Seven wonders of the world, photos and descriptions of unique architectural structures show the greatness of ancient history.
The ancient era, with its greatest cultural and historical monuments, laid the foundation for the outstanding creations of mankind, which continue the legacy with new discoveries and genuine miracles.
What are the wonders of the world, how many of them exist, what they are, why the word “miracle” is used in relation to them, what significance these objects have for world history and culture - we will try to answer these questions, as well as give a definition , a brief description and provide photographs of those that exist in the 21st century.
Since the time of Ancient Hellas, it has been customary to call a wonder of the world an ancient work of architecture and art, which has no equal in beauty, majestic size, precious decoration and originality.
There were 7 such miracles in the ancient world. Who has not heard about the Eighth Wonder of the World? Probably everything. Can you name him? List them, and you will be convinced that there are only seven of them in our time. Not a single list or table in the textbook contains it. And all because the 8th wonder of the world does not officially exist - this is just an expression designed to evaluate something truly amazing and grandiose, or ... to emphasize the extraordinary curiosity of some phenomenon or incident.
In contact with
7 wonders of the world - list
So what's on the list:
- - the age is about 4.5 thousand years, daily crowds of tourists visit this sight of Egypt.
- - an amazing and unusual gift made by a husband for his beloved wife. Amid the dusty Babylon grew beautiful, green, full exotic plants, bird and animal gardens.
- Zeus statue in Olympia- only this miracle was located on the territory of mainland Europe. The Olympic Games have already been held for 300 years, and only then the construction of the majestic and main temple began.
- Temple of Artemis of Ephesus- a beautiful building, burned for the sake of "glorification" of the name.
- mausoleum in Halicarnassus- has stood in its place for a long time - nineteen centuries.
- The Colossus of Rhodes- a huge statue of the sun god worshiped by the people.
- Alexandrian lighthouse - not just a lighthouse, but a fortress city, on top of which a fire burned day and night. They brought firewood on mullahs along a winding road inside the building.
Detailed Description of the Seven Wonders
The Pyramid of Cheops
The first wonder of the world is the pyramid of Cheops. The ancient heritage of Egypt is located in the northwestern part of Cairo. The location points to 4 parts of the world and shows the unique accuracy of the structure. The greatest Egyptian wonder of the world was erected for 20 years. About a million slaves were used for its construction, the work of which continued even after the death of Pharaoh Cheops.
The area of the base of the pyramid reaches 53,000 square meters. m, and the height at the end of construction reached 147 m. You can get inside to the tomb of the pharaoh only through one entrance, which is located above the ground at a level of 15.5 m.
It is worth noting: Caliph Abdullah Al-Mamun decided to disturb the chambers of the pharaoh, who made a tunnel into the pyramid with the intention of profit, and as a result did not find any treasures.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The second wonder of the world is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They present a chic gift from Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian ruler, for his beloved wife. Subsequently, the wealth and splendor of the city was destroyed by a flood. Structures and buildings where gardens grew are washed out and broken under the influence of a powerful water flow.
Landmark misleads contemporaries about its location. Many archaeologists have made repeated attempts to find traces of the most ancient phenomenon.
Zeus statue in Olympia
The third wonder of the world - the majestic Zeus was a masterpiece of jewelers. Author - Great master that time - Phidias. The wonders of the world described on Wikipedia say that the author spent about 10 years creating his creation. Until now, the dimensions of the statue have not been precisely determined, it is believed that the approximate height was 12-18 m.
The pedestal for the throne was impressive in size; fragments from the Olympic Games and the life of the gods served as its decoration. On it sat a thunderer naked to the waist, supported at his feet by two lions. On the body is a golden cloak with images of animals and plants. There is a wreath on his head, the Thunderer holds a scepter in one hand, and a golden statue of the goddess of Victory in the other.
Temple of Artemis of Ephesus
The fourth wonder of the world is the temple of Artemis of Ephesus. The ancient pilgrimage center is located in Turkey. It was built by the Amazons, who were considered the founders of the city. Soon the city was burned by Herostratus. In the 6th century, the project of new construction under the leadership of Khersifron provided for white marble columns.
Its construction lasted 120 years and took place according to the same project, with a preliminary collection Money and jewels of the townspeople.
Good to know: on the day of the temple fire, Alexander III the Great was born, and the phrase "Gerostrat's glory" turned into a symbol of a bad deed.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
The fifth wonder of the world is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The ruler Mausolus built his tomb under personal supervision. The three-level mausoleum towered 46 meters. The lower level was lined with marble. It contained the tomb of the king. The next level featured a colonnade supporting the roof, creating a pyramidal shape.
The top was personified by the figures of King Mausolus with Artemisia, who are in a chariot with 4 horses.
The Colossus of Rhodes
The sixth wonder of the world is the Colossus of Rhodes. The islanders of Rhodes erected a monument to their patron Helios in gratitude for the victory against the invaders. The monument is the personification of freedom and independence of the inhabitants of the island. The statue has been under construction for 12 years. According to numerous descriptions of contemporaries, the Colossus was located on an embankment, which was a kind of gate to the city. In one hand the young man held the blazing fire of Helios.
The height of the statue reached 36 m. The retaining pillars of the structure's structure proved to be unreliable and after only 65 years collapsed as a result of an earthquake. The statue of the colossus of Rhodes is a wonder of the world that lasted less than all the others.
It is worth noting: fragile structures later became known as the term "Colossus with feet of clay."
