What are the 7 wonders of the world. Modern seven wonders of the world

The concept of “Seven Wonders of the World”, familiar to our ears, was born in antiquity, more than 2 thousand years ago. Since then, it has been uniting the famous creations of ancient architecture.

Let's remember what is included in these "miracles". After all, to this day they practically did not survive.

Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt

The only exception is the pyramid of Cheops. She is already 4.5 thousand years old, but she still impresses with her grandeur. Construction was carried out for 20 years, and tens of thousands of Egyptians and slaves participated in it. Another hundred thousand were busy delivering blocks. Construction was completed around 2560 BC.

"Hanging Gardens" of Babylon in Iraq

The next miracle is the "hanging gardens" of Babylon. Their purpose was to please the beauty, the wife of King Nebuchadnezzar P
The gardens rose in four tiers. From a distance it seemed that they were rising above the ground. In fact, it was very difficult to build structures in which, like in huge pots, not only flowers and shrubs, but also trees would grow. Both stones and lead plates were used. It was also necessary to bring and pour here a sufficiently large layer of fertile land.
It is not surprising that in arid Babylon, such an oasis seemed like a real miracle.

Statue of Zeus in Greece

In Greece there was a third "miracle" - a statue of Zeus. In the 5th c. BC. a temple was built here in honor of the most important Greek god. Naturally, inside the temple was his statue. The 20-meter Zeus sat on the throne, overwhelming the believers with his splendor. It was not just a sculpture. The wooden body was covered with ivory. The robe of the god, of course, shone with gold.

Temple of Artemis in Turkey

Where the current Türkiye lies, in the era of antiquity there was a temple of Artemis. It was built in the 6th century. BC. by order of King Croesus. The greatness and power of the goddess was to emphasize her statue. Ivory was the basis for the manufacture. As well as 127 tall columns, as if supporting a huge structure.
The temple was burned down in 356 BC. But forever remained in the memory of people.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Türkiye

The next "miracle" was again in Turkey. This is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. It became the tomb for Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, who lived in the 4th century BC. This structure, although inferior in height to the pyramid of Cheops, still reached a considerable height - 46 m. ​​It was framed by columns, and crowned with a statue of a chariot.

Colossus of Rhodes in Greece

The sixth "miracle" can be called the statue of the sun god - Helios. Its other name is the Colossus of Rhodes. This statue stood in Greece in the 3rd century BC. So the Greeks decided to thank their beloved god. They believed that it was Helios who helped them survive the fight against the invaders, survive the siege. In the hand of the young god was a torch, as if illuminating the way for ships sailing to the port of Rhodes and leaving it. Six and a half decades later, the statue was destroyed by an earthquake.

At the moment, they want to restore the statue to attract tourists.

By the way, in the famous series "Game of Thrones" there is a similar sculpture

Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt

The world also lost the seventh "miracle" as a result of the trembling of the soil. This is the lighthouse of Alexandria, which in the 3rd century BC. was in Egypt, on the island of Pharos. For that time it was a huge tower. According to historians, its height reached 120 m. But even more surprising was the way in which the lighthouse sent light to the ships. At its top, the attendants kept the fire burning, and mirrors made of metal in a special way directed the light into the distance.

Sailors who were 60 km from the port saw a distant spark in the night. It was a fire burning at the top of the lighthouse. The most difficult thing was to deliver enough firewood for the fire. For this purpose, carts and mules were used. They climbed up the spiral staircase.

In the series "Game of Thrones" they also beat their own version of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Even now, after thousands of years, we respect these creations of the hands of ancient masters. What can we say about how their contemporaries perceived them! Indeed, they were miracles, you can’t say better.

New "Seven Wonders of the World" of the modern world.

Since almost all of these incomparable creations have been lost, the Swiss Bernard Weber proposed to implement the New Seven Wonders of the World project. The results were announced on July 7, 2007. Magic number "7".

Great Wall of China in China

Of course, the Great Wall of China, which at one time protected the state from nomads, could not give the palm to anyone. The wall was also supposed to unite the empire that had just formed, to help its peoples unite.
The construction lasted for many years, in the most difficult conditions, when there were no roads, there were not enough necessary materials. But the result is great. There is no other such architectural structure on our planet. The wall stretches for 8851.8 km. Every year over 40 million tourists come to see this miracle.

Amphitheater Colosseum in Italy

The largest amphitheater, the Colosseum, which has survived from the time of Ancient Rome, and now is one of the main attractions of Italy, enjoys well-deserved fame. The name "Colosseum" also comes from the word "colossus". To the Romans, the amphitheater seemed truly huge. After all, then the buildings reached a height of 8-10 m. Against their background, the Colosseum looked majestic. Once upon a time, thousands of guests flocked here to watch the famous gladiator fights.

