Modern cities built on ancient ruins

Rome, Italy - Rome was founded in 753 BCE and is one of the oldest continuously-occupied cities in Europe.

Luxor, Egypt - Modern-day Luxor sits on the east bank of the Nile River in southern Egypt. It occupies the site of ancient Thebes.

Athens, Greece - Athens is the perfect example of a modern city coexisting with its ancient past.

Lima, Peru - Lima, the capital of Peru, is one of the largest cities in the Americas, with a population of nearly 10 million people in its urban core alone.

London, England - One of the world's global cities, London has a population of nearly nine million souls. It's been a major settlement for over two millennia.

Lisbon, Portugal - Mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast, Lisbon has served as an important seaport since the Roman era.

Paris, France - One of the world's major centers of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, gastronomy, science, and arts, Paris stands on a site once occupied by Iron Age settlers.

Istanbul, Turkey - The Bosphorus river cuts Istanbul in half to anchor one part of the city in Europe, the other in Asia. Turkey's largest city is home to over 15 million residents.

Barcelona, Spain - The origins of Catalonia's culturally rich capital date back to at least the Romans, who established a colony at the site of present-day Barcelona.

Xi’an, China - Xi’an, the capital of China's Shaanxi Province, is one of the oldest cities in China, the oldest prefecture capital, and one of the Chinese Four Great Ancient Capitals.

Madurai, India - Located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Madurai is one of the oldest cities in the region, mentioned in texts as early as the 6th century BCE.

Kyoto, Japan - Founded in 794 CE as the new seat of Japan's imperial court by Emperor Kanmu, Kyoto was originally named Heian-kyō and once served as Japan's capital.