What makes a building stand the test of time? There are no hard and fast rules, but a solid shape, materials that will endure, shelter and maintenance all play a role.

The pyramid is king — and we’re not just talking about the Giza pyramids. The Teotihuacan pyramids northeast of Mexico City also constitute some of the most well-preserved architectural constructions of all time. Their origins still belong to the mists of time however, according to National Geographic.

Materials make all the difference. The Easter Island statues (moai) are mostly carved from compressed volcanic ash, and are believed to have been carved between the years of 1250 and 1500. The Rapa Nui people believe that the moai represent their ancestors, and that they are imbued with living power. The statues have weathered the sun, wind and rain for hundreds of years, but experts warn they are being eroded gradually.

And nature can be put to good use. The remarkable ancient city of Petra is famous for its rock-cut architecture, which has preserved tombs and temples that date back to around 300 BC. Not only is it Jordan’s most famous archaeological site, but also an example of one of the world’s first water management systems, according to UNESCO.

While some architecture has endured, some has been transformed. The ancient Roman Pantheon was originally built as a Roman temple in about 126 AD. Unlike many Roman temples and buildings that have fallen into ruin, the Pantheon exists today because the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave it to Pope Boniface the IV in 608 AD, and it has been used as a church ever since.