1. That Still Exist Today The World’s Oldest Cities
Music: The Merry Widow Waltz

2. Damascus, Syria
Damascus, Syria’s capital, has been continuously inhabited since the 10th millennium BC. According to recent archaeological excavations, it is the oldest city in the world. It is mentioned in the Bible and was the prestigious Umayyad capital.

3. Byblos, (Jbeil)
The city of Byblos, founded in 5000 BC, has been inhabited continuously until today, and it is called Jbeil. In 5000 BC it was a Neolithic fishing village. Byblos today is characterized as an ancient fishing port.

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

5. Luoyang, China
Luoyang is one of four historical capitals of China. It was founded in 2070 BC, nearly a millennium before Xian and Beijing. It had been, for several times, the capital of China.

6. Luxor, Egypt
Luxor was founded in 3200 BC. It is a beautiful Egyptian city bordered by the waters of the Nile.

7. Varanasi (Benares), India
Varanasi (Benares) in India is a holy Hindu city , bordered by the Ganges. It was established in 1200 BC.

8. Balkh, Afghanistan
Balkh city in Afghanistan was founded in 1600 BC. The city used to accommodate dozens of Buddhist monasteries.

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

10. Jéricho
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.

11. Jerusalem
The city of Jerusalem in the Middle East holds a prominent place for the three monotheistic religions. It has been inhabited since the Chalcolithic period in 3500 BC, as evidenced by ceramic fragments found at the site.

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

13. Aleppo , Syria
Aleppo, a city in northwestern Syria, was founded in 2000 BC. It was an ancient Levantine kingdom centered at Ḥalab (Ḥalba). It was an important center for caravans between Syria and Mesopotamia. In 1595 BC, it was conquered by the Hittites.

14. Argos
Argos, located at the foot of two fortresses, was founded by the son of Zeus in 2000 BC. Updated excavations at Argos have revealed Mycenaean walls, the remains of temples of Apollo, Athena and Python, and a theater.

15. Médinat-el-Fayoum, Egypt
Medinet el-Fayoum, in central Egypt, is a city from the 12th Dynasty ( BC). It occupies part of a former site of Crocodilopolis oasis, fed by the Bahr Yussef channel of the Nile. The city now has a population of 260,000.

16. Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The foundation of Plovdiv goes back to the period of the Thracians, in the 12th century BC. Throughout history, it called in different names, including "village Nebettep" and "Trimontium" under the Roman Empire, and “Olympia" in ancient Greece.

17. Matera, in Italy, is known as the Subterranean City
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 inhabited till It was well known in history as Sassi. Since 1993, it has been dedicated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Matera, Italy