The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru

On the territory of the present state of Peru is the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu. Its location is unique - on the tops of the mountains, in the heart of the inaccessible Andes. Despite all the achievements of science, the secrets of Machu Picchu have not yet been fully unraveled. It is also called the "city among the clouds" and is associated with the name of the ruler of Pachacutec. The residence of the ruler, located at an altitude of 2450 m, was unattainable for enemies. And for those who were on earth, it seemed that it was fitting for the ruler to live next door to the gods. Most likely, the city was built in the 15th century. Even today you can go there along the path of ancient pilgrims, you just need to tune in to the fact that the hike will take several days.
But you will see a majestic sight - mountain peaks and an ancient city. Beautiful llamas also graze here.

Ancient city - Petra in Jordan

Another ancient city - Petra - is located in present-day Jordan. The peculiarity of this city is that it is carved out of stone. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to build it here in the Siq Canyon. Bare stones, sheer cliffs, narrow gorges - such a panorama opens up to the eyes of tourists. But even here people lived and fought with enemies. Truly, a person is able to inhabit any place!

Taj Mahal Temple in India

Compared to this ascetic haven of ancient people, the Taj Mahal temple in India seems to be a symbol of beauty and harmony. There is probably no better creation in Indian architecture. This temple is a mausoleum. It was built by order of Emperor Shah Jahan. His beloved wife died unexpectedly during childbirth, and the inconsolable husband decided to perpetuate her memory in this way - by erecting a most beautiful temple. Today there is not a tourist coming to India who would not like to see the Taj Mahal. This temple is located in the city of Agra.

Statue of Christ in Brazil

The sixth of the new wonders of the world was the statue of Christ in Brazil. On Mount Corcovado, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the merciful Lord spread His hands over the people. This is Christ the Redeemer. It is symbolic that when thunderstorms rage here, lightning often hits the statue. After all, it is the highest point in the area. The height of this figure is 38 m, and it weighs more than 1145 tons. After a lightning strike, it is necessary to eliminate the damage caused to the reinforced concrete sculpture. Since they could not create such a huge figure in Brazil, they made the sculpture in France. Delivered it to Brazil in parts.

The seventh miracle was another ancient city of Chichen Itza. It belonged to the Maya Indians, and is located in Mexico. It was here that the Mayans gathered for prayers, and here, as nowhere else, they felt the presence of God. And today people feel awe when approaching the pyramids, which were built by representatives of an ancient civilization. The most famous is the temple of El Castillo in honor of the god Kukulkan
All these attractions, which have only recently received the proud status of "New Wonders of the World", have long become true treasures of our cultural heritage. The flow of tourists does not dry out, eager to see these marvelous places with their own eyes. And it is gratifying that the “baton” of the ancient “miracles” was taken over by no less remarkable, but accessible for viewing, “new miracles”.

In our time, it is customary to call the wonder of the world unique artistic and technical creations, which, with their level of performance, arouse the admiration of most specialists. But in fairness, this erroneous approach should be corrected - the wonders of the world include specific objects created by people in ancient times.

The earliest information about the seven wonders of the world was found in the writings of the ancient philosopher and scientist Herodotus. Five thousand years BC Herodotus tried to classify these wonderful and mysterious objects. The work of Herodotus, in which he described in detail the unique architectural masterpieces of the ancient world, burned down in a fire in the Library of Alexandria, like many other unique manuscripts. Only separate records in the surviving manuscripts and fragments of structures related to the seven wonders of the world, which were found as a result of archaeological excavations, have survived to this day.

In a short essay by Philo of Byzantium, entitled "On the Seven Wonders of the World", seven objects of antiquity are described on twelve pages. But the author wrote his work on the basis of the stories of others he had heard, but he himself had never seen them.

In Europe, the seven wonders of the world became known after the publication of the book Sketches in the History of Architecture. In it, the author, Fischer von Erlach, meticulously described seven unique objects of antiquity.

In Rus', the very first mention of the seven wonders of the world was found in the writings of Simeon of Polotsk, who in his notes refers to a certain Byzantine source.

The list of the most famous monuments of the ancient world includes: the Egyptian pyramid at El Giza, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Pharos Lighthouse, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

Pyramids of Giza.

Today, of all the listed seven wonders of the world of the ancient world, only the Great Pyramid of Cheops, located in El Giza, has survived.

For about four thousand years, the pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building. It was designed and built as the tomb of the most famous pharaoh - Khufu (Cheops). The construction of the pyramid was completed in 2580 BC. Then more pyramids were built here for the grandson and son of Cheops, as well as pyramids for queens. But the Great Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of them. Archaeologists suggest that the construction of this pyramid took about 20 years and at least one hundred thousand people participated in its construction. It took 2 million stone blocks to build, each weighing at least 2.5 tons. Workers used levers, blocks and ramps to lay without mortar and fit each block together. In its completed form, the pyramid was a stepped structure. The steps were then covered with polished white limestone blocks. The blocks fit so tightly together that you can't even stick a knife blade between them. The Great Pyramid has risen up to 147 meters! The length of one side of the base of the pyramid of Cheops is 230 meters. The pyramid covers an area larger than nine football fields. The ancient Egyptians believed that if you save the body of the pharaoh, then his spirit will live on after death, so they mummified the body of Pharaoh Khufu and placed him in a burial chamber located in the center of the pyramid.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

