List of oldest extant buildings facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This article is about some of the oldest buildings still standing today! These amazing structures have survived for thousands of years, showing us how people lived and built in ancient times. From homes to temples and tombs, these buildings tell incredible stories about human history.

What Makes a Building "Oldest"?
Oldest Buildings by Age
Oldest Buildings by Continent
Oldest Buildings by Country
Oldest Buildings by Type
See also

What Makes a Building "Oldest"?

To be on this list, a structure needs to be a real building. This means it must:

Be clearly recognizable as a building.
Have walls that are at least 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall.
Be mostly complete, or have most of its original walls still standing at that height.
Have an enclosed space with at least one way to get inside.

This list doesn't include things like:

Dolmens: These are ancient stone tombs, usually just a few big stones holding up a flat capstone. They were often covered with earth, but that covering has usually worn away.
Cairns: These are just big piles of loose stones.
Standing stone rings: Like Stonehenge, these don't count because they aren't enclosed and don't have roofs.

Also, remember that the dates for many of these super old buildings are estimates. Scientists use methods like radiocarbon dating to figure out how old they are.

Oldest Buildings by Age

Here are some of the world's oldest buildings that still meet our rules. While there are older human-made structures, like those at Göbekli Tepe, they are often monuments, not buildings in the way we've defined them. Many buildings on this list are made of bricks and still have their walls and roofs. You'll find many amazing old structures in the Orkney islands of Scotland, which are a World Heritage Site. There are also many huge buildings from ancient Egypt's "Age of the Pyramids."