Alexandrian lighthouse
The seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The tower got its name from the city of the same name, located near the island of Pharos. The lighthouse performed its immediate role, illuminating the path of ships that got lost to the shore at night. The designer of the gigantic structure of 140 meters was Sostratus of Knidos.
Consisting of several tiers, the lighthouse served as housing for sailors and port workers. At the top of the octagonal tower was a source of light - a large fire. The unique creation served until the 15th century, when an earthquake completely destroyed it.
Note: the second name of the lighthouse is Zeus the Savior.
Who first described the 7 wonders of the world
The founder of the work "On the Seven Wonders of the World" was Philo of Byzantium. His short essay on 12 pages consists of eyewitness accounts of unique buildings.
Philo of Byzantium did not see any of the miracles described with his own eyes, and wrote about them according to the stories of others.
Information about the life and work of the great engineer and poet consists of small facts that are famous for their great discoveries. The wonders of the world were described by many talented authors: Herodotus, Strabo, Pausanias, Sequester, Cassiodorus and others. However, they did not have a single idea and uniquely defined unique monuments.
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
The well-known wonders of the world that have entered our lives are the wonders of the ancient world. Why are there not five or six wonders of the world ... namely 7?
"7" is a number associated with the sacred god Apollo, signifying completeness and perfection in the view of the ancient civilization.
Compiles a list of venerable rulers of the ancient age. Based on their significance, grandiose monuments of that time were created.
Each monument from the list is the embodiment of architectural art. From the beginning of the Hellenic era, writings about unique monuments were distributed on papyri by Greek authors. They were widely studied at school and were a teaching aid.
How many wonders of the world have survived to this day
Only one pyramid of Cheops has been completely preserved to our time. The Egyptian miracle of antiquity still keeps the secrets of the great ancestors. At the moment, this is the largest architectural construction of stone, reaching 137 m. During its existence, it has decreased by almost 10 m.
Architectural sights that are of interest to many researchers in the world and make up the wonders of the world of the ancient world, have been partially preserved or in the form of a copy:
- The lighthouse of Alexandria was destroyed by an earthquake and could not be restored. To date, only the fortress has survived.
- A copy of Zeus is exhibited in the Hermitage. This is the tallest antique sculpture of our time with a height of 3.5 m.
- Having existed for 19 centuries, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus was destroyed by an earthquake. The tombs of Artemisia and Mausolus are in the British Museum.
- During 18 years of excavations, only the German historian Robert Koldewey managed to discover the gardens of Babylon. Buildings of Ancient Babylon and structures surrounding gardens have been found.
Seven wonders of the world of our time
On July 7, 2007, a list of 7 wonders of the world of our time was compiled. We will give a description and present a photo of each object that was included in the list, which was called the UNESCO World Heritage List.
the great Wall of China
The construction of the greatest defensive structure began in the 3rd century BC, and now it still harbors many legends. During the construction, the main goals were pursued: protection of the territory from Mongol invasion and creating a guarantee of protection of one state from another. Inappropriate attention to the great structure gradually destroyed it in some places. Since the end of the twentieth century, a large-scale restoration of architecture began.
1997 was marked by the entry into the status of a miracle of the modern world. The architectural structure stretches for almost 9 thousand km, has a height of 6 to 10 meters.
Do you know that: the construction of the wall resulted in tens of thousands of deaths due to hard work and epidemics.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
The famous symbol of the Brazilian people is located at the very top of Mount Corcovado. Towering over the city with outstretched arms, Christ the Redeemer, with his 38-meter height, seems to embrace all the inhabitants of the metropolis, and at the same time greets guests from afar.
The construction of the monument is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of independence. Funds for the construction were collected by all the inhabitants of the country. The detailed production of the statue took place in France.
Taj Mahal
The pinnacle of the Mongolian architectural style is the snow-white palace, located on the banks of the Jamna. Construction was carried out for two decades, it was built by the middle of the 17th century.
The mausoleum contains the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, a descendant of Tamerlane. The presence of four minarets along the edges of the palace helps protect the tombs from tremors and destruction.
Coliseum
The largest amphitheater of the ancient era can accommodate more than 50 thousand people. The beginning of construction during the Flavian dynasty lasted 8 years. In the 8th century, due to its impressive size, it began to be called.
At the beginning of its existence, gladiators practiced their art in the arena of the amphitheater. After the looting by the barbarians and the earthquake of the 14th century, the Colosseum was literally pulled apart brick by brick. Only since the 18th century, the building has been taken under protection as an important architectural mega-object.
Machu Picchu
So called the city in the sky, which is located at an altitude of about 2500 m above the sea. Previously, it was the residence of the emperor. The almost untouched ancient city architecture did not suffer from the attacks of the Spanish conquerors.
The clear structure of the city delights with its architectural design. However, little is known about the urban population and the city.
Petra
Jordanian Petra is a city in the rock, located above the sea at a level of 900 meters. The road to it is laid through a natural gorge, which acts as city walls.
The surviving ruins of houses built with the traditional stone method stretch for kilometers. Ad-Deir is a 45-meter monastery carved into the rock. The main attraction - the El-Khazneh mausoleum - still keeps the legend of countless treasures. Previously, the city served as a trade route, connecting Damascus and the Red Sea regions.
Note: adventure film by Indiana Jones filmed in Petra.
Chichen Itza
Mexico is famous for the legendary city called, reminiscent of the consonance of legumes, loved by the way the locals. Chichen Itza - the Mayan civilization, has a 24-meter pyramid Temple of Kukulkan, which has 365 steps.
