The list of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World includes the most famous art monuments of the Ancient World. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles. The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC. e.
We have already talked about each of these miracles separately, so we advise you to also follow the links in the article, where a lot of useful information is available. We will pay special attention to the Egyptian pyramids - the first wonder of the world, talking about each of the pyramids:
The Egyptian pyramids top the list of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day. These stone structures became the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC. During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the Cheops pyramid. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and to date, the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly inferior to it in size.
A thousand years after its creation in 1550-1397. BC. The Sphinx was buried under the desert sands. A story is carved on the stele located between the Sphinx's front paws. It described how the young prince Thutmose, who was hunting here, fell asleep in the shadow of a stone body. In a dream, the Sphinx appeared to him in the form of Horus and predicted the prince's future accession to the throne and asked to free him from the sand. When Thutmose found himself on the throne a few years later under the name of Pharaoh Thutmose IV, he remembered his dream and carried out the first restoration. Apart from natural erosion, the most serious damage was caused to the Sphinx by the Mamluks, who knocked off its nose with a cannon shot (Muslims had an extremely negative attitude towards the image of a person). The statue was finally cleared of sand in the mid-1920s.
The statue is 57 m long and 20 m high, the width of the face is 4.1 m, the height of the face is 5 m - depicts a pharaoh who combines the power of man, god and lion. At the same time, the Sphinx is considered the chief of the guards of the necropolis; he was identified with the god Horus
Pyramid of Cheops, second pharaoh of the IV dynasty. This pyramid still remains the largest architectural creation of human hands. At its base it is a square with a side of 227.5 meters. The height during construction was 146.6 meters, and now the pyramid is 9 meters lower: the top stones fell during earthquakes. The construction of the pyramid (it was completed around 2590 BC) took 2.3 million stone blocks weighing two and a half tons each. The total volume of the pyramid is 2.34 million cubic meters. The faces of the pyramid are oriented to the cardinal points, and their angle of inclination to the base is 51o52". The entrance is located on the north side. The individual blocks, according to the Arab historian Abdel Latif (12th century), are so precisely fitted to each other that it is impossible to push between them blade of knife.
There are no inscriptions or decorations inside the Cheops pyramid. There are three burial chambers there. The pharaoh's burial chamber is a room about 11 meters long, five meters wide and almost six meters high. The walls of the tomb are decorated with granite slabs. The red granite sarcophagus is empty. Neither the pharaoh's mummy nor the funeral utensils were found. It is believed that the pyramid was plundered in ancient times.
The second largest ancient Egyptian pyramid. Located next to the Great Sphinx, as well as the pyramids of Cheops (Khufu) and Mikerin on the Giza Plateau. Built in the middle of the 26th century BC. e. the structure with a height of 143.5 m was called Urt-Khafra. The base of the pyramid is a square with sides of 215.16 meters (that is, 410 cubits); the error from a perfect square is no more than 8 cm. The parallel approach is almost ideal and is equal to 1'15". The side faces are oriented along the four cardinal directions with an error of no more than 5'26".
Height: 105.07 m (~200 royal cubits) Base side length: 188.60 m (~360 royal cubits) Perimeter: 754.4 m; Area: 35,570 m2 Volume: 1,237,040 m3 Tilt angle: 54°34" and 43°21"
The Bent Pyramid is an Egyptian pyramid in Dahshur, the construction of which is attributed to Pharaoh Snefer (XXVI century BC). The southern pyramid in Dahshur is called “broken”, “cut” or “diamond-shaped” for its irregular shape. It differs from other Old Kingdom pyramids in that it not only has an entrance on the north side, which was the norm, but also a second entrance, which is open higher up, on the west side. The northern entrance is located approximately 12 m above ground level, leading into a sloping corridor that descends underground into two rooms with ledges. From these two rooms, a passage leads through the shaft into another small chamber, which also has a ledge in the form of a roof. The entrances on the north side of the pyramid were made during the Old Kingdom. This was due to the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. Why there was a need for a second, western entrance here remains a mystery. In this pyramid, no trace of the presence of a sarcophagus was found, which would have been located in these rooms. Sneferu's name was written in red paint in two places in the "broken" pyramid. His name was found on a stele that stood inside the fence of the small pyramid. To explain the non-standard shape of the pyramid, German Egyptologist Ludwig Burchardt (1863-1938) proposed his “accretion theory.” According to it, the king died unexpectedly and the angle of inclination of the pyramid's faces was sharply changed from 54 degrees 31 minutes to 43 degrees 21 minutes in order to quickly complete the work. Kurt Mendelsohn proposed an alternative: the pyramid at Medum and southern pyramid in Dahshur were built at the same time, but an accident occurred in Medum - perhaps the casing collapsed after the rains - and this incident forced them to hastily change the angle of the sides of the pyramid in Dahshur, when it was already half built.
Located on the road to Fayoum, about 100 km south of Cairo. The shape is non-standard. It consists of 7 steps, of which only 3 are visible today. It is made of limestone blocks. It was built for Pharaoh Huni, the last ruler of the Third Dynasty. His son Snefru expanded and enlarged the pyramid, adding an 8th step and making the sides of the pyramid smooth.
Base size 144 m Height (originally) 93.5 m Height (today) 65 m Slope 51°50"35.
In 393, Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where some time later it died in a fire.
Ancient miracle SvetaNo. 4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
In 550 BC, in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, the construction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis was completed. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved it detailed description. In 356 BC A resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned the temple of Artemis in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century AD. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt temple. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Statues of its builders, Praxiteles and Scopas, were installed inside the temple.
At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.
Ancient wonder of the worldNo. 5. mausoleum in Halicarnassus
This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located on the territory of modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named a mausoleum after him. The Tomb of Mausolus is a brick building faced with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m and the height was 46 m.
This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the Knights of St. John dismantled its remains to build a fortress.
Ancient wonder of the worldNo. 6. The Colossus of Rhodes
In the 3rd century BC, this giant statue was installed on the Greek island of Rhodes. Work on it continued for about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its manufacture.
Around 280 BC, the world's first lighthouse was completed on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria. This work took about 20 years. The height of the Alexandria lighthouse was 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. A fire was constantly burning at the top of the lighthouse, the light from which was directed out to the sea using polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.
In the 12th century AD e. Alexandria Bay ceased to be used due to filling with silt, and Faros lighthouse has lost its meaning. In the 14th century, it was damaged by an earthquake and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.
