About the history of the seven ancient wonders of the world.
The oldest references to the seven wonders of the world are found in the works of the ancient scientist and philosopher Herodotus. Even 5000 years BC, Herodotus described and tried to classify these wonderful objects. But, unfortunately, the work, Herodotus, in which he described in detail the unusual architectural masterpieces the ancient world, burned down in a fire in the Library of Alexandria, like many other unique manuscripts. Only individual records in the surviving manuscripts and fragments of structures related to the 7 wonders of the world that were found as a result of archaeological site... You can also read about them in a small work of Philo of Byzantine, which is called "On the seven wonders of the world." On twelve pages, the author described 7 objects of antiquity. But this work is based on information from heard stories of others, but the author himself has never seen them. In Europe, they learned about the 7 wonders of the world from the book "Sketches on the history of architecture". In it, the author, Fischer von Erlach, described in detail seven amazing objects of antiquity. And in Russia, Simeon of Polotsk told about the seven wonders of the world in his writings. In his notes, he points to some Byzantine source. The list of 7 wonders of the ancient world includes: egyptian pyramid Cheops at El-Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Pharos lighthouse, The Colossus of Rhodes.
1.Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops
The Egyptian pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) ranks first of the seven wonders of the world, and is the only one that has survived to this day. geographic feature sometimes called The great pyramid Giza. It serves as the tomb of the Egyptian ruler Cheops (Khufu). The pyramid was erected near Giza, a suburb of Cairo. To create this miracle, it took the joint efforts of 100 thousand people. According to the calculations of archaeologists, the work continued for about twenty years. The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest pyramid in Egypt. Previously, its height was about 146 meters, and today it is about 138 m. The date of the beginning of construction dates back to around 2600 BC, although this is inaccurate, and is disputed by many scientists. The construction of the Cheops pyramid took more than two million limestone blocks, each weighing about 2.5 tons. Initially, the height of the monument reached 147 meters (approximately as 5 nine-story buildings, set one on top of the other). The pyramid was partially covered with sand, so its height decreased to 137 meters. Nevertheless, it can rightfully be considered the most grandiose monument to human vanity. The construction of the pyramid was completed in 2580 BC. Then more pyramids were built here for the grandson and son of Cheops, as well as pyramids for the queens. But the Great Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of them. Today, this stunning building amazes with its size and incredible accuracy of engineering calculations. It seems that the ancient Egyptians perfectly knew the principle of the golden ratio, possessed the secret of the number Pi and other scientific knowledge that were discovered much later. There is speculation that these stone giants are space observatories. After all, the shape of the location of the pyramids exactly repeats the contours of the constellation "Orion". Others believe that these buildings used to play the role of powerful energy generators. They were originally covered in limestone and shone in the sun like supernatural beacons. Inside the first wonder of the world - the pyramid of Cheops, you will find three chambers: underground, "Queen's Chamber" and "Pharaoh's Chamber". You can get inside the artificial mountain through a natural entrance located at a height of about 15 meters (somewhere like a 5-storey building) or through an artificial one, which was pierced in 820.
2.Hanging gardens Semiramis
In the list of the seven wonders of the world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the second miracle in a row. This truly legendary structure was created in 605 BC. However, already in 562 BC. this architectural masterpiece was destroyed by floods. Despite the well-established connection of the hanging gardens of Babylon with the name of the Assyrian queen - Semiramis, who lived around 800 BC, scholars consider this a delusion. In fact, the official version of the origin of this wonder of the world is as follows. Nebuchadnezzar II, fought against Assyria. In order to strengthen the army, an alliance was concluded with the Medes king. After the destruction of the enemy, Nebuchadnezzar II decided to marry the daughter of the Medes sovereign. But the dusty city of Babylon, standing, in fact, in the desert, could not be compared with the green and blooming Mussels. It is for this reason that the ambitious ruler decided to build the Babylonian Hanging Gardens. By the way, the name of the queen was Amitis, so it would be more correct to call the second of the seven wonders of the world by this name. But the unforgettable Semiramis was entrenched in history, who was also an outstanding person, although she lived two centuries earlier. But the king wanted not only to please Amitis, but also to create a masterpiece that could glorify him. The hanging gardens of Babylon were a four-tier pyramid, the tiers of which were both terraces and balconies. The tiers were held in place by powerful columns. Each of them was planted with unique plants (flowers, trees, grass and shrubs). Seeds and seedlings for gardens were brought from all over the world. Outwardly, the pyramid resembled a constantly blooming hill. A unique irrigation system was designed for the gardens. Around the clock, several hundred slaves turned bucket wheels to supply the plants with water. Surprisingly, but the unique building, included in the seven wonders of the world, was not a novelty at that time. It's just that Nebuchadnezzar II, under whom many architectural masterpieces were built, managed to realize the supply of water to his hanging gardens in an unusual way. This structure consisted of four levels. Each of them had many cool rooms where the royal family walked during the heat of the day. The vaults of the building were supported by 25-meter columns at each level. The fortified terraces were covered with earth, the thickness of which was sufficient for trees to grow there. To prevent liquid from seeping onto the lower floors, the platforms of each tier, consisting of huge slabs, were covered with lead leaves and covered with asphalt. Water was supplied to the top using a specially designed mechanism that pumps it from the Euphrates River. The one-hundred-meter walls of Babylon and the crowns of trees towering above them, inspired everyone who saw this wonder of the world with the idea of the power and strength of the kingdom. And proud Amitis, to whom, in fact, this grandiose building was dedicated, enjoyed the greenery of flowering plants stretching for many kilometers around. After the death of the ruler Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon for some time became the residence of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, the city began to gradually fall into desolation, the gardens of Semiramis were also left without proper care. After a while, a nearby river overflowed its banks, which led to the erosion of the building's foundation. By the way, if the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still existed then, to look at them, we would have to go to Iraq, since it was in this state that the ruins of the ancient city of Mesopotamia - Babylon were found.