Building	Country	Continent	First built	Use	Note
Göbekli Tepe	Turkey	Asia	9500–7500 BCE	Place of worship	This site in southern Turkey has two main periods of use. Experts believe it was a social or religious place. It's a huge structure, 300 meters wide and 15 meters tall.
Tower of Jericho	West Bank, Palestine	Asia	8000 BC	Tower	This stone tower is 8.5 meters (28 feet) tall. It has an inner staircase with twenty-two steps.
Çatalhöyük	Turkey	Asia	7500–5700 BCE	Settlement	A very large ancient village in southern Turkey. It was a "proto-city," meaning it was like an early city.
Mehrgarh	Pakistan	Asia	7000 BCE	Settlement	This ancient site is in Balochistan, Pakistan. It's located near the Bolan Pass, between the Indus River and modern cities like Quetta.
Aquae Calidae	Bulgaria	Europe	6000-5000 BCE	Ancient town	Found in the Bulgarian city of Burgas on the Black Sea coast. It was an ancient town in Thrace, also known as Therma.
Barnenez	France	Europe	4800 BC	Passage grave	Located in northern France and partly fixed up. It's 72 meters (236 feet) long, 25 meters (82 feet) wide, and over 8 meters (26 feet) high.
Tumulus of Bougon	France	Europe	4800 BC	Tumulus	This is a burial ground with many tombs of different ages. The oldest parts are called E and F0.
Saint-Michel tumulus	France	Europe	4500 BC	Tumulus	This tumulus is like an artificial hill. It's huge, with over 30,000 cubic meters (1,059,440 cubic feet) of material.
Anu ziggurat of Uruk	Iraq	Asia	4000–3800 BC	Ziggurat	A massive White Temple was built on top of this ziggurat. A Stone Temple was also found nearby.
Monte d'Accoddi	Italy (Sardinia)	Europe	4000–3650 BC	Possibly an open-air temple or step pyramid.	This structure is a trapezoidal platform on an artificial mound. New dating shows the first part was built between 4000–3650 BC.
La Hougue Bie	Jersey	Europe	4000–3500 BC	Passage grave	This is an 18.6-meter (61-foot) long ancient tomb. It has a medieval chapel built above it and even World War II structures.
Knap of Howar	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3700 BC	House	This is the oldest preserved stone house in northwest Europe.
Ġgantija	Malta	Europe	3700 BC	Temple	These are two structures on the island of Gozo. The second one was built 400 years after the first.
Dolmen of Menga	Spain	Europe	3700 BC	Tomb	This is a huge stone burial mound, also known as a tumulus or long barrow.
West Kennet Long Barrow	United Kingdom (England)	Europe	3650 BC	Tomb	This tomb is located near famous ancient sites like Silbury Hill and the Avebury stone circle.
Listoghil	Ireland	Europe	3550 BC	Passage Tomb	This tomb is at the center of many other passage tombs. It has a simple box-shaped room surrounded by a stone circle.
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow	United Kingdom (England)	Europe	3550 BC	Tomb	This ancient tomb has many burial rooms. It's part of a group of tombs found in the Severn-Cotswold area of England.
Sechin Bajo	Peru	South America	3500 BC	Plaza	This is the oldest known building in the Americas.
Dholavira	India	Asia	3500 BC	Settlement	A complex of ruins with different dates. It has brick water reservoirs, circular graves, and a well-planned town.
Midhowe Chambered Cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3500 BC	Tomb	A very well-preserved tomb on the island of Rousay.
Gavrinis passage tomb	France	Europe	3500 BC	Tomb	This tomb is on a small island in the Gulf of Morbihan.
Wayland's Smithy	United Kingdom (England)	Europe	3460 BC	Chamber tomb	This is a burial mound built on top of an even older burial chamber.
Unstan Chambered Cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3450 BC	Tomb	When this tomb was dug up in 1884, ancient items were found inside.
Loughcrew	Ireland	Europe	3400 BC	Tomb	This site has ancient burial grounds dating back to around 3500 and 3300 BC.
Knowe of Yarso chambered cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3350 BC	Tomb	This is one of several tombs on Rousay island. Many deer skeletons were found here when it was dug up in the 1930s.
Quanterness chambered cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3250 BC	Tomb	The remains of 157 people were found inside this tomb when it was dug up in the 1970s.
