Seven wonders of the ancient world

1. Seven wonders of the ancient world Μιχάλης Τουραμπέλης

2. The term Seven Wonders of the Ancient World refers to remarkable constructions of classical antiquity listed by various authors in guidebooks popular among the ancient Hellenic tourists, particularly in the 1st and 2nd centuries BC. The Greek conquest of much of the known world in the 4th century BC gave Hellenistic travellers access to the civilizations of the Egyptians, Persians, and Babylonians. Impressed and captivated by the landmarks and marvels of the various lands, these travellers began to list what they saw to remember them. Instead of "wonders", the ancient Greeks spoke of "theamata“ Later, the word for "wonder" ("thaumata" ) was used. Hence, the list was meant to be the Ancient World's counterpart of a travel guidebook. From Wikipedia

4. The Statue of Zeus at OlympiaThe great statue of Zeus, king of the Greek gods, was created by the famous Greek sculptor, Phidias in the 5th century B.C. It was made of gold and ivory and stood 12 m high. It was moved from Olympia to Constantinople, where it was eventually destroyed in a fire.

6. The Temple of Artemis at EphesusThough there had been temples on the spot for centuries, the most famous version of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was begun about 550 B.C., funded by Croesus of Lydia. The Temple of Artemis was built almost entirely out of marble. It was the largest temple in its day and was dedicated to the goddess of the moon and hunting. In 356 B.C. it burned down, leaving only a few broken statues.

8. The Mausoleum at HalicarnassusIt was erected by Queen Artemisia in memory of her husband, King Mausolus of Caria in Asia Minor , who died in 353 B.C. It was a huge marble tomb and stood at 41 m high. Most of the mausoleum was eventually destroyed by earthquakes and further deconstruction by the Knights of St. John of Malta for building materials. Some remains of the structure are in the British Museum.

10. The Hanging Gardens of BabylonThe Hanging Gardens of Babylon were supposedly built by Nebuchadnezzar around 600 B.C. to please his queen, Amytis of Media. They are also associated with the Assyrian queen Semiramis. Archeologists surmise that the gardens were laid out atop a vaulted building, The terraces were said to rise from 75 to 300 ft. above the ground. The plants were watered by machines worked by slaves.

12. The Great Pyramids at GizaThe only ancient wonder that can still be seen today are the three pyramids at Giza, located outside modern Cairo. They were built as tombs for three Egyptian kings. The largest pyramid, built by the pharaoh Khufu, stands 147 m high, which made it the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. It was made from more than two million limestone blocks! Estimated date of completion is 2680 B.C.

14. The Colossus of RhodesBuilt after the city had successfully repelled a siege in 292 B.C, the Colossus at Rhodes was a 37 m -high bronze statue of the sun god Helios. Some renderings have the statue straddling the harbor of Rhodes, but most likely it stood to one side or even on a hill above the city. It stood upright for only 56 years until an earthquake snapped it at the knees. The ruins lay in the harbor for over 800 years and remained an ancient tourist attraction.

16. The Lighthouse of AlexandriaThe Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the island of Pharos, around 304 B.C marking the entrance to the harbour. The tower stood about 134 m high, making it the third-tallest building in the ancient world (the two pyramids at Giza were the tallest). Originally, it was simply a large beacon, but was converted to a lighthouse in the 1st century B.C. It stood longer than all the wonders except for the pyramids, but was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century.

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