In the sixth century BC. The Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the construction of marvelous gardens for his wife Amitis. As a Median princess, she missed her homeland in dusty and noisy Babylon, which was famous for the aromas of numerous gardens and green flowering hills. The king wanted not only to please Amitis, but also to create such a masterpiece that could glorify him.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the second wonder of the world. There are chronicles that describe in great detail the gardens of the Babylonian king. According to records found, the gardens were built around 600 BC. Ancient Babylon was located on the banks of the Euphrates River, south of modern Baghdad. Despite the fact that the idea of ​​​​creating flowering gardens and green hills among the arid Babylonian plain was considered an unrealizable fantasy, the project of Nebuchadnezzar II nevertheless came true.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were a four-tiered pyramid, the tiers of which were both terraces and balconies. The tiers were held by powerful columns. Each of them was planted with unique plants (flowers, trees, grass and shrubs). Seeds and seedlings for gardens were brought from all over the world. Outwardly, the pyramid resembled a constantly flowering hill. A unique irrigation system was designed for the gardens. Around the clock, several hundred slaves turned wheels with buckets to supply plants with water.

The Babylonian gardens were truly an oasis in the hot and stuffy Babylon. It is not known why Queen Amitis was called by the name of the Assyrian queen - Semiramis, therefore the amazing gardens of Babylon were also called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

In the 9th century BC, Alexander the Great was so captivated by the magnificence of the gardens of Babylon that he placed his residence in the palace. He loved to relax in the shade of the gardens and remember his native Macedonia. When the city fell into decay, there was no one to supply water to the gardens, all the plants died, and numerous earthquakes finally destroyed the palace. Babylon disappeared along with one of the most beautiful objects of antiquity - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was created on the initiative and funding of Alexander the Great. The interior of the temple was magnificent: beautiful statues and stunning paintings created by the best artists and architects of that time. But the history of this temple began long before that. In 560 B.C. King Croesus of Lydia (considered the richest ruler of that time) built a majestic temple in the city of Ephesus in honor of the moon goddess Artemis, who was considered the patroness of young girls and animals. The temple was built from local building materials - marble and limestone, quarried in the nearby mountains. The main feature of the temple was the giant marble columns in the amount of 120 pieces. In the center of the temple stood a statue of the goddess Artemis. This temple was larger than the then famous Parthenon temple in Athens. He stood for two hundred years and in 356 BC. the temple was completely burned down. According to history, Herostat set fire to it, thus dreaming of becoming famous for centuries. An interesting coincidence - the temple was burned on the day when Alexander the Great was born. Years have passed. Alexander the Great visited Ephesus and ordered the restoration of the temple. The temple built by Alexander survived until the 3rd century AD. The city was dying, the bay of Ephesus was covered with silt. The temple was plundered by the Goths, flooded by numerous floods. Today, only a few blocks and one restored column can be seen on the site of the temple.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, managed to achieve power and acquire considerable wealth. Kariya was then part of the Persian Empire, and the city of Halicarnassus became its capital. He decided to build a tomb for himself and his queen. But, as he dreamed, the tomb should be unusual - it should become a monument to his wealth and power. Mausolus himself did not live to see the completion of this majestic object, but his widow continued to supervise the construction. The tomb was completed in 350 BC. and named it after the name of the king - Mausoleum. In the future, this name began to be given to the majestic and impressive tombs.

The mausoleum in Halicarnassus was a rectangle measuring 75x66 meters and 46 meters high. The ashes of the reigning couple were kept in golden urns placed in the tomb of the Mausoleum. Several stone lions guarded this room. A majestic temple towered above the tomb itself, surrounded by statues and columns. A step pyramid was erected on top of the building. And the whole complex was crowned with a sculptural image of a chariot, which was ruled by a reigning couple. After 18 centuries, a powerful earthquake destroyed the Mausoleum to the ground. In 1489, the ruins of the majestic tomb were used by Christian knights to build their castle. The tomb itself was ruthlessly plundered by marauders. Currently, parts of the foundation of the Mausoleum, reliefs and statues that were found during excavations are in the British Museum in London.

The Colossus of Rhodes.

The fifth wonder of the world of the ancient world is the statue of the Colossus of Rhodes. A giant statue stood in a port city on the island of Rhodes. The inhabitants of Rhodes considered themselves independent traders and tried not to interfere in other people's military conflicts, but they could not avoid the fact that they themselves were repeatedly conquered. In the 4th century, the people of Rhodes managed to defend their city from the invasion of warlike Greeks. To commemorate this victory, they decided to build a statue of the sun god Helios. The exact location and appearance of the statue remained unknown to us, from the annals it follows only that it was made of bronze and reached a height of thirty-three meters. To make it stable, during construction, its hollow shell was filled with stones. She was erected for 12 years! In 280 B.C. The colossus stood at full height over the bay of Rhodes. After 50 years, there was a strong earthquake, and the Colossus collapsed, breaking at the level of the knees. The local oracle demanded not to restore the statue. For 900 years, every visitor to Rhodes could look at the statue of the defeated god. In 654 AD the Syrian prince, who captured the island, removed all the bronze plates from the statue and took them to Syria.

