Top mythological places

Myths about places

There are many places in the world which are famous for its mythological aspects. It’s interesting to know about such things. Sometimes it plays with your mind. It depends on what you believe in. I personally know about these places and I only explore about such places. Here are a few places that are famous for their mythological aspects.

1. Zanzibar, Tanzania

Just the name ‘Zanzibar’ conjures images of harem girls giggling behind gauzy veils. Zanzibar grew into a powerful city state between the 12th and 15th centuries, sending ships laden with slaves, gold, ivory and wood to Arabia and beyond. Eventually the Sultan of Oman moved his court here – 100 concubines and eunuchs included – and started Zanzibar’s famous clove plantations. He’s long gone, but an Arabic influence and the scent of sweet spice still lingers over the sultry island.

2.Troy, Turkey

Fans of mythology will recognize Troy as the old stomping grounds of folks like Hector, Paris and Helen, as well as one giant wooden horse. The city was ground zero for the Trojan War, sparked when Paris kidnapped Helen from her kingly husband in Greece. The Greeks ganged up and sailed straight over to Troy, determined to kick ass. And they did, especially after Odysseus Trojan Horse idea. Modern-day visitors can tromp around the walls, temples and ruins at the area, also known as Truva, in Turkey’s northwest corner.

3.Karakorum, Mangolia

Genghis Khan set up house here in the mid-13th century, then headed out to conquer half the world. Karakorum was his Mongol capital and became known as the Empire of the Steppe. Alas, the glory didn’t last long – about 30 years, in fact – and then the city was destroyed. Current visitors will need to muster serious imagination to envisage the great walls and gates that once encircled the place. Many bits were incorporated into the nearby Erdene Zuu monastery’s long white walls and 108 stupas.

4.Timbuktu, Mali

A byword for ‘place that’s way the hell out there’, Timbuktu earned its reputation early on as the terminus of a rich trade route linking West Africa and the Mediterranean. All you had to do to get your gold, slaves and ivory north (or salt to come south) was join a camel caravan and plod for months across the Sahara through sandstorms, blazing heat and insanity-inducing isolation. It’s still a mighty trek to reach Timbuktu, and though salt caravans continue to pass through led by blue-clad Tuaregs, the city only hints at its 15th-century grandeur of wealthy merchants and mosques.

5. Avalon, England

King Arthur rests on the enchanted isle of Avalon, sleeping off the wounds accrued during a lifetime of knights, crusades, sorcerers, Round Tables and magical swords. As Britain’s ‘once and future king’, it is said he will return wielding Excalibur and the Holy Grail to unite his country when it needs him most. Today the modern town of Glastonbury spreads over the site where Avalon once floated. True to its mystic roots, it attracts free spirits who come to buy crystals, consult with psychics, lick vegan ice-cream cones or attend crop-circle symposiums.