Nan Madol

Nan Madol is the highlight of many travelers' Micronesian journeys. Nan Madol was a venue for ritual activities as well as the dwellings of monarchs and servants. It was erected during the Saudeleur dynasty and was a major political, social, and religious institution. It is erected on the tidal flats and reef off the southeastern edge of Pohnpei and consists of 92 artificial islets.

The lagoon city is made up of a collection of small artificial islands connected by a network of canals. The site core, which is surrounded by stone walls, covers an area of 1.5 km long by 0.5 km wide and has roughly 100 stone islands. The name Nan Madol refers to the canals that crisscross the ruins and means "between." According to Gene Ashby's book Pohnpei, An Island Argosy, the ancient name was Soun Nan-leng. The wrecked metropolis is known as Atlantis, the eighth wonder of the world, or the Venice of the Pacific, and is one of today's major archaeological mysteries.

Hexagonal columns were produced naturally by wide basalt pillars up to 7.5m (26ft) long. They were quarried from Pohnpei Island and rafted to the site, where they were arranged horizontally around the islets as retaining walls, giving rise to the 'Venice of Micronesia.' Temples, burial vaults, meeting houses, bathing facilities, and ponds for turtles, fish, and eels were built on the flat surfaces. The priests and rituals were in the eastern side of Madol Powe (Upper Town), while the administrative section was in Madol Pah (Lower Town).

Location: Temwen Island, Federated States of Micronesia