5 lost cities that are still rumoured to exist!
Some lost cities are based on legends and centuries-old beliefs, while others were misunderstood cultural references. Despite centuries of debate and research, certain names keep coming back.
While technology like satellite mapping and deep-sea scanning has helped to find out many ancient sites, these five legendary cities continue to linger on despite being undiscovered.
The lost city of
Atlantis
Atlantis is one of the most famous lost cities that was first mentioned by the Greek philosopher Plato around 360 BCE.
He described it as an advanced island civilization that sank beneath the sea 'in a single day and night of misfortune.' No archaeological evidence has ever confirmed its existence, and most scholars agree it was meant as an allegory rather than a real place. Despite this, it continues to fascinate and inspire books, movies, and oceanic expeditions to this day.
The city of Gold-
El Dorado
El Dorado was originally a legend about a golden-covered ruler, not a city.
It comes from an old story about a Musica tribal chief in what is now Colombia. According to the legend, this chief would cover his body in gold dust during a religious ritual and then wash it off in a sacred lake, offering gold and other valuables to the gods.
King of El Dorado being painted with Gold dust Credits: Wikimedia commons
Spanish explorers in the 16th century twisted this into the idea of a golden city hidden in South America. Inspired by Indigenous rituals like those of the Muisca people, the myth led to numerous failed expeditions.
While ancient settlements have been found in the Amazon, no city of gold has ever appeared, just jungle, ruins, and reminders of colonial greed.
Shambhala
or the hidden kingdom of peace
According to popular belief, this hidden kingdom is situated amid the Himalayas, but according to a Tibetan Buddhist belief, it is described as a mystical realm of harmony, wisdom, and enlightenment. Unlike other lost cities, Shambhala is not considered a physical place but a spiritual one, accessible only through deep personal transformation.
It was never meant to be found with a map, though seekers from the West, including the Nazis in the 1930s, tried it.
It remains a more spiritual vision than the actual city.
Zerzura
Zerzura is said to be a lost oasis city in the Sahara, 'white as a dove' and guarded by mysterious beings. First mentioned in medieval Arabic texts, it led to expeditions in the 20th century by explorers like László Almásy. While some remote oases were found, Zerzura itself was not.
Historians now believe it may have been a metaphor, or an exaggerated account of real desert settlements long lost to sand and time.
Thule (Credits: Wikimedia commons)
Thule
Thule was first mentioned by the Greek explorer Pytheas in the 4th century BCE as the northernmost land, 'beyond the known world.' It was thought to be a mysterious, icy place inhabited by unusual people. Over time, Thule came to symbolize the limits of the map. While it may have referred indirectly to Iceland or Norway, it was never a defined city. Today, it lives on more in literature and lore than archaeology.
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