Tarxien Temples	Malta	Europe	3250 BC	Temples	These temples are part of the Megalithic Temples of Malta World Heritage Site.
Shahr-e Sukhteh	Iran	Asia	3200 BC	Settlement	This site gives us a lot of information about how complex societies started and connected with each other thousands of years ago.
Newgrange	Ireland	Europe	3200 BC	Burial	This ancient passage grave has been partly rebuilt around its original structure.
Knowth	Ireland	Europe	c. 3200 BC	Passage grave	This is an ancient passage grave and part of the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site.
Dowth	Ireland	Europe	between 3200 and 2900 BC	Tomb	The burial mound is about 85 meters (279 feet) wide and 15 meters (49 feet) high.
Skara Brae	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3180 BC	Settlement	This is the best-preserved ancient village in Northern Europe.
Tomb of the Eagles	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3150 BC	Tomb	This tomb was used for over 800 years. Many bird bones, especially from white-tailed sea eagles, were found here.
Tepe Sialk ziggurat	Iran	Asia	3000 BC	Ziggurat	The oldest parts of Sialk date back to around 6000–5500 BC. This ziggurat was built around 3000 BC.
Dolmen de Bagneux	France	Europe	3000 BC	Dolmen	This is the largest dolmen in France, and possibly the world. It's 23 meters (75 feet) long, with an inner room over 18 meters (59 feet) long and at least 3 meters (10 feet) high.
Grey Cairns of Camster	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3000 BC or older	Tomb	Located near Upper Camster in Scotland.
Hulbjerg Jættestue	Denmark	Europe	3000 BC	Passage grave	This tomb is hidden by a round mound on the island of Langeland. A skull found here showed signs of the world's earliest dental work!
Dolmens of North Caucasus	Russia	Europe	3000 BC	Tomb	There are many tombs in the North Caucasus region. Some might be from the ancient Maikop culture.
Taversoe Tuick chambered cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3000 BC	Tomb	This tomb is unusual because it has both an upper and a lower chamber.
Holm of Papa chambered cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3000 BC	Tomb	The main room of this tomb is over 20 meters (66 feet) long.
Barpa Langass	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3000 BC	Tomb	This is the best-preserved chambered cairn in the Hebrides islands.
Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3000 BC	Tomb	When this tomb was dug up in 1901, bones of humans, dogs, and oxen were found inside.
Quoyness cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2900 BC	Tomb	This cairn on the island of Sanday is surrounded by a curve of Bronze Age mounds.
Maeshowe	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2800 BC	Tomb	The entrance passage is 36 feet (11 meters) long and leads to a central room about 15 feet (4.6 meters) on each side.
Shunet El Zebib	Egypt	Africa	2700 BC	Mortuary temple	This was built as a special enclosure for funerals, where the dead king was honored.
Pyramid of Djoser	Egypt	Africa	2667–2648 BC	Burial	This is the earliest large building made of cut stone.
Harappa	Pakistan (Then India)	Asia	2600 BC	Settlement	A fortified city from the Bronze Age with houses made of clay. It was part of the Indus Valley civilization.
Mohenjo Daro	Pakistan (Then India)	Asia	2600 BC	Settlement	An ancient site near Larkana. It's one of the world's earliest settlements with brick houses, public baths, and covered drains.
Caral	Peru	South America	2600 BC	Pyramid	This pyramid was once thought to be the oldest building in South America.
Pyramid of Meidum	Egypt	Africa	c. 2580 BC	Tomb	This pyramid was finished by Pharaoh Sneferu during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt.
Bent Pyramid	Egypt	Africa	c. 2580 BC	Tomb	This is another pyramid finished by Pharaoh Sneferu.
Red Pyramid	Egypt	Africa	c. 2580 BC	Tomb	This is the third large pyramid finished by Sneferu.
Great Pyramid of Giza	Egypt	Africa	2560 BC	Tomb	This huge pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu. It was the world's tallest human-made structure for over 3,800 years!
Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar	Portugal	Europe	Between 3000 and 2000 BC	Tomb	This is a group of burial tombs that form an ancient cemetery.
