home · Tourism · A brief history of the seven ancient wonders of the world (8 photos). Wonders of the world: how many were there and how many survived 7 wonders of the world of the ancient world description

A brief history of the seven ancient wonders of the world (8 photos). Wonders of the world: how many were there and how many survived 7 wonders of the world of the ancient world description

Last week, I went to visit my mother, and found my old children's encyclopedia "7 Wonders of the World" with her, leafed through with nostalgia, and eventually decided to make a post about the wonders of the world, because today there are much more than 7 wonders of the world.

To begin with, I propose to recall these "7 wonders" of antiquity.

The only miracle that has survived to this day. Construction, which lasted twenty years, began around 2560 BC. e. Excavation data from January 2010 support the theory that the pyramids were built by civilian workers. Up to 10 thousand people were employed at the construction site at the same time, while the workers worked in shifts of three months. It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids of the Giza necropolis.

Initially, the pyramid of Cheops rose to 147 meters, but due to the advance of the sands, its height decreased to 137 meters.

The pyramid of Cheops consists of 2,300,000 cubic limestone blocks with smoothly polished sides. Each block weighs an average of 2.5 tons, and the heaviest - 15 tons, the total weight of the pyramid is 5.7 million tons.

Confirmation of the inexplicably high knowledge of the Egyptians in the field of astronomy and civil engineering is the location of the Cheops pyramid in relation to the cardinal points: the pyramid almost unmistakably points to the true north. As a result of the most accurate measurements taken in 1925, an incredible fact was established: the error in its position is only 3 minutes 6 seconds.

The area of ​​the base of the pyramid is comparable to the area of ​​10 football fields.

You can talk for a long time about the pyramids shrouded in myths and legends, their labyrinths and traps, mummies and treasures, but let's leave it to the Egyptologists. For us, the pyramid of Cheops is one of the greatest structures of mankind throughout its existence and, of course, the only First Wonder of the World that has survived from the depths of centuries.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon)

The city ceased to exist long ago, but even today the ruins testify to its grandeur. In the 7th century BC. Babylon was the largest and richest city of the Ancient East. There were many amazing buildings in Babylon, but the hanging gardens of the royal palace were most striking - gardens that have become a legend.

the famous "hanging gardens" were created not by Semiramis and not even during her reign, but later, in honor of another - not legendary - woman. They were built by order of King Nebuchadnezzar for his beloved wife Amitis, the Median princess, who yearned for the green hills of Media in dusty Babylon.

This king, who destroyed city after city and even entire states, built a lot in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar turned the capital into an impregnable stronghold and surrounded himself with luxury, unparalleled even in those days.

The design of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was a pyramid with a base (43x35 meters), which consisted of four tiers, mounted on twenty-five-meter columns. The surface of each tier was covered with a layer of reeds (reeds), stone blocks fastened with gypsum and lead plates, on which a thick layer of fertile soil was poured. All these measures helped to preserve water for plants for as long as possible, which was not at all plentiful in Babylon.

The height of the structure was almost thirty meters! Trees, flowers, soil - all this was brought in carts pulled by oxen. Water was supplied through pipes from the Euphrates River. For this, hundreds of slaves turned a huge wheel installed in one of the towers around the clock.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The statue of Olympian Zeus is the work of Phidias. An outstanding work of ancient sculpture, one of the seven wonders of the world. She was in the temple of Olympian Zeus, in Olympia, a city in the region of Elis. The construction of the temple took about 10 years. But the statue of Zeus did not appear in it immediately. The Greeks decided to invite the famous Athenian sculptor Phidias to create a statue of Zeus.

Ancient Roman sculpture "Seated Zeus", Phidias type. The Hermitage was covered with gold on a cape that covered part of Zeus's body, a scepter with an eagle, which he held in his left hand, a statue of the goddess of victory - Nike, which he held in his right hand, and a wreath of olive branches on Zeus's head. Zeus's feet rested on a bench supported by two lions. The reliefs of the throne glorified, first of all, Zeus himself. Four dancing Nikes were depicted on the legs of the throne. Also depicted were centaurs, lapiths, the exploits of Theseus and Hercules, frescoes depicting the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons. The base of the statue was 6 meters wide and 1 meter high. The height of the entire statue, together with the pedestal, was, according to various sources, from 12 to 17 meters. Zeus's eyes were the size of a grown man's fist.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (Ephesus)

A few hundred years before our era, when Ephesus was at the zenith of its glory, the inhabitants decided to build a large temple. By that time, the city was already about 600 years old, it was rich and powerful, it grew and prospered under the auspices of the goddess Artemis, the sister of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus - known in Roman mythology as Diana the huntress. Artemis was also considered the goddess of the moon and helped women in childbirth.

A place for a new, majestic and grandiose temple in the part of the goddess was chosen as a holy place - even in ancient times religious rituals took place there. The townspeople decided not to spare either money or time, and besides, they attracted wealthy construction sponsors from other regions of the country.

