Top 5 Oldest Roads In The World

Roads are the most important aspect of a city as it connects from one place to another and eases transportation for vehicles. The road infrastructure has developed tremendously for many years to this day and it still plays a crucial role in a city to function as usual.

It cannot be denied that the road has revolutionized the way of mankind. If the road was built by manpower in the past in areas that have no earth barriers, now the power of technology has helped us to build roadways in some of the most difficult terrains.

The existence of roads has led us towards developing human lives as it makes the journey more efficient and less time-consuming. Have you ever asked yourself what are some of the earliest roads ever built in the world?

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5. Old Great North Road

The construction of internal roads which connects Sydney and Hunter Valley stretch for 264 km and the project was initiated in 1825 by the New South Wales government in Australia. It was believed that 720 prisoners were put to work on building Great North Road which also includes supporters, bridges, and retaining walls as high as 9 meters.

The road was fully completed in 1836. It is comprised of a 5km segment called Finch's Line and a 1.8 km road known as Devines Hill.

This road is a part of the Great North Road stretching for 250 km. It was then hardly used due to the introduction of steamboat transportation and the whole road was abandoned in 1883.

4. Persian Royal Road

The Persian Royal Road is one of the earliest long-distance roadways that stretches for 1,500 miles(2,414 km) from Susa(former capital city of Persia), crossing Anatolia (now known as Turkey), and to the Aegean Sea.

The Indus civilization built the roadway along its cities despite it not being long-distance. The purpose of this main roadway is to ease the ruler to communicate with its people that live very far away.

Of course, this effort definitely helped the ruler to command one of the biggest empires in the world at the time.

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3. Giza Road

This very old paved road is 6.5 feet wide and it covers 7.5 miles in distance connecting Moeris Lake and southwest of Kaherah(now known as Cairo). According to geologists, there were not any known paved roads from ancient Egyptian except several ramps connecting to the pyramid.

The demands for building materials for the pyramid and temple during the ancient Egyptian time led to the construction of quarries in low tides close to the Nile River. Huge basalt blocks were carried along the roadway from the quarries to Giza where the workers will construct buildings.

4. Lake Moeris Quarry Road

This road was found in Faiyum Valley around 45 miles due southwest of Kaehrah. Scientists mentioned that parts of this roadway were found by past geologists but the discovery was not given that much attention as further research was not continued.

A group of researchers found this road while they were performing geological mapping in the vicinity. It comprised almost 8 miles and carries huge basalt blocks from the quarry all the way to Moeris Lake which was 66 feet above sea level at the time.

The basalt block was used to build sidewalks for the royal family and a sarcophagus for the funeral temple around Kaherah. The water from the Nile River can enter Moeris Lake through the gaps in the mountain that stands between the lake and the river.

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1. The Ridgeway

The Ridgeway is Britain's first and oldest road in the world. The Anglo-Saxon start to use the term ridgeway to picture the old roadway that follows the steep mountain. Due to this road not being paved, the road only depends on the firm structure of the land to offer a smooth surface for the journey.

The Ridgeway is a straight and contemporary pathway that we use today. Chilterns in the east and North Wessex Downs in the west are two areas with the most mesmerizing views along the Ridgeway.

Different compared to Downs where they are more placements, Chilterns are far much fewer. Due to it being the oldest road in the world, it also holds many historical values to the country.

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