How many days in a year, so many steps. The natural well located is Sacred Cenote. Its depth is "deadly" - 50 m. Previously, it served for the ritual of sacrifice. It is known that living people were dumped into the cenote. Now tourists swim in it.
The change of civilizations leaves behind a grandiose heritage of architecture, which has partially been preserved to this day. To the question - how many wonders of the world are in the world and which ones, now you can definitely answer. The emergence of new wonders is evidence that there are still many mysterious places in the world to study and recognize their significance for all mankind.
We bring to your attention an interesting film about the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world:
Initially, 7 wonders of the world existed in the Ancient World, but almost all of them were lost over the course of many centuries and turned into ruins, others disappeared without a trace. Fortunately, the memory of these masterpieces of architecture and art is still alive. Some of the wonders of the world have even been restored, so we can clearly imagine how they actually looked in ancient times.
There are 7 known wonders of the ancient world, but we would like to add three more to this list, one from Rome, one that was delisted, and one from Ethiopia (which still exists).
Great Pyramids at Giza
2584-2561 BC. - our days
This is one of the wonders of the world ancient world which is still standing today. However, if you come to Egypt in order to admire this miracle of ancient architecture, you will not be lucky enough to see it in the form in which it was conceived.
All pyramids were built from special stone blocks, and polished limestone slabs covered them on top. These pyramids were supposed to shine in the rays of the hot African sun. Unfortunately, in 1300, as a result of an earthquake, the polished tiles fell off, and they were taken away and used to build mosques.
Ishtar Gate
575 BC - our days
As part of the walls of Babylon, the Ishtar Gate (the eighth gate of Babylon) was one of the wonders of the world. Part of this building has been preserved, and part has been reconstructed. In the 1930s, a copy of the original gate was recreated in Berlin on the basis of the surviving part.
This gate can be seen in the Berlin Museum. The gates are striking in their beauty, so if they are restored to the place where they were originally erected, they will undoubtedly become modern miracle Sveta.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
550 BC - 262 AD
The Temple of Artemis shown in the photo is a miniature model of the original building, which can be seen in the open-air museum "Miniaturk". This majestic temple of antiquity is dedicated to the daughter of Zeus Artemis.
The temple was rebuilt three times in its history, but in the end it was completely destroyed by the barbarians, who did not spare even the wonders of the world. Unfortunately, all that remains of it today is one column standing alone on the ruins.
Statue of Olympian Zeus
435 BC - 5th-6th century AD
This giant statue of Zeus was located in a temple complex dedicated to Zeus, the main god of the ancient Greeks. The statue was so huge that it reached almost to the ceiling of the temple. It was made entirely of ivory and covered with gilded bronze sheets, so one can only imagine how much it cost.
At present, it is not known exactly how this statue was destroyed and why it disappeared, but, most likely, it suffered from fires and was destroyed along with the temple.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
351 BC - 1494 AD
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is one of the wonders of the ancient world, a replica of which stands today in Washington DC, and miniature copy can be seen in the same Istanbul Museum "Miniaturk". The original was built for the Carian ruler Mausolus in the city of Halicarnassus, on the ruins of which the famous Turkish resort town of Bodrum stands today.
The mausoleum could not withstand numerous earthquakes and collapsed after 19 centuries! The Knights of St. John dismantled the stones from the ruins of the building to strengthen the nearby fortress.
The Colossus of Rhodes
292/280 BC - 226 BC
You may be wondering why we included a photo of the Statue of Liberty in New York to illustrate this point. This was due to the fact that the statue was conceived and constructed based on the scale and design of the original statue of the Colossus of Rhodes. At least, this is how the creators of the Statue of Liberty imagined the Colossus.
Thanks to this modern monument, we can imagine what the Colossus actually looked like - one of the wonders of the ancient world. Unfortunately, the monument did not stand for long, the earthquake of 226 BC overturned it to the ground, where it lay for about 800 years! Ultimately, the remains of the statue were sold by the Arab conquerors to a Jewish merchant, who resold it as scrap.
Alexandrian lighthouse
1303-1480 AD
The building shown in the photo is a life-size replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which stands today in China. The original stood on the island of Pharos and was constructed in the 14th century to light the way for sailors who sent their ships to Alexandria.
Like many other outstanding buildings on this list, the lighthouse was destroyed by earthquakes and, eventually, a medieval fortress was built in its place.
Aksumite obelisk
4th century CE e. - our days
The Aksumite obelisk could be called a wonder of the world, but this monument has never been included in the list of great creations, since Ethiopia, the country in which it was erected, was quite far from the rest of the wonders, so it’s not enough to look at it, except for local residents who succeeded. The obelisk was built as an indicative sign indicating the place of burial.
In 1937, the Italian fascists who captured Ethiopia dismantled the obelisk and took it to Rome, but only at the beginning of the 21st century was the obelisk returned to Ethiopia by the Italians.
70-80 AD - our days
In this photo you can see the Colosseum as it was originally. Unfortunately, the building was seriously damaged in 1349 during a strong earthquake. It was built by the Romans for gladiatorial performances, but after their prohibition, the building was used for a variety of purposes, for some time there was even a dump, and the stones of the Colosseum were taken away for the construction of other buildings.
However, in the end, the Colosseum, or rather, all that was left of it, was turned into a tourist attraction, which is visited by millions of tourists.