The finished temple was magnificent, and constantly decorated with new decorative elements - after all, Ephesus was a very rich city. Historical data are contradictory, but it is mentioned that there were many bronze statues in the temple, the interior was decorated with gold and silver, the statue of the goddess herself was made of ivory and gold, and trimmed with ebony.

It is noteworthy that in those days the temple was not only a religious building, but also a financial and business center. The souvenir business also flourished: not far from the temple, original souvenirs were successfully sold - its reduced copies. Scientists have not yet figured out which temple was considered a wonder of the world - rebuilt or burned by Herostratus

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is a wonderful monument of ancient Greek architectural art, which entered the history of ancient culture as one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Our contemporaries believe that the mausoleum is the tomb of the great leaders.

The builders placed the tomb in the periptera - a building framed by a colonnade of 11-meter columns. It took 36 columns to support the roof of the mausoleum. The gaps between the columns were filled with various statues of mythological figures, and the roof looked like a stepped pyramid with 24 steps. Its crown was a marble quadriga, that is, an ancient chariot with four horses harnessed to it. Huge statues of Mausolus and Artemisia, who played the role of drivers, were placed in the chariot. This magnificent sculpture reached a height of 6 m. In the room of the tomb there were marble sarcophagi intended for the royal couple. The foot of the mausoleum was decorated with sculptures of horsemen and marble lions.

In general, the history of the Halicarnassus mausoleum is rich in events. At one time, he survived the conquest of the city by Alexander the Great, and even withstood the attack of pirates who coveted Halicarnassus at the beginning of the 1st century. However, after the Maltese attacked the mausoleum and took stone and marble slabs from it, only the foundation remained of the majestic structure.

Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes)

The colossus was a giant statue that stood in a port city on Rhodes, an island in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of modern Turkey. In ancient times, the people of Rhodes wanted to be independent merchants.

The colossus grew on the shore of the harbor on an artificial hill lined with white marble. For twelve years, no one saw the statue, because as soon as another belt of bronze sheets was attached to the frame, the embankment surrounding the colossus was poured in, so that it would be more convenient for the craftsmen to climb up. And only when the mound was removed, the Rhodians saw their patron god, whose head was decorated with a radiant crown.

The sparkling god was visible for many kilometers from Rhodes, and soon the rumor about him spread throughout the ancient world. But half a century later, a strong earthquake that destroyed Rhodes knocked the colossus to the ground, the knees were the most vulnerable spot of the statue. This is where the expression "colossus with feet of clay" comes from.

So it lay on the shore of the colossus bay - the main tourist attraction of the island. The defeated giant was seen by Pliny the Elder, who came there in the first century AD. Pliny was most struck by the fact that only a few people could wrap their hands around the thumb of the statue.

The colossus lying on the ground was overgrown with cobwebs and legends. In eyewitness accounts, he seemed much larger than he really was. Legends appeared in Roman literature that it originally towered over the entrance to the harbor and was so large that ships passed between its legs to the city.

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos)

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros lighthouse) - one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, was erected in the III century BC. e. on the small island of Faros off the coast of the Egyptian city of Alexandria. It was a busy port founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt in 332 BC. e.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was the world's first lighthouse and the only one of the seven wonders of the world that served a practical purpose, helping ships safely navigate the reefs on their way to the bay of Alexandria. The lighthouse, according to various estimates, rose to a height of 120 to 140 meters, and the light that it emitted could be seen at a distance of up to 60 km.

The lighthouse stood for almost a thousand years, but by the XII century AD. e., the Alexandrian bay was so silted up that ships could no longer use it and the lighthouse fell into disrepair. Abandoned, he stood for some time, until in 796 AD. e. it was not destroyed by the earthquake. At the end of the XV century. Sultan Kait-bey erected a fortress on the site of the lighthouse from the wreckage, which was subsequently rebuilt more than once.

These are the miracles that were described in my book. The same ones: 7 wonders. But time does not stand still, and now there are many more such miracles. It seems to me that they are also worthy of our attention ...

New 7 wonders of the world

Great Wall of China (China)

The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest architectural monuments in China and a symbol of the power of Chinese civilization. Probably, there is not a single civilized person in the world who has not heard about the Great Wall of China. It stretches from the Liaodong Gulf northeast of Beijing through Northern China to the Gobi Desert.

Construction lasted 10 years and faced numerous difficulties. The main problem was the lack of appropriate infrastructure for construction: there were no roads, there was no adequate water and food for those involved in the work, while their number reached 300 thousand people, and the total number of builders involved in Qin reached, according to some estimates, 2 million. Slaves, soldiers, peasants were involved in the construction. As a result of epidemics and overwork, at least tens of thousands of people died. Resentment at the mobilization to build the wall caused popular uprisings and was one of the reasons for the fall of the Qin Dynasty.