3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus is the third wonder of the world. The name itself hides the origin of the famous temple - this is the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. If it existed to this day, then you would have to go to Turkey, to the city of Selcuk, Izmir province, to see it with your own eyes. But we can only be content with photographs of reconstructions and engineering models of the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus. And only with the ruins of this antique building, erected in the fifth century BC, you can get acquainted personally. The temple was built in honor of the patroness of love relationships and family hearth - the goddess Artemis. Money for the construction cult building provided by the Lydian king Croesus, whose name has become a symbol of wealth. The Temple of Artemis was destroyed during a fire started by Herostratus. This citizen of Ephesus wanted to become famous in this way. The impudent madman was sentenced to death, and his name should have been consigned to oblivion. Nevertheless, we know the history of Herostratus, thanks to the writings of the ancient Greek historian Theopomp. On the site of the architectural structure, where one of the seven wonders of the world appeared, there were two temples. In the VI century BC. e., there was built a unique cult center included in the chronicles. The temple was built from local building materials - marble and limestone quarried in the nearby mountains. The dimensions of the third wonder of the world - the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, were as follows. Width - 52 m, length - 105 m, height - 18 meters. The roof lay on 127 columns. There is information that at the opening of the temple of Artemis, the townspeople were indescribable delight. This is not surprising, because the finest sculptors, painters and masters of the ancient world worked on the decoration of this wonder of the world. The statue of Artemis of Ephesus consisted of gold and ivory. It seems that this object had a purely religious purpose. In fact, the temple was the largest economic, business and cultural center in Greece in Ephesus. The interior of the temple was magnificent: beautiful statues and stunning paintings created by the best artists and architects of that time. By the beginning of the 3rd century BC. at the behest of Alexander the Great, the temple of Artemis was restored to its original appearance. But, unfortunately, the architectural masterpiece was not destined to survive to this day. In the year 263 temple complex was partially plundered by the Goths, and later it was closed due to the persecution that absolutely all pagan cultures began to be subjected to. It is unlikely that we would have known something about the place of former Greek glory, if not for the titanic work of the English archaeologist John Wood. In 1869 he managed to find traces of one of the seven wonders of the world - the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus. Despite the many problems and marshy areas in the excavation site, Voodoo managed to find the remains of a once majestic building. Unfortunately, little has survived, and today you can see the only restored column proudly standing on the site of the Temple of Artemis.
4 the statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Olympic Games, to which the Greeks paid so much attention, were usually held in honor of the pagan god Zeus. However, the temple of this mythical character did not exist! Only in 466-465 a unique building was built in Olympia, in which a grandiose statue of Zeus appeared after a while. In honor of the God of Thunder, a truly monumental structure was erected. The Temple of Zeus was entirely built of marble, including even the roof. Along the perimeter of the sanctuary, there were 34 columns made of limestone. The walls of the temple were covered with picturesque bas-reliefs with images of the ancient Greek god, as well as the exploits of Hercules. But the list of 7 wonders of the world did not include the temple complex, but the statue of Zeus. The ancient Greek sculptor Phidias worked on the realization of this masterpiece. The body of the god was created of ivory; a great many rare gems and about 200 kg of gold without the slightest admixture of ligature were also used to decorate the statue. The eyes of the Thunderer seemed to be throwing lightning, and his head and shoulders shimmered with unearthly light. The statue reached a height of 13 meters, reaching the ceiling of the temple. For 800 years after its creation, the statue of Zeus at Olympia was included in the list of 7 wonders of the world. It took ten years to build it. According to legend, lightning struck the center of the marble floor of the temple. This was seen as an expression of approval from Zeus. A copper altar was erected at the site of the impact. At the base of the statue was a slab, 6 meters wide and 1 m high, respectively. In general, according to various sources, the height of the monument was close to 17 meters, which is approximately equal to a 5-storey building. The ratio of the Olympic wonder of the world - the statue of Zeus and the building itself, in which it was installed, produced an amazing effect. It seemed that if the Thunderer wanted to get up, he would have destroyed the roof! In 391 A.D. the Romans banned the Olympic Games and closed all Greek temples. A few years later, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople. In 462 A.D. the palace where the statue was located burned down. The Temple at Olympia was destroyed by an earthquake. Humanity has lost one of its wonders - the statue of Zeus at Olympia. Despite this, she entered the Seven Wonders of the World as an example of the extraordinary engineering, artistic and sculptural achievements of antiquity.
