Top 5 largest cities found under water (6 photos + 1 video)

24 November 2023

Everyone remembers the legend of Atlantis, an ancient, once great city that sank into the depths of the ocean. There are other hydropolises, that is, underwater settlements. Some of them were shown in films, others were taught about in history lessons. But it’s worth seeing these beautiful and majestic places. We invite you to take a walk with us through the top 5 most beautiful underwater cities.

Dwarka, Gulf of Cambay, India

The ancient city of the god Krishna was once considered a myth. Excavations have been carried out here since 1983, and the ruins discovered in 2000 have breathed life into this old Indian legend.

Legend has it that Krishna was the master of this city, where there were 70 thousand palaces made of gold, silver and other precious metals. The city prospered, but after the death of Krishna, Dwarka allegedly sank into the sea. It is believed that the ancient city was destroyed by waves and sank to the bottom of the sea six times, and the modern city is the seventh built on this territory. The ruins are located 40 meters underwater in the bay of the modern city of Dwarka, one of the oldest in India. Acoustic studies, the results of which amazed experts, showed that the ruins have surprisingly clear geometric shapes.

Many artifacts have been found at the site, but perhaps the most important find is one dating back to 7500 BC, which supports the theory that the ruins may well be an ancient part of Dwarka.

Port Royal, Jamaica

Once this city was famous throughout the world for pirates, prostitutes, drinking and unbridled nightlife, it was called “the dirtiest and most sinful city on earth.”

In June 1692, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and a gigantic tsunami wave almost completely wiped out Port Royal, which sank due to its shaky foundation, taking with it the lives of two thousand inhabitants. In the years following the disaster, Port Royal continued to submerge, with much of it lying 13m below the ocean's surface.

The sunken city has become an incredibly popular site for archaeological research, as almost perfectly preserved artifacts are still found there today.

Pyramids of Yonaguni, Japan

Experts are still arguing over whether the Yonaguni monument, off the coast of Japan, was created by man or is a natural phenomenon. Although there is evidence to support the latter theory, it is still very difficult to believe when looking at the triangular-shaped stone terraces that make up the pyramid. The pyramid rises 76 meters above the seabed.

The megalith was discovered in 1995 completely by accident by a recreational diver when he deviated from the permissible limits during a dive off the coast of Okinawa. If the pyramids were indeed created by human hands, then this probably happened during the last ice age - about 10 thousand years BC.

Lion City under Qiandaohu Lake, China

Dubbed the most impressive underwater city in the world, the Lion City in China is truly incredibly beautiful. It was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty and was the size of 62 football fields. Today the city lies 25–40 meters below the surface of Lake of the Thousand Islands, an artificial reservoir created in 1950 for the construction of a dam. The sculptures that adorn the city rival even those in Alexandria in beauty, so it is no surprise that the Lion City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China.

Cleopatra's Palace, Alexandria, Egypt

Off the coast of Alexandria is the supposed palace of Cleopatra, queen of ancient Egypt. A team of underwater archaeologists led by the Frenchman Frank Gaudiot began excavations of this ancient city, from where Cleopatra, the last queen of the Ptolemaic family, ruled Egypt. It is believed that the ruins were submerged as a result of an earthquake more than one and a half thousand years ago. Archaeologists also claim that a temple of Isis was found not far from the royal palace. To date, more than one has been discovered at the site of the ruins over 140 artifacts.