Roman baths
836 BC - our days
The Roman baths in the city of Bath in the English county of Somerset are a reconstruction of ancient Roman baths that were built at the very beginning of our era. The building was destroyed in the 6th century but was later rebuilt, with the latest additions dating back to the 19th century. Baths in these places were originally built by the British king Bloodud.
The city was famous for its thermal springs, which were used to treat various diseases. The Romans, who conquered these territories, contributed to the architecture of the building.
Almost everyone has heard about the seven wonders of the world. It includes architectural sights that were created in different time and really amazed the world. Few of these amazing structures have survived to our time. And although all seven wonders of the world are widely known, there are many little known facts associated with them.
1. List of "miracles"
The "wonders" list was originally designed to showcase the most impressive sights and structures in the world. Although there have been many such lists over the years, the original one was known as the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World". These seven wonders were based on guidebooks used by Greek travelers.
2. Geographic restrictions
All seven wonders were located around the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia (due to the limited distances people could travel at that time). These include the Colossus of Rhodes, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
3. Sun, Moon and five planets
Probably the number "seven" was chosen because the Greeks thought it represented perfection. However, some scientists have suggested that the number seven also reflects the fact that there were 5 known planets at the time, and if you add the Sun and Moon to them, you get seven.
4. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The existence of one of the seven ancient wonders is in question. Since the Hanging Gardens in Babylon would have been very difficult to irrigate, and there are no direct references to them in ancient literature, many modern scholars consider the stories about this beautiful place to be mere fiction.
5. Great Pyramid of Giza
The only ancient wonder that still exists is the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is also known as the Pyramid of Cheops.
6. Taj Mahal
Second most famous list miracles includes those created in the Middle Ages. Unlike ancient wonders, today there is no consensus on what to include in this list. The most common medieval wonders are the catacombs of Kom el Shukafa, the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, Hagia Sophia, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Porcelain Tower in Nanjing and Stonehenge. Also sometimes they include the Cairo Citadel, the Abbey of Cluny, the Cathedral of Ili and the Taj Mahal.
7. Originally from the 19th century
However, it is unlikely that these lists actually originated in the Middle Ages, since the notion of the "medieval world" only appeared during the Enlightenment, and the concept of the Middle Ages did not become popular until the 16th century. It is assumed that most of the "medieval" lists were created by writers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
8. "7 Wonders" by ASCE
Modern lists of "miracles" also exist. One of the most popular of these was compiled by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994. It included "the greatest achievements civil engineering of the 20th century, such as the Eurotunnel, the CN Tower, the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Itaipu Dam, the Delta and Zuiderzee Projects, and the Panama Canal.
9. CNN's 7 Wonders
To make things even more confusing, CNN's list of the "Seven Natural Wonders of the World" is as follows: Aurora Borealis, Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Rio de Janeiro Harbor, Mount Everest, Paricutin Volcano, and Victoria Falls.
10. New7Wonders of Nature Global Survey
New7Wonders of Nature is a 2007-2011 project to compile a list of the 7 wonders of nature from a global survey. Those who want to see them all need to head to all of the following: Iguazu Falls, Hạlong Bay, Jeju Islands, Puerto Princesa Underground River, Table Mountain, Komodo Island, and the Amazon Rainforest.
11. "7 Wonders" from CEDAM International
In 1989, the diving organization CEDAM International published its list of the Seven Wonders of the Underwater World. It included the Palau reefs, the Belize Barrier Reef, the Great Barrier Reef, deep sea rifts, the Galapagos Islands, Lake Baikal, the Red Sea.
12. 7 Wonders by Deborah Cadbury
The Seven Wonders of the Industrial World is a popular book by British author Deborah Cadbury. The list became the standard for engineering achievements in the 19th and 20th centuries. It includes the steamship Great Eastern, Bell Rock Lighthouse, Brooklyn Bridge, London sewer system, First transcontinental Railway, Panama Canal and Hoover Dam.
13. "7 Wonders" from the magazine "Astronomy"
In 1999, the magazine Astronomy decided that it was not necessary to be limited only to the Earth and presented a list of "Seven Wonders of the Solar System". The list included Saturn's moon Enceladus, Jupiter's Great Red Spot, the asteroid belt, the Sun's surface, Earth's oceans, Saturn's rings, and Mount Olympus on Mars.
14. The eighth wonder of the world
Interestingly, miracles can even be people. Wrestler Andre the Giant has often been touted as the eighth wonder of the world due to his enormous height of 224 cm and weight of 240 kg.
15. "7 Wonders" from Uncle Scrooge
As you can see, the list of miracles can be quite controversial. Some lists even have people or concepts. Even fictional characters such as King Kong were advertised to "come see the eighth wonder of the world."
It is quite possible to call wonders of the world and.
In our time, it is customary to call the wonder of the world unique artistic and technical creations, which, with their level of performance, arouse the admiration of most specialists. But in fairness, this erroneous approach should be corrected - the wonders of the world include specific objects created by people in ancient times.
Below is a list of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World...
1. Pyramids of Cheops (Giza)
Pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu (in the Greek version of Cheops), or the Great Pyramid - the greatest of the Egyptian pyramids, the oldest of the seven wonders of the world of antiquity and the only one of them that has come down to our time. For over four thousand years, the pyramid was the largest building in the world.
The pyramid of Cheops is located in the far suburbs of Cairo Giza. Nearby are two more pyramids of the pharaohs Khafre and Menkaur (Khafren and Mikerin), according to ancient historians, the sons and successors of Khufu. These are the three largest pyramids in Egypt.