Seven Wonders of the World (or Seven Wonders of the Ancient World)- a famous list of the most famous sights of ancient culture. The very choice of number is sanctified by the most ancient ideas about its completeness, completeness and perfection; the number 7 was considered the sacred number of the god Apollo (Seven against Thebes, Seven Wise Men, etc.). Like collections of sayings of famous sages, collections of anecdotes and stories of wonders, essays on the Seven Wonders of the World were popular in ancient times and included descriptions of the grandest, most magnificent or technically most amazing buildings and monuments of art. That's why they were called miracles, while many genuine masterpieces are missing from the list ancient architecture and art - the Acropolis in Athens with the creation of Phidias - the statue of Athena Parthenos, the famous statue of Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles, etc.
Mentions of the Seven Wonders appear in the writings of Greek authors starting from the Hellenistic era. You had to know them already at school; scientists and poets wrote about them. The text of one Egyptian papyrus, which was a kind of educational manual, mentions the names of famous legislators, painters, sculptors, architects, inventors, which must be memorized, and then the most large islands, mountains and rivers and, finally, the seven wonders of the world. The “selection” of miracles occurred gradually, and some miracles replaced others.
The first list of wonders of the world is attributed to Herodotus - 5th century BC. e.. All three miracles were on the island of Samos: an Aqueduct in the form of a tunnel, a dam in the port on the island, and a temple of the goddess Hera.
Later the list expanded to seven wonders. In the 4th century BC. Philo of Alexandria - Jewish philosopher, mathematician, mechanic, surveyor, in his work “Seven Wonders of the World” described the seven most important creations of mankind in architecture. Philo's work is merely his personal opinion. He lived in Byzantium, and his view of the world was compressed to the limits of the Roman Empire. Therefore, all the objects he listed are located in this territory. In the 3rd century BC. e. a new list of miracles has appeared. Historians consider its source to be a small poem by Antipater of Sidon (there is also a version that it was written by Antipater of Thessalonica). The first mention of the Seven Wonders in Rus' is found in Simeon of Polotsk, who was familiar with their description from some Byzantine source. In modern Europe they became widely known after the publication of the book “Sketches on the History of Architecture” by Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723).
Miracle Time of creation Place Creators Destruction Cause Purpose of the structure
1. Pyramid of Cheops created 2550 BC e., place: Giza (), created: Egyptians, the only “miracle” that has survived to this day, purpose of the structure: Tomb of Pharaoh Cheops
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon created 600 BC e. , place: Babylon (), created: Babylonians, cause of destruction: After the 1st century BC. e. earthquake, Were created for the wife of King Nebuchadnezzar II.
3. Statue of Zeus at Olympia created 435 BC e., sculptor Phidias, place: Olympia (), created: Greeks, cause of destruction: V-VI centuries. burned in Constantinople during a fire at the Hippodrome in the 5th century. temple statue in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia
4. Temple of Artemis in Ephesus created 550 BC e. , place: Ephesus (Turkey), created: Lydians, Greeks, Persians, cause of destruction: 370 BC. e. or 356 BC e. (Herostratus) or 262 AD. e. (Gothami), cause of destruction: the fire was built in honor of the goddess Artemis
5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus created 351 BC e. , place: Halicarnassus (in the southeast of Turkey), created by: Carians, Persians, Greeks, cause of destruction: 1494 earthquake; preserved: foundations, architectural fragments; in the British Museum in London - statues of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia, reliefs, statues of lions was erected as a tombstone of the Carian ruler Mausolus by his wife, Queen Artemisia
6. Colossus of Rhodes created between 292 and 280 BC e. , place: Rhodes (Greece), created: Greeks, cause of destruction: 224 (or 226) BC. e. the bronze body was dismantled in 654 AD. e. The earthquake was installed by the sculptor Chares to perpetuate the memory of the victory of Rhodes over Demetrius Poliorcetes (304 BC).
7. Alexandria Lighthouse created 3rd century BC e. , place: Alexandria (Egypt), created: Ptolemaic Dynasty, cause of destruction: 303 BC. e. - 1480 AD e. (lasted for 1500 years) after an earthquake, the light of this lighthouse was very useful for navigation.
1. Alexandria Lighthouse (Φ?ρος της Αλεξ?νδρειας, Egypt, 31°12′51″ N 29°53′06″ E)
In the 3rd century BC. e. a lighthouse was built so that ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to Alexandria Bay. At night they were helped in this by the reflection of flames, and during the day by a column of smoke. It was the world's first lighthouse, and it stood for 1,500 years.
Built with the participation of many inhabitants of Museyon on the island. Pharos at the entrance to the harbor by the architect Sostratus of Crete was erected in 280 BC by the Alexandrian (Pharo) lighthouse - a three-tiered marble spike tower 115-135 meters high (it is not known exactly, according to other sources 117 m) under King Ptolemy Philadelphus. The collected light was reflected using bronze mirrors and was visible at a distance of 56 km (according to other sources, 100 km).
The lower part was a tetrahedral prism 60 meters high with a square base, the side length of which was 30 m. Various equipment was stored in the interior, and a flat roof, decorated at the corners with huge statues of Triton, served as the basis of the middle part. It was a 40-meter octagonal prism tower, lined with white marble. The upper (third) part of the lighthouse was built in the form of a cylindrical colonnade - 8 columns carried a dome topped with a 7-meter bronze figure of the ruler of the seas, Poseidon (or a statue of Zeus the Savior). Large amounts of fuel were required to maintain the flame. The wood was transported along a spiral ramp on carts drawn by horses or mules. Behind the flames were bronze plates that directed the light into the sea.
The lighthouse was partially destroyed on July 21, 365. By the 12th century, the Alexandria Bay was so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. The lighthouse was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1375. A few years later, the Muslims used its remains to build the military fortress of Qait Bay. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt several times and still stands on the site of the world's first lighthouse. Currently, only the base of the lighthouse remains, completely built into the medieval fortress. This is now the base of the Egyptian navy.
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), in order to fight against the main enemy - Assyria, whose troops twice destroyed the capital of the state of Babylon, entered into a military alliance with Cyaxares, the king of Media. Having won, they divided the territory of Assyria among themselves. Their military alliance was confirmed by the marriage of Nebuchadnezzar II to the daughter of the Median king Amytis. Dusty and noisy Babylon, located on a bare sandy plain, did not please the queen, who grew up in mountainous and green Media. To console her, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the construction of hanging gardens. In 331 BC. Alexander the Great's troops captured Babylon.
The famous commander made the city the capital of his huge empire. It was here, in the shadow of the Hanging Gardens, that he died. After Alexander's death, Babylon gradually fell into decline. A report from 50 BC speaks of brick walls 112 meters long and 7 meters thick, above which rose stone columns in the form of pyramids, carrying wooden platforms with strange plants growing on them. Architecturally, the hanging gardens were a pyramid consisting of four tiers-platforms. They were supported by columns up to 25 meters high. The lower tier had the shape of an irregular quadrangle, the largest side of which was 42 m, the smallest - 34 m.
