Parthenon Would Have Looked Like This in its Heyday

Standing in front of the ruins of the famous Sun Temple of Konark in Odisha, have you ever wondered how it would have looked at its heydays Or the ruins of Hampi in Karnataka

While we may have to rely on our imagination for the time being for the Indian monuments, we can have an idea of how famous monuments &ndash such as the Parthenon in Athens (Greece), The Temple of Jupiter in Pompeii (Italy), the Temple in Luxor (Egypt) and others &ndash may have looked in their heydays thanks to a special project.

A series of animated GIFs recreate the grand edifices.

The project, undertaken a few years ago, was a collaborative effort between Expedia, NeoMam and This is Render.  Check out the images here.

The monuments they recreated are

The Parthenon, Greece

Part of the Athenian Acropolis, this grand edifice with its Doric pillars was built between 447 BC and 438 BC. It housed a temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena. However, this example of Classical Greek architecture suffered severe damages in 1687 during the Great Turkish War. What we see today is the result of numerous restorations.

Nohoch Mul Pyramid, Mexico

Part of the Mayan ruins of Coba in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, which existed between 100BC and 100AD. Likely abandoned in the mid-16^th&nbspcentury, it was discovered in the 19^th&nbspcentury in the middle of a dense forest. Today, the Nohoch Mul Pyramid (137 feet) is said to be the tallest Mayan pyramid on the Yucatan Peninsula and the second tallest Mayan pyramid in the world.

Temple of Jupiter, Italy

Volcanic eruption from Mt Vesuvius destroyed the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in 9AD. Discovered in the 16^th&nbspcentury, it was excavated over a period of time. One of the most famous attractions here is the temple dedicated to the Roman God of Sky and Thunder.

Milecastle 39, England

Believed to be built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the first century, the eponymous wall stretches for nearly 73 miles. Placed at intervals one Roman Mile along the Hadrian&rsquos Wall were forts, believed to strengthen the security. &nbspThe project chos to recreate one of the Milecastles &ndash number 39 in Northumberland on the Scottish border.

Luxor Temple, Egypt

A must-see on every travellers&rsquo itinerary to Egypt, this temple was originally built by Amenhotep III in 1380 BC and renovated almost a century later by Rameses II. It was once joined to the Karnak Temple by an avenue of sphinxes. The temple is considered one of the significant stone architectures of Egypt.

The Pyramid of the Sun - Teotihuacan, Mexico

About 40km away by road from Mexico City is Teotihuac&aacuten, an ancient Mesoamerican city likely built between first and seventh century. Not much is known about the people who built this complex city. The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building here.

Area Sacra di Largo Argentina &ndash Temple B, Italy

In 1909, it was decided to demolish the Torre Argentina zone as part of reconstruction of Rome. But the discovery of a colossal head and arms of a marble statue in 1927 resulted in an archaeological excavation. Ruins of four temples dating to the Republican era (509 BC&ndash27 BC) and part of Pompey's Theatre were revealed. It is said that Temple B was built by Quintus Lutatius Catulus in 101 BC to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Vercellae.