Following the ancient authors, most modern historians consider the pyramids to be the burial structures of the ancient Egyptian monarchs. Some scientists believe that these were astronomical observatories. There is no direct evidence that pharaohs were buried in the pyramids, but other versions of their purpose are less convincing.
Based on the ancient "royal lists", it is established that Cheops ruled around 2585-2566. BC. The construction of the "Sacred Height" lasted 20 years and ended after the death of Khufu, around 2560 BC.
Other versions of construction dates based on astronomical methods give dates from 2720 to 2577. BC. The radiocarbon method shows a spread of 170 years, from 2850 to 2680. BC.
There are also exotic opinions expressed by supporters of theories of visiting the Earth by aliens, the existence of ancient pra-civilizations, or adherents of occult currents. They determine the age of the pyramid of Cheops from 6-7 to tens of thousands of years.
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon)
The existence of one of the wonders of the world - many scientists question and argue that this is nothing more than a figment of the imagination of an ancient chronicler, the idea of \u200b\u200bwhich was picked up by his colleagues and began to diligently rewrite from chronicle to chronicle. They justify their statement by the fact that those who most carefully describe the gardens of Babylon are precisely those who have not seen them in their eyes, while historians who have visited ancient Babylon are silent about the miracle erected there.
Archaeological excavations have shown that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still existed.
Naturally, they did not hang on ropes, but were a four-story building built in the shape of a pyramid with a huge amount of vegetation, and were part of the palace building. This unique structure got its name due to a mistranslation of the Greek word “kremastos”, which actually means “hanging” (for example, from a terrace).
The unique gardens were erected by order of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II, who lived in the 7th century BC. BC. He built them specifically for his wife Amitis, daughter of Cyaxares, king of Media (it was with him that the Babylonian ruler made an alliance against a common enemy, Assyria, and won a final victory over this state).
Amitis, which grew up among the mountains of green and fertile Media, did not like dusty and noisy Babylon, located on a sandy plain. The Babylonian ruler was faced with a choice - to move the capital closer to his wife's homeland, or to make her stay in Babylon more comfortable. They decided to build hanging gardens that would remind the queen of her homeland. Where exactly they are, history is silent, and therefore there are several hypotheses:
- The main version says that this wonder of the world is located near the modern city of Hilla, which is located on the Efrat River in the center of Iraq.
- An alternative version, based on the re-deciphering of cuneiform tablets, claims that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are located in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria (located in the north of modern Iraq), which, after its fall, went to the Babylonian state.
The very idea of creating hanging gardens in the middle of a dry plain looked like fantastic at that time. This task turned out to be within the power of local architects and engineers of the ancient world - and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were later included in the list of seven wonders of the world, were built, became part of the palace and were located on its northeast side.
They say that the statue of Zeus at Olympia turned out to be so majestic that when Phidias, having created it, asked his creation: “Are you satisfied, Zeus?” thunder boomed, and the black marble floor at the god's feet cracked. The Thunderer was pleased.
Despite the fact that only memories of one of the most majestic statues of this magnitude have come down to us, the mere description of the monument, which was in its way a real jewelry masterpiece, cannot but stagger the imagination. Both before and after the creation of the statue of Olympian Zeus, people did not create a monument of this magnitude - and it is not a fact that they will ever be created: this wonder of the world turned out to be too expensive in cost and huge in scale.
The uniqueness of this monument also lies in the fact that the statue of Olympian Zeus, the only one of all the wonders of the ancient world, was located on the territory of continental Europe, in the Greek city of Olympia, which is located on the Balkan Peninsula.
The statue of Zeus in Olympia was created for a long time: Phidias spent about ten years on it. When she appeared before the inhabitants and guests of Olympia in 435 BC, she was a real wonder of the world.
The exact dimensions of the statue have not yet been determined, but apparently, its height was from 12 to 17 meters. Zeus, naked to the waist, sat on a throne, his feet were on a bench, which was supported by two lions. The pedestal on which the throne was located was quite huge: its dimensions were 9.5 by 6.5 m. ebony, gold, ivory and jewelry.
The throne itself was decorated with images of scenes from the life of the Greek celestials, the goddesses of victory danced on its legs, and the battles of the Greeks with the Amazons were depicted on the crossbars and, of course, the Olympic Games were not without (Panen was engaged in painting). The Thunderer was made of ebony, while his entire body was covered with plates of ivory of the highest quality. The master selected the materials for his statue extremely meticulously.
There was a wreath on the head of the supreme god, and in one hand he held the golden Nike, the goddess of Victory, in the other - a scepter decorated with an eagle, symbolizing supreme power. The god's clothes were made of gold sheets (in total, about two hundred kilograms of gold were used to make the sculpture). The cloak of the Thunderer was decorated with images of representatives of the animal and plant world.
Nowadays, a marble copy of one of the wonders of the world can be seen in the Hermitage, where it was brought from Italy in 1861. Apparently, this statue of Zeus was created by a Roman author in the first century BC, and it was found during archaeological excavations in the vicinity of Rome at the end of the 18th century. It is notable for the fact that today it is one of the largest ancient sculptures that are in the museums of the world - the height of the monument is 3.5 meters and weighs 16 tons.
The sculpture was acquired at the beginning of the 19th century by one of the Italian collectors, Marquis D. Campana.