The area where the gardens were located To prevent irrigation water from seeping through, the surface of each platform was first covered with a layer of reeds mixed with asphalt, then two layers of brick held together with gypsum mortar, and lead slabs were laid on top of all. On them lay a thick carpet of fertile soil, where seeds of various herbs, flowers, shrubs and trees were planted.
The pyramid resembled an ever-blooming green hill. Pipes were placed in the cavity of one of the columns, through which water from the Euphrates was constantly supplied by pumps to the upper tier of the gardens, from where it flowed in streams and small waterfalls, irrigated the plants of the lower tiers. Powerful floods destroyed the brick foundation of the columns, and the platforms collapsed to the ground. Thus one of the wonders of the world perished.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
3. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Tomb of Mausolus)- tombstone of the Carian ruler Mausolus (Μα?σωλος), built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. by order of his wife Artemisia II in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Turkey). The construction of the mausoleum began even before the death of Mausolus in 353 BC. and, according to reports from ancient authors, it was ruled by his wife Artemisia. To design the Mausoleum, she invited the Greek architects Satyr and Pytheas, and the most famous sculptors of that time - Leochares, Skopas (whose works also decorated the second temple of Artemis of Ephesus), Briaxides and Timothy.
From the south and north its length is 63 feet, from the front and back it is narrower, the total length is 440 feet, it reaches a height of 25 cubits, and is surrounded by 36 columns. This coverage was called pteron. The reliefs were made from the east by Scopas, from the north by Briaxides, from the south by Timothy, and from the west by Leochares. Even before they finished their work, the queen died. ...above the pteron rises a pyramid, equal in height to the lower part, tapering in twenty-four steps into a pointed meta. At the top there is a marble quadriga, which was created by Pytheas. Together with it, the entire structure reaches a height of 140 feet - Pliny the Elder
Vitruvius’ testimony about the location of the Mausoleum and the material (brick lined with Proconnesian marble) has been preserved. The architecture of the Mausoleum is unusual for Greek architecture of that time: if classical Hellenic temples are rectangular in plan and their height does not exceed the length of the facade, then the Mausoleum is almost square in plan, and its height significantly exceeded the side of the base.
The mausoleum was destroyed in the 13th century by several earthquakes. In 1522, the remains of the Mausoleum were dismantled by the Knights of St. John for the construction of the fortress of St. Petra. In 1846, the ruins were explored by an expedition from the British Museum led by Charles Thomas Newton. Based on the results of the research, several options for reconstructing the original appearance were compiled, one of which was used as the basis for the Grant Mausoleum in Manhattan. After the name of King Mausolus, such tombs began to be called mausoleums.
4. Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes Island, Greece)
Colossus of Rhodes - A huge bronze statue of the sun god Helios, which stood in the port city of Rhodes - an island in the Aegean Sea, in Greece.
After the collapse of the power of Alexander the Great, Ptolemy I Soter established himself in Rhodes. After his establishment in Egypt, he concluded an alliance with Rhodes to control trade in the eastern Mediterranean. In 305 BC e. the son of another diadoch, Antigonus I One-Eyed, Demetrius I of Macedon, landed on Rhodes with 40,000 troops. Having held main city The islands were under siege for a whole year, despite the construction of many siege weapons, he was forced to retreat due to the Ptolemy fleet approaching Rhodes. The people of Rhodes decided to sell their abandoned siege weapons and build a statue of their revered sun god Helios to thank him for his intercession. Helios was not just a particularly revered deity on the island - according to legend, he was its creator: not having a place dedicated to him, the solar god carried the island in his arms from the depths of the sea. The sculptor Hares, a student of Lysippos, worked for twelve years to create an almost 36-meter bronze giant. When work on the statue was completed in 278 BC. e., a tall and slender young god with a radiant crown on his head appeared before the eyes of the amazed Rhodians. He stood on a white marble pedestal, leaning slightly back, and intensely peered into the distance. The statue of the god stood right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible from the nearby islands. The statue was made of clay, had a metal frame at its base, and was covered with bronze sheets on top. The production of the grandiose monument required 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron (about 13 and about 8 tons, respectively).
To work on the image of the god directly at the site of its installation, Haret used an original technique: with the gradual elevation of the sculpture, the earthen hill around it also rose; the hill was subsequently torn down, and the statue in its entirety was revealed to the astonished inhabitants of the island.
However, the Colossus itself stood for a relatively short time - only fifty-six years. In 222 BC e. The statue was destroyed by an earthquake. As Strabo writes, “the statue lay on the ground, overthrown by an earthquake and broken at the knees.” But even then the Colossus caused surprise with its size. Pliny the Elder mentions that only a few could clasp the statue's thumb with both hands. The remains of the Colossus lay on the ground until they were finally sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977, to a merchant who, as one chronicle says, loaded 900 camels with them.
5. Pyramid of Cheops (Giza, Egypt, 29°58′45″ N 31°08′03″ E)
The Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) - called “Achete-Chufu” - “Rebirth of Khufu (Cheops)” - is the largest of the Egyptian pyramids, the only one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” that has survived to this day. Construction, which lasted twenty years, began around 2560 BC. e. Dozens of Egyptian pyramids are known. On the Giza plateau, the largest of them are the pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin. Architect Great Pyramid Hemiun, vizier and nephew of Cheops, is considered. He also bore the title "Manager of all Pharaoh's construction projects." For more than three thousand years (until the construction of the cathedral in Lincoln, England, around 1300), the pyramid was the tallest building on Earth.
* Height (initial): 146.60 m (calculated)
* Height (today): ≈ 138.75 m
* Angle (tilt): 51° 50"
* Side edge length (initially): 230.33 m (calculated)
* Side length (currently): approx. 225 m
* Length of the sides of the base of the pyramid: south - 230.454 m; north - 230.253 m; west - 230.357 m; east - 230.394 m.
*Foundation area (initial): ≈ 53,000 m² (5.3 ha)
* Pyramid area: (initially) ≈ 85,500 m²
* Perimeter: 922 m.
* Total volume of the pyramid without deducting the cavities inside the pyramid (initially): ≈ 2.58 million m³
* Total volume of the pyramid, after subtracting all known cavities (initially): 2.50 million m³
* Average size of observed stone blocks: 1.0 m in width, height and depth (but most are rectangular in shape.)
* Average weight of stone blocks: 2.5 tons (from limestone, basalt and granite)
*Heaviest stone block: 15t
* Number of blocks: about 2.5 million.
