducks and selling eggs at the markets. They drank the lake water and lived by candlelight. Now, thanks to the income from tourism,

Solar panels and television screens have started to appear on the islands, but the traditions of island life remain strong. Taquile is a small natural island, about six cubic kilometers, two or three hours by boat to the east of Puno. Inhabited for thousands of years, it currently has a population of about 2,000.

Run as a prison during the colonial era, today, Taquile prolongs to its inhabitants who live according to the Inca law, do not steal, do not lie, and do not be lazy. The island’s hilly landscape is a picture of calm. The deep ochre hillsides stand out in vivid contrast

Against the intense blue of the lake and sky and the green agricultural terraces. Taquile seems to be, in its own world, cut off from the rest of the planet, and visitors are mesmerized by the island’s quiet, calm, soothed by the intense, almost Mediterranean sunlight. The people speak Quechua, have fiercely preserved their identity,

And their way of life has been barely affected by modernism. The island is known throughout the world for its unique textiles made with traditional artisanal techniques. Here, men, women and children all take part in the spinning, weaving and knitting. One of the islanders defining characteristics is their outfits. The women wear the polara,

A skirt made of many layers and a black shawl. As for the men, they wear embroidered belts over coarse white shirts and thick black calf-length trousers. It is time now to return to the boat and to remember that this great Lake Titicaca was the birthplace of one of humanity’s greatest civilizations, the Incas.

The legend says that Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, Children of the Sun god, brother and sister, man and wife were born from the mists of the lake, charged with bringing men to civilization after the Great Flood. That Manco Capac gave to man the art of agriculture and of craft,

And that Mama Ocllo taught the woman to weave. They imparted knowledge and skills. Another legend has it that the famous El Dorado treasure is buried here. Monte Alban is a large archaeological site that had its glorious age during the Zapotec period between 500 BC and 600 AD.

The use of the word Monte, meaning mount or mountain in Spanish, is explained by the fact that this city was built on an artificially flattened surface at the top of a mountain. Abandoned under the Spanish, the pre-Columbian site was rediscovered in the 19th century with many descriptions.

In the 20th century, excavations were made and over 170 tombs were uncovered, as was the Grand Plaza. Originally, Monte Alban was the regrouping in a central city of small populations spread out to react to threats from beyond. The walls in the fortifications built around the site suggest that the construction of the city

Could have been in response to military threats. The main plaza is the biggest structure in Monte Alban, an enormous rectangular platform made of stone and earth. At the top of the platform are gatherings of buildings, as we see in the foundations encircling the temples, the residential palaces, the elegant tombs,

The water reduction systems, and buildings that may have been designed for astronomic observations. We know little about the origins of the Zapotec population. Until the Spanish invasion in the 15th century, they were the biggest population in all the Oaxaca Valley, about 500,000 people.

We believe that they created many aspects of the Mesoamerican culture, inventing city-states, a calendar system, calculations and base 20 and even the rebus. The ball game was a sacred ritual of which still little is known, but that frequently ended in human sacrifice. The walls were covered with painted fresco.

One of the biggest buildings on this site has a large processional staircase and is known as the palace. On its upper platforms are ruins of walls from rooms that probably housed priests. The Zapotec civilization had developed a matriarchal structure for society, and according to the Spanish, this society had castes.

The political leaders, the clergy and the people lived separately, they could not intermarry. They wore different clothes and did not eat the same foods. The origins of the Zapotec civilization are not exactly known, but were about 1500 BC. The Zapotec State formed at Monte Alban, did not begin its expansion

Until around 500 BC, with its apogee being in the third century AD, when the Zapotec had increased their influence on the whole region. Monte Alban became the biggest city in the highlands of Southern Mexico and the center of both political power and ceremonial activity. It remained so until approximately 700 AD.

As with the majority of Mesoamerican religious systems, the Zapotec religion was polytheist, the two main divinities were the God of Rain and the God of Light. They reviewed their ancestors and believed in an underground paradise. From this, we understand the importance of the death cult.

The Zapotec said that their ancestors came from the earth, the grottoes, or that they had been jaguars transformed into men, whereas the elite that governed them were believed to have come from supernatural beings that lived among the clouds. In fact, the name the Zapotec are known by today is People of the Clouds.

The city reached its urban and demographic height at this time. It is believed that there had been almost 40,000 people living in the city and its surroundings. Sculpted stone called Danzantes, literally, a procession of dancers shows naked characters in contorted positions. Rather than dancers, these may actually be dead or tortured prisoners.

Little by little, the Zapotec civilization lost its power and the city of Monte Alban was abandoned around the middle of the 7th century AD. Today, Monte Alban is listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

00:00 Sommaire du documentaire
00:42 Carthagène, ville coloniale, Colombie
08:25 Le temple de Philae, Assouan, Égypte
15:30 Le centre historique de Fès, Maroc
21:50 La Mosquée bleue, Istanbul, Turquie
29:08 Delhi, Inde
36:13 Lac Titicaca, Pérou
43:28 Monte Alban, ville précolombienne, Oaxaca, Mexique

Découvrez 7 merveilles du monde moderne.

Réalisateur : Jacques Vichet