People Share The One Place In History They Wish They Could Time Travel To
As a concept, time travel has been part of many people's science-fiction fantasies for quite some time, and the idea is so alluring. What if we could actually witness the events of history right as they happened, or see original structures before they fell to ruins?
Some Reddit users shared the places in history they would want to time travel to the most, and these ones were the most popular.
A Gladiator Fight At The Coliseum In Rome, Circa 100 CE
While the practice of gladiatorial battles lasted for almost 1,000 years, the brutal sport reached its peak from 100 BCE to 200 CE. While accounts of the fights are extremely gruesome, I can't imagine how they compare to the reality.
The Construction Of The Great Pyramid In Imentet In 2580–2560 BCE
The Great Pyramid is considered one of the wonders of the world and is an impressive structure even now, but people have often wondered how the Ancient Egyptians managed to build it—imagine getting to see firsthand what theories are true.
Machu Picchu During The Incan Empire, Circa 1500 CE
Machu Picchu, an impressive Incan citadel located in the Andes mountain range, is believed to have been constructed as a royal estate for the Incan Emperor Pachacuti. Unknown to the rest of the world until 1911, only ruins were discovered, but it would be incredible to see it in all its glory.
A Shakespeare Play At The Globe Theater In London, Circa 1600 CE
Shakespeare wrote during the middle of the English Renaissance, and his incredible works are still loved and studied today. Any theater buff or English literature buff would love to see the plays as he intended for them to be performed at his own theater.
The Crucifixion Of Jesus At Golgotha, Circa 33 AD
The crucifixion of Jesus might be the most important event to occur in the history of Western civilization, or at least the most commonly discussed. It would be interesting to see how accurate the popular accounts of the event are.
Pompeii Before The Eruption Of Mount Vesuvius In 79 CE
Pompeii, located near modern Naples, was an ancient city with settlers arriving in 700 BCE. The large city was involved in a series of wars including a revolution against Roman conquest, and it was an important, bustling port town. However, the city and its people were ruined by the eruption, leaving us with only fragments of knowledge about the city and its culture.
The Titanic Setting Sail On April 10, 1912
Potentially the most famous ship in the world, the RMS Titanic set off on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. While you obviously wouldn't want to be on board, it would be interesting to tour the ship in all its glory and witness the crowd surrounding its departure.
Florence During The Italian Renaissance, Circa 1500 CE
The Italian Renaissance was a beautiful revival of culture, with some of the greatest artists and thinkers of all time, like Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci, being active during this period.
The Hanging Gardens Of Nineveh, Circa 650 BCE
Often called the Hanging Gardens Of Babylon, this wonder of the ancient world existed that in what's now Iraq was a multi-tiered architectural feat of gorgeous gardens, foliage, and an irrigation system to support it. Of course, the mystery lies in the fact that there has been no physical evidence left of its existence.
Woodstock Music Festival—August 1969 In Bethel, New York
Woodstock featured some excellent musicians at the time, but what truly made the festival so iconic was the way in which thousands of young people came together to peacefully listen to music. The miracle of the festival wasn't in the music, but in the way it epitomized the cultural zeitgeist of the hippie era.
The Construction Of Stonehenge In England, Circa 3000 BCE
Stonehenge is believed to have been built by the Druids, who were priests in the Celtic culture, but the question still remains as to how they transported and organized these enormous stones, each about 13 feet tall, into their formation.
The Boston Tea Party, December 16, 1773
The Boston Tea Party was one of the most pivotal moments in the American Revolution. Imagine getting to witness the historical covert mission to revolt against the British that you've read about in school so many times!
The Library Of Alexandria Before It Burned Down In 48 BCE
The Great Library Of Alexandria supposedly contained the greatest collection of knowledge in the Western world, and Alexandria was considered the capital of learning. The library was burned and damaged by Julius Caesar in 48 BCE, leading to many of the priceless scrolls being lost. Imagine what information we could find by going back in time.
Chichen Itza During The Mayan Empire, Circa 1100 CE
Chichen Itza was one of the largest Mayan cities, which may have held the most diverse population of all of the Mayan empire. Its location close to a port made it a thriving economic center and would be a great place to visit for a true taste of Mayan culture.
The City Of Troy During The Trojan War, Circa 1200 BCE
The Trojan war was the basis of the Iliad, one of the most well-known epics of all time, with the heroes and characters—Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Paris—of the story being so vividly described. Imagine comparing the accounts of the war to reality and seeing whether Helen of Troy has a face really worth launching 1000 ships over.
Stalin's Soviet Union In The 1930s
During Stalin's dictatorship over the Soviet Union, little to no files were kept when it came to the workings of the KGB (secret police). Much of the violence and political persecution of citizens flew under the radar due to destroyed records, and information about the country was restricted from the outside or mere propaganda: it would be interesting to actually see the reality of the country.
The Wild West Of America, Circa 1880
Many films and shows have been created about life in the Wild West as people started to settle there. However, historians say that depictions of the Wild West are far more violent and unruly than the reality.
Settlers generally were civilized, and most of the people living there were black, indigenous, and Mexican settlers. It would be interesting to see what the real west was like.
A Beethoven Concert In Vienna, Circa 1800
Ludwig van Beethoven is renowned as one of the most famous composers of all time, but he was also an extremely talented player himself and known for his impressive skill on the piano.
The French Revolution, Circa 1793
The French Revolution was one of the bloodiest revolutions of all time, as the working-class people overthrew and slaughtered many members of the aristocracy. It would be incredible to view the societal mindset of the commoners and be privy to their secret meetings while also seeing the crowds at executions.
Prehistoric Times When Dinosaurs Still Existed, Between 245 and 66 Million Years Ago
Imagine returning to a time before humans even existed. While researchers have tried their best to figure out what life was like when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, it's impossible to truly know without traveling back in time to see it firsthand.