Probably, no creation of human hands strikes the imagination as much as the Great Wall of China - the most grandiose and longest architectural and fortification structure on the planet. The wall is not just impressive - it is stunning. First of all, the titanic labor invested in it and its transcendental dimensions. Truly, only the Chinese, organized and industrious as ants, could endure such a thing. In China, they say that a good half of their history falls on the Great Wall of China - it was built by different generations and dynasties for more than two thousand years, all the country's wars are somehow connected with it.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro)

One of the most famous statues in the world and certainly the most recognizable in Brazil is the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Installed on Mount Corcovado at an altitude of more than 700 meters, with outstretched arms in a blessing gesture, it looks at the huge city below it. The statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, due to its fame, attracts millions of tourists to Mount Corcovado. From its height, a beautiful view of the ten-millionth city with its bays, beaches, the Maracanã stadium opens up.

The height of the statue is 38 m, including the pedestal - 8 m; arm span - 28 m. Weight - 1145 tons. Being the highest point of the district, the statue regularly (on average, four times a year) becomes the target of lightning. The Catholic Diocese specially stores a stock of the stone from which the statue was erected in order to restore parts of the statue damaged by lightning.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer is without a doubt one of the main symbols not only of Rio de Janeiro, but of the whole of Brazil. The statue is visited by many tourists every year. Mount Corcovado experiences a particularly large influx of visitors during the traditional annual carnival, which is held in Rio de Janeiro. Definitely, this grandiose monument is one of the greatest sculptures in the world.

Colosseum (Rome)

amphitheater, an architectural monument of Ancient Rome, the most famous and one of the most grandiose structures of the ancient world that have survived to this day. It is located in Rome, in a hollow between the Esquiline, Palatine and Caelievsky hills.

The construction of the largest amphitheater of the entire ancient world, with a capacity of over 50 thousand people, was carried out for eight years, as a collective construction of the emperors of the Flavian dynasty. It began to be built in 72 AD. under the emperor Vespasian, and in 80 AD. the amphitheater was consecrated by Emperor Titus. The amphitheater is located in the place where there was a pond that belonged to the Golden House of Nero.

For a long time, the Colosseum was for the inhabitants of Rome and visitors the main place of entertainment spectacles, such as gladiator fights, animal persecution, sea battles.

The opening of the Colosseum was marked by 100 days of entertainment events. During this time, several thousand warriors and 5 thousand predatory animals brought from Africa died in gladiatorial tournaments. The arena of the theater had a sliding floor that rose and fell, and with the help of a water pipe connected to the Colosseum, the stage was filled with water and naval battles were arranged. Up to 3,000 gladiators could fight in the arena at the same time, and 50,000 spectators, furiously demanding "bread and circuses", intensely watched the bloody battles, chariot races and theatrical performances. In terms of the scope of the celebrations dedicated to the opening of the Colosseum, only the bloodily celebrated 1000th anniversary of Rome in 248 could be compared, when dozens of lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, giraffes, horses, donkeys and hyenas were killed in just 3 days. The 1000th anniversary of the "eternal city" was the last day of life for 2000 gladiators.

Machu Picchu (Peru)

The city of ancient America, located on the territory of modern Peru. Also, Machu Picchu is often called the "city in the sky" or "the city among the clouds", sometimes called the "lost city of the Incas". This city was created as a sacred mountain haven by the great Inca ruler Pachacutec a century before the conquest of his empire, that is, approximately in 1440, and functioned until 1532, when the Spaniards invaded the territory of the Inca empire. In 1532, all its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared.

Due to its modest size, Machu Picchu cannot claim to be a large city - it has no more than 200 buildings. These are mainly temples, residences, warehouses and other premises for public needs. For the most part, they are made of well-worked stone, slabs tightly fitted to each other. It is believed that up to 1200 people lived in and around it, who worshiped the sun god Inti there and cultivated crops on the terraces. For more than 400 years, this city was forgotten and abandoned.

Machu Picchu, especially after receiving the UNESCO World Heritage status, has become a center of mass tourism. In 2011, it was decided to limit the number of visitors. According to the new rules, only 2,500 tourists per day can visit Machu Picchu, of which no more than 400 people can climb Mount Wayna Picchu, which is part of the archaeological complex. In order to preserve the monument, UNESCO demands to reduce the number of tourists per day to 800. Machu Picchu is located in a remote region.

City of Petra (Jordan)

The city of Petra in Jordan is located in the heart of the desert. This place is the heritage of ancient culture. Built over two thousand years ago, it is of great value to admirers of ancient architecture and art. This ancient miracle city stretches along a winding valley formed among the rocks, on a site that was a riverbed in ancient times. Steps carved into the rocks lead to an innumerable number of structures - monuments, necropolises, reservoirs, altars. More than eight hundred monuments of Petra have survived to this day.

The structures of Petra that have survived to this day include temples carved into the rocks, dwellings, tombs, reservoirs, aqueducts and altars. If you approach the city along the es-Sik gorge, the first large monument that opens your eyes is el-Khazneh - a temple located in a solid rock with a two-tiered facade approx. 20 m

The mysterious people who reached unattainable architectural heights are the Nabataeans. Without exaggeration, we can say that the best reminder that they left about themselves to their descendants and which speaks about them better than any annals is the pink rocky masterpiece blown by the winds, hidden by them among impregnable mountains.

