World’s 7 Oldest Cities That Still Exist

6. Damascus, Syria (3,100~ years)

Source: Ai@ce

The capital of Syria and of the Kingdom of Aram before that is one of the most important and ancient cities in the Middle East. It was built on an oasis on the banks of the Barada river, and while the settlement didn’t rise to prominence until the arrival of the Arameans around 1,100 BC, it existed as a smaller town for long before that, around 6,300 BC, and possibly before that as well.

7. Luxor, Egypt (5,200~ years)

Luxor, also known in Ancient Egyptian as Waset, and in Greek as Thebes, was established as the capital of Upper Egypt on the Banks of the Nile around 3,200 BC. The southerly city (“upper” here means upstream, not north) wasn’t just a major political hub, but a temple-city dedicated to the sun God, Amun-Ra. Today, the city of Luxor houses some of the most intact remnants of ancient Egyptian architecture and art, including a majestic temple complex.