She did not stay with him for long, because after a while he went bankrupt, his property was confiscated and sold at auction. Before the auction, the director of the Hermitage managed to persuade the Italian authorities to give him the opportunity to purchase some items before the sale, so the best exhibits from the collection of the ruined marquis, including the statue of the Thunderer, ended up in the Hermitage.
4. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (Ephesus)
According to the ancient Greek belief, Artemis was the goddess of hunting and fertility, the patroness of all life on earth. She looked after the animals in the forest, herds of domestic animals, plants. Artemis ensured a happy marriage and assisted in childbirth.
In honor of Artemis in Ephesus, a temple was built on the site of the former sanctuary of the Carian goddess, also responsible for fertility. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was so large that it immediately entered the list of the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world. The financing of the construction was covered by the Lydian king Croesus, the construction work was led by the architect from Knossos Harsiphron. Under him, they managed to erect walls and columns. After his death, the post of chief architect was taken over by his son Metagen. The last stage of construction was led by Paeonite and Demetrius.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was completed in 550 BC. A delightful spectacle opened before the locals, the like of which has never been built here. And although at present it is impossible to recreate the former decoration of the temple, one can be sure that the best masters of their time, employed here at work, could not blunder. The very statue of the culprit of the construction was made of ivory and gold.
It was possible to recreate the image of the former majestic temple of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus only after archaeological excavations were carried out. The temple measured 105 by 51 meters. The roof of the building was supported by 127 columns, each 18 meters high. According to legend, each column was donated by one of the 127 Greek rulers.
In addition to religious services, financial and business life was in full swing in the temple. It was the center of Ephesus, independent of the authorities, subordinate to the local college of priests.
In 356 BC, when the famous Alexander the Great was born, the temple of Artemis was burned down by the Ephesian resident Herostratus. The motive of this feat is to remain in history in the memory of posterity. The arsonist after the capture was waiting for the death penalty. In addition to it, it was also decided to eradicate the name of this person from history. But what is forbidden sits even more firmly in the memory of people, and the name of Herostratus is now a household name.
By the 3rd century BC, the wonder of the world, the temple of Artemis in Greece, was restored at the initiative of the aforementioned Alexander the Great, but with the advent of the Goths, it is again destroyed. Later, with the ban on pagan cults, the Byzantine authorities closed the temple. Then they begin to gradually disassemble into Construction Materials, as a result of which the temple goes into oblivion. A Christian church was erected in its place, but it also faced the fate of destruction.
On October 31, 1869, the English archaeologist Wood manages to find the location of the former temple of Artemis in Turkey, and excavations begin. Now in its place stands one column restored from the wreckage. Despite this, the place still attracts thousands of tourists.
5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Fast forward to the ancient city of Halicarnassus. It was the capital of Caria and, as is due to the capital of the state, was famous for its beauty and grandeur. Temples, theaters, palaces, gardens, fountains, a living harbor guaranteed honor and respect for the city. But Special attention here occupied the tomb of King Mausolus, one of the seven wonders of the world in the ancient world. So, the wonder of the world mausoleum in Halicarnassus.
King Mausolus ruling Caria in the 4th century BC (377-353 years), according to the experience of the Egyptian pharaohs, he began the construction of his tomb during his lifetime. It was supposed to be a unique building. Located in the center of the city, among palaces and temples, it symbolizes the power and wealth of the king. And to worship the late king, it must combine both the tomb and the temple. The best architects and sculptors were allocated for the construction - Pythius, Satyr, Leohar, Skopas, Briaxides, Timothy. After the death of the king, his wife, Queen Artemisia, approached the construction of an eternal monument to the great husband even more intensively.
The building was completed in 350 BC. Her appearance combined several architectural styles that time. There were three levels in the mausoleum with a total height of 46 meters. The first tier was a massive plinth made of bricks lined with marble. Further on it towered a temple with 36 columns. The columns supported the roof in the form of a pyramid with 24 steps. At the top of the roof was a sculpture of King Mausolus and Artemisia in a chariot drawn by 4 horses. Around the building were statues of horsemen and lions. The beauty of the structure was fascinating, it is no coincidence that the mausoleum in Halicarnassus quickly entered the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world.
The tomb of Mausolus and his wife was located in the lower tier. To worship the king, an upper room was built with columns and a statue of Mausolus. The statue has survived to this day, and fully reflects the image of the despot king. The sculptor in the facial features subtly conveyed the character of Mausolus - evil, cruel, capable of getting everything he needs. No wonder he was a very rich man. Next to the statue of Mausolus was a statue of Queen Artemisia. The sculptor embellished her, filed in a stately, soft image. The famous sculptor of that time Skopas worked on it. Both of these statues are now considered among the finest in Greek culture from the 4th century BC. Separately, it is worth mentioning the upper part of the base of the mausoleum. The sculptors decorated it with scenes from the Greek epic - the battle with the Amazons, hunting, the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs.
Mausoleum - a word that came from the name of King Mausolus, is currently a household name among all peoples.
After 18 centuries, the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake. Later, its ruins were used to build the castle of St. Peter by the Knights of St. John. When the Turks arrived, the castle became the fortress of Budrun, currently called Bodrum. Excavations here were carried out in 1857. Relief slabs, statues of Mausolus and Artemisia, a statue of a chariot were found. They are currently on display in the British Museum.
6. Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes)
The Colossus of Rhodes is a huge statue that has become one of the seven Wonders of the World. The grateful inhabitants of the island of Rhodes decided to build it in honor of the sun god Helios, who helped them withstand the unequal struggle against the invaders. The siege of the beautiful island lasted almost a year and the probability of victory was negligible, but the patron helped the islanders win. For this, Helios was immortalized in the guise of a huge statue. For the people of Rhodes, the statue represented independence and freedom, just like the Statue of Liberty in New York for Americans.