Pyramid of Kukulkan (Mexico)

25 meters high with nine levels, located in the center of a large square. The base of the pyramid is a square with sides of 55.5 meters. On each side of the pyramid there are four wide staircases, each of which has 91 steps. And these stairs lead to the upper platform on which the temple is located.

The northern staircase of the pyramid ends with snake heads - the symbol of Kukulkan, because in translation from the Mayan language, kukulkan is a feathered serpent.

Exactly at 5:15 p.m., a light show begins - the sun's rays, when bypassing the ledges of the pyramid on the days of the equinox, draw the image of the revived ancient god with a play of light and shadows. This effect lasts for 3 hours and 22 minutes. The sun descends and the image becomes clearer. Soon there are seven bends of the body of the Solar Serpent - they are formed by the shadows of the seven ledges of the pyramid. The sun goes down - the kite slides down, lower and lower. And below, at the foot of the pyramid, the head of the image coincides with the real, stone sculptured head of the snake, which ends with the northern staircase of the pyramid.

The ancient builders of the Mayan tribe were simply brilliant, having managed at that time to calculate the parameters so accurately and arranging the walls of the pyramid strictly to the cardinal points. The pyramid of Kukulkan has some astronomical significance. Each of her stairs has 91 steps, and the total number of steps is 364, plus the upper step-platform at the base of the temple, the total is 365 - the number corresponding to the number of days in a year. And the side parts of the building are divided according to the number of months in the Mayan calendar - into eighteen sections.

Taj Mahal (India)

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum-mosque located in Agra, India, on the banks of the Jumna River (probably architects Ustad-Isa and others). Built by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth (later Shah Jahan himself was buried here). Although the mausoleum's white marble dome is the most prominent component, the Taj Mahal is a structurally integrated complex. The building began to be built around 1632 and completed in 1653, thousands of artisans and craftsmen worked. The direction of the construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a Council of Architects under imperial control, including Abd ul-Karim Mamoor Khan, Makramat Khan and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lakhauri is usually considered the chief designer.

Majestic, divine, radiant, and, despite its 74-meter height, so light and airy that it is like a fairy-tale dream, the Taj Mahal mausoleum rises in the valley of the Yamuna River - the most beautiful architectural creation of India, and, perhaps, of the whole earth ... White marble domes rush high into the sky - one large and four small, in the chaste outlines of which one can guess the female forms. Reflected in the immovable surface of the artificial canal, the Taj Mahal seems to be floating in front of us, showing an example of extraterrestrial beauty and perfect harmony… But not only the architectural perfection attracts millions of travelers from all over the world to the Taj Mahal. The history of its origin makes no less impression on the hearts of people ... A story that is more like an oriental fairy tale or legend that any poet would envy ...

Time is fleeting. Civilizations are changing, leaving behind a grandiose architectural heritage. Unfortunately, everything is subject to destruction, especially what was built by human hands. That is why the ancient seven wonders of the world, the description of which is known to everyone culturally, for the most part, have not survived to our time. They were replaced by others that still exist. The seven wonders of the world of our time were chosen long enough and scrupulously. The result of this work was seven grandiose architectural structures, famous throughout the world.

Concept definition

What are the wonders of the world, and why did they get such a proud name? Why were they singled out among all the monumental works of the ancient world and modernity? And they are named so due to the fact that they are above the category of time. These monuments of architectural thought are admired now in the same way as they were admired in antiquity. There are legends about them.

Until recently, there were the ancient seven wonders of the world. The Pyramid of Cheops is the only one that has survived to this day. Others, such as the Hanging Gardens or the Lighthouse of Alexandria, did not survive. They are known only from manuscripts, essays by contemporaries and paintings recreated from descriptions.

How the new list was chosen

Thus, it was necessary to elect new seven wonders of the world. Architectural monuments withstood a real competition (it was held by an independent organization "New Open World Corporation"). All modern means were involved, including the votes received both on the Internet and via SMS messages. 90 million people around the world voted for the monument that they considered the most worthy to bear such an honorary title. Thus, among several dozen applicants in 2007, seven wonders of the world of our time were chosen. We will describe each of them in more detail below. In the meantime, I would like to list those who were only a step away from the highest award. So, Red Square in Moscow, the Stonehenge building, the Eiffel Tower and the Acropolis in Greek Athens participated in the final.

It is noteworthy that the pyramids of Giza were also finalists in the competition, but the Egyptian authorities refused to participate in it. Most likely, they do not consider it possible for these architectural monuments to be included in the new seven wonders of the world, because they already appear in the ancient ones.

the great Wall of China

There are many legends and beliefs about how they built it. So, until now, many are sure that the people who worked on its construction are buried right inside the structure - this is not so. Although the fact that more than a million people died during construction is true.

So, the construction of the Great Wall of China originates in the III century BC. The emperors conceived its construction. The construction pursued many goals, the main of which were:

  • protection of lands from nomadic tribes;
  • the inadmissibility of the assimilation of foreigners with the Chinese nation;

Thus began the construction, which dragged on for centuries. The rulers changed: some treated the construction with disdain (the Manchu Qing dynasty), while others, on the contrary, carefully watched the construction.