Capel Garmon	United Kingdom (Wales)	Europe	c. 2500 BC	Tomb	A burial chamber from around 2500 BC. It belongs to the Severn-Cotswold Group of tombs.
Pyramid of Khafre	Egypt	Africa	c. 2500 BC	Tomb	This is one of the famous Pyramids of Giza.
Pyramid of Menkaure	Egypt	Africa	c. 2500 BC	Tomb	Menkaure was likely the pharaoh who came after Khafre.
Pyramid of Userkaf	Egypt	Africa	c. 2480 BC	Tomb	This pyramid is located close to the Pyramid of Djoser.
Pyramid of Sahure	Egypt	Africa	c. 2480 BC	Tomb	Built for Pharaoh Sahure.
Pyramid of Neferirkare Kakai	Egypt	Africa	c. 2460 BC	Tomb	Built for Pharaoh Neferirkare Kakai.
Pyramid of Neferefre	Egypt	Africa	c. 2455 BC	Tomb	This pyramid was never fully finished, but it does contain a tomb.
Pyramid of Nyuserre	Egypt	Africa	c. 2425 BC	Tomb
Royal Palace of Ebla	Syria	Asia	2400–2300 BC	Palace
Pyramid of Djedkare-Isesi	Egypt	Africa	c. 2370 BC	Tomb
Pyramid of Unas	Egypt	Africa	c. 2340 BC	Tomb
Pyramid of Teti	Egypt	Africa	c. 2330 BC	Tomb
Labbacallee	Ireland	Europe	c. 2300 BC	Tomb	This is the largest wedge tomb in Ireland.
Shimao	China (Shaanxi)	Asia	2300–2000 BC	Settlement	A fortified ancient site with a huge stepped pyramid that is 70 meters (230 feet) tall.
Pyramid of Merenre	Egypt	Africa	c. 2275 BC	Tomb	Built for Pharaoh Merenre Nemtyemsaf I but not finished.
Pyramid of Pepi II	Egypt	Africa	c. 2180 BC	Tomb
Crantit cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2130 BC	Tomb	This tomb was found in 1998 near Kirkwall.
Ziggurat of Ur	Iraq	Asia	2100 BC	Temple	The Great Ziggurat of Ur was a temple built to honor the goddess Nanna. It was partly rebuilt in the 1980s.
Dolmen de Viera	Spain	Europe	2000 BC	Tomb	The Dolmen de Viera is a type of ancient stone tomb with a single chamber.
Dolmen of Cava dei Servi	Italy (Sicily)	Europe	2000 BC	Tomb	This dolmen is a semi-oval monument made of four stone slabs fixed into the ground.
Rubha an Dùnain passage grave	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2000 BC or older	Tomb
Corrimony chambered cairn	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2000 BC or older	Tomb	This is an ancient passage grave surrounded by a circle of 11 standing stones.
Bryn Celli Ddu	United Kingdom (Wales)	Europe	2000 BC	Tomb	Located on the island of Anglesey.
Balnuaran of Clava	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2000 BC	Tomb	The largest of these three cairns was partly rebuilt in the 1800s.
Vinquoy chambered cairn, Eday	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	2000 BC	Tomb
Pyramid of Amenemhat I	Egypt	Africa	c. 1960 BC	Tomb
Karnak	Egypt	Africa	1971–1926 BC	Temple	This is actually a huge complex of temples.
Pyramid of Senusret I	Egypt	Africa	c. 1920 BC	Tomb
Pyramid of Senusret II	Egypt	Africa	c. 1875 BC	Tomb
Knossos	Greece	Europe	1850–1750 BC	Palace	This ancient Minoan palace was built on an even older site.
Pyramid of Senusret III	Egypt	Africa	c. 1835 BC	Tomb	Built for Pharaoh Senusret III.
Black Pyramid	Egypt	Africa	c. 1820 BC	Tomb	Built for Pharaoh Amenemhat III. It has some problems with its structure.
Hawara	Egypt	Africa	c. 1810 BC	Tomb	Also built for Amenemhat III.
Pyramid of Khendjer	Egypt	Africa	c. 1760 BC	Tomb	Built for Pharaoh Khendjer.
Daorson	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Europe	17–16th century BC	City and citadel	This was an ancient settlement and capital city of the Daorsi tribe.
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut	Egypt	Africa	15th century BC	Temple
Nuraghe Santu Antine	Italy (Sardinia)	Europe	1600 BC	Possibly a fort	This is the second tallest ancient stone tower found in Sardinia, and it's still standing tall.
Sinauli	India	Asia	1800 BC	Settlement	This excavation site in India has major findings from around 2000 - 1800 BCE.
Adichanallur	India	Asia	1500 BC	Settlement	In 2004, many skeletons were found buried in clay pots here. Some pots had ancient writing.
Su Nuraxi di Barumini	Italy (Sardinia)	Europe	1500 BC	Possibly a fort or a palace	This ancient palace has a huge central tower, which was originally almost 20 meters (66 feet) high.
Luxor Temple	Egypt	Africa	c.1400 BC	Temple	This is actually a complex of temples.