The island of Rhodes had a favorable geographical position, its inhabitants freely traded with many countries, which ensured the wealth of the city as a whole and each citizen individually. From the moment of foundation to the III century. BC. Rhodes was alternately ruled by the famous king Mausolus, the Persian rulers and Alexander the Great. None of them oppressed the city and did not prevent it from developing. However, after the death of Alexander the Great, his heirs began to divide the inherited lands in a bloody struggle.
The island of Rhodes went to Ptolemy, but another heir (Antigon) considered this unfair and sent his son to destroy the city. This would help to equal the power of Ptolemy. Demetrius, son of Antigonus, gathered a huge army that outnumbered the islanders. Only impregnable walls prevented the soldiers from immediately entering the capital and destroying it. Enemies used siege towers - huge wooden catapults that were installed on ships. The inhabitants of Rhodes managed to detain the enemies before the arrival of Ptolemy's army and defend their homeland.
Having sold the siege engines and the surviving ships of the invaders, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build a huge statue of the god Helios, their patron. Until now, any statues were called colossi, but after the Colossus of Rhodes, only the largest of them began to be called that way.
The construction of the Colossus began in 302 BC. and finished only after 12 years (according to other sources after 20 years). They installed a statue on an artificial embankment that blocked the entrance to the harbor. Behind this hill, for a long time, individual parts of the sculpture were hidden from prying eyes. The mound with the statue turned into a kind of gate to the city. Some poets have described the Colossus as standing on two hills. The ships were supposed to sail between the legs of Helios. However, this version is considered doubtful. The stability of such a sculpture would be too low, and large ships would not be able to moor in the port.
The statue has not survived to this day, but numerous descriptions of contemporaries testify that the Colossus stood on one of the banks, and not at all in the form of an arch, as the artists depict it. In the giant's hand was a bowl of blazing fire. At the base there were three pillars that served as a support. Two of them the builders inlaid with bronze details to disguise at the feet of Helios. The third pillar was in the place where the cloak or part of the sheet of the majestic Colossus fell.
The residents wanted the statue to point into the distance, but the sculptor understood that this would reduce the stability of the structure, so the statue seemed to cover its eyes from the sun with its palm. The torso and main elements were made from sheets of iron and bronze. They were fixed on support poles. The space inside was filled with large stones and clay to increase stability. The free space was covered with earth so that the workers could move freely on the surface and fix the following parts. In total, the manufacture of the Colossus required 8 tons of iron and 13 tons of bronze. The resulting statue reached a height of 34 m.
The statue of the Colossus of Rhodes was so huge that it could be seen from ships sailing in the distance. According to the descriptions of contemporaries, she was a tall young man with a radiant crown on his head. One hand of the young man covered his eyes, and the other picked up the falling robe.
Another poet - Philo - described the Colossus differently. He claimed that the statue was on a marble plinth and struck by the size of the feet. Each of them was itself the size of a small statue. On the outstretched hand was a working torch. It was lit at night to light the way for sailors.
Scientists are still trying to find out where the Colossus of Rhodes is located or where exactly it was installed. At the end of the 20th century, huge boulders were discovered off the coast of the island of Rhodes, which resembled fragments of a statue in shape. However, the theory that these are elements of an ancient sculpture has not been confirmed. But the researcher Ursula Vedder suggested that the Colossus did not stand near the coast at all, but on the hill of Monte Smith. The ruins of the temple of Helios are preserved here, and its foundation has a suitable platform on which the Colossus could rise.
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos)
Only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world had a practical purpose - the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It performed several functions at once: it allowed the ships to approach the harbor without any problems, and the observation post, located at the top of the unique structure, made it possible to monitor the expanses of water and notice the enemy in time.
The locals claimed that the light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria burned enemy ships even before they approached the coast, and if they managed to approach the coast, the statue of Poseidon, located on the dome of an amazing design, emitted a piercing warning cry.
The height of the old lighthouse was 140 meters - much higher than the surrounding buildings. In ancient times, buildings did not exceed three floors, and against their background, the Faros lighthouse seemed huge. Moreover, at the time of completion of construction, it turned out to be the tallest building in the ancient world and was such for an extremely long time.
The lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the east coast of the small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria, the main seaport of Egypt, built by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. It is also known in history as the Pharos lighthouse.
The place for the construction of the city was chosen by the great commander very carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trading center.
It was extremely important that it be located at the intersection of both water and land routes of three parts of the world - Africa, Europe and Asia. For the same reason, it was necessary to build at least two harbors here: one for ships arriving from the Mediterranean Sea, and the other for sailing along the Nile.
Therefore, Alexandria was not built in the Nile Delta, but a little to the side, twenty miles to the south. When choosing a place for the city, Alexander took into account the location of future harbors, paying special attention to their strengthening and protection: it was very important to do everything so that the Nile waters did not clog them with sand and silt (a dam connecting the continent was subsequently built specifically for this with an island).
After the death of Alexander the Great (who, according to legend, was born on the day of the destruction of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus), after some time the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - and as a result of skillful management, it turned into a successful and prosperous port city, and the construction of one of the seven wonders of the world significantly increased his wealth.
The lighthouse of Alexandria made it possible for ships to sail into the port without problems, successfully bypassing pitfalls, shallows and other obstacles in the bay. Due to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased dramatically.