It should be said that a significant part of the wall collapsed because it was not properly monitored. Only the site near Beijing was lucky - for a long time it served as a kind of gateway to the capital. Nevertheless, in the late eighties of the XX century, large-scale restoration work began, and in 1997 the Wall entered the seven wonders of the world of our time.

Why did she receive such an honorary title? This is the longest architectural structure in the world: the total length is 8851.8 kilometers. How was the Great Wall of China built, that they were able to reach such an unprecedented size? The process went on for millennia, systematically. However, it is worth saying that this is not a solid structure. There are gaps along the Wall. This is what allowed the great Genghis Khan to conquer China and rule it for 12 years. Every year, tens of millions of tourists visit this wonder of the world of our time.

Rio: Christ statue

Completely on the other side of the planet, in Rio de Janeiro stands the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. He rises above the city, spreading his arms, as if embracing all the inhabitants and guests of the city of many millions.

The monument was built in honor of the centenary of the independence of Brazil. A truly picturesque place was chosen for its construction: Mount Corcovado, from which, at a glance, you can see the whole of Rio, with its Sugar Loaf peak, famous beaches.

The whole country was collected for the construction: the magazine "O Cruzeiro" announced a subscription, the funds from which went to the construction of the monument. The project was entrusted to Silva Coste, although other options were proposed before him: for example, the arms of Christ, spread out like a crucifix, were proposed by K. Oswald, the artist.

Brazil at that time was a poor, non-industrial country, so it was impossible to implement such a large-scale project. France came to the rescue - it was there that the statue of Christ the Redeemer was made in detail. And then it was already transported to Brazil. The parts were delivered to the construction site by a small railway, which is still in operation. Millions of tourists annually make an ascent to one of the most famous structures of our time.

Taj Mahal

In Agra, India, on the banks of the Jamna, the greatest palace-mausoleum of the Taj Mahal is located. This is the tomb of the wife of the great descendant of Tamerlane, Shah Jahan. The woman's name was Mumtaz Mahal, she died in childbirth.

The Taj Mahal in India is the pinnacle of the Mughal architectural style. It included a synthesis of the art of the Indians, Persians and Arabs. The most famous element of the structure is a huge snow-white dome. The mausoleum itself is made of white marble. It is a five-domed palace, which contains the tombs of both the Shah himself and his wife. It is noteworthy that the four minarets located at the edges are slightly inclined - this protects the tombs from destruction in case of earthquakes, which are not uncommon in India. A park with picturesque fountains and a lake adjoins the mausoleum itself. The Taj Mahal was built in 1653. 20 thousand builders managed such a large-scale project in 22 years.

The mausoleum itself, thanks to numerous visitors, brings considerable funds to the treasury of India.

Chichen Itza

The legendary Mayan city is located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This is not an ordinary city - it served as the capital, political and religious center. Chichen Itza was built in the 7th century AD. Most of the buildings belong to the Mayan culture, some of them were erected by the Toltecs. At the end of the 12th century, there were no inhabitants left in Chichen Itza at all. This is one of the mysteries that has not yet been explained: either the Spaniards, who destroyed the Mayans during the invasion of Mexico, were responsible for everything, or everything happened naturally due to the decline in the economic situation of the capital.

Several architectural structures were found on the territory of the ancient city at different times. However, the most remarkable of them is the Chichen Itza pyramid. This is a kind of focus of the legendary knowledge of the Maya, their religious beliefs, the center of the cult. The 24-meter one has four sides, on which 9 steps are made. The stairs located on each side of the pyramid have 91 steps. If you add up their number, you get 364 plus one, leading to a small temple crowning the pyramid. It turns out 365 - the number of days in a year.

The balustrade along the edges of the stairs represents the body of a snake, whose head is at the base of the pyramid. It gives the impression that the snake is moving. And in the fall down, and in the spring up.

Ritual temples are located at the top of the pyramid and inside it. They were probably used for sacrifices.

Coliseum

The new seven wonders of the world of our time include European monuments. This is the famous Roman Colosseum. Its appearance is partly connected with the despotic rule of Nero. He, having committed suicide, left behind a grandiose palace with a lake in the very center of Rome. Vespasian, who came to power, decided to forever erase the cruel Nero from the memory of the people. It was decided to give the chic palace to imperial institutions, and to build a huge amphitheater on the site of the lake. And so the Colosseum was born. Initially, after the construction in 80, it was called the Flavian Amphitheater. The building received its modern name only in the 8th century, most likely because of its impressive size.

Initially, it was used to amuse the people with gladiator fights, baiting animals, etc. It even celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Rome. However, in the Middle Ages, due to the invasion of barbarian tribes, the Colosseum was partially destroyed; a powerful earthquake of the 14th century played an important role in this process. After the grandiose structure is taken away brick by brick for construction needs.