Nuraghe La Prisciona	Italy (Sardinia)	Europe	1400 BC	Possibly a fort	This monument has a central tower and two side towers. The central room is over 6 meters (20 feet) high.
The King's Grave	Sweden	Europe	1400 BC	Tomb	Near Kivik are the remains of a very grand double burial from the Nordic Bronze Age.
The Ziggurat of Dur-Kurigalzu	Iraq	Asia	14th century BC	Probably religious rituals	Built for the Kassite King Kurigalzu I.
Treasury of Atreus	Greece	Europe	1250 BC	Tomb	This tomb had the tallest and widest dome in the world for over a thousand years.
Chogha Zanbil	Iran	Asia	1250 BC	Temple	This is one of the few ancient ziggurats still standing outside of Mesopotamia.
Mortuary Temple of Seti I	Egypt	Africa	13th century BC	Temple
Ramesseum	Egypt	Africa	13th century BC	Temple	This was the funeral temple of Pharaoh Ramses II.
Naveta d'Es Tudons	Spain	Europe	1200–750 BC	Ossuary	This is the most famous ancient stone tomb on the island of Menorca.
Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III	Egypt	Africa	1186–1155 BC	Temple
Dún Aonghasa	Ireland	Europe	1100 BC	Fort	This ancient fort is considered one of the most amazing prehistoric monuments in Western Europe.
Cuicuilco Circular Pyramid	Mexico	North America	800–600 BC	Ceremonial center	This is one of the oldest standing structures from the Mesoamerican cultures.
Van Fortress	Turkey	Asia	750 BC	Fortress	A massive stone fortress built by the ancient Urartu people, overlooking Tushpa.
Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia	Italy	Europe	700 BC	Tombs	These ancient Etruscan cemeteries have thousands of tombs, some laid out like a city.
Temple of Cyrene	Libya	Africa	c. 630 BC	Temple	This temple was destroyed and rebuilt around 115 AD. It was also damaged in the 4th century AD.
Keezhadi excavation site	India	Asia	580 BC	Settlement	This excavation site is from the Sangam period. It's being dug up by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Temple of Hera	Italy	Europe	550 BC	Temple	This temple is part of a complex of three large temples built in the Doric style.
Tomb of Cyrus	Iran	Asia	530 BC	Tomb	This is the tomb of Cyrus the Great, located in Pasargadae.
Persepolis	Iran	Asia	522 BC	Ceremonial capital	This was the ceremonial capital city of the ancient Achaemenid Empire.
Yeha Temple	Ethiopia	Africa	500 BC	Temple	This is a temple dedicated to the sun and moon.
Parthenon	Greece	Europe	432–447 BC	Temple	This famous temple is located on the Acropolis of Athens.
Tomb of Seuthes III	Bulgaria	Europe	450–400 BC	Tomb	This tomb was originally a temple. Later, the Thracian king Seuthes III was buried inside.
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak	Bulgaria	Europe	300–400 BC	Tomb	This tomb is near Seutopolis, the capital city of the Thracian kingdom. It's one of the most detailed tombs in the area.
Sanchi Stupa	India	Asia	300 BC	Buddhist temple	Located in the village of Sanchi.
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari	Bulgaria	Europe	300–280 BC	Tomb	This tomb was found in 1982. Its unique decorations include half-human, half-plant figures and painted murals.
Dhamek Stupa	India	Asia	249 BC rebuilt c. 500 AD	Buddhist Temple	Located in Sarnath, Varanasi.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor	China	Asia	Began construction 246 BC, finished 208 BC	Tomb	Also known as the Terracotta Army, this is one of the largest tombs ever built. It holds a huge stone army and the resting place of Qin Shi Huang.
Ruwanwelisaya	Sri Lanka	Asia	140 BC	Stupa	Located in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
Broch of Mousa	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	100 BC	Broch	Located in Shetland, this is one of the best-preserved ancient buildings in Europe.
Dun Carloway	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	100 BC	Broch	Built in the first century BC.
Masada	Israel	Asia	37 BC	Fortress	Herod the Great built two palaces and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BCE.
Maison Carrée	France	Europe	4–7 AD	Temple	One of the best-preserved Roman temples, located in Nîmes.
Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum	China (Hong Kong)	Asia	25 AD	Tomb
Temple of Garni	Armenia	Asia	c. 77 AD	Temple
Colosseum	Italy	Europe	70–80 AD	Amphitheatre