* Estimated total weight of the pyramid: about 6.25 million tons
It is not possible to accurately determine the original parameters of the pyramid, since its edges and surfaces are currently mostly dismantled and destroyed. In the literature on Egyptology, scientists believed that the length of the sides could be from 230.33 to 230.37 m. Knowing the length of the side and the angle at the base, they calculated the height of the pyramid - from 146.59 to 146.60 m. The slope of the pyramid is 51° 50 " (secedu in 5 1/2 palms, the ancient Egyptian unit of measurement of slope), which is defined as the ratio of half the base to the height. Considering that there are 7 palms in one cubit (cubit), it turns out that with this chosen seked, the ratio of the base to the height equals 22/7, a well-known approximation of Pi from antiquity, which appears to have been achieved by accident, since other pyramids had different values for sekeda. The base of the pyramid rests on a natural rocky eminence about 9 m high in the center. The original pyramid was faced with a harder white sandstone than the main blocks. The top of the pyramid was crowned with a gilded stone - the pyramidion. The facing shone in the Sun with a peach color, like “a shining miracle, to which the Sun God Ra himself seemed to give all his rays.” In 1168 AD. The Arabs sacked and burned Cairo. Residents of Cairo removed the cladding from the pyramid in order to build new houses.
The entrance to the pyramid is at an altitude of 15.63 meters on the north side. The entrance is formed by stone slabs laid in the form of an arch. This entrance to the pyramid was sealed with a granite plug. Today, tourists get inside the pyramid through a 17 m gap, which was made by Caliph Abu Jafar al-Ma'mun in 820. He hoped to find the pharaoh's countless treasures there, but found there only a layer of dust half a cubit thick. Inside the Cheops pyramid there are three burial chambers, located one above the other.
1. Main entrance
2. The entrance made by Al-Mamun
3. Crossroads and traffic jam
4. Descending corridor
5. Unfinished underground chamber
6. Ascending corridor 7. Queen's chamber with outgoing "air ducts"
8. Horizontal tunnel
9. Large gallery
10. Pharaoh's Chamber
11. Prechamber
12. Al-Mamun tunnel made "bypass"
6. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (coast of Asia Minor, currently Selcuk, Turkey)
It was built by the architect Heirocrates in 550 BC. e. erected in the city of Ephesus in honor of the goddess of hunting and fertility. When the completed huge white marble building opened before the eyes of the townspeople, it aroused surprise and admiration. Unfortunately, we do not know how exactly the temple was decorated. It is only known that the best craftsmen of the Greek world took part in the creation of the sculptural decoration of the temple, and the statue of the goddess Artemis was made of gold and ivory.
The Temple of Artemis was used not only for religious ceremonies. It was both the financial and business center of Ephesus. The temple was completely independent of the city authorities and was governed by a college of priests. The width of the Temple of Artemis was 51 meters, length - 105 m, height of the columns - 18 m (if the segments are round, then the width and length = diameter, that is, the same). The roof of the temple was supported by 127 columns installed in eight rows. According to legend, each of these columns was a gift from one of the 127 Greek kings.
According to legend, in 356 BC. e. year BC, on the night when the future Alexander the Great was born in Pella, the capital of Macedonia, a certain vain citizen of Ephesus named Herostratus set fire to the great temple, thus wanting to become famous. By the beginning of the 3rd century. BC e. the temple was completely restored to its original form. Alexander the Great himself allocated money for the construction of the new Wonder of the World. The architect Alexandra Deinocrates, who supervised the work, retained its previous plan, only raised the building to a higher stepped base.
Inside the temple was decorated with wonderful statues by Praxiteles and Scopas, but even more magnificent were the paintings of this temple. So, in gratitude to Alexander the Great (who sponsored the project), the Ephesians commissioned a portrait of him for the temple by the artist Apelles, who depicted the commander with lightning in his hand, like Zeus. When the customers came to accept the canvas, they were so amazed by the perfection of the painting and the optical effect (it seemed that a hand with lightning was protruding from the canvas) that they paid the author twenty-five gold talents - perhaps over the next three centuries, no artist was able to receive such a fee for one picture.
Christian times have come. Legend claims that the Ephesians expelled the Apostle Paul and his supporters from their city. And God's punishment was immediate: in 263, the sanctuary of Artemis was plundered by the Goths. When Ephesus came under the rule of Christian Byzantium, the next stage of its destruction began. During the time of Emperor Theodosius I, when in 391-392. All pagan cults were banned, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was closed. The marble cladding from it began to be taken away for various buildings, the roof was also dismantled, and the unity of the structure was destroyed. And when the columns began to fall, their debris was sucked into the swamp on which the temple stood. And a few decades later, the last traces of the best temple of Ionia disappeared under the slurry and sediment of the river. Even the place where he stood was gradually forgotten.
It took the English archaeologist Voodoo many months to find traces of the temple. On October 31, 1869, he got lucky. The foundations of the temple were completely uncovered only in the twentieth century. And under it are traces of the temple burned by Herostratus. Currently, on the site of the temple there is one column restored from the rubble.
7. Statue of Zeus (Olympia, Greece)
The statue of Olympian Zeus is the work of Phidias, an outstanding work of ancient sculpture. It was located in the Temple of Olympian Zeus, in Olympia - a city in the Elis region, in the north-west of the Peloponnese peninsula, where from 776 BC. e. to 394 AD e. Every four years the Olympic Games were held - competitions between Greek and then Roman athletes. The Greeks considered those who did not see the statue of Zeus unfortunate. The Olympic Games have been held for more than 300 years, when in 470 BC. e. in Greece they began to collect donations for the construction of this temple. Construction of the temple began in 466 BC. e. and ended in 456 BC. e. The construction was supervised by the architect Libon, information about whom has not reached us. According to legend, the temple was magnificent. The entire temple, including the roof, was built of marble. It was surrounded by 34 massive columns made of shell rock. Each was 10.5 meters high and more than 2 meters thick. The area of the temple was 64x27 m. On the outer walls of the temple there were slabs with bas-reliefs depicting the 12 labors of Hercules. Bronze doors, 10 meters high, opened the entrance to the cult room of the temple.
The statue of Zeus did not appear there immediately. The Greeks decided to invite the famous Athenian sculptor Phidias to create a statue of Zeus. By this time, Phidias had managed to create two famous statues of Athena (“Athena Promachos” and “Athena Parthenos” - not preserved). By his order, a workshop was built 80 meters from the temple. This workshop exactly matched the size of the temple. There he, with his two assistants, who he needed only as garbage collectors, behind a huge purple curtain, created a statue of the thunder god using the chrysoelephantine technique. Phidias himself was very picky about the material that was delivered to him. He was especially picky about the ivory from which he created the body of the god. Then, under heavy security, precious stones and 200 kg of pure gold were brought into the temple at the feet of the Thunderer. Phidias carved the figure of the god from wood and covered it with slabs of pink ivory, and therefore the body seemed alive. The Thunderer sat on a huge gilded throne. In one hand he held a symbol of power - a scepter with an eagle; on the open palm of the other hand stood a figurine of Nike, the goddess of Victory. They were made of gold: a cape that covered part of Zeus’s body, a scepter with an eagle, which he held in his left hand, a statue of the goddess of victory - Nike, which he held in his right hand, and a wreath of olive branches on Zeus’s head. Zeus's feet rested on a stool supported by two lions. The reliefs of the throne glorified, first of all, Zeus himself. Four dancing Nikes were depicted on the legs of the throne. Also depicted were: centaurs, lapiths, the exploits of Theseus and Hercules, frescoes depicting the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons. The base of the statue was 6 meters wide and 1 meter high. The height of the entire statue together with the pedestal was, according to various sources, from 12 to 17 meters. The impression was created “that if he (Zeus) wanted to get up from the throne, he would blow the roof off.”