Only in the 18th century, Pope Benedict XIV began to protect the Colosseum as an important architectural object. Now it is a symbol of Rome, which is visited by a great many tourists from all over the world.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a unique city in South America, located at an altitude of almost 2500 thousand meters above sea level. The Spanish conquerors could not reach it, which is why the architecture of the ancient city remained untouched.

Machu Picchu was discovered only at the very beginning of the 20th century by a professor at Yale University. It is noteworthy that very little is known about the city, they do not know anything about the population, or about the purpose of construction, and so on. One thing is clear: Machu Picchu has a very clear structure and layout.

Currently under protection. UNESCO has limited the number of daily visitors to 2,500.

Petra - the pearl of Jordan

City in the rock - this is how you can characterize another wonder of the world of the modern world, Jordanian Petra. The path to the city lies through natural gorges, which are the city walls. In ancient times, Petra was of great importance - it lay on the trade route between Damascus and the Red Sea region, as well as Gaza and the Persian Gulf. Trade city and lived.

The inhabitants of Petra were able not only to skillfully process stone, but also to collect water. In fact, the city has become an artificial oasis in the middle of the desert.

The main attraction that attracts tourists is Al-Khazneh. According to scientists, this is a temple-mausoleum. There are many legends associated with the building. According to some, this is the place where the pharaoh hid his wealth during the time of Moses, according to others, this is the repository of the loot looted by robbers.

Petra and its main temple are known to tourists all over the world from the film about the adventures of Indiana Jones.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - a list of famous ancient monuments compiled by ancient historians and travelers, including the "father of history" Herodotus.

The list was repeatedly edited, and its classical version was formed 2.2 thousand years ago thanks to the efforts of Philo of Byzantium. The list of "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" includes: the pyramid of Cheops, the "hanging gardens" of Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the lighthouse on about. Pharos in Alexandria.

Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt

The Pyramid of Cheops, or the Great Pyramid, is the only one of the 7 wonders of the world that has survived to this day. The age of the building is 4500 years. 120 thousand Egyptians for 20 years in the sweat of their faces erected a grandiose pharaoh's tomb. The pyramid of Cheops is made up of 2.5 million blocks weighing 2.5 tons each. Without the use of cement and other fasteners, the blocks are so tightly fitted to each other that the gap between them does not exceed 0.5 mm.

Initially, the pyramid had a height of 147 meters, but even today, when its top is destroyed, and the highest point is at around 138 meters, the tomb of Cheops still makes a majestic impression. For almost 4000 years, until the XIV century AD, the Pyramid of Cheops bore the title of the highest building in the world.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Asia

Around 600 BC on the territory of modern Iraq, ancient Babylon was noisy. The city reached its peak under King Nebuchadnezzar II, who entered into a military alliance with his main enemy - Assyria and intermarried with the Median king Cyaxares, marrying his daughter Amitis (Semiramide). For his wife, the king ordered to build the famous "hanging gardens". The gardens were located on a four-tiered platform, reminiscent of an ever-blooming green hill. The base of the terraces was built of stone blocks covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Then there was a double layer of brick, even higher - lead plates to prevent seepage of irrigation water. A fertile layer of soil was laid on top of this structure, on which trees, palm trees, and flowers were grown. Magnificent gardens, raised to a great height, seemed like a real wonder of the world in sultry, dusty Babylonia.

Statue of Zeus, Olympia, Greece

In 435 BC. e. in Olympia - one of the sanctuaries of Ancient Greece - a majestic temple was built in honor of the ruler of the gods - Zeus. Inside the temple was placed a huge 20-meter statue of the Olympian god, seated on a throne. The sculpture was made of wood, on top of which ivory plates were glued, imitating the upper naked part of the body of Zeus. God's clothes and shoes are covered with gold. In his left hand, Zeus held a scepter with an eagle, and in his right hand, a statue of the goddess of victory.

Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, Türkiye

The Temple of Artemis was built in 560 BC. King Croesus of Lydia in the city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor. The huge white marble temple was framed by 127 columns 18 meters high. Inside was a statue of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, made of gold and ivory. In 356 BC. one conceited inhabitant of Ephesus, Herostratus, set fire to the temple, thus deciding to become famous and perpetuate his name. The Sanctuary of Artemis was rebuilt, but in 263 it was destroyed and plundered by the Goths.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, Türkiye

The ruler of Caria, Mausolus, was still alive in 353 BC. began the construction of his own tomb in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Türkiye). The grandiose burial structure 46 meters high, girded with 36 columns and crowned with a statue of a chariot, made such a strong impression on contemporaries that since then all monumental tombs have been called mausoleums after King Mausolus.

Colossus of Rhodes, Greece

A giant statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios was installed at the entrance to the port of Rhodes in 292-280. BC e .. A slender youth-god, sculpted in full growth, held a torch in his hand. Ships sailed between the legs of the statue. For only 65 years, the Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place: in 222 BC. it was destroyed by an earthquake. Fragments of the sculpture were transported on 900 camels.

Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt

In all ages, people have been proud and carefully guarded the achievements of their civilizations. The memory of these achievements has reached our days, becoming the property of the world. The Seven Wonders of the World is a classic list of outstanding human creations.

