Some of the greatest wonders of the world are historical monuments that have existed for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. Many of them were lost to human knowledge for centuries before being rediscovered. However, due to urbanization, natural disasters, and pollution, these historical monuments will likely be lost again before the end of this century.
11. Glacier National Park
About 10,000 years ago, the ice thickness in the Glacier National Park area of Montana was about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile). When the park was established in 1910, it contained about 150 glaciers. Only 25 of these giants remain, and it is suspected that all of them may disappear by 2030.
The heart of the national park, Grinnell Glacier, has lost more than 90 percent of its ice over the past century. Unsurprisingly, global warming is the cause, but the park appears to have suffered even more than other locations: temperatures in the area have increased 1.8 times more than in other parts of the world.
Glaciers aren't the only ones at risk of disappearing. Icy streams, which have always flowed from the vast ice sheets, support the park's ecosystem, with its wolves, elk herds, and one of the largest grizzly bear populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. If the glaciers disappear, not only will the last remnants of the Ice Age be lost, but several species will also find a home in the ruins.
10. Valley of the Kings
The resting places of Egypt's mighty pharaohs, such as Ramses II and the boy king Tutankhamun, have evoked wonder and awe for centuries. Unfortunately, they have also inspired many treasure hunters who were nothing more than thieves and robbers.
But now the Valley of the Kings faces a different kind of threat. It's not greedy Indiana Jones wannabes, but several thousand well-meaning tourists. A fungus has begun to grow uncontrollably around the tombs, and scientists believe the parasite thrived due to poor ventilation and the breathing of thousands of visitors. The head of Egypt's antiquities department has stated that the tombs could disappear within 150 years.
Engravings and paintings inside the tombs are already beginning to disappear. In response, the number of tourists allowed inside the tombs has been limited, and some exhibits have been completely covered. Hopefully, these restrictions, along with the use of new ventilation systems in the tombs, will be enough to save them.
9. Seychelles
It's probably a fair bet that most people haven't heard of the Seychelles, a group of approximately 115 islands off the better-known island of Madagascar. Somehow, they remained completely uninhabited until the British East India Company discovered them in the 1600s. Afterward, they became a haven for pirates. Today, they're renowned as one of the best places to see the largest fish in the sea: whale sharks. The Seychelles hold some of the earliest scientific records of these magnificent creatures, which are strictly protected.
However, the islands could be underwater in just half a century, largely due to the destruction of coral barriers around the beaches. The Seychelles have become the victims of one of the world's most severe coral bleaching events. Rising temperatures are destroying corals, leaving them a disturbing, almost skeletal white, destroying entire ecosystems and leaving everyone living on the islands vulnerable to devastating events like hurricanes.
8. Olympia
When we think of Ancient Greece, most of us think of the Greek gods, Sparta, or the Olympic Games. While everyone knows the Olympic Games originated in Greece, few know exactly where they were founded.
Over the years, Olympia was occupied by several different cults, worshiping several different gods, from Cronus, king of the Titans, to Aphrodite, the goddess of lust and beauty. Eventually, one cult claimed the city entirely for its god, the ruler of the Olympians, Zeus himself. Almost everything in the city was created in his honor, from the magnificent 13-meter (42-foot) statue covered in gold and ivory (which, sadly, no longer exists) to the Olympic Games themselves. Today, the Olympic flame is still lit in this city and then transported to the venue where the games are held.
Ironically, it's fire that threatens the birthplace of beloved games. In 2007, several fires set by arsonists quickly spread across the country, killing more than 60 people. A dedicated firefighting team struggled to contain the blaze, just a hillside away from destroying the historic site of the original games. Thanks to global warming, fires have become far more frequent and powerful, threatening to burn the site to the ground and negate all efforts to protect it.
7. Chan Chan Archaeological Site
Chan Chan, which holds the title of the largest pre-Columbian city ever discovered and the largest adobe city ever to exist, covers approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) of Peruvian land. It was originally inhabited by the Chimú people, who divided the city into nine distinct citadels, each autonomous.
Chan Chan has also been called "the first true engineering society in the New World" by anthropologists. Their projects, such as an irrigation system that supplied water to the entire city and their attempt to create a massive canal that would extend to the Chicama River 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the north, were unheard of in "civilized" Europe. The city survived for over 600 years before the Inca Empire finally succeeded in overthrowing it.
Today, this archaeological wonder is under attack not only from those who come to plunder and pillage, but also from storms brought on by the deadly El Niño phenomenon. Worse still, powerful earthquakes have put the city at risk of total destruction.
6. Galapagos Islands
Anyone who took high school biology knows about Charles Darwin and how he was inspired to develop his theory of evolution by studying the wildlife of these secluded islands. Around 9,000 species, many found nowhere else in the world, call these islands home. However, the wildlife that makes the Galapagos Islands so unique is under serious threat.