Alexandrian lighthouse.

In the III century BC. on the island of Foros, not far from the coast of the Alexandrian bay, a lighthouse was built to help ships passing the reefs on the way to the port of Alexandria. The lighthouse, 117 meters high, consisted of three massive marble towers. At the top of one of the towers stood a statue of Zeus. At night, the lighthouse reflected flames, and during the day, a column of smoke rose above it. The lighthouse required a large amount of fuel to operate. The tree was brought to the lighthouse by numerous mules and horses. Instead of mirrors directing light into the sea, bronze plates were used. The Foros lighthouse stood for 1500 years and was destroyed by an earthquake. On the ruins of the lighthouse, the Muslims built their military fort. This military facility still stands on the site of the Faros lighthouse.

Olympian statue of Zeus.

Three thousand years ago, Olympia was the religious center of Greece. At that time, the most revered Greek deity was the king of the gods - Zeus. Festivities were regularly held, including sports competitions. It is believed that the first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC. After that, competitions were held every four years for 1100 years. At the time of the games, all wars were stopped in order to allow the participants to arrive at the competition site. The citizens of Olympia decided to build a majestic temple dedicated to Zeus in the city. It took ten years to build it. The temple was supposed to have a statue of Zeus. The sculptor Phidias and his assistants first created a wooden frame for the sculpture, then covered it with ivory plates, while the god's clothes were made of gold sheets. Despite the huge amount of detail that the sculpture consisted of, it looked like a monolithic figure. Zeus sat majestically on a throne adorned with precious stones and inlaid with ebony. The statue reached a height of 13 meters, reaching the ceiling of the temple. For 800 years after its creation, the statue of Zeus at Olympia was the seventh wonder of the world. The Roman emperor Caligula wanted the statue to be moved to Rome. According to legend, when the workers sent by the emperor arrived, the statue burst into loud laughter, and the workers fled in fright. In 391 AD The Romans banned the Olympic Games and closed all Greek temples. A few years later, the statue of Zeus was moved to Constantinople. In 462 AD the palace where the statue was located burned down. The temple at Olympia was destroyed by an earthquake. Mankind has lost one of its wonders - the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

It remains to be hoped that someday world technology will reach such a level that they will be able to recreate the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world. And it will be truly a tribute to the memory of generations of talented architects of antiquity, who created architectural masterpieces that have no equal in the modern world.

Everyone knows that there were only seven wonders of the world in the world. Which of them have survived, and which have sunk into oblivion?

Six of the seven wonders of the world, unfortunately, have not been preserved. And only one thing remains to please the eyes of tourists. Moreover, the wonder of the world, which has survived to this day, is the most ancient. How old is he, where is he? We will definitely answer this question. But first, let's remember them all, and in order, starting with the youngest - built in the 3rd century BC.

Six wonders of the world that have not survived to this day

The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant (colossal), at that time, ancient statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios, erected on the island of Rhodes (in the Aegean Sea), in the city of the same name.

The statue was commissioned by the inhabitants of Rhodes from the sculptor Haresu. Initially, they planned that it would be ten times higher than human height, but subsequently increased the height of the project to 36 meters.

Construction began in 292 BC. and it lasted 12 years. The Colossus of Rhodes stood on a marble pedestal, had an iron frame and was lined with bronze plates, and the internal volume was filled with clay. At the same time, it is known that its construction took about 8 tons of iron and about 13 tons of bronze.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood for only about 55 years and was destroyed by an earthquake around 225 BC.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the third century BC in ancient Egypt on the island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria. It was built from 5 to 20 years (here the data differ) during the reign of the king of Egypt, Ptolemy II. The approximate year of completion of construction is 283 BC. The name of the architect is known, he was Sostratus of Cnidus.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was made of marble (or faced) and had three levels:

• the lower level was rectangular and had living quarters
• the middle level was octagonal
• upper level - the cylinder in which the lighthouse fire burned

The lighthouse of Alexandria received another name in honor of the island on which it was built - the Pharos lighthouse. It was about 130 meters high, and its light was visible to ships, according to various sources, at a distance of 50 to 80 kilometers.

The lighthouse stood intact until 796 AD. This year a strong earthquake severely damaged it. It was restored, but not in full. It is known that in the 14th century its height was only 30 meters. And in the 15th century, Sultan Al-Ashrafom Saif al-Din Qait-bey built the Qait-Bey fortress on this site, which exists to this day.