An interesting fact is that it was well known even before our era. In ancient schools, children were taught various sciences, and knowledge of the 7 wonders of the world was mandatory.

In this article, we will not only provide you with a list of the 7 wonders of the world, but also make a brief description of each of them.

List of 7 wonders of the world

Well, now a photo and description of the masterpieces of antiquity, which we call nothing more than seven wonders of the world.

1 wonder of the world - Pyramid of Cheops

The exact date of construction of this grandiose structure is unknown. However, scholars suggest that this is around 2600 BC.

The initial height of the Cheops pyramid was 146 meters (that's like 5 nine-story houses), while now it is approximately 138 m. The angle of the walls is from 51 ° to 53 °. The average weight of the blocks from which the pyramid is built is 2.5 tons, although some blocks reach 80 tons.

No cement or other binder was used in the construction. The stone blocks of the first wonder of the world are simply stacked on top of each other. The surface of the pyramid was lined with limestone slabs. To date, the coating is almost completely destroyed.

Inside the pyramid there are three chambers: underground, "Queen's Chamber" and "Pharaoh's Chamber". There was only one entrance to this structure, and it was located at a height of 15 meters from the ground. But in 820 another, artificial entrance to the pyramid of Cheops was made.

The purpose of this stunning building is still unknown. Previously, it was believed that the pyramids played the role of tombs for the pharaohs. However, such a simplified view of such a majestic and complex structure has not been taken seriously for a long time.

There are also suggestions that the pyramid of Cheops was an ancient space observatory, or was a powerful energy generator.

2 wonder of the world - Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the second wonder of the world. This amazing building was built in 605 BC, but already in 562 BC. it collapsed due to floods.

Despite the fact that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are named after the Assyrian queen Semiramis (800 BC), Nebuchadnezzar II built them in honor of his wife Amitis.

But the hanging gardens were included in the list of 7 wonders of the world with the name of Semiramis.

The structure consisted of four floors. All of them were equipped with cool rooms for royal walks. Columns 25 m high supported each tier.

The terraces were covered with special lead leaves and filled with asphalt so that the water for watering the plants would not seep through. From above, all this was sprinkled with earth of such thickness that trees could freely grow there. One can only imagine how much weight the columns of the lower tier withstood.


Water for irrigation was pumped up from the Euphrates River using a cunning system. Slaves constantly turned the wheel to supply water, as the majestic building with stunning gardens required a lot of moisture.

To see the place where the 2nd wonder of the world was located - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, you will have to go to Iraq, since the ruins of ancient Babylon were found there.

3 wonder of the world - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

By the name of the 3 wonders of the world - the statue of Zeus, it is easy to guess to whom this architectural masterpiece was dedicated. The fact is that the Greeks built a temple to the pagan god Zeus in 465 BC, but the statue of Zeus, which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, appeared there only 30 years later.

The statue of Zeus itself was made of ivory and reached a height of 17 meters (like a five-story house). At the base of the monument was a square slab, 6 m wide and 1 m high.

The effect produced on the Greeks by the third of the wonders of the world was amazing. The fact is that the ratio of the sizes of the temple itself and the statue of Zeus inside it were such that it seemed as if Zeus would now rise and break through the roof of the temple, because otherwise he would simply not be able to straighten up.


The statue of Zeus stood at Olympia for about 800 years. At the beginning of the 5th century AD, the temple was destroyed, and the statue was transported to Constantinople in order to preserve the cultural heritage. In 425 she died in a fire.

4 wonder of the world - Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

In the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in 560 BC. The temple of Artemis of Ephesus was erected, which later became one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The height of the temple was 18 m, width - 52 m, length - 105 m. The roof was supported by 127 columns.

Some of the best masters of antiquity worked on the creation of this architectural masterpiece. The statue of Artemis itself was made of gold and ivory.

The temple had not only a religious significance, but was also a cultural and economic center.

Who burned down the temple of Artemis of Ephesus?

In the summer of 356 BC. e. The temple of Artemis, which is one of the 7 wonders of the world, was burned by a resident of the city of Ephesus. The name of the arsonist of the temple is Herostratus.

You ask why Herostratus needed to destroy such a unique monument of architecture?

By his own admission, he did this in order to go down in history and perpetuate his name forever. Despite the fact that he was executed for this atrocity, the name of Herostratus has really come down to our days.


However, the great commander Alexander the Great restored the temple of Artemis of Ephesus in its former form, allocating colossal funds for this work.

In 263, the fourth wonder of the world was sacked and destroyed by the Goths.

The remains of the Temple of Artemis from Ephesus can be found in Turkey, in the city of Selcuk, Izmir province.

5 wonder of the world - Mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, appeared in 351 BC. The author of the idea is the king of Caria named Mausolus, together with his wife, Queen Artemisia.

Thus, they decided to perpetuate their name following the example of the Egyptian pharaohs. I must say that his idea was successful, since the fifth wonder of the world is still associated with his name.

The building of the mausoleum was three-tiered.