Oldest Buildings by Continent

Here are some of the oldest known buildings still standing on each major continent.

Building	Country	Continent	First built	Use	Notes
Göbekli Tepe	Turkey	Asia	9500 – 7500 BC	Unknown, likely temple	Located in southern Turkey. It's believed to have been a social or ritual place. The structure is 300 meters (984 feet) wide and 15 meters (49 feet) high.
Durankulak (archaeological site)	Bulgaria	Europe	5500—4100 BC	Settlement	This archaeological site in Bulgaria has settlements from different ancient cultures. It shows how people lived and built thousands of years ago.
Solnitsata	Bulgaria	Europe	5500 BC	Settlement	Thought to be Europe's oldest town. It was a fortified stone settlement and salt production site. A lot of ancient gold was found nearby.
Shunet El Zebib	Egypt	Africa	2700 BC	Mortuary temple	Built as a special enclosure for funerals, where the dead king was honored.
Los Naranjos	Honduras	North America	2000 BC	Temples	These are the oldest standing buildings in Honduras, built by the ancestors of the Lenca people.
Nan Madol	Federated States of Micronesia	Oceania	700s AD	City	This city was built by the Pohnpeians on human-made islands. It has the oldest known buildings in Oceania.
Cape Adare huts	Ross Dependency	Antarctica	1899 AD	Explorers' huts	These wooden buildings were constructed by Carsten Borchgrevink in Antarctica.

Oldest Buildings by Country

Here are some of the oldest buildings in their specific countries.

Building	Country	Continent	First Built	Use	Notes
Göbeklitepe	Turkey	Asia	9500-7500 BC	Unknown/likely temple	This is the oldest temple and oldest structure in the world.
Durankulak	Bulgaria	Europe	5500—4100 BC	Settlement	The Durankulak Archaeological Complex includes three sites. It shows settlements from various ancient cultures.
Solnitsata	Bulgaria	Europe	5500 BC	Settlement	Believed to be Europe's oldest town. It was a fortified stone settlement for salt production. Ancient gold was found nearby.
L'Anse aux Meadows	Canada	North America	c. 1000 AD	Settlement	Located in Newfoundland, this Norse settlement shows that Vikings were in North America before Columbus.
Shimao	China	Asia	2300–2000 BC	Settlement	A fortified ancient site with a large stepped pyramid that is 70 meters (230 feet) tall.
St. George's Basilica, Prague	Czech Republic	Europe	c. 920 AD	Church	Located inside Prague Castle. It now holds a collection of 19th-century art.
Hulbjerg Jættestue	Denmark	Europe	3000 BC	Passage grave	This tomb is hidden by a round mound. A skull found here showed signs of the world's earliest dental work.
West Kennet Long Barrow	United Kingdom (England)	Europe	3650 BC	Tomb	Located near Silbury Hill and the Avebury stone circle.
Yeha Temple	Ethiopia	Africa	500 BC	Temple	This is the oldest standing structure in Ethiopia.
Barnenez	France	Europe	4850 BC	Passage grave	Located in northern France and partly restored. It's 72 meters (236 feet) long, 25 meters (82 feet) wide, and over 8 meters (26 feet) high. It's the oldest known building in Eurasia.
Porta Nigra	Germany	Europe	180 AD	Roman city gate	This is the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps.
Knossos	Greece	Europe	2000–1300 BC	Palace	This ancient Minoan palace was built on an even older site.
Dholavira	India	Asia	3500 BC	Reservoir	A planned ancient town with reservoirs, pottery, and seals.
Chogha Zanbil	Iran	Asia	1250 BC	Temple	One of the few ancient ziggurats still standing outside of Mesopotamia.
The Ziggurat of Dur-Kurigalzu	Iraq	Asia	14th century BC	Probably religious rituals	Built by the Kassite King Kurigalzu I.
Newgrange	Ireland	Europe	3200–2900 BC	Burial	This ancient passage grave has been partly rebuilt around its original structure.
Monte d'Accoddi	Italy (Sardinia)	Europe	4000–3600 BC	Possibly an open-air temple, a ziggurat, or a step pyramid.	A trapezoidal platform on an artificial mound, reached by a sloped pathway.
Ġgantija	Malta	Europe	3700 BC	Temple	Two structures on the island of Gozo. The second was built 400 years after the oldest.
Cuicuilco Circular Pyramid	Mexico	North America	800–600 BC	Ceremonial center	One of the oldest standing structures from the Mesoamerican cultures.
Hunebed (Dolmen)	Netherlands	Europe	4000–3000 BC	Burial	These ancient stone structures are believed to be prehistoric burial chambers.
Mission House	New Zealand		1822 AD	Religious	Built by Māori people and missionary carpenters.
Mehrgarh	Pakistan(Then India)	Asia	c. 2600 BC	Mud brick storage structures	A complex of ruins with different dates near Bolan Pass.
Sechin Bajo	Peru	South America	3500 BC	Plaza	This is the oldest known building in the Americas.
Dolmens of North Caucasus	Russia	Europe	3000 BC	Tomb	There are many tombs in the North Caucasus region. Some might be from the ancient Maikop culture.
Knap of Howar	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Europe	3700 BC	House	This is the oldest preserved stone house in northwest Europe.
Naveta d'Es Tudons	Spain	Europe	1200–750 BC	Ossuary	This is the most famous ancient stone tomb on the island of Menorca.
The King's Grave	Sweden	Europe	1000 BC	Tomb	Near Kivik are the remains of a very grand double burial from the Nordic Bronze Age.
Hattusa	Turkey	Asia	c. 1600 BC	Ramparts and ruined buildings	This was the capital city of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age.
Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv	Ukraine	Europe	1037 AD	Cathedral	This is an Orthodox cathedral that has been partly rebuilt.
Ancestral Puebloan communities	United States	North America	750 AD	Villages	Pueblo construction began in 750 AD and continues today. These buildings have been in the United States since 1848.
Bryn Celli Ddu	United Kingdom (Wales)	Europe	2000 BC	Tomb	Located on the island of Anglesey.
Great Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe	Africa	1000 AD	Palace	This was the capital city of a medieval kingdom.

