Mentioned in Paradise Lost

Connected Sites: 13

Definition

John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667) is the supreme epic of the English language. It retells the story of the Fall of Man with such linguistic power that it fundamentally shaped English literature and the modern imagination. In the poem’s climax (Book XI), the Archangel Michael reveals a vision of the future world to Adam. Milton uses this "tour" to catalog the world’s most significant cities and empires. This panoramic vision is made even more extraordinary by the fact that Milton was completely blind when he composed it, dictating this global gazetteer from his internal memory. For Milton, these names were symbols of human ambition and the global scale of history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Lost

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Proposed by Solivagant

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Connected Sites

  • Agra Fort
    Agra Fort
    India
    Inscribed: 1983
    3.55
    248
    6

    "To Agra and Lahor of Great Mogul." Milton identifies Agra as a primary capital of the Mughal Empire at its peak, focusing on the urban center of "Mogul" power. The Mughal Court at Agra
  • Samarkand
    Samarkand
    Uzbekistan
    Inscribed: 2001
    4.36
    172
    6

    "In Samarchand... Temir’s throne." Milton identifies the city as the location of the "throne" or seat of Tamerlane, pinpointing the specific Silk Road capital. Tamerlane’s Capital
  • Fort Jesus
    Fort Jesus
    Kenya
    Inscribed: 2011
    2.51
    54
    2

    "Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind." Cited as a "maritime king," this entry refers to the strategic island hub that Milton recognized as a key pillar of coastal authority. Mombasa's Coastal History
  • Cuzco
    Cuzco
    Peru
    Inscribed: 1983
    3.89
    273
    9

    And Cuzco in Peru, the richer seat of Atabalipa." Milton highlights the urban "seat" of the Inca Emperor Atahualpa ("Atabalipa"), marking the city’s role as the administrative heart of the Andes. The Inca Capital
  • Rome
    Rome
    Holy See, Italy
    Inscribed: 1980
    4.58
    673
    13

    "Next, to the seat of Rome, and what the Roman eagle conquered ere." Milton explicitly directs the gaze to the "seat" of Rome, establishing the city itself as the focal point of his classical survey. Rome’s Imperial Legacy
  • Meidan Emam, Esfahan
    Meidan Emam, Esfahan
    Iran
    Inscribed: 1979
    3.78
    109
    2

    "Where the Persian in Ispahan sat." The phrase "in Ispahan sat" refers to the royal court residing in the city, which was the Safavid capital during Milton's lifetime. The Glory of Safavid Esfahan
  • Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing
    Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing
    China
    Inscribed: 1987
    4.17
    348
    12

    "The destined walls of Paquin, of Sinaean kings." Milton uses "Paquin" for Beijing and "Sinaean" for Chinese, viewing the "walls" of the city as the ultimate urban destination of the East. Architecture of the Forbidden City
  • Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara
    Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara
    Tanzania
    Inscribed: 1981
    3.26
    24
    5

    Kilwa Kisiwani (Quiloa), Tanzania: "Mombaza, and Quiloa... the less maritime kings." Milton identifies the Swahili city-states as "maritime kings," distinguishing these specific coastal urban powers from the inland interior. The Swahili Gold Trade
  • The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá
    The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá
    Panama
    Inscribed: 2025
    2.92
    158
    10

    "And Panaman on the Isthmus." Published in 1667, Milton’s snapshot captured the peak of this global transport network just four years before the original city was destroyed by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. The site preserves the ruins and trails Milton envisioned. The Sack of Old Panama
  • Mexico City and Xochimilco
    Mexico City and Xochimilco
    Mexico
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.84
    280
    8

    "Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume." By defining Mexico as the "seat" of Moctezuma, Milton identifies the specific urban center of Tenochtitlan upon which the modern World Heritage Site is built. From Tenochtitlan to Mexico City
  • Istanbul
    Istanbul
    Turkiye
    Inscribed: 1985
    4.37
    501
    12

    "To Byzantium, Turman-built." Milton uses the classical name for the city he calls "Turman-built" (Ottoman), acknowledging the urban layers that define the World Heritage Site. Istanbul's Layered History
  • Fort and Shalamar Gardens
    Fort and Shalamar Gardens
    Pakistan
    Inscribed: 1981
    3.03
    55
    3

    "To Agra and Lahor of Great Mogul." Paired with Agra, the inclusion of Lahore emphasizes the dual-capital urban structure of the empire Adam witnesses. History of the Walled City of Lahore
  • Ancient Thebes
    Ancient Thebes
    Egypt
    Inscribed: 1979
    4.51
    266
    11

    "Thence to the seat of Egyptian Thebes." Milton identifies the ancient religious capital as a specific "seat" of power, providing a direct link to the ruins of the Pharaonic city. Thebes and the Valley of the Kings