{"id":49556,"date":"2026-01-04T17:56:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T16:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/la-bella-vita.club\/?p=49556"},"modified":"2026-02-04T20:49:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:49:22","slug":"the-oldest-city-in-the-world-where-death-celebrates-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/la-bella-vita.club\/en\/die-aelteste-stadt-der-welt-wo-der-tod-das-leben-feiert\/","title":{"rendered":"VARANASI IN INDIA I The oldest city in the world: where death celebrates life"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world-famous thanksgiving ceremony, the Varansi Ganga Aarti, performed by young priests on the banks of the river<\/em><\/strong>. Photo: stock.adobe.com\/Rahul Banarasi<\/sub><\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From our editorial team<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A place beyond time: Varanasi in India is the oldest city in the world - and challenges everything you think you know about life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As the first pale pink glimmer of dawn creeps across the Ganges, a place that stubbornly defies the laws of modern times awakens. Varanasi, once described by Mark Twain as \u201eolder than history, older than tradition, older even than legend\u201c, is no ordinary holiday destination. It is a state. Here, in the spiritual heart of India, the boundaries between this world and the hereafter merge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"early
Early morning at the famous ghats of Varanasi
<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>Photo: stock.adobe.com\/PrabhjitSingh<\/sub><\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A living museum of humanity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The history of this city goes back well over 3,000 years. This makes Varanasi the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. If you wander through the \u201egalies\u201c, the gossamer-thin, labyrinthine alleyways of the old town, you can feel the weight of the eras. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architecture is a melting pot: massive stone houses from the 18th century stand on foundations that date back to ancient times. It is a dense network of over 2,000 temples, including the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple, whose gilded domes are dedicated to the god Shiva, the patron saint of the city.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Colourful
What a colourful sight.
<\/i><\/sup>Photo: stock.adobe.com\/saiko3p<\/sub><\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These alleyways also harbour a legend: Banarasi silk. For centuries, the city has been known for its fine, hand-woven fabrics with real gold and silver threads - a craft that was mentioned in the ancient Buddhist Jataka tales more than 2,000 years ago - and still enjoys a worldwide reputation today.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t