Nan Madol

This historic city, known as the "Venice of the Pacific," has a significant collection of age-old ruins and archaeological sites dating back to 500 AD. Nan Madol is an archaeological site adjacent to the east coast of Pohnpei Island, now part of the Madolenihmw District of the state of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean. Nan Madol was the capital of the Saudeleur dynasty until about 1628. The city, built in a lagoon, consisted of a series of small man-made islands linked by a network of canals. The site core, with its rock walls, encloses an area about 1.5 km long by 0.5 km wide, and it contains nearly 100 man-made islets rock and coral platforms bordering tidal channels.

The name Nan Madol refers to the canals that run through the remains and signifies "in time." The original name was Soun Nan-leng (Paradise's Reef), according to Gene Ashby in his book Pohnpei, An Island Argosy. The ruined city is one of the great archaeological mysteries of today and is sometimes referred to as "Atlantis", "eighth wonder of the world" or "Venice of the Pacific". With a long history of beauty, Nan Madol is one of the most beautiful historical sites in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Location: the western Pacific Ocean.