5 mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The fifth wonder of the world is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. If you want to visit this historical area - go to the Turkish resort city of Bodrum. It was there that scientists discovered the ruins of the wonder of the world, the Halicarnassus mausoleum. In the 4th century BC, King Mavsol, together with his wife, Queen Artemisia, decided to perpetuate their memory following the example of the Egyptian pharaohs. For these purposes, a grandiose structure was erected, which became a wonder of the world. Named ancient structure by the name of the ruler of Caria - Mavsol, as it was his tombstone. Actually, from that time in ancient Rome mausoleums are so widespread. What did this architectural masterpiece become known for? Ancient city Halicarnassus was famous for the residences of nobles, theaters and green gardens. But the list of 7 wonders of the world included not these architectural beauties, but the tomb of the cruel ruler Mavsol. The best specialists of that time were invited to start building the mausoleum in Halicarnassus: Satyr and Pythias - architects who came from Greater Greece, as well as outstanding sculptors named Timothy and Briaxides, Leohar and Scopas. By the way, the works of the latter two also decorated the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, which is also included in the seven wonders of the world. Work on the construction of the mausoleum began before the ruler of Caria died, that is, in 359 BC. In fairness, it must be said that Queen Artemisia was responsible for the grandiose work. Already in 350 BC. The Halicarnassus mausoleum was presented to the people. A description of the building by Pliny the Elder and Vitruvius has survived. In general, the building consisted of three tiers. The first played the role of a powerful plinth, built of brick with marble cladding. Along the perimeter it was surrounded by statues with representatives of the Greek epic. The foundation was three-level, which made the mausoleum a symbol of power and durability. The second tier had the meaning of a temple. It was surrounded by 36 columns that supported the upper part of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus - the pyramid. The pyramid itself consisted of 24 steps that led to the top. It was there that the main statue was placed: a chariot with King Mavsol and Queen Artemisia. The original idea was as follows: in the lower part of the mausoleum there was the immediate tomb of the ruler of Caria and his wife, in the middle there was a temple with a sculpture of Mavsol for worshiping the deceased king. Surprisingly enough, both statues have survived quite well until now: Mavsol and Artemisia. The same goes for the chariot that was once at the top of the fifth wonder of the world mausoleum at Halicarnassus. All these historical artifacts are kept in the British Museum. The total height of the building was 46 meters. Several architectural trends are mixed in this man-made masterpiece. Traditional columns were used to decorate the mausoleum, as well as statues of horsemen and lions. At the very top there was a sculpture of King Mavsol, proudly seated in a chariot drawn by horses. The mausoleum stood for about 19 centuries, the cause of its destruction was a strong earthquake. Some of the fragments of the mausoleum were used to build the fortress of St. Peter.
The sixth wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria (aka the Pharos lighthouse). It was built in the 3rd century BC on the Mediterranean Sea. In Egypt, on the small island of Pharos, not far from Alexandria, there was a bay of great importance for merchant ships. It is for this reason that the need arose for the construction of the Pharos lighthouse. This object was supposed to help sea vessels safely overcome coastal reefs and avoid shipwreck. In the dark, the flames are reflected water surface were visible for over 60 kilometers, allowing ships to safely navigate the reefs. In the daytime, instead of light, a plume of smoke was used, also visible from extremely far away. The Alexandria lighthouse towered 120 meters above sea level, its signals could be seen at a distance of up to 48 km. The upper part of the structure was adorned with a statue of Isis-Faria, who was revered as the patroness of seafarers. To make the flow of light as efficient as possible, the builders used an original curved mirror system. The Pharos lighthouse, like many other objects from the list of 7 wonders of the world, was destroyed in a rather trivial way. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in the middle of the 14th century. Scientists discovered some fragments of the Alexandria lighthouse on the seabed during research in 1996. During the reign of Ptolemy II in Egypt, it was decided to build the famous lighthouse. According to the plan, the implementation of the idea should have taken 20 years, but all residents saw the masterpiece much earlier. The main architect and builder of this building is Sostrat of Cnidus. On the marble wall of the lighthouse, he carved his name, and then, applying thin plaster, wrote the words glorifying Ptolemy. Naturally, after a short time, the plaster sprinkled, and the name of the outstanding master entered the century. So, Sostratus completed the construction of the Pharos lighthouse in 5 years, which by the standards of antiquity was generally an instant! The Alexandria lighthouse consisted of three towers. The first, lowest, rectangular part of the monument was used for technical purposes. Workers and soldiers lived there, and the tools and equipment necessary to maintain the lighthouse were kept. The second, octagonal tower towered over the first part. A ramp wound around it to lift fuel for the fire. The third tier was a majestic cylindrical building equipped with a complex system of mirrors. It was here that a vital fire burned, spreading its light for many kilometers around. The height of the seventh wonder of the world of the Pharos lighthouse ranged from 120 to 140 meters. At the very top was a statue of the god of the seas, Poseidon. Some travelers, describing the miracle that struck them, mentioned the unusually arranged statues. The first one pointed to the sun with her hand, throughout the day, and when the sun went down, her hand dropped. The second statue sounded every hour day and night. The third constantly indicated the direction of the wind, playing the role of a weather vane. In the 12th century AD, ships stopped using the Alexandrian bay due to the fact that it became extremely muddy. This is what caused the outstanding structure to fall into complete decay. Even later, in the XIV century, as a result of an earthquake, the wonder of the world, the Alexandria lighthouse was completely destroyed. In its place, a fortress was erected, which changed its appearance more than once. Now on this historical site the base of the Egyptian fleet is located and, despite various proposals, the authorities do not consider the idea of restoring the lighthouse. After standing for almost 1000 years, the Alexandria lighthouse was seriously damaged by an earthquake that occurred in 796 AD. When the Arabs came to Egypt (XIV century), they decided to restore the grandiose building, reaching only 30 meters from the original height. However, the reconstruction was not destined to be completed, and by the end of the 15th century, Kayt Bey, the famous sultan, founded a fortress on the foundation of the lighthouse. By the way, it still exists.