Oldest Buildings by Type

Here are some of the oldest buildings based on what they were used for, their structure, or what they were made of.

Building	Location	First built	Use	Notes
Göbekli Tepe	Turkey	9500–7500 BC	Unknown, likely temple	Located in southern Turkey. It's believed to have been a social or ritual place. The structure is 300 meters (984 feet) wide and 15 meters (49 feet) high.
Mehrgarh	Pakistan (Then India)	7000 BC	Settlement	An ancient site in Balochistan, Pakistan. It's located near the Bolan Pass.
Durankulak (archaeological site)	Bulgarian	4800–4100 BC	Settlement	The earliest stone architecture in continental Europe was found here in Bulgaria.
Pyramid of Djoser	Saqqara, Egypt	2667–2648 BC	Tomb	This is the oldest large building made of cut stone.
Luxor Temple	Luxor, Egypt	1400 BC	Religious	This is the oldest standing building that is still partly in use. There's an active mosque inside the main structure.
Sanchi Stupa	India	300 BC	Buddhist temple	This is the oldest standing Buddhist temple.
Temple of Concordia	Italy	440 BC	Temple	This is the oldest fully preserved temple from ancient times.
Mundeshwari Temple	Bihar, India	105–320 AD	Hindu Temple	This might be the oldest Hindu temple that hasn't been rebuilt. Inscriptions from 635 CE were found here.
Pantheon, Rome	Italy	125 AD	Religious	This is the oldest standing building that is still used regularly.
Aula Palatina	Germany	306 AD	Palace basilica	This building has the largest standing hall from ancient times.
Jokhang	Lhasa, Tibet, China	c. 639 AD	Buddhist temple	This might be the world's oldest building made with a timber frame.
Hōryū-ji	Nara, Japan	670 AD	Buddhist Temple	This is the oldest wooden building still standing.
Nanchan Temple	Wutai, China	782 AD	Buddhist Temple	Its Great Buddha Hall is currently China's oldest standing timber building.
Greensted Church	United Kingdom (England)	c. 1053 AD	Church	This might be the oldest standing wooden church in the world, and the oldest wooden building in Europe.
Roykstovan in Kirkjubø	Faroe Islands	No clear date, middle of 11th century AD	Farmhouse	This might be the oldest wooden building in the world that has been lived in continuously.
Ditherington Flax Mill	United Kingdom (England, Shrewsbury)	1797 AD	Industrial	This is the oldest iron-framed building in the world.
Manhattan Building	Chicago, United States	1888 AD	Skyscraper	This is the oldest skyscraper still standing.