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is the tombstone of Mausolus, the ruler of the Carian people. The ancient city of Halicarnassus, where the mausoleum was built, was located on the territory of modern Turkey (the city of Bodrum).

The construction of the mausoleum was ordered by the wife of Mausolus Artemisia III during the life of her husband. The Greek architects Satyr and Pytheas undertook the construction. Also, the well-known sculptors Briaxides, Leohar, Skopas and Timofeos were involved in the work.

The mausoleum was built for eight years from 359 to 351 BC. Mausolus did not wait for the completion of construction and died in 353.

The resulting structure was 45 meters high, the first level was decorated with 36 columns and many statues, a pyramid towered above it, on top of which there was a marble quadriga - a two-wheeled chariot with four horses harnessed to it.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus stood for 19 centuries and the ball was destroyed by a strong earthquake in the 13th century.

For reference: the word “mausoleum” comes from the name Mausolus.

The Olympic Games, in honor of the god of thunder and lightning - Zeus, were held in ancient Greece from 776 BC. They enjoyed great popularity. And now, after 300 years, the Greeks decided to build a temple in honor of their main god and patron of the Olympic Games. In 470 BC, they began to collect donations for its construction.

When funds were raised, the construction of the temple began, which lasted ten years between 466 and 456 BC. The temple of Zeus turned out to be truly grandiose: a marble roof measuring 27 by 64 meters was supported by 34 limestone columns. Each column was 10.6 meters high and over 2 meters in diameter. And the total area of ​​the building was 1728 square meters.

The temple was built. After some time, the question arose of creating a statue worthy of the god Zeus. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias undertook its creation. To do this, he needed a gigantic workshop equal in area to the temple itself, which was built 80 meters from it.

The opening of the statue of Zeus at Olympia took place in 435 BC. e. It was made in the technique of chrysalephantine sculpture: the wooden frame was pasted over with ivory plates, and the cape, the scepter with an eagle in the left hand, the statue of the goddess Nike in the right hand, and the olive wreath on the head were covered with gold. And with all this, Zeus sits on a golden throne. Information about the height of the statue varies: together with the pedestal, it was 12-17 meters.

The statue has existed for over 800 years. The last written evidence of it dates back to 363. And in the 11th century, the historian Georgy Kedrin claimed that in the 5th century the statue was still intact. She could be transferred to Constantinople, where she burned down during a fire in 476. According to another version, she was not transported anywhere, and she died along with the temple in a fire in 425.

The temple of Artemis of Ephesus, as you might guess, was located in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, not far from the modern city of Selçuk (the extreme west of Turkey). The temple was erected in honor of Artemis, the goddess of hunting and fertility, and the patroness of all life on Earth.

Funds for the construction of the temple were donated by the Lydian king Croesus, and the project was developed by the architect Khersifron. He erected the walls and colonnade of the temple. Without waiting for the completion of construction Hersifron died. The construction was continued by his son Metagenes, and the architects Paeonius and Demetrius completed the construction of the temple.

The Temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC. And in 356 BC. e it was destroyed by fire, which, according to legend, a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus. Thus, Herostratus simply wanted to become famous and achieved his goal.

By 323 BC, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus had been completely restored by the architect Alexander Deinocrates. And the funds for this were allocated by Alexander the Great. The temple turned out to be exactly the same as its previous version, except that it was raised to a higher stepped base. The roof was supported by 127 columns standing in eight rows and having a height of 18 meters. The length of the temple was 105 meters, and the width was 52. Inside the temple was decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs and paintings.

The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus successfully existed for several centuries, before it was sacked by the Goths in 263 AD. And at the end of the 4th century, it was closed and destroyed by Christians, in connection with the prohibition of paganism.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the most controversial wonder of the world. It is not known for certain if they even existed. Moreover, if they existed, then not at the time when Queen Semiramis lived.

The legend is as follows: the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II entered into a military alliance with Cyaxares, the king of Media, and in order to secure the alliance, he married the daughter of Cyaxares, whose name was Amitis (Amanis). Amitis moved in with her husband in Babylon (the ruins of Babylon are located on the outskirts of the modern city of El Hill in Iraq), which was a dusty and dry desert city.

Amitis missed her mountainous and green homeland - Mussels. And to extinguish this boredom, Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the construction of green hanging gardens. They were supposedly created in 605 BC.

And Semiramis, the legendary queen of Assyria, the wife of King Nin, lived two centuries earlier. So the “hanging gardens of Babylon” would be more correct to call the “hanging gardens of Amitis”. As for the term “hanging garden”, it implies a garden that is located on the roof, gallery or special stone supports. Plants in it grow on a bulk soil layer.

According to the legends, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon existed until the first century AD.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and highest wonder of the world. And besides, the only one that has survived to this day. And that means the most durable. It is located on the Giza plateau at the base of the Nile Delta, not far from Cairo, in Egypt.