7 Colossus of Rhodes
In Greece, on the shore Aegean, is the ancient island of Rhodes. It was there, in 280 BC, that the seventh wonder of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes, was built. It all started with the fact that after the collapse of the empire of Alexander the Great, Demetrius I attacked Rhodes. With him were about forty thousand soldiers. Having laid siege to the main port city, he held the siege for over a year. Then, despite the fact that a lot of efforts were spent on establishing siege engines, Demetrius decided to retreat, abandoning all the buildings. The residents of Rhodes, shocked by this turn of events, sold all the things left by the invaders, deciding to erect a monument to the sun god Helios with the proceeds. According to legend, it was Helios who was the creator of the island. It was assumed that the height of the figure would be 18 meters, but later it was decided to make it 36 meters. The statue in the form of a youthful god was cast from bronze, it is located on a marble pedestal. The construction was carried out on a hill created by artificial means. Stones were placed inside the figure, which was done to increase the stability of the structure. After 12 years of titanic work, the 36-meter wonder of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes, appeared to the eyes of the inhabitants of the city. The giant was made of clay and bronze, based on a metal frame. It stood right at the entrance to the harbor and was visible from the nearby islands. For the construction of this wonder of the world, about 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent. We can say with confidence that it was this Colossus who became the ancestor of a kind of fashion. By the end of the 2nd century BC. on the island of Rhodes there were over a hundred gigantic monuments. The fate of the Colossus of Rhodes was merciless. Just 65 years later, around 225 BC. there was an earthquake, which destroyed it. The statue snapped at its knees and fell to the ground. By the way, it was after this that the expression “Colossus with feet of clay. The local oracle demanded not to restore the statue. For 900 years, every visitor to Rhodes could look at the statue of the defeated god. In 654 A.D. the Syrian prince, who seized the island, removed all the bronze plates from the statue and took them to Syria. To take out the pieces of the sculpture, it was necessary to equip a caravan consisting of 900 camels.
We can only hope that someday world technologies will reach such a high level that they will be able to recreate the seven wonders of the ancient world. And this will truly be a tribute to the memory of generations of talented architects of antiquity, who created unique masterpieces of architecture that have no equal in the modern world.
Have you ever wondered why there are only seven wonders of the world? In this case, we recommend that you read the article "magic number 7" - and you will discover the secret meaning of this "lucky" number!
Seven wonders of the world.
Our world is full of unusual and wonderful places that everyone should visit! Think for yourself, what do we live for, for the sake of new gadgets and financial well-being? Isn't it better to see the world, travel and discover more and more new horizons of the unknown? We begin to review the best and most beautiful places our planet!
Undoubtedly, the greatest interest among the whole world is caused by the seven wonders of the world, which every person, young and old, should know about! In this article, we will briefly describe each of the 7 wonders of the world, and by clicking on the title and following the link, you can familiarize yourself in more detail with the place that interests you the most.
After the victory over the Macedonian king Demetrius II, the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes decided to perpetuate the significant event giant statue the sun god - Helios, who was considered the patron saint of the island. The construction was undertaken by the sculptor Hares, a student of Lysippos from the city of Lind. A forty-meter statue was created from bronze by casting. This required more than thirteen tons of bronze and eight tons of iron. Helios, depicted in full growth, stood on a pedestal of stone blocks fastened with iron. Construction lasted twelve years, and what a shame it was for the inhabitants of the island after about 60 years, when the statue was destroyed by a powerful earthquake. Find out more about the magnificent statue on Rhodes in the expanded material -.
The architect Libon from the city of Elis erected a temple that was completely dedicated to the sky god Zeus. Built of limestone blocks, measuring 30x65 meters, the temple was decorated with pediments depicting battles and metopes with paintings depicting the exploits of Hercules. Inside the building was a huge statue of Zeus seated on a throne, about fifteen meters high. Plates of ivory and gold were attached to the sculpture made of wood. Sandals, clothes and a wreath on the head were completely gold. In 476, the statue was transported to Constantinople, where it burned down in a fire. Read more about the construction and fate of the statue in the material -
Alexandria, founded in 332 BC, was peculiar cultural center... There were great architects, mathematicians, scientists, poets, astronomers. To ensure the safety of ships approaching from the sea, a 125 meter high lighthouse was erected! The first floor was made in the form of a rectangle oriented to the cardinal points. The length of each side was over thirty meters. The second floor, faced with marble, had eight sides and was oriented in the direction of the eight winds. There were also bronze statues, some of which served as a weather vane to determine the direction of the wind. The third floor was round and carried a huge lantern, above which was a dome with a seven-meter figure of Poseidon. The fire of the Alexandria lighthouse was sustained for almost 1000 years, until the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake in 797. Now on the remains of the lighthouse there is a fortress built by Kayt-Bey at the end of the fifteenth century. You can find out even more about this grandiose structure by reading the unfolded material -
Everyone knows that there were only seven wonders of the world in the world. Which of them have survived and which have sunk into oblivion?