For seven centuries, Zeus, smiling benevolently, watched the athletes, until in the 2nd century. n. e. there was no powerful earthquake that severely damaged the statue. But the games in Olympia still continued: the athletes believed that they were being helped, if not by a temple statue, then by God himself, sitting on the top of the mountain. The end to sports competitions was put in 394 by the Christian Emperor Theodosius I, who banned all pagan cults two years earlier. After the Olympic Games were banned, thieves stripped the statue of Zeus, stealing gold and ivory. All that remained of the famous sculpture of Phidias was taken from Greece to the city of Constantinople, but there the wooden sculpture burned down during a strong fire (during the fire of the temple in 425 or in the fire in Constantinople in 476). This is how this wonder of the world perished.
based on materials from: www.astro-web.ru
IN Ancient Greece it was invented to choose from the best works of human hands, which should be equal to the magical number seven, in their opinion. All creations were created during the reign of Alexander the Great, at the very height of his reign. Only one representative of the list has survived to this day - the Pyramid of Giza. The rest of the greatest historical monuments were destroyed by time.
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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
However, earlier, in the fifth century BC, the poet and The philosopher Herodotus described three amazing works of man, which were incredible for their contemporaries. Since then, the countdown of ancient wonders of the world began.
Currently, you can find different enumerations, shorter ones, as well as lists exceeding seven objects. There is a lot of controversy among the world of scientists about the eighth candidate. Everyone offers their own version and explanation.
Wikipedia provides the following list:
In the article we will look at each of the seven points in more detail.
The ancient monument is located in Egypt, in the northwest of Cairo. It took millions of slaves 20 years to build this miracle. The work continued even after the death of Pharaoh Cheops. Subsequently, the pyramid became the tomb of this ruler.
The height of the pyramid is 147 meters, the area at the base is 53,000 square meters. At the moment the height is slightly lower, as the structure has been covered with sand. The entrance to the tomb of the pharaoh is located at a height of 15.5 meters, there is only one entrance. There is another name for this monument - the Pyramid of Giza.
They built a pyramid from limestone blocks; in total, more than two million pieces were needed, one weighing more than 2 tons. If such a structure were built in our time using all modern technologies, it would take about 6 years and 450 workers.
Without a doubt, this is the best monument to human greatness.
The greatest monument of Greece. The basis for the garden was a four-tier building in the shape of a pyramid. This is a real oasis. Greenery hung from each tier, and there were fountains and ponds. Since so many plants required large amounts of liquid, the problem had to be solved. The following was invented: slaves spun a wooden wheel without stopping. With the help of a rotating wheel, water rose to the upper floor and from there flowed down through a complex system.
There was a period when the Hanging Gardens were the residence of Alexander the Great, after his death everything fell into disrepair, the gardens were left without maintenance. Then the foundation was washed away by the waters of the overflowing river.
It is believed that King Nebuchadnezzar created these gardens for his wife so that they remind her of home.
Zeus in Olympus
BC, a temple was built in Olympia in honor of the lord of the gods - Zeus in Greece. Inside this temple is located huge statue of Zeus 20 meters high. It was made of wood, with ivory plates on top. Clothes and shoes were covered with gold.
There were limestone columns along the entire perimeter of the building. The temple itself was entirely made of marble. The pedestal of the statue was of enormous size; it depicted the Olympic Games and the life of the gods.
However, it is not the temple itself that is considered a world miracle, but the statue of Zeus.
Included in the list of seven world wonders tomb of the ruler Mausolus. The tomb had 3 levels and a total height of 46 meters.
It is interesting that this work of human hands combines several architectural trends. Columns were present as decoration, which refers to traditional decoration. At the top there is a sculpture of the king in a chariot drawn by four horses. Mavsol built his tomb under his personal control.
The building collapsed due to a powerful earthquake.
Artemis of Ephesus
The temple was built by the Amazons, who are considered its founders. But soon the temple was burned and new construction began under the leadership of Khersiphron. The temple was located on the coast of Asia Minor. It was a huge temple made of white marble. It consisted of 127 columns, each 18 meters high. Inside the building there was a sculpture of Artemis.
Temple of Artemis - best example of ancient Greek architecture, namely a representative of the Ionic style.
The Colossus of Rhodes
Statue in honor of the sun god Helios. The young man is 36 meters high, cast entirely from bronze. The pedestal for the statue is marble. To make the figure more stable, stones were placed inside. The sculpture had a rather tragic fate; when calculating the materials for the statue, they made a mistake, and subsequently had to borrow a lot of money to complete the project. As a result, the master was ruined and committed suicide.
The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake.
Lighthouse Alexandriysky
As planned, this lighthouse was supposed to help ships pass coastal reefs and not crash. At night, flames were visible at the lighthouse, which helped to navigate.
The Faros lighthouse was 120 meters above sea level. The uniqueness of the building is that for many centuries nothing was built higher than the lighthouse. The lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake; some of the debris was found in 1996 during research seabed.
Wonders of the modern world
In our time, no less great and important structures and buildings were created. Of the ancient wonders of the world, you can only see the Cheops pyramid with your own eyes; we can only fantasize about other representatives after reading the historical description. In 2007, a new list of the seven wonders of the world of our time was compiled. These included such structures as:
Let's talk about each miracle in a little more detail:
- Chinese Wall
In the 3rd century BC they began to build a wall for defensive purposes. The wall was supposed to protect:
- From the attack of the Mongols
- One state from another
The length of the Chinese wall is about 9 thousand kilometers. During construction, a large number of people died due to the difficult work and the resulting epidemics.
- Christ statue
The main symbol of Brazil is the statue of Christ the Redeemer. It stands on Mount Corcovado, at the very top. The height of the statue is 38 meters, arms are outstretched to the sides. This monument was built to commemorate the centenary of Brazil's independence. Funds were collected from all residents, parts were manufactured in France.
- Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal Palace is the pinnacle of the Mongolian architectural style. It took 20 years to build. The palace is snow-white, making it look fabulous. The tomb contains Mamtaz_mahal and Shchakha-Jakhana, descendants of Tamerlane. The tombs are reliably protected from earthquakes by minarets located along the edges of the palace, there are four in total.
- Coliseum
A huge amphitheater from antiquity, it can accommodate more than 50 thousand people. Gladiators once performed in its arena.
- Machu Picchu
The city located in Peru, it is called the city in the sky, it is located at an altitude of 2500 meters above the sea. Previously, the building was the residence of the emperor.
- Petra
Jordanian city in the rock, 900 meters above sea level. A road leads to the city along a natural crevice, which has become the city wall.
The houses were built in the traditional way from stone. In ancient times, Petra was a trade route connecting Damascus and the Red Sea.
- Chichen Itza
Famous city in Mexico Chichen Itza. In the city there is a pyramid, the Temple of Kukulkan, 24 meters high. The pyramid has 365 steps, according to legend, equal to the number of days in a year. There is also a deadly well there, 50 meters deep; it used to be used for sacrifices; living people were thrown into it.
One civilization is replaced by another, leaving the greatest legacy of architecture, which in one form or another has survived to our times. Our earth is full of wonderful buildings and structures of mankind, and it is difficult to give a definite answer to the question of what miracles there are in the world and how many there are. There is much debate about whether there is an eighth item on the list.
- Noah's Ark
- Kinzu Bridge
- Lenin Mausoleum
Undoubtedly, each of us has our own idea of a miracle, so it is best for everyone to make a choice in favor of some architectural monument.
Wonders of the world - what are they? And why was this name chosen for buildings that are considered landmarks worthy of the attention of the whole world? The answer to these questions lies in when exactly these structures were erected. Of course, it is difficult to surprise contemporaries with a huge statue. After all, now even skyscrapers don’t seem so amazing.
But the main feature of the buildings considered wonders of the world is that they were built in those years when it was very difficult to accomplish such a thing. And therefore such designs deserve special attention. Let's take a closer look at all the miracles that are known to the world.
Pyramids in Egypt
It is worth mentioning right away that it was from the Egyptians that this name came from - 7 Wonders of the World. In the 2nd century BC, when wise pharaohs ruled in Egypt, considered the sons of the gods, this was the customary name for the pyramids. At that time, there were 7 majestic pyramids that were revered by the Egyptians. They have survived to this day. Which is quite surprising. And it was they who became the first miracle.
In other words, these pyramids can be confidently called the heritage of not only Egypt, but the whole world. The mysterious structures have been examined many times. And every time they puzzled scientists. Until now, the mystery of their construction remains unsolved.
Interesting! When and under whom did the unification of the city take place: date
Hanging Gardens
This is the second miracle that Wikipedia considers one of the most beautiful. In the 7th century BC, in the legendary Babylon there was a luxurious palace that amazed with its beauty.
The main attraction of the palace was the Hanging Gardens. They believed that Queen Semiramis created them in order to capture the imagination of the many guests whom she often received in her castle.
It is noteworthy that for a long time it was believed that these gardens did not exist on earth. Scientists were sure that rumors about such beautiful gardens were not a reflection of reality. As you know, many kings loved to flaunt their wealth and talk about the many different wonders in their possessions.
This is interesting! However, not so long ago it was possible to find confirmation that in ancient times, on the territory of modern Assyria, there really was a garden of unprecedented beauty. The found fragments of the structure helped confirm this.
Important! After the flood that occurred, the gardens were completely destroyed.
But even those parts that were found indicated how beautiful this creation was. Nowadays the scale of the gardens and their beauty can only be assessed by reproductions. Pictures that can be found on the Internet show how magnificent these gardens were.
Temple of Artemis
It is no secret that the Greeks worshiped their gods. Their faith was quite strong. They were confident that they could receive the blessing of heaven, and then life would turn out as well as possible. And therefore it is not at all surprising that the Greeks tried to appease the gods by any means.
The most popular method was the construction of temples, photos of which can be easily found on the Internet. In the past, there was a Greek city called Ephesus in Turkey.
It was in this city that the temple was built for the fair and wise goddess Artemis. Unfortunately, only ruins have survived to this day, which represent silent evidence of the existence of the temple. But scientists managed to partially reproduce the architecture of the building thanks to modern digital technologies.
Zeus statue
Reflecting on the topic of how many wonders of the world there are in the world and what they are, it is necessary to mention how much the Greeks revered Zeus. He was the main god to whom the others obeyed. Temples were also erected in his honor, which were decorated not only with images of God, but also with statues.
One of these temples was built in the town of Olympia. It was quite high (10 meters) and consisted of over 30 columns. It contained a statue made of pink bone. The god's clothing was made of gold.
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In the 2nd century there was a strong earthquake. It caused serious destruction. And so it was decided to take the statue to Constantinople. After all, it was clear that soon the temple would be completely destroyed. However, this still could not save the statue. When there was a fire in Constantinople, it was destroyed. The only evidence of the existence of this wonder of the world is the workshop in which Phidias of Athens was creating the statue. This is a famous master, whose list of works is not limited only to the creation of a statue of Zeus.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
A city called Halicarnassus was located in territory that now belongs to the state of Turkey. This mausoleum was erected on the site where King Mausolus rested. The main feature of the mausoleum was that on its top there was a beautiful chariot.
The entrance to the temple was guarded by two stone knight. It was believed that these warriors really guarded the sleep of the king, who had passed on to another world. And therefore people with evil intentions simply will not be able to enter it.
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The main decorations of the mausoleum were animal figures. They have survived to this day. But now they are kept in the museum. This museum is located in England. Anyone can visit it.
The Colossus of Rhodes
Helios is the majestic sun god. His statue, made of bronze, was built in the 3rd century BC on an island called Rhodes. It is worth noting that it was thanks to this architectural structure that the resort, located in Greece, became known throughout the world. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to see the legendary island of Rhodes.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to save the statue. In 222 BC. there was a strong earthquake. Due to tremors, the statue fell. And in 997, the wreckage that remained of it was sold. According to some reports, the buyer was an unknown merchant.
Alexandrian lighthouse
A huge lighthouse was built on the island of Pharos, which illuminated the way for all sailors. The height of this lighthouse reached 140 meters. And since in those days there were simply no other such tall buildings, the Alexandria Lighthouse was considered the tallest structure.
This is partly why scientists decided to include this lighthouse in the list of wonders of the world. After all, it remained unclear how exactly in those days people managed to build such a structure.
This building has not survived to this day either. Once again, the destruction was caused by earthquakes. But not one. The lighthouse managed to survive the first earthquake, but subsequent ones destroyed this landmark. Now there are ruins on the site of the lighthouse.
