The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World
1. The Great Pyramid of Giza
The Greek conquest of much of the known world in the 4th century BC gave Hellenistic travelers access to the civilizations of the Egyptians, Persians, and Babylonians. These visitors, smitten by the landmarks and marvels of the various lands, began to list what they saw. As a way of organizing, a compendium of these places made it easier to remember. In place of the contemporary usage of the word "wonder," the Greeks actually used the word "theamata," which translates to "things to be seen" or "must-sees."(Efta thaumata tou kosmou=Seven miracles of the world) Hence, the list was meant to be the Ancient World's counterpart of a travel guidebook.
I have gazed on the walls of impregnable Babylon along which chariots may race, and on the Zeus by the banks of the Alpheus, I have seen the hanging gardens, and the Colossus of the Helios, the great man-made mountains of the lofty pyramids, and the gigantic tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the sacred house of Artemis that towers to the clouds, the others were placed in the shade, for the sun himself has never looked upon its equal outside Olympus.
– Antipater, Greek Anthology IX.58
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the the seven ancient wonders of the world still standing. Interestingly enough The Great Pyramid is the oldest of the seven ancient wonders of the world, it has surpassed all the "younger" wonders. It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids. The pyramid remained the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years,unsurpassed until the Lincoln Cathedral was completed c. 1300. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza
2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The gardens were supposedly built by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BC. He is reported to have constructed the gardens to please his homesick wife, Amytis of Media, who longed for the trees and fragrant plants of her homeland. The gardens were destroyed by several earthquakes after the 2nd century BC.
3. The Temple Or Artemis
The Temple of Artemis also known less precisely as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to a goddess Greeks identified as Artemis. It was sited at Ephesus (the modern town of Selçuk in present-day Turkey), and was completely rebuilt three times before its eventual destruction or decay. Only foundations and sculptural fragments of the latest of the temples at the site remain.
The picture above is a model in Istanbul, Turkey
4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia
4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was made by the Greek sculptor Phidias, circa 432 BC on the site where it was erected in the Temple of Zeus, Olympia, Greece. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A great discovery came in 1954–1958 with the excavation of the workshop at Olympia where Phidias created the statue. Tools, terracotta molds and a cup inscribed "I belong to Pheidias" were found here, just where the traveler Pausanias said the Zeus was constructed. This has enabled archaeologists to re-create the techniques used to make the great work and confirm its date.
5. Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus or Tomb of Mausolus, was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum, Turkey) Identified it as one of his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The word mausoleum has now come to be used generically for any grand tomb.The Mausoleum overlooked the city of Halicarnassus for many years. It was untouched when the city fell to Alexander the Great in 334 BC and still undamaged after attacks by pirates in 62 and 58 BC. It stood above the city's ruins for sixteen centuries. Then a series of earthquakes shattered the columns and sent the bronze chariot crashing to the ground. By 1404 AD only the very base of the Mausoleum was still recognizable.
The Knights of St John of Malta invaded the region and built a massive castle calledBodrum Castle. When they decided to fortify it in 1494, they used the stones of the Mausoleum. In 1522 rumors of a Turkish invasion caused the Crusaders to strengthen the castle at Halicarnassus (which was by then known as Bodrum) and much of the remaining portions of the tomb were broken up and used in the castle walls. Sections of polished marble from the tomb can still be seen there today.
6. Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek god Helios, erected in the city ofRhodes on the Greek island of Rhodes by Chares of Lindos between 292 and 280 BC. It is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was constructed to celebrate Rhodes' victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, who unsuccessfully besieged Rhodes in 305 BC. Before its destruction, the Colossus of Rhodes stood over 30 meters (107 ft) high, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world.
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt. Its purpose was to guide sailors into the harbour at nighttime.
With a height variously estimated at between 393 and 450 ft (120 and 140 m), it was for many centuries among the tallest manmade structures on Earth.
Where would you go?
If you could go back in time and visit an Ancient wonder of the world which one would you choose?
I did use some of Wikipedia's information on this hub, I wanted to put together lots of pictures and bits of information all on one page, about the seven Wonders of the ancient world Thank you!
References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