Unfortunately, six of the seven wonders of the world have not survived. And only one thing remains to please the eyes of tourists. Moreover, the wonder of the world, which has survived to this day, is the most ancient. How old is he, where is it? We will definitely answer this question. But first, let us remember all of them, and in order, starting with the youngest - built in the 3rd century BC.
Six wonders of the world that have not survived to this day
The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant (colossal), at that time, antique statue of the ancient Greek god of the Sun Helios, erected on the island of Rhodes (in the Aegean Sea), in the city of the same name.
The statue was commissioned by the inhabitants of Rhodes from the sculptor Hares. Initially, they planned that it would be ten times taller than human growth, but later they increased the height of the project to 36 meters.
Construction began in 292 BC. e and lasted 12 years. The Colossus of Rhodes stood on a marble pedestal, had an iron frame and was faced with bronze plates, and the inner volume was filled with clay. At the same time, it is known that its construction took about 8 tons of iron and about 13 tons of bronze.
The Colossus of Rhodes only stood for about 55 years and was destroyed by an earthquake in about 225 BC.
The Alexandria lighthouse was built in the third century BC in ancient egypt on the island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria. It was built from 5 to 20 years (here the data differ) during the reign of the king of Egypt Ptolemy II. The approximate year of completion of construction is considered to be 283 BC. The name of the architect is known; he was Sostrat of Cnidus.
The Alexandria Lighthouse was made of marble (or cladding) and had three levels:
- the lower level was rectangular and had living quarters
- the middle level was octagonal
- the upper level is the cylinder in which the lighthouse light burned
The Alexandria lighthouse received another name in honor of the island on which it was built - the Pharos lighthouse. It was about 130 meters high, and its light was noticeable for ships, according to various sources, at a distance of 50 to 80 kilometers.
The lighthouse stood intact until 796 AD. This year, a strong earthquake severely damaged it. It was restored, but not in full. It is known that in the 14th century its height was only 30 meters. And in the 15th century Sultan Al-Ashraf Saif al-Din Qayt-bey built on this place the fortress "Qayt-Bey", which exists to this day.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is the tombstone of Mausolus, the ruler of the Carian people. Ancient city Halicarnassus, where the mausoleum was built, was located on the territory modern Turkey(Bodrum city).
The erection of the mausoleum was ordered by the wife of Mavsol Artemisy III during the life of her husband. The construction was undertaken by the Greek architects Satyr and Pytheas. The well-known sculptors of that time Briaxides, Leohar, Skopas and Timofeos were also involved in the work.
The mausoleum was built for eight years from 359 to 351 BC. Mavsol did not wait for the construction to be completed and died in 353.
The resulting structure was 45 meters high, the first level was decorated with 36 columns and many statues, a pyramid towered above it, at the top of which was a marble quadriga - a two-wheeled chariot with four horses harnessed to it.
The Halicarnassus mausoleum stood for 19 centuries and the ball was destroyed by a strong earthquake in the 13th century.
For reference: the word "mausoleum" comes from the name of Mavsol.
The Olympic Games, in honor of the god of thunder and lightning - Zeus, were held in ancient greece from 776 BC. They were very popular. And now, after 300 years, the Greeks decided to build a temple in honor of their main god and patron saint of the Olympic Games. In 470 BC, they began collecting donations for its construction.
When funds were raised, construction began on the temple, which lasted ten years between 466 and 456 BC. The Temple of Zeus turned out to be truly grandiose: a marble roof measuring 27 by 64 meters was supported by 34 limestone columns. Each column was 10.6 meters high and more than 2 meters in diameter. And the total area of the building was 1728 square meters.
The temple was built. After some time, the question arose about creating a statue worthy of the god Zeus. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias undertook its creation. To do this, he needed a giant workshop equal in area to the temple itself, which was built 80 meters from it.
The unveiling of the statue of Zeus at Olympia took place in 435 BC. e. It was made using the technique of chrysoelephantine sculpture: the wooden frame was pasted over with ivory plates, and the cape, the scepter with the eagle in the left hand, the statue of the goddess Nike in the right hand, and the olive wreath on the head were covered with gold. And with all this, Zeus sits on a golden throne. Information about the height of the statue varies: together with the pedestal, it was 12-17 meters.
The statue has existed for over 800 years. The last written testimony about her dates back to 363. And in the 11th century, the historian Georgy Kedrin argued that in the 5th century the statue was still intact. It could have been transferred to Constantinople, where it burned down in a fire in 476. According to another version, she was not transported anywhere, and she died along with the temple in the fire of 425.
The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, as you might guess, was located in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, not far from modern city Selcuk (extreme west of Turkey). The temple was erected in honor of Artemis - the goddess of hunting and fertility, and the patroness of all life on Earth.
Funds for the construction of the temple were donated by the Lydian king Croesus, and the project was developed by the architect Khersifron. He erected the walls and the colonnade of the temple. Without waiting for the completion of the construction, Khersiphron died. The construction was continued by his son Metagenes, and the construction of the temple was completed by the architects Paeonius and Demetrius.
The Temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC. And in 356 BC. BC it was destroyed by a fire, which, according to legend, a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus. Thus, Herostratus just wanted to become famous and achieved his goal.
