The Seven Wonders of the World are ancient architectural monuments built in the form of sculptures, statues and temples. Since the time of Hellenism, they have been called miracles because of the grandeur, scale and miracle of engineering. Many scientists and poets of antiquity were engaged in their description, including the "father of history" Herodotus. The most accurately described miracles are the famous mechanic of the 3rd century. BC. Philo of Alexandria.
Wonders of the world
Wonders of the world include:
- Pyramids of Giza;
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon;
- Ephesus Temple of Artemis;
- Mausoleum in Halicarnassus;
- The statue of Zeus;
- The Colossus of Rhodes or the statue of Helios on the island of Rhodes;
- Pharos Island Lighthouse.
The pyramids of Giza are the only surviving miracle
The structures that served for the burial of the Egyptian pharaohs are located in the suburbs of Cairo. The highest pyramid is named after Pharaoh Cheops. Its height is now 137 meters. It was built from more than 2 million stone blocks weighing from 1.5 to 15 tons. It was built with the help of primitive tools - stone hammers, copper saws and a block system.
The blocks from which the pyramids are erected are laid without the use of fasteners, they are held only by their own weight. Also, the blocks are hewn in such a way that the blade of a kitchen knife does not fit into the gap between them.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Erected by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar for his wife, the queen of Medes. They were placed on wide towers and consisted of 4 tiers. Each tier was framed with brick vaults and decorated with painted stone blocks. Plants from the most exotic countries grew here, for their watering slaves carried water from the Euphrates River all day. Destroyed by floods and named after the founder of Babylon - Queen Semiramis.
Ephesus Temple of Artemis
Built in honor of the goddess of fertility Artemis. It had a rectangular shape (55 m wide and 105 m long). The temple was surrounded by carved columns, each of which towered 18 meters. Inside the building there was a statue of the goddess 15 meters high. It was decorated with precious woods and gold. The temple was repeatedly destroyed due to fires and raids of the Goths. Completely destroyed by fire in 262 AD.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
The ruler of Caria, Mavsol, during his lifetime, began the construction of his own tomb, which was named after him. The emperor wanted people after his death, looking at the miracle of engineering, to understand how rich and powerful he was. The mausoleum was built by the architects Satyr and Pytheas; it was a peripter, erected on a high plinth. The structure was faced with white marble. The sculptural frieze also consisted of marble reliefs 117 m long. The tomb of the king was surrounded by 39 columns, each 11 m high. The roof of the tomb was made in the form of a stepped pyramid with a stone chariot on top. Having stood for 19 centuries, the mausoleum collapsed as a result of an earthquake.
The tomb was named after King Mavsol. Since then, any majestic structure serving for burial is called a mausoleum.
Zeus statue in Olympia
In a Greek temple in Olympia, the sculptor Phidias erected a 13-meter-high statue of Zeus. The master depicted the god sitting on a throne. Zeus's body was trimmed with gold and ivory. The head of the Thunderer was crowned with an olive tree wreath, in his right hand was a figurine of the goddess Nike, and in his left hand he held a staff with an image of an eagle. The throne was also made of ivory and gold. After a while, the statue was transported to Constantinople, where it burned down during a fire in the 5th century AD.
The Colossus of Rhodes
The statue of the sun god Helios was cast from bronze and iron, its height was about 40 m. On the head of Helios was a crown of 12 golden rays. Images of one of the miracles have not survived, so there are only 2 assumptions about its appearance: the statue stood in the harbor of the island and ships sailed between its broad legs, or it was in the center of the city and was installed on a high marble pedestal. It collapsed 60 years after its construction as a result of a strong earthquake.
Pharos island lighthouse
Built by the architect Sostratus for the safe approach of ships to Alexandria and for the timely detection of the enemy. It had a height of 120 m and was erected from limestone slabs. The first floor of the building was oriented along 4 parts of the world, the second eight-sided floor was oriented along 8 main winds. On the third floor, there was a dome supported by granite columns. A lighthouse fire was burning right here. It stood for about a thousand years, collapsed as a result of an earthquake.