Although about 4500 years have passed since the construction, we know (how reliable this knowledge is is a question) who was its architect. He was the nephew of Cheops - Hemiun. Presumably, the construction was completed somewhere around 2540 BC and took about 20 years.

It is impossible to say for certain the exact date of the start of the construction of the pyramid of Chiops. Different methods of its determination gave different results, which fit into the following period: 2850 - 2560 BC. At the same time, Egypt celebrates the official date for the start of construction: August 23, 2560 BC. e.

The pyramid of Cheops is made of blocks of granite and limestone (mainly limestone). Now it has a stepped appearance, but originally it was lined with white limestone (the so-called Jura marble) and had sloping slopes. Somewhere this lining has been preserved. The slopes of the pyramid shone peach in the sun, and the top was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidion.

The height of the pyramid is 135.5 meters (originally - 146.6 meters). The sides of the base are approximately 230 meters long. The base area is about 53,000 square meters. And the average weight of one stone block is 2.5 tons. At the same time, the heaviest block weighs 35 tons. In total, there are about 2.3 million blocks in the pyramid. The total weight of the pyramid is 6.5 million tons.

For more than 3,000 years, the pyramid of Cheops was the highest human creation, and in 1311, Lincoln Cathedral was built in England, the spire of which already towered 160 meters. True, in 1549 the spire collapsed. Now the height of the cathedral does not exceed 83 meters.

As for the purpose of the pyramid of Cheops, it is not known for certain. It is logical to assume that it is the tomb of the pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), but no mummies were found in it.

The eighth wonder of the world

Officially, the eighth wonder of the world does not exist. This term is used to call some of the grandiose structures of mankind that could claim the title of a wonder of the world, but ... but there are only seven wonders of the world and this list cannot be expanded.

The content of the article

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD- the most famous monuments of sculpture and architecture, described by ancient historians and travelers, incl. "father of history" Herodotus (b. c. 484 - d. c. 425 BC) in Stories. This number includes: the ancient Egyptian pyramids (3 thousand BC), the “hanging gardens” of Babylon in Babylon (7th century BC), the mausoleum in Halicarnassus (middle 4th century BC. ), Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Asia Minor, c. 550 BC), Colossus of Rhodes (statue of Helios on Rhodes, c. 292–280 BC), statue of Zeus at Olympia (Greece, c. 430 BC), a lighthouse on the island of Pharos in Alexandria (Egypt, 3rd century BC).

Only the pyramids have survived almost completely to this day.

Near the city of Hilla in Iraq are the ruins of vaulted structures: apparently, "hanging gardens" were broken on their roofs.

The British Museum in London contains fragments of sculpture from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (sculptors Skopas, Timothy, Briaxis, Leohar). From the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (Ionian dipter), rebuilt by architect. Cheirocrates, the foundations have been preserved.

Other "wonders of the world" are known only from images and descriptions.

ancient egyptian pyramids

- buildings for the burial of the pharaohs, evidence of the high engineering art of 3 thousand BC, are located in Giza, near Cairo. In ancient times, all three pyramids were considered a “miracle”: Cheops (Khufu), Khafre (Khafre), Mikerin (Menkaur). The largest was built for Pharaoh Cheops. Its height is 137.2 m (originally 146.6 m), the length of each side at the base is 230.38 m, it is composed of 2,340,000 limestone blocks, each of which weighed more than 50 centners and was supported by its own weight, without any fastenings. . During the construction, primitive tools were used (diorite hammers, copper saws and axes, tools made of polished stone), but the blocks were so skillfully processed that the gaps between them did not exceed 0.5 mm. Outside, the pyramid was lined with white polished limestone and seemed to be a single monolith, the entrance was walled up. Inside, there is an extensive network of passages, some leading to the pharaoh's burial chamber, others leading to traps. In one of the chambers inside the pyramid (10.6 × 5.7 m), the pharaoh's sarcophagus made of red granite has been preserved.

The second largest is the pyramid of Khafre, whose height is 136 m (originally 143.5 m). Around the pyramids there were burials of the wives of the pharaohs, close ones, temples, a Sphinx carved from a whole rock with the face of the pharaoh.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

The Colossus of Rhodes.

The inhabitants of Rhodes decided to erect a monument in honor of the victory of 304 BC. over the Macedonian king Demetrius I. Approx. 290 BC at the entrance to the port of Rhodes, a giant statue of the sun god Helios, the patron saint of the island, was installed, called the colossus (Greek kolossos - a large statue) of Rhodes. The sculptor Chares from the Rhodes city of Lind, a student of Lysippus, cast in bronze an almost 40-meter statue, decorated with the inscription: “The colossus you are looking at, 80 cubits high (c. 32 m) was created by Chares, born in Linda.” The image of this statue has not been preserved, so there are many assumptions about how it looked. The most reliable are two: the statue could stand in the harbor, the god Helios, depicted in full growth, held a torch in his hands, ships sailed between his widely spaced legs; the statue could stand in the center of the city on a high marble pedestal, raising its right hand to its forehead, peering into the distance.