By 323 BC, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was completely restored by the architect Alexander Deinocrates. And the funds for this were allocated by Alexander the Great. The temple turned out to be exactly the same as its previous version, except that it was raised to a higher stepped base. The roof was supported by 127 columns, standing in eight rows and having a height of 18 meters. The length of the temple was 105 meters, and the width was 52. The inside of the temple was decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs and paintings.
The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus successfully existed for several centuries, before it was plundered by the Goths in 263 AD. And at the end of the 4th century it was closed and destroyed by Christians, due to the prohibition of paganism.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the most controversial wonder of the world. It is not known for certain whether they existed at all. Moreover, if they did exist, it was not at the time when Queen Semiramis lived.
The legend is this: the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II entered into a military alliance with Cyaxar, king of Media, and in order to consolidate the alliance, he married Cyaxar's daughter, whose name was Amitis (Amanis). Amitis moved to her husband in Babylon (the ruins of Babylon are located on the outskirts of the modern city of Al Hillah in Iraq), which was a dusty and dry desert city.
Amitis missed her mountainous and green homeland - Media. And in order to extinguish this boredom, Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the construction of green hanging gardens. They were supposedly created in 605 BC.
And Semiramis, the legendary queen of Assyria, the wife of King Nina, lived two centuries earlier. So the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon" is more correct to call the "Hanging Gardens of Amitis". As for the term "hanging garden", it implies a garden that is located on a roof, gallery or special stone supports. Plants grow in it on a loose soil layer.
According to the legends, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon existed until the first century AD.
The Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and highest wonder of the world. And besides, the only one that has survived to this day. And that means the most durable. It is located on the Giza plateau at the base of the Nile Delta, not far from Cairo, in Egypt.
Although about 4500 years have passed since the construction, we know (how reliable this knowledge is - the question) who its architect was. It was the nephew of Cheops - Hemiun. The construction was supposedly completed sometime around 2540 BC and took about 20 years.
It is impossible to confirm the exact date of the beginning of the construction of the pyramid of Hiops. Different methods of its determination gave different results, which fit into the following period: 2850 - 2560 BC. At the same time, Egypt celebrates the official date for the start of construction: August 23, 2560 BC. e.
The Cheops pyramid is made of blocks of granite and limestone (mainly limestone). Now it has a stepped appearance, but originally it was faced with white limestone (the so-called Jurassic marble) and had sloping slopes. In some places this cladding has been preserved. The slopes of the pyramid shone in the sun with a peach color, and the top was crowned with a gilded stone - the pyramidion.
The height of the pyramid is 135.5 meters (initially - 146.6 meters). The length of the sides of the base is approximately 230 meters. The base area is about 53,000 square meters. And the average weight of one stone block is 2.5 tons. At the same time, the heaviest block weighs 35 tons. In total, there are about 2.3 million blocks in the pyramid. The total weight of the pyramid is 6.5 million tons.
For more than 3000 years, the Cheops pyramid was the tallest creation of man, and in 1311 Lincoln Cathedral was built in England, the spire of which was already 160 meters high. True, in 1549 the spire collapsed. Now the height of the cathedral does not exceed 83 meters.
As for the purpose of the Cheops pyramid, it is not known for certain. It is logical to assume that it is the tomb of Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), but no mummies were found in it.
The eighth wonder of the world
Officially, the eighth wonder of the world does not exist. This term is used to call some of the grandiose structures of mankind, which could claim to be a wonder of the world, but ... but there are only seven wonders of the world and this list cannot be expanded.
There are many mysterious and mysterious places in the world. But only a few of them are recognized genuine miracles that were no longer equal on Earth! From this article you will find out which of the 7 wonders of the world have survived to this day, and which have sunk into oblivion forever. We present to your attention 7 wonders of the world - the list consists of the following items:
This exclusive complex is included in the list of the 7 wonders of the world. The basis of the gardens of Semiramis was a monumental building in four tiers, erected in the form of a pyramid. Hanging green spaces combined with fountains and ponds have turned it into a true oasis. According to an old legend, these gardens were created for the wife of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II named Amitis.
To keep the green miracle alive, it took a large number of water. The problem was solved at the expense of human resources, or rather, slave labor. The slaves rotated non-stop a wooden wheel to which leather wineskins were tied. This wheel took water from the river (according to another version, from some underground sources). Water was pumped to the uppermost tier, and from there flowed down a complex system of numerous channels.
After the death of the ruler Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon for some time became the residence of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, the city began to gradually fall into desolation, the gardens of Semiramis were also left without proper care. After a while, a nearby river overflowed its banks, which led to the erosion of the building's foundation.
Pharaoh Cheops pyramid
This current geographic feature, which is also on the list of the 7 wonders of the world, is sometimes referred to as the Great Pyramid of Giza. It serves as the tomb of the Egyptian ruler Cheops (Khufu). The pyramid was erected near Giza, a suburb of Cairo. To create this miracle, it took the joint efforts of 100 thousand people. According to the calculations of archaeologists, the work continued for about twenty years.
Zeus statue in Olympia
In honor of the God of Thunder, a truly monumental structure was erected. The Temple of Zeus was entirely built of marble, including even the roof. Along the perimeter of the sanctuary, there were 34 columns made of limestone. The walls of the temple were covered with picturesque bas-reliefs with images, as well as the exploits of Hercules.
But the list of 7 wonders of the world did not include the temple complex, but the statue of Zeus. The ancient Greek sculptor Phidias worked on the realization of this masterpiece. The body of the god was created of ivory; a great many rare gems and about 200 kg of gold without the slightest admixture of ligature were also used to decorate the statue. The eyes of the Thunderer seemed to be throwing lightning, and his head and shoulders shimmered with unearthly light.
