From Cleopatra's kingdom to "Japan's Atlantis," these cities sank beneath the water long ago, but the ruins they left behind continue to provide insight into what life was like for the people who lived in them.
Wikimedia CommonsThe gates to the Neptune Memorial Reef off the coast Key Biscayne, Florida.
While Atlantis may be the world’s most well-known lost city, the simple fact of the matter is that the nature of its very existence is a hotly debated topic — and most experts don’t think Atlantis was real. That said, there are dozens of real sunken cities around the world with stories every bit as captivating as the tale of Atlantis.
From the ruins of the “Las Vegas of the Roman Empire” to the submerged Lion City of Qiandao Lake in China, these underwater cities offer a glimpse into the forgotten past, and their watery graves serve as reminders of long-lost civilizations and bygone eras.
Dive into 13 of the world’s most captivating sunken cities below.
Antirhodos, Cleopatra’s Kingdom Off The Coast Of Egypt
Christoph Gerigk/Franck Goddio/Hilti FoundationA team of divers from Franck Goddio’s team studying underwater statues in Antirhodos.
Lost for 1,600 years, the royal palace of Cleopatra was rediscovered off the shore of Alexandria in the mid-1990s. A team of underwater archaeologists led by Franck Goddio began excavating the sunken city soon after.
Before the last Queen of Egypt died in 30 B.C.E., she ruled from an opulent palace on the island of Antirhodos, which was located in the eastern harbor of Alexandria. Antirhodos was said to have been a land of luxury, and any sailor who docked on its shores would be greeted by towering columns, each adorned with a crown, leading their way to the queen’s beautiful palace.
Cleopatra’s palace was surrounded by statues of sphinxes and goddesses, and the island also held a temple dedicated to Isis. Antirhodos was likely abandoned not long after the queen’s death, but it remained in the harbor as a reminder of her legacy.
However, in 365 C.E., a massive earthquake struck the Mediterranean. In the resulting tsunami and aftershocks, Antirhodos sank into the harbor alongside parts of ancient Alexandria. And there, 16 feet beneath the surface, it lay hidden for 1,600 years.
When it was finally uncovered in the 1990s, some of the most incredible artifacts from Cleopatra’s lifetime were still intact. Marine archaeologists found the red granite columns that had once welcomed visitors, statues, pottery, and gold jewelry. What’s more, Goddio told the Scientific American podcast Science Talk in 2010 that his team had even found the foundation of Cleopatra’s “very big” palace.
Today, much of Antirhodos has been recovered. In all, some 20,000 artifacts have been discovered in the harbor, many of which now sit on display in various museums.
However, mystery still surrounds the underwater city. There are rumors that Cleopatra’s tomb was lost beneath the waves when Antirhodos sank. So far, Goddio and his team haven’t found any sign of it — but the ruins of the ancient city may still have more to reveal.
