Throughout history, explorers have searched for cities that disappeared into jungles, deserts, mountains, and beneath the sea.
Some have eventually been found.
Others remain mysteries.
Here are ten legendary lost cities that may still exist.
10. The Lost City of Z
British explorer Percy Fawcett disappeared searching for this mysterious Amazon city in 1925.
9. Paititi
The legendary refuge of the Incas is believed by some to lie deep within Peru’s rainforests.
8. El Dorado
Originally a ceremony, El Dorado evolved into stories of an entire golden city.
7. Atlantis
Plato’s famous island civilization remains history’s greatest lost city mystery.
6. Camelot
Whether King Arthur’s Camelot actually existed remains debated.
5. Akakor
Stories of this underground South American civilization have inspired books and documentaries, although many claims were fabricated.
4. The Seven Cities of Cíbola
Spanish explorers crossed the American Southwest searching for cities supposedly filled with gold.
3. Iram of the Pillars
Mentioned in ancient Arabian traditions, Iram is sometimes called the Atlantis of the Desert.
2. Kitezh
Russian folklore tells of a city that sank beneath a lake to escape invaders.
1. Vineta
This legendary Baltic trading city supposedly disappeared beneath the sea after becoming wealthy and corrupt.
Conclusion
Some lost cities have been discovered centuries after disappearing.
Others remain legends waiting for evidence.
Whether history or myth, these stories continue inspiring explorers around the world.
