2. There are more cities competing for the title, though it seems that it is Damascus who wins. Syria’s capital, has been continuously inhabited since the tenth millennium BC. According to recent archaeological excavations; it would be the oldest city in the world. It is mentioned in the Bible and was the prestigious Umayyad capital.

3. The city of Byblos, founded 5000 BC it was inhabited continuously until today but now it is called Jbeil. It traces back 5000 BC to a Neolithic fishing village. Byblos today is characterized as an ancient fishing port.

4. Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe, it was founded between the 11th and 7th millennium BC and have been continuously inhabited for nearly 7,000 years!

5. Luoyang is one of four historical capitals of China. It was founded in 2070 BC. nearly a millennium before Xi'Ian and Beijing! In history it was several times the capital of the empire.

6. Luxor was founded 3200 BC. It is a beautiful Egyptian city bordered by the waters of the Nile! The most impressive evidence of history is of course the Temple and its unique obelisk (the second obelisk is in the middle of the Place de la Concorde in Paris!)

7. Varanasi (Benares) in India is a holy Hindu city. It was established in 1200 BC, bordered by the Ganges. Pilgrims proceed on its ghats (stone steps in the picture) to bathe in the river. Cremations were held on the banks. A unique place in the world!

8. Balkh city in Afghanistan was founded in 1600 BC. The city accommodated dozens of Buddhist monasteries. Several testimonies from the early seventh century would tend to prove this.

9. Cholula in Mexico is absolutely the oldest city in the Americas! It was founded two centuries BC., while Mexico was in 1325! It is located over 2,000 meters above sea level at the foot of an active volcano.

10. The original foundations of Jericho go back to 9000 BC. The ruins of 20 ancient and biblical institutions have been revealed by archaeological excavations on a hill called Tell es-Sultan. The city now has a population of about 27,000 inhabitants, with refugee camps in north-west and south of the city center. Jericho in The West Bank

11. The city of Jerusalem in the Middle East holds a prominent place for the three monotheistic religions. Its inhabitation is dating back to the Chalcolithic period, evidenced by ceramic fragments found at the site from 3500 BC.

12. Tyre in Lebanon. The history of the city of Tyre in Lebanon dates back to 2700 BC.

13. Main city in northwestern Syria, Aleppo was founded in 2000 BC. It was an ancient Levantine kingdom centered at Ḥalab (or Ḥalba. It was an essential step for caravans between Syria and Mesopotamia. In 1595 BC it vas conquered by the Hittites. This beautiful city is now a center of unrest in Syria.

14. The founder of Argos was the son of Zeus himself. Located at the foot of two fortresses dating back to ancient times, the city was founded in 2000 BC. Updated excavations at Argos found Mycenaean walls, the remains of temples of Apollo, Athena and Python, and a theater.

15. In central Egypt is Medinat el-Fayoum a City from the 12th Dynasty (1937 - 1759 BC). It occupies part of a former site of Crocodilopolis oasis, fed by the Bahr Yussef channel of the Nile. The city now has 260,000 inhabitants.

16. The foundation of Plovdiv goes back to the period of the Thracians, or in the twelfth century BC. Prior to Rome and Athens, Plovdiv is the second oldest, still inhabited city in Europe. Throughout history, it had different names: like "village Nebettep" to "Trimontium" under the Roman Empire, or "Eymolpia" in ancient Greece. Plovdiv - Bulgaria

17. Matera, in Italy is known as the Subterranean City. Matera is the oldest inhabited city in the world. It is a cave dwelling from the Paleolithic era, and was habited till 1953. It was well known in the history as Sassi. Since 1993, by UNESCO it is a World Heritage Site.

18. Made by Clo_09 Images from NET