Innovation No. 33 of 77 in the book
The Planned Capital
Zoned urban planning built from a blank slate
- When
- c. 1348 BCE
- Dynasty
- 18th Dynasty
- Era
- New Kingdom
Most cities grow by accident. Akhetaten — modern Amarna — was designed. Around 1348 BCE the pharaoh Akhenaten raised an entire capital from scratch on empty desert.
It was zoned like a modern city: a central strip of temples and palaces, official districts, suburbs of villas and workers’ housing, all laid to a plan and linked by wide processional roads.
Built fast and abandoned fast, it froze a single moment of pure urban planning in the sand.
The idea of designing a whole city before laying a brick was first tried in Egypt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest archaeological evidence for the planned capital in ancient Egypt?
The earliest confirmed evidence dates to approximately 1348 BCE during Egypt's New Kingdom (18th Dynasty). Most cities grow by accident. Akhetaten — modern Amarna — was designed. Around 1348 BCE the pharaoh Akhenaten raised an entire capital from scratch on empty desert.
How did ancient Egyptians develop the planned capital, and what is its legacy?
It was zoned like a modern city: a central strip of temples and palaces, official districts, suburbs of villas and workers’ housing, all laid to a plan and linked by wide processional roads. It was zoned like a modern city: a central strip of temples and palaces, official districts, suburbs of villas and workers’ housing, all laid to a plan and linked by wide processional roads. The idea of designing a whole city before laying a brick was first tried in Egypt.