According to Pliny's story, 500 talents of bronze (13 tons) and 300 talents of iron (7.8 tons) were spent to make the statue. The colossus was cast in parts, which were raised with the help of earthen mounds. The basis for the statue was stone blocks fastened with iron. The face and crown with seven rays were gilded. The construction of the Colossus lasted 12 years, and it lasted about 60 years. After 220 BC a devastating earthquake hit the island and the statue crashed to the ground. There have been repeated and unsuccessful attempts to restore the Colossus. But even the fragments lying on the ground caused admiration and amazement. In 977, the Arabs, who captured the island, sold the bronze fragments, which were melted down. So the traces of the famous Colossus, the most short-lived "wonder of the world", were destroyed.

Zeus statue in Olympia.

In Olympia, one of the main sanctuaries of Greece, the architect Libo from Elis built a majestic temple (mid. 5th century BC), dedicated to the god Zeus. The Doric temple, which was larger than all the temples of that time (27.68 × 64.12 m), was built of limestone blocks, decorated with painted marble pediments (on one - an image of the competition between Pelops and Enomai, on the other - the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs) and metopes (image of the exploits of Hercules). Inside was a statue of Zeus approx. 13 m, made by Phidias c. 430 BC At the foot of the sculpture, an inscription was carved: "The Athenian Phidias, son of Charmides, created me." Zeus sat on a luxurious throne, his upper body was naked, the lower part was draped in a cloak, a wreath of olive tree branches flaunted on his head, in one hand he held the figurine of the goddess of victory - Nike, in the second - a rod topped with an image of an eagle, the sacred bird of Zeus . The sculpture was made in the chryso-elephantine technique (from the Greek "chrysos" - gold, "elephanthinon" - ivory). Plates of gold and ivory were attached to the wooden sculpture: the open parts of the body of Zeus and Nike were made of ivory, the clothes, the wreath were made of gold. The throne was also made of gold and ivory: the back, arms and foot were decorated with ivory reliefs and golden images of gods and goddesses. Zeus's feet were shod in golden sandals and stood on a bench decorated with golden lions.

In 393 the Olympic Games were banned by Emperor Theodosius I as a pagan cult. By that time, according to some reports, the statue had been plundered in parts by robbers. There is a legend that in 475, on the orders of Theodosius II, the statue of Zeus was transported from Olympia to Constantinople and soon died in a fire. Only descriptions of the statue and images on coins have survived.

Alexandrian lighthouse.

In Alexandria, the new capital of Egypt, founded in 332-331 BC. Alexander the Great, a majestic palace, parks and gardens were built. Here was the tomb of Alexander the Great, Museion - an institution at the temple of the Muses, where scientists and poets lived, the famous Library of Alexandria, which stored about 500,000 scrolls. Famous mathematicians (Euclid), scientists, doctors, astronomers lived in Alexandria. It was a major cultural center of that time. In the same place, for the safe approach of ships to the city, the architect Sostratus built the Lighthouse of Alexandria (c. 280 BC). A huge three-story tower 120 m high was located on the eastern shore of about. Pharos. An inscription was carved on the wall of the lighthouse: "Sostratus, the son of Dexifan from Cnidus, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of sailors." Rectangular in plan, the first floor, built of large limestone slabs (the length of each wall is 30.5 m), was oriented to the cardinal points. The second floor - an octagonal tower lined with marble slabs - was oriented in the direction of the eight main winds. This part of the lighthouse was decorated with bronze statues, some of which served as weathercocks that indicated the direction of the wind. The third floor-lantern was round in shape, ended with a dome, on which stood a bronze statue of Poseidon (Zeus), about 7 m high. The dome rested on granite columns. Here the lighthouse fire burned, the light of which was amplified by reflecting it in a system of metal concave mirrors, and was visible from afar. Fuel for the fire was brought up by laden donkeys along a spiral, gentle staircase. The lighthouse also served as a fortress, where a large garrison was located, an observation post to detect the enemy, in the underground part there was a cistern with drinking water in case of a siege.

The lighthouse stood for almost a thousand years, but in 796 it was badly damaged by an earthquake. Later, the Arabs who came to Egypt tried to restore it: until the 14th century. the height of the lighthouse was only about 30 m. At the end of the 15th century. Sultan Kait Bey erected a fortress on the site of the lighthouse, which still stands today.

About the legendary 7 wonders of the world - the greatest creations of mankind - everyone definitely heard in childhood, even if not everyone can remember them in order. And although most of the monuments from the history textbook can no longer be seen, people managed to compile many other, alternative, lists of outstanding sights that have survived to this day, to the delight of tourists.

ancient wonders of the world

The first attempts to single out the exceptional achievements of mankind in the list of wonders of the world took shape in the written heritage of ancient Greek authors, starting from the Hellenistic era. The "selection" of the main monuments of all times took place gradually.