The first tier was a massive plinth, surrounded around the perimeter by statues of ancient Greek heroes. Inside, after the death of Mausolus and his wife, their tombs were to be placed.

The second floor was used as a temple for serving pagan cults. There were 36 columns on it, which held the upper, main part of the Halicarnassus mausoleum.

The third tier looked like a pyramid, consisting of 24 steps. At the very top, the main value of the mausoleum was established: a majestic statue, which was a chariot with King Mausolus and his wife Artemisia.


It seems incredible, but in the Museum of Britain you can see the statues of both royal spouses, well preserved to this day.

The mausoleum in Halicarnassus, which became one of the seven wonders of the world, was destroyed in the 13th century due to a massive earthquake.

In the Turkish resort town of Bodrum, you can find the place where the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus once stood.

6 wonder of the world - Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes entered the classic list of the seven wonders of the world almost immediately after its creation in 280 BC.

But first, let's tell the background of the appearance of the sixth wonder of the world. Demetrius I almost immediately after the death of Alexander the Great attacked Rhodes, one of the largest port cities.

After holding the siege of the city for more than a year, for unknown reasons, he abandoned everything he had there and left with his army.

As a token of gratitude, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to sell the huge property that was in their hands and use the proceeds to build a monument to Helios, the god of the sun.

The main architect and sculptor of this masterpiece was Jerez. The original idea of ​​the inhabitants of Rhodes was to build a statue that would be 10 times higher than the average height of a person, that is, 18 meters.

But then they decided to double the height, for which they allocated an even larger amount of money to Sherry. But they were not enough to continue construction. However, Jerez could no longer stop.

He borrowed colossal money from wealthy friends and relatives and continued to work tirelessly to create a monument that would later add to the seven wonders of the world.

Ultimately, after 12 years of titanic work, the world saw the 36-meter Colossus of Rhodes. It consisted of an iron frame trimmed with clay and faced with bronze. The Colossus was located right at the entrance to the harbor, and was visible from all nearby islands.

It is interesting to note that the fate of the sculptor Sherry himself was tragic. After completing his masterpiece, he was harassed by creditors. Ultimately, he committed suicide.

In general, 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were used to build the Colossus of Rhodes. However, 65 years after its appearance, around 225 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes collapsed into the sea, breaking at the knees. By the way, the expression "colossus with feet of clay" appeared just after that.


Eyewitnesses left information that only one finger of the statue was so thick that two adults could barely clasp it.

The height of the colossus was approximately 60 m (like an eighteen-story building). In the supine position, the Rhodes statue lay for almost 900 years. Then it was dismantled and sold by the Arabs, who had captured Rhodes by that time.

In the end, it should only be noted that there is no exact data on how the Colossus of Rhodes, included in the seven wonders of the world, actually looked.

7 wonder of the world - Lighthouse of Alexandria

The last, seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC. In another way, it is also called the Faros lighthouse.

The idea of ​​creating this lighthouse was quite practical. The fact is that not far from Alexandria was the island of Pharos with an important bay. At that time it was of great importance for passing merchant ships.

Probably Sostratus of Cnidus (the chief architect of the lighthouse) dreamed that his brainchild would enter the seven wonders of the world and glorify his name for centuries.

The project was implemented during the reign of the Egyptian Ptolemy II. The construction was given 20 years, but Sostratus completed the work in just 5.

An interesting fact is that when Sostratos was required to imprint the name of Ptolemy on the lighthouse of Alexandria, he acted very cunningly. First, he carved his name on a stone, and on top of the plaster he laid out the name of the ruler.

A few decades later, the plaster collapsed, and the name of the true master and author of the seventh wonder of the world appeared to the inhabitants.

The lighthouse of Alexandria consisted of three towers.

The lowest part was a technical floor, where workers and soldiers lived, and all inventory for the care of the lighthouse was stored.

The second part looked like an octagonal tower, around which there was a ramp. Fuel for the fire was supplied through it.

The topmost, the key tower of the lighthouse, was equipped with a complex system of mirrors, thanks to which the light from the fire was visible so far.

The total height of the Faros lighthouse was about 140 meters. At the very top was a statue of the god of the seas - Poseidon.


Mention should be made of the reviews of contemporaries who saw the Lighthouse of Alexandria in person. So some travelers talked about the amazing statues that were located on the lighthouse.

The first of them raised their hand with the sunrise, pointed to it throughout the day, and after sunset, the hand fell.

The second - 24 times a day made a sound with the last second of each elapsed hour.

The third indicated the direction of the wind.

The lighthouse of Alexandria illuminated the water surface at a distance of over 60 km at night. During the day, a column of smoke rose from it, which also served as an important indicator for ships.

In 796, having stood for almost 1000 years, the seventh wonder of the world, the Pharos lighthouse, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. In the 15th century, the Sultan of Kait Bey founded a fortress on its foundation, which still exists.

An interesting fact is that in 2015, the Egyptian authorities approved a project to rebuild the lighthouse.

Well, here it is all seven wonders of the world. Of course, this list was disputed at various times by various figures, but it is still considered a classic.

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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 based on 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.