Seven wonders of the world
Everyone has heard of the Seven Wonders of the World, but who can actually list them?
The Seven Wonders of the World were listed by Greek historians in the second century BC. Chief librarian of the Alexandria Mouseion, wrote a Collection of Wonders Around the World. All that remains is the title because the work was destroyed by fire. The Middle Ages brought the final list of the most impressive structures from the ancient world.
A chronological order
- The Great Pyramid at Giza is the only remaining original Wonder of the World. The pyramid is believed to have been built over a twenty year period by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu around 2560 BC. It was built to cover his tomb, which was the traditional means of interring the royals.
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were located about 50 km south of Baghdad, Iraq, on the east shore of the River Euphrates. Nebuchadnezzar II had the gardens constructed for either his wife or his mistress, (which one is not known) because she was brought up in Media, and had a passion for flowers.
- The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was located about 150 km west of Athens, in modern day Greece. Known then as Olympia, it gave its name to the very first Olympic games to honor Zeus.
- The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was located about 50 km south of Izmir (Smyrna) in Turkey, in the ancient city of Ephesus. The temple was adorned with bronze statues in honor of the goddess of hunting, nature and fertility. A man named Herostratus burned the temple to the ground in 356 BC, trying to make a name for himself. Unfortunately, this happened on the very night Alexander the Great was born. It is said that the goddess was too busy with the birth to save her temple.
- The Mausoleum at Hallicarnassus is similar to a pyramid, but its not. Built to house the tomb of King Mausollos, it was located on the Aegean Sea in southwest Turkey.
- The Colossus of Rhodes stood 110 feet tall at the entrance of the Mediterranean harbor near Rhodes, Greece. Built in honor of the sun god, Helios, the statue took twelve years to construct. It lasted only 56 years, when it was toppled at the knees by a violent earthquake.
- The Lighthouse of Alexandria was located on the ancient island of Pharos, now a bluff in Egypt. The only Wonder to be used for a significant purpose, it was the tallest building on earth, and the light could be seen for 50 miles out.