The lighthouse also served as an additional reference point for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is quite diverse - mostly lowlands and plains alone. Therefore, signal lights in front of the entrance to the harbor were most welcome.
A lower structure would have successfully coped with this role, so the engineers assigned another important function to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - the role of an observation post: enemies usually attacked from the sea, since the desert protected the country well from the land side.
It was also necessary to install such an observation post on the lighthouse because there were no natural hills near the city where this could be done.
The lighthouse of Alexandria served from 283 BC. until the 15th century, when a fortress was erected instead. Thus, he survived more than one dynasty of Egyptian rulers, saw Roman legionnaires. This did not particularly affect his fate: no matter who ruled Alexandria, everyone made sure that the unique structure stood as long as possible - they restored the parts of the building that had collapsed due to frequent earthquakes, updated the facade, which was negatively affected by wind and salty sea water.
Time has done its job: the lighthouse stopped working in 365, when one of the strongest earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea caused a tsunami that flooded part of the city, and the death toll of the Egyptians, according to chroniclers, exceeded 50 thousand inhabitants.
After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood still for quite a long time - until the XIV century, until another strong earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, the Sultan of Kait Bey erected a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen and Nowadays). After that, the pyramids at Giza remained the only ancient wonder of the world that has survived to this day.
In the mid 90s. the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered at the bottom of the bay with the help of a satellite, and after some time, scientists, using computer modelling, were able to more or less restore the image of a unique structure.
|
|
Surely, you have heard about the wonders of the world, but not everyone can name them all. Not only is not everything that is on the lists survived to our times, but there are a lot of lists themselves.
However, we all know that the wonders of the world are truly colossal structures that baffle or delight even modern engineers. Now it is no longer a problem to build a building almost a kilometer high, like a skyscraper in Dubai.
There are a huge number of little-known facts about the wonders of the world, and we will now talk about some of them.
List of wonders
Many different lists have been compiled over the years, but the original is considered the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which is based on guidebooks used by Greek travelers.
Geography
All seven wonders were located in one place - in the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, because then people could not yet travel great distances. These include: the Colossus of Rhodes, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
number seven
Seven in many cultures was considered a magical number, but among the Greeks it also meant perfection. Although some scientists believe that the seven was chosen because it reflects the knowledge of astronomy of that time. Ancient people knew five planets plus the Sun and the Moon.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
In fact, the existence of this wonder of the world is under a huge question. Not only do scientists agree that the process of irrigating such an object in Babylon seemed almost impossible, there is no mention of this miracle in ancient literature. Because many people think that this is just a beautiful fairy tale.
Great Pyramid of Giza
Also known as the Pyramid of Cheops. This is the only one of the ancient wonders of the world that still exists.
Second list
The second most popular list includes objects created in the Middle Ages. It includes: the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, the Hagia Sophia, the catacombs of Kom el Shukafa, Stonehenge, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Porcelain Tower in Nanjing. Sometimes the Cairo Citadel, the Abbey of Cluny and the Taj Mahal are added to this list.
The emergence of lists
The fact is that the lists most likely appeared in the 19th-20th centuries, since the very concept of the Middle Ages took shape only in the Enlightenment.
7 wonders according to ASCE
It is quite expected that there are lists of modern wonders of the world. The most popular of these is a list compiled in 1994 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It includes buildings such as the Eurotunnel, the CN Tower, the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Itaipu Dam, the Panama Canal, the Delta and Zuiderzee projects.
7 wonders from CNN
CNN went ahead and put together a list of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It looks like this: aurora, Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Rio de Janeiro harbor, Mount Everest, Paricutin volcano and Victoria Falls.
Poll from New7wonders of Nature
This is a project in which a huge number of people were interviewed, and based on their answers, another list of natural wonders was compiled. According to the results of the survey, it included: Iguazu Falls, Halong Bay, Jeju Islands, Puerto Princesa Underground River, Table Mountain, Komodo Island and the Amazon Rainforest.
7 wonders from CEDAM International
In 1989, diving organization CEDAM International published its own list of underwater wonders of the world. It included the Palau reefs, the Belize Barrier Reef, the Great Barrier Reef, deep sea rifts, the Galapagos Islands, Lake Baikal, the Red Sea.
7 wonders from Deborah Cadbury
The famous book by the British writer Deborah Cadbury is called The Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, and it contains a description of the most significant engineering achievements of the 19th and 20th centuries. These include: the steamship Great Eastern, the Bell Rock Lighthouse, the Brooklyn Bridge, the London Sewer System, the First Transcontinental Railroad, the Panama Canal and the Hoover Dam.
7 wonders from Astronomy magazine
In 1999, the magazine Astronomy decided that the solar system also has its own miracles, and collected them in a separate list. It was decided to call Saturn's satellite Enceladus, the Great Red Spot of Jupiter, the asteroid belt, the surface of the Sun, the Earth's oceans, the rings of Saturn and Mount Olympus on Mars as miracles.
The eighth wonder of the world
For a long time, the French wrestler Andre the Giant was called the eighth wonder of the world for the fact that his height was 224 cm and his weight was 240 kg. The man had acromegaly, due to which his bones grew rapidly. He became the first wrestler to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Now try to understand all these lists. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that man and nature at one time did a good job and were able to build a lot of everything majestic and interesting. Honor and praise to them.
And what wonder of the world is the most majestic, what do you think? Tell me in the comments.