So, one of the first historical list of "miracles" was Herodotus: in his "History" we are talking about three grandiose structures on the island of Samos - a mountain tunnel, a dam and a temple of Hera.

Soon, other thinkers added to the list up to seven sights: the seven in ancient Greece was considered a holy figure, was an indispensable attribute of the solar gods and myths about them.

The classic "7 Wonders of the World" of the Ancient World, familiar to many from the school curriculum, is historically associated with the empire of Alexander the Great - the second half of the 4th century BC. e. Of these, two sights were ancient Egyptian, four were located in the territories of Ancient Greece and one in Mesopotamia (more precisely, in Babylon).

The Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest, the first wonder of the world and the only one that has survived to this day. It is part of the Giza Pyramid Complex, the main attraction of Egypt.

The legendary Babylonian Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the second wonder of the world, supposedly existed from the end of the 7th century BC. e. until the 1st century BC e., destroyed by floods.

The temple statue of Zeus at Olympia, reaching about 12-17 meters along with the pedestal, was made of ivory, ebony and gold, stood for about nine centuries: from 435 BC. e. before the 5th century, it burned down in a fire.

The ruins of the fourth wonder of the world, Artemis in Ephesus (from the 6th to the 4th or 3rd century BC), are now part of the Turkish city of Selçuk (near Izmir).

Of the lost sights, the most persistent was the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Non-standard for the middle of the IV century BC. e. the architectural monument existed for 19 centuries: destroyed by an earthquake, then partially dismantled for building materials. The ruins of the mausoleum can be seen in Bodrum, Turkey - this is the name of the city with the historical location of the fifth wonder of the world.

Earthquakes caused the death of two more ancient wonders: the bronze statue of the Colossus on the island of Rhodes (it stood for only 65 years, destroyed in the same III century BC) and the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt (the seventh wonder of the world, collapsed in the XIV century).

Panorama Google Maps "At the foot of the pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)"

New seven wonders of the world

The list of new wonders of the world, each of which continues to amaze tourists, was compiled in the first decade of the 21st century, in 2001-2007. Currently, these are the most famous of these ratings and therefore, along with the UNESCO World Heritage List, the main must-see landmark for tourists actively traveling around the world. It was compiled by a specially created non-profit foundation The New 7 Wonders of the world on the basis of international voting using the Internet and other means of communication. About 100 million votes were accepted as part of the selection of attractions, but since the conditions allowed for multiple votes, this list became questionable almost immediately after publication.

One of the undisputed leaders of the list is the Great Wall of China. It stretched across the north of the country for almost 9 thousand kilometers, and taking into account the ruins - more than 20 thousand kilometers. The most famous landmark of China is organically inscribed in the landscape and is a truly impressive sight. Several sites are open for tourists. The most popular is Badaling, connected by transport to Beijing.

The ancient Colosseum is an iconic landmark of Rome, its signature silhouette. This amphitheater, a masterpiece of architectural thought of the 1st century AD, almost immediately after its creation was proclaimed a wonder of the world in the list of the Roman poet Martial, his contemporary.

The symbol of Rio de Janeiro - the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Mount Corcovado - blesses the city, stretching out his hands over it from a height. At night, the illuminated figure of Christ is clearly visible from almost any part of the city, but the best view of it appears from the Pan de Azucar mountain. In the list of the new 7 wonders of the world, the statue, erected in honor of the century of independence of Brazil, is the youngest attraction, its age is less than a hundred years.

Lost in the middle of the desert in Jordan, Petra, the capital of the ancient kingdoms of Idumea and Nabatea, was opened to Europeans only in the 19th century. The main attractions of Petra, the “stone city”, are the crypts carved into the rocks of red sandstone and the rock temple of El Deir.

The pearl of Muslim architectural art in India is the mausoleum-mosque Taj Mahal in Agra, built in the 17th century at the behest of the king Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. It is not surprising that today the Taj Mahal is considered not only an outstanding architectural and spiritual monument, but also a symbol of love. Every year the marble complex becomes a place of pilgrimage for millions of people from all over the world.

The Lost Inca City of Machu Picchu is located in what is now Peru. This sixth new wonder of the world was created as a sacred mountain retreat during the Inca rule of Pachacutec in the middle of the 15th century. However, the mountainous city remained inhabited for less than a century - until the invasion of the Spaniards, who, however, never reached it. The worldwide discovery of the Inca "city among the clouds" took place only in 1911. Many mysteries of Machu Picchu have remained unsolved, and they still haunt researchers.

The list of modern wonders of the world is completed by the legacy of the Maya, another lost civilization of America. The sacred city of Chichen Itza in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula was founded around the 7th century AD, later the Toltecs who captured it contributed to the architecture of the complex. It is not known exactly why such a developed city was deserted at the end of the 12th century. The complex of surviving monuments of Chichen Itza includes pyramid temples, gaming "stadiums", ruins of colonnades, a well of sacrifices and an observatory.