8 wonder of the world
Now let's talk about what the eighth wonder of the world is. Indeed, in recent years, scientists have insisted that it is necessary to expand the list of miracles by adding another structure to it.
Overall, the idea was met with enthusiasm. However, it soon became clear that expanding the list would not be so easy. After all, several buildings were vying for the title of a new miracle. And it has not yet been possible to determine which building is truly worthy of the honor of being called a miracle.
However, not so long ago, scientists managed to come to a common solution. And this list includes the Taj Mahal. This palace is made entirely of marble. Its architecture has much in common with Mongolian and Indian. Initially, this palace was considered a mausoleum.
Interesting! The order to build it was given by Shah Jahan. When his wife died in childbirth, the monarch decided to honor her memory. The palace is believed to be a symbol of his eternal love.
Tourists are attracted to this place not only by its unique architecture. The interior decoration is also very symbolic. Inside the palace there are many precious decorations and statues. The richness of the decoration is another proof of how much the ruler of India loved his wife.
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Let's sum it up
The description of the 8 wonders of the world presented in the article, of course, cannot fully convey their beauty. But this is the only opportunity to at least get acquainted with wonderful architectural creations. Their majesty and beauty are worthy of the attention of the whole world.
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How many wonders of the world are there, you ask? Eight or seven wonders of the world? In this article we will reveal the secret of the wonders of the world. Many people know that there are 7 wonders of the world, but not everyone can name them. Recently, the 8th wonder of the world has appeared, so it should be officially accepted that there are eight wonders.
Egyptian pyramids
The name "Seven Wonders of the World" (7 Wonders of the World) was first coined by Antipater of Sidon in the second century BC. The ancient Greeks called the most famous structures and statues in antiquity the “Seven Wonders of the World.” These miracles include the Egyptian pyramids, which were built during the reign of three Egyptian pharaohs of the fourth dynasty: Cheops (Khufu), Khafre (Khefre) and Menkaure (Mycerinus). The Egyptian pyramids were built near the village of Giza, southwest of the Egyptian capital Cairo. The pyramids are the only ones of the “Seven Wonders of the World” that have survived to this day and continue to delight visitors with their grandeur and beauty.
In ancient times, the Egyptians believed that after the death of a person (and especially a pharaoh), his remains should be preserved in the form of a mummy so that the spirit could continue to live after death. For these purposes, the priests turned the body of a deceased person into a mummy. The mummy was placed in a sarcophagus, and clothes, jewelry, and various things that, in their opinion, could be useful for the afterlife, were buried with it. Pharaoh Khufu's mummy was placed in a burial chamber in the heart of his pyramid.
The construction of the Cheops pyramid was completed in 2580 BC. under Pharaoh Rededef. The original height of this construction miracle was 146.5 meters, but as a result of destruction caused by natural elements, the height has now been reduced to 137 meters. The length of the base of the pyramid is 230 meters, and the area it occupies is more than 5 hectares.
Wonder of the World - Cheops Pyramids (photo)
Scientists have calculated that the construction of this monumental work of creativity by the ancient Egyptians, with a number of 4 thousand workers, took about 30 years. During this time, 2,300,000 limestone blocks were installed, each of which weighed on average about 2.5 tons. The blocks are so tightly fitted to each other that you cannot even insert a knife blade between them. And the weight of some individual specimens reached 15 tons. The entire pyramid, according to scientists, weighs 5,840,000 tons, and its volume is 2,568,000 cubic meters.
With the use of modern technologies, construction would occur much faster. Calculations have shown that, together with the most modern technical means, a team of 450 people would have been building a similar pyramid for about 6 years, and 11.5 billion dollars would have been spent.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Another wonder of the world is the temple, which was built in honor of the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting Artemis (the Romans called her Diana). The Temple of Artemis was built in the 7th – 6th centuries BC. in the city of Ephesus, on the shore Mediterranean Sea. According to legend, the temple was built at the expense of one of the richest people, whose name became a household name - Croesus.
The Temple of Artemis impressed with its grandeur and enormous size; 120 columns of magnificent marble rose along the perimeter of the building. The height of each column reached 20 meters. In the very center stood a statue of the goddess Artemis.
The Temple of Artemis in 356 BC was burned by the ambitious Herostratus, who decided to become famous with this act of vandalism, and he succeeded. The name of Herostratus has since gone down in history as a symbol of stupidity and soullessness. He really wanted to become famous, but, having the opportunity to do so, unable to create anything valuable, he decided to become famous as a destroyer (hence the expression “The Glory of Herostratus”). But he was mistaken - a new one, even more perfect and beautiful, was soon erected on the site of the destroyed temple.
Wonder of the World - Temple of Artemis (photo)
The Greek geographer Strabo (1st century BC - 1st century AD) wrote the following about the restoration work of this wonder of the world: “After a certain Herostratus burned the temple, the citizens erected another, more beautiful one, collecting women’s jewelry for this , donating his own property and selling the columns of the former temple for this purpose.”
But the new temple of Artemis was also destroyed; the Goths did not spare it in the 3rd century AD. Archaeological excavations have revealed only minor remains of the former majestic building. The Temple of Artemis is one of the best examples of ancient Greek architecture. Based on it, by the 5th century AD. Classical styles developed in Greece: Ionic, Doric and Corinthian. These styles began to be named after the regions and nationalities that lived in these places.
The Temple of Artemis is a classic representative of the Ionic style (order). It is quite possible to mentally imagine the Temple of Artemis if you look at any other building made in the Ionic style. The peculiar columns of the Temple of Artemis can only be compared with the columns of other ancient Greek styles - Doric and Corinthian.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
According to legend, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) erected artificial terraces on which all imaginable and inconceivable plants and trees grew in that area. The Hanging Gardens were erected to entertain the wife of Nebuchadnezzar II, daughter of the Median king, Amytis. Since Amytis was from Media, the climate of Babylon seemed stuffy and dusty to her, which is why the hanging gardens were erected, in which the young queen spent a lot of time.
According to scientists' calculations, the erected terraces of the hanging gardens rose above the ground to a height of 40 meters. For irrigation, water was taken from the nearby Euphrates; for this purpose, special devices were built, which were driven by slaves. Without high-quality watering, the hanging gardens would not have lasted even a couple of months in the hot climate of Assyria.
In the 4th century BC. the great commander Alexander the Great conquered Assyria and took Babylon by storm. The luxurious city so impressed him with its luxury and grandeur that he stayed here forever, making Babylon his residence. It was in Babylon, in the shade and coolness of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, that Alexander the Great died. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon disappeared without a trace, but they can be imagined quite clearly if you look at similar images of Assyrian bas-reliefs that have survived to this day.