According to legend, lightning struck the center of the marble floor of the temple. This was seen as an expression of approval from Zeus. A copper altar was erected at the site of the impact. The statue of Zeus was destroyed in a fire that occurred in the temple in 425. There is another version, according to which she was transported to Istanbul, where the figure of the Thunderer was burned down in 476.
The ancient city of Halicarnassus was famous for the residences of nobles, theaters and green gardens. But the list of 7 wonders of the world included not these architectural beauties, but the tomb of the cruel ruler Mavsol. The mausoleum had 3 levels, the total height of the building was 46 meters. Several architectural trends are mixed in this man-made masterpiece.
Traditional columns were used to decorate the mausoleum, as well as statues of horsemen and lions. At the very top there was a sculpture of King Mavsol, proudly seated in a chariot drawn by horses. The mausoleum stood for about 19 centuries, the cause of its destruction was a strong earthquake. An interesting fact - some of the fragments of the mausoleum were used to build the fortress of St. Peter.
The Pharos lighthouse was built in the 3rd century BC, it is also included in the world famous list of the 7 wonders of the world. This facility was supposed to help seagoing vessels safely overcome coastal reefs and avoid shipwreck. During the day, the sailors were led by a column of smoke, and at night they could navigate by the tongues of flame.
The Alexandria lighthouse towered 120 meters above sea level, its signals could be seen at a distance of up to 48 km. The upper part of the structure was adorned with a statue of Isis-Faria, who was revered as the patroness of seafarers. To make the flow of light as efficient as possible, the builders used an original curved mirror system.
The Pharos lighthouse, like many other objects from the list of 7 wonders of the world, was destroyed in a rather trivial way. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in the middle of the 14th century. Scientists discovered some fragments of the Alexandria lighthouse on the seabed during research in 1996.
The Colossus of Rhodes
This statue was made in honor of Helios (the sun god). It was assumed that the height of the figure would be 18 meters, but later it was decided to make it 36 meters. The statue in the form of a youthful god was cast from bronze, it is located on a marble pedestal. The construction was carried out on a hill created by artificial means. Stones were placed inside the figure, which was done to increase the stability of the structure.
The sculptor Hares, who worked on the Colossus of Rhodes, made a mistake in determining the amount of materials needed. The master had to borrow a lot of money to be able to complete his masterpiece. Hares was completely ruined and surrounded by creditors, the sculptor committed suicide.
The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake in 222 or 226 BC. The statue broke at the knees, and its fragments continued to lie in place for about 1000 years. The fragments of the Colossus were sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977. To take out the pieces of the sculpture, it was necessary to equip a caravan consisting of 900 camels.
By the way, have you ever wondered why there are only seven wonders of the world? In this case, we recommend that you read the article "" - and you will discover the secret meaning of this "lucky" number!
The first man on planet Earth appeared 2 million years ago, such conclusions help to make archaeological excavations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania. During its existence, humanity has evolved, leaving behind vivid traces of its existence.
What can we so clearly demonstrate the level of development, religion, power in different periods of a person's life on earth, no matter how human handiwork? Architectural monuments are a real treasure of history. This is what helps us to remember our majestic past, our former power, to recreate lost historical information, to be proud of our ancestors and believe in the forces of modern society.
7 Wonders of the World- this is the most striking demonstration of the majesty of the past. Why exactly 7? Let's start with the fact that 7 wonders of the world were identified in ancient times. The number "7" was considered a saint, the number of the great god Apollo, it was a symbol of completeness and perfection.
There are stories about these delightful historical monuments back in the Hellenistic era - this is a period of time that ends with the death of Alexander the Great, or rather 323 BC. Ancient papyri that have come down to us say that the wonders of the world were the subject of study at school.
The first to describe the 7 wonders of the world known today was Herodotus. True, the ancient Greek historian in his work "History" displayed only three monuments. And in the III century AD, the world already appeared full list"7 wonders of the world", which has survived to this day.
With the passage of time, the list changed several times, the old was removed, the new was added. Nevertheless, we will now consider the wonders of the world that were in the very first ancient list that has survived to this day.
7 wonders of the world include: the Pyramid of Cheops and the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt, the Statue of Zeus in mainland Greece, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus were located on the territory of modern Turkey, the Colossus of Rhodes towered on the island of Rhodes
Of all these majestic historical monuments, only one has survived to this day, the rest of the masterpieces of architecture, unfortunately, were destroyed.
The Pyramid of Cheops. This then the only miracle light that has survived to this day. The most large pyramid at Giza was built around 2000 BC. The base of the building is square, its height reaches 147 meters, but due to the fact that sandstorms took place around the pyramid for several millennia, strong winds, one of the 7 wonders of the world went a little underground, significantly reducing its height.
According to scientists, the construction of this tomb continued for thirty years. But the body of the pharaoh inside the walls of the tomb was never found - this fact is a mystery to this day.
Looking at this historical monument breathtaking. The pyramid of Cheops is striking in its beauty and grandeur. Were the ancient Egyptian slaves able to build such a masterpiece without modern gadgets? How did they do it? 