As the number of immigrant workers and tourists increases (the latter by more than 12 percent annually), so does the number of invasive species. Goats and pigs eat the food that native species need to survive, and predators like rats flee with the young and weak. For millennia, the islands were completely devoid of predators, and evolution works too slowly for many of these unique animals to hope to catch up in time.
5. Chersonesos archaeological site
Although located in modern-day Ukraine, southwest of the Crimean Peninsula, Chersonesos is actually an ancient Greek city, founded between 300 and 200 BC. However, like modern Ukraine, it was not a peaceful place. Although it was one of the few relatively democratic societies of the time, historical records show that this city-state was constantly at war with the Scythian people and the Roman Empire. Ultimately, it lost its independence to the latter.
In the fifth century, most Greek buildings and temples were destroyed as Christianity became the dominant religion. However, even becoming part of the Byzantine Empire was not enough to save the community, as approximately eight centuries later, nomadic tribes raided and burned it.
The Soviet Union discovered this site when it annexed Crimea in the 1800s. It was rigorously protected and reconstructed, becoming a key site for study by historians and archaeologists. Today, it is under attack from both natural and human forces, as coastal erosion, pollution, and urban encroachment threaten its destruction.
4. Intramuros
The name of this district of Manila, the second-largest city in the Philippines, means "within the walls." It's a fitting nickname, considering it has been guarded by the same walls since they were built in the 16th century, despite the terrible damage and destruction they have suffered. It was the city's original capital when the Spanish Empire still held the territory.
During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Philippines. Manila suffered particularly severely, and several historic buildings in Intramuros, such as the Santo Domingo Church and the original University of Santo Tomas, were destroyed. However, the real devastation occurred when the Americans fought to retake the city from Japan. After this attack, only 5 percent of the original buildings remained standing, and 40 percent of the walls were reduced to rubble.
In 1951, Intramuros was declared a historical monument. Slow progress has been made in its restoration, including returning its five original gates to their former glory. However, these ancient walls cannot hold out the modern world. Several Starbucks and McDonald's franchises have been built around the ancient city, and the surrounding moats have been converted into golf courses. Historians tremble at what will happen next.
3. Hisham's Palace
Hisham's Palace was buried under sand in 747 CE and remained there until Palestinian archaeologist D.S. Baramki began excavations in 1934. Unfortunately, historians fear the site may disappear within 100 years.
Curiously, no one knows exactly what Hisham's Palace was supposed to be. When it disappeared from view, it seemed to vanish from any historical text. The only clue archaeologists have found is a piece of pottery bearing the name "Hisham." Baramka's colleague, Robert W. Hamilton, claimed this was proof that the palace belonged to the caliph's heir, Al-Walid II. All we really know for sure is that it was definitely built in the early eighth century and destroyed by a powerful earthquake.
Unfortunately, we may never know the palace's secrets. It is threatened by massive expansion from neighboring modern-day Jericho, and it is also extremely vulnerable to the elements after being buried under sand for so long. The sand, it seems, is trying to reassert itself. .
2. Lamu, Kenya
This city has been a World Heritage Site since 2001, but it has existed since the 14th century. Lamu was one of the first Swahili settlements founded on the east coast of Africa and is still inhabited. During its golden age, Lamu was one of the largest cities, a center of learning for art, politics, and literature. Later, the city became a strategically important location for both Germany and Great Britain, and it gained independence along with Kenya only in the 1960s.
Although Lamu has been a bustling city teeming with people for centuries, people are now doing everything possible to avoid or abandon it. In 2011, travel to Lamu was banned due to several kidnappings by the terrorist group Al-Shaabab, whose motive for the kidnappings is revenge for stolen Muslim lands, as well as several brutal attacks on the city this year alone, leaving many dead. Terrorist attacks make the preservation of historical sites like Lamu Fort nearly impossible.
1. Taj Mahal
Built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, the Taj Mahal took over 20,000 workers, 1,000 elephants, and 20 years to complete. It is considered one of the most breathtaking wonders of the ancient world, but in less than five years, it may be completely closed to the public.
Just over 10 years ago, a study revealed that air and water pollution had begun to stain the beautiful white building a sickly yellow, prompting the Indian Supreme Court to order a small fortune to be spent on restoration. The damage prevention program attracted worldwide attention, but as of 2014, the problem had not improved.
Although some monument staff deny it, studies have shown that levels of pollutants such as nitrogen oxide have risen sharply. Vehicles are not permitted within 500 meters (1,640 feet) of the palace. As the city of Agra and the enormous amount of traffic it brings with it continue to grow, the Taj Mahal may yet be doomed.
Ashley Lewis is a hard-working college student sweating blood trying to finish her first novel. Throughout her high school career, she wrote for the school newspaper, compiling lists of idiots and oddities.