Zeus statue in Olympia
The great Athenian sculptor Phidias sculpted a statue of Zeus in 435 BC. in the city of Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Sports competitions were held in honor of the supreme god of the ancient Greeks - Zeus. The supreme Greek god was depicted seated on a throne, which was made of ebony with inlays of precious stones. Zeus himself was 13 meters high and was made of gold and ivory plates.
A contemporary of the construction of the statue, the Greek geographer Xanidius wrote: “God sits on a throne - his figure is made of gold and ivory; she is wearing a bandage and a wreath on her head. In the left hand of the god is a scepter, gracefully colored with various metals, and the bird sitting on the scepter is an eagle. In his right hand is Nika. God's cloak is made of gold. On the same cloak are depicted animals, and flowers - lilies of the field... The floor in front of the statue is paved not with white, but with black marble. It looks like the Thunderer is about to get up.”
In the temple, for those who came to look at the Supreme God, special platforms were built so that everyone could see this miracle of architecture. There was a saying among the ancient Greeks that a person who has not seen the statue of Zeus is “unhappy and has not received insight from above.” For 800 years, Zeus watched the sports competitions of the best athletes in the Mediterranean.
The statue of Zeus was so majestic and beautiful that the Roman emperor Caligula was going to transport it to Rome to decorate one of the temples. But after the adoption of Christianity, attempts to transport one of the most famous pagan deities were abandoned. Earthquakes in the area over the years have destroyed both the stadium where the first Olympic Games were held and the Temple of Zeus along with the statue.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
The mausoleum was erected as the tomb of King Mausolus of Caria, who died in 353 BC. in the city of Halicarnassus, on the territory of the modern city of Bodrum (Türkiye). The tomb was so majestic and monumental that its name became a common noun denoting a grandiose tomb structure.
According to legend, all the work on the construction of this wonder of the world was carried out by Mausolus’s wife, Artemisia. The famous architects Pytheas and Satyr were invited from Greece to work on the project. The relief decorations for the temple were created by the best Greek sculptors of that time - Timothy, Skopas, Briandis and Leochares.
For that time the building was very large and majestic. The pyramidal roof over the pteron was supported by 36 white marble columns. The length of the mausoleum was about 140 meters (more than a football field), the width of the tomb reached 20 meters. The height of the Masol mausoleum was 45 meters (15 floors); at the very top there was a sculpture of a chariot drawn by four horses.
The ashes left after the cremation of Masola and Artemisia were kept in golden urns in the center of the tomb, which was located at the base of the building. Stone lions were made as guards for the premises.
Wonder of the World - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (photo)
The mausoleum in Halicarnassus stood for about 2 thousand years, it was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in the 13th century.
The Colossus of Rhodes
The colossus was the name given to the statue of the sun god Helios, which was installed on the island of Rhodes in the 3rd century BC. The statue, colossal for those times, was made of bronze and reached a height of about 35 meters. The construction of the gigantic statue took 12 years. According to the calculations of modern building scientists, the statue could not be hollow; according to all calculations, the statue was filled from the inside with improvised materials.
A contemporary of the construction of the Colossus of Rhodes, the Roman scientist Pliny wrote about this event: “60 years after the construction (about 225 BC), when the statue was overthrown by an earthquake, people came to it to look at it. Even lying down she is surprising. Not many people can hug her thumb.”
According to one version, she stood in the harbor and “guarded” the entrance to it. According to another more reliable version, the statue of the colossus stood in the city and faced the entrance to the harbor. Wherever the statue was located, the fame of the island, on which they were able to create such a monumental structure, spread throughout the Mediterranean, and glorified the island of Rhodes for centuries.
Faros lighthouse
The Faros Lighthouse, also called the Alexandria Lighthouse, as it was located on the way to the Alexandria Bay. The Faros lighthouse was built around 280 BC. It took about 20 years to build, and this is no wonder, since it was the largest lighthouse of the ancient world. It was erected from marble slabs and had a height of 150 meters. At the very top of the lighthouse there was a figure of Zeus the Savior.
The Faros lighthouse had a rectangular base, an octagonal tower was installed on it, and the third stage of the structure served as a lighthouse. Polished bronze plates were used as mirrors for the lighthouse, which reflected the light of the burning flame at a distance of 30 nautical miles.
Greek writer Lucian of Samosata, who lived in the 2nd century AD. reported that the architect who built the Faros lighthouse “wrote his own name on the stones inside, and then, covering it with lime, wrote the name of the then king on top. He foresaw, as it happened, that it would very soon fall down along with the plaster and the inscription would be exposed: “Sostratus, son of Dexiphon, Cnidian to the savior gods for the health of seafarers.” He reckoned not with his time, but with eternity, as long as the lighthouse, a work of his art, stood.”
The Faros lighthouse stood until the 14th century, when it was destroyed by a powerful earthquake. All this time it faithfully served the cause for which it was built.
The eighth wonder of the world - Taj Mahal
The white marble tomb of the Taj Mahal in Agra is called poetry in stone. Most tourists take on faith the very beautiful legend that is told about the creation of this masterpiece of architecture. Guides tell tourist groups that ruler Shah Jahan (1592-1666), saddened by the death of his beloved wife, built a magnificent mausoleum for her (1631-1653), which rightfully became the architectural pearl of India.
Historians have doubts regarding the date of construction, since the tomb is mentioned in historical Mongolian chronicles, and it is said there that “the Mongol emperor captured the monument from the Jaipur Maharaja, the structure was seven stories high and required repairs.” Judging by these historical chronicles, the Taj Mahal is 450 years older than the official version.
And the version that tourists are told goes like this: Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s wife died in 1631. The Sultan, who was madly in love with her, abandoned all state affairs and plunged into his grief, having previously ordered the construction of a tomb for the deceased, which the world had never seen before. Whole caravans of white marble and gems were brought to Agra. The best builders and architects were invited from all over India. A year later, the tomb for the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal was ready and she was placed in the crypt. As eyewitnesses described, no one could get rid of the feeling that the Sultan’s wife had not died, but was simply sleeping quietly. But the burial ceremony was completed, and the builders erected walls of white marble around the tomb.
At the same time, the son of the grief-stricken Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, took advantage of the fact that his father was not himself and seized power, and imprisoned his father in the tower of the Agra fortress. When the father died over time, he was buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal tomb.
The eighth wonder of the world – Taj Mahal (photo)
What seems mysterious in this story is that while the tomb was being built, Mumtaz Mahal’s body was not touched by decay. The hot climate of India and the Islamic ban on embalming led to Mumtaz's body being placed in a tin sarcophagus with a tightly fitted lid. The sarcophagus itself was filled with camphor crystals, sandalwood powder and other minerals. This is how ancient scientists were able to create incorruptibility for the Sultan’s wife.