Hanging pyramids of Babylon. In fact, the hanging gardens should have been called "hanging". During archaeological excavations, historians stumbled upon the palace complex, which was made in the form of a pyramid. The whole pyramid was covered with a lot of vegetation, which seemed to hang from the tiers of the structure.
One of the seven wonders of the world was erected in the 7th century BC, by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who at that time ruled Babylon the Great.
Nebuchadnezzar made an alliance with the ruler of Media, Kyaxar, who was reinforced by the marriage of the Babylonian king and the daughter of Kiaskar Amitis. Amitis of Media, a land rich in nature, rich in greenery and fresh air, was forced to move to Babylon, a city built on an arid land, dusty and sandy. Observing how his wife was suffering, a caring husband decided to make a gift to his wife - to create a kind of oasis where Amitis would feel at home. Nebuchadnezzar did just that, thus one of the 7 wonders of the world was born - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Why the Gardens of Babylon? The answer to this question is very simple: this is a mistake of ancient historians. They prescribed the gardens to the Assyrian queen Semiramis, who lived two centuries earlier.
Where exactly the Hanging Gardens were located is still a mystery. Historians have several hypotheses on this score. 
Zeus statue in Olympia. According to Greek mythology Zeus is the main god. He is worshiped by thunder and lightning, sky and air, the rest of the gods are afraid of him.
The statue of Zeus, which amazed the minds of mankind, was erected in the 5th century BC in the temple of Zeus at Olympia. The temple was made of marble and amazed with its majesty and beauty. One of the most famous and talented architects of Greece, Phidias, was invited to make the statue of the Thunderer.
In 435, the statue was unveiled. At that moment, all of Greece froze in amazement. No wonders of the world could compare with the power, strength, beauty of the statue of the great god Zeus. Zeus was made of gold and ivory. He sat on a golden throne, in his hands was a golden scepter, a golden eagle proudly sat at his feet, and a wreath adorned his head.
It is known that the statue still existed in the 5th century AD. But after the adoption of Christianity by the Greeks, all churches were closed. Theodosius I ordered to take the statue apart. After which the great work of art was burned, either in Constantinople, or in Greece itself. 
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The Temple of Artemis was built in the 6th century BC. But before that architectural structure acquired the form in which it became one of the wonders of the world, it was built many times and destroyed many times.
The inhabitants of the ancient world, namely Greece, worshiped the great goddess of fertility Artemis. At a certain moment, having chosen a place where they mainly made sacrifices for the goddess, the inhabitants of Ephesus began construction. Wooden buildings could not withstand natural destruction, so the temple was built several times.
Finally, the famous and talented sculptor Khersiphon built a better temple in 450 BC, but after a hundred years it was burned down. Then the followers of the sculptor decided to make the temple out of marble. It was the greatest masterpiece of art, and it was he who became one of the 7 wonders of the world. The majestic building was of enormous scale: 105 meters long, 51 meters wide.
Unfortunately, already in 263 the temple was plundered by the Goths. In the IV century AD, a single religion, Christianity, was proclaimed, which required the destruction of all pagan cultural monuments. 
Mausoleum in Halicarnassus. Exactly when the construction of the mausoleum began is still unknown. It is considered the beginning of construction around the 4th century BC. The time when Caria was still a colony of the Persian Empire.
The ruler of Caria, Mavsol, began construction during his lifetime. Finishing it, already the wife of Mavsol.
By the way, the name "mausoleum" came from the name of the ruler - Mavsol.
The finished building was amazing, it was so beautiful. The mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a large architectural structure with its own courtyard inside. Thin and at the same time very powerful carvings adorned the decoration of the building.
How exactly the mausoleum was destroyed is not known. The historical monument was finally destroyed by the Maltese raid in the 15th century, or an earthquake.
The remains of the mausoleum were found in 1977 as a result of the archaeological excavations of Christian Geppes. 
The Colossus of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes is the penultimate in the ancient list of the 7 wonders of the world.
Unfortunately, if you now want to admire one of the most powerful monuments of ancient architecture - the Greek 36-meter high god of the sun - Helios, then you will not succeed. Since the greatest historical monument was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC. The work of art that was created by the greatest ancient sculptors for 12 years lasted only 60 years.
The decision to create such a sculpture of impressive size was prompted by the gratitude of the inhabitants of Rhodes, for the fact that the supposedly great Helios contributed to the fact that Demetrius of Macedon was able to protect the city from the conquerors.
Now they are trying to restore one of the 7 wonders of the world. According to the plan of modern architects, the statue will be increased in size by another 30 meters, and there will be an entertainment complex inside. 
Alexandrian lighthouse. The list of "Wonders of the World" ends with a work of art that was located near Alexandria.
Alexandria was a port city, and the Mediterranean coast was too shallow and the bottom was rocky. Therefore, in 285, on the island of Pharos, which is near Alexandria, a grandiose structure began.
As a result of long-term work, the world was presented with a 120-meter statue, consisting of three sections. In the upper compartment of which a huge fire was burning. Stone and marble are the main components of the structure, which was supposed to be built for centuries. But, unfortunately, the fate of the magnificent tower was not prepared for such a long existence. Having stood for almost 1000 years, the masterpiece of ancient art collapsed in an earthquake. 
Wonders of the world, how many mysteries and secrets are in them? How much we still do not know, and we will never know. One thing becomes clear, it is necessary to carefully protect our cultural values so that our descendants can personally admire the amazing historical monuments.
