Seven wonders of the world of our time: description. A brief history of the seven ancient wonders of the world (8 photos) The 7 wonders of the world are called

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 came 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”.

For centuries, people have compiled a variety of lists of the wonders of the world in order to single out from the total number the most outstanding creations of the architectural genius of man or the most amazing manifestations of natural perfection. Most often, such lists were limited to seven laureates, following the ancient Greek seven wonders of the world, but there are also more extended or narrow lists.

Seven Wonders of the World (or Seven Wonders of the World of the Ancient World) - a list of the most famous sights of the Oikoumene culture. Compiling a list of the most famous poets, philosophers, generals, great kings, as well as monuments of architecture and art, is a traditional "small" genre of Greek Hellenistic poetry and a kind of exercise in rhetoric. The choice of the number itself is consecrated by ancient ideas about its completeness, completeness and perfection, the number 7 was considered the sacred number of the god Apollo (Seven against Thebes, Seven Wise Men, etc.). Like collections of sayings of famous sages, collections of anecdotes, and tales of curiosity, writings on the Seven Wonders of the World were popular in antiquity and included descriptions of the grandest, most magnificent, or technically the most amazing buildings and monuments of art. That is why they were called miracles, while many genuine masterpieces of ancient architecture and art are missing from the list - the Acropolis in Athens with the creation of Phidias - the statue of Athena Parthenon, the famous statue of Aphrodite of Cnidus by Praxiteles, etc.

Mentions of the Seven Wonders appear in the writings of Greek authors, starting from the Hellenistic era. They should have been known already at school, scientists and poets wrote about them. In the text of one Egyptian papyrus, which was a kind of textbook, the names of famous legislators, painters, sculptors, architects, inventors, which are obligatory for memorization, are mentioned, then the largest islands, mountains and rivers, and, finally, the seven wonders of the world. The "selection" of miracles took place gradually, and one miracle replaced another.

Herodotus

The walls of Babylon were included in the list of seven wonders of the world, but later they were replaced by the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Samos Island today

Aqueduct

"I saw your walls, Babylon, on which it is spacious
And chariots; I saw Zeus at Olympia,
The Miracle of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Helios
And the pyramids are the work of many hard labors;
I know Mausolus a huge tomb. But I just saw
I am the chamber of Artemis, who raised the roof to the clouds,
Everything else faded before him; outside of Olympus
The sun sees no beauty equal to it anywhere.

The description of Antipater follows the work of Philo of Alexandria (an orator of the 4th century AD or a famous mechanic of the 3rd century BC) “On the Seven Wonders”. Probably, after the construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, this miracle of engineering replaces the walls of Babylon in the list (Pliny the Elder mentions it as a wonder of the world in Natural History). In a number of works, instead of hanging gardens, the walls of Babylon reappeared, and the lighthouse on about. The Pharos was replaced by the Library of Alexandria; the list was also supplemented by the Pergamon altar of Zeus, the palace of Cyrus in Persepolis, the “singing” statues of Memnon near Egyptian Thebes and Thebes themselves, the temple of Zeus in Cyzicus, the statue of Asclepius in Epidaurus, Athena Parthenos by Phidias on the Athenian Acropolis, in the Roman period - the Colosseum and the Capitol. Subsequently, the list in various combinations was also supplemented by the Temple of Solomon, Noah's Ark, the Tower of Babel, the Temple of Sophia in Constantinople, etc.

classic list

Approximately in the III century BC. a classic list of the seven wonders of the world was formed:

Pyramid of Cheops (Gizeh, 2550 BC),
Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon, 600 BC),
Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Olympia, 435 BC),
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Ephesus, 550 BC),
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Halicarnassus, 351 BC),
Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes, between 292 and 280 BC),
Lighthouse of Alexandria (Alexandria, 3rd century BC).

The Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) is the largest of the Egyptian pyramids, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World of the Ancient World that has survived to this day. An Eastern proverb says: "Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time is afraid of the Pyramids." It is assumed that the construction, which lasted twenty years, ended around 2540 BC. e. The architect of the Great Pyramid is Hemiun, the vizier and nephew of Cheops. He also bore the title "Manager of all construction sites of the pharaoh." For more than three thousand years (before the construction of the cathedral in Lincoln, England, around 1300), the pyramid was the tallest building on Earth.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A more correct name for this building is the Hanging Gardens of Amitis (according to other sources - Amanis): that was the name of the wife of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, for whose sake the gardens were created. Presumably located in the ancient city-state of Babylon, near the modern city of Hilla. Hanging gardens existed for about two centuries. After the death of Amitis, the garden was no longer looked after, then powerful floods destroyed the foundation of the columns, and the entire structure collapsed. Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the most mysterious structure of all the Wonders of the World. Scholars even doubt whether they were real or whether they were just a figment of someone's imagination, diligently rewritten from annals to annals.

The statue of Zeus at Olympia is the work of Phidias. An outstanding work of ancient sculpture, one of the seven wonders of the world. It was located in the temple of Zeus, in Olympia - a city in the region of Elis, in the north-west of the Peloponnese peninsula, where from 776 BC. e. to 394 AD e. Every four years, the Olympic Games were held - competitions of Greek, and then Roman athletes. The Greeks considered unfortunate those who did not see the statue of Zeus in the temple. The Olympic Games, held for 300 years in honor of the god Zeus, were very popular among the people. Despite this, there was no main temple of Zeus in Greece, and only in 470 BC. began to collect donations for its construction. According to legend, the temple was magnificent. The entire temple, including the roof, was built of marble. It was surrounded by 34 massive shell rock columns. Each was 10.5 meters high and over 2 meters thick. The area of ​​the temple was 64 × 27 m. On the outer walls of the temple there were slabs with bas-reliefs depicting 12 labors of Hercules. Bronze doors, 10 meters high, opened the entrance to the cult room of the temple. In the 5th century BC e. The citizens of Olympia decided to build a temple to Zeus. The majestic building was erected between 466 and 456 BC. e. It was built of huge stone blocks and surrounded by massive columns. For several years after the completion of construction, the temple did not have a worthy statue of Zeus, although it was soon decided that it was necessary. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias was chosen as the creator of the statue. About 40 AD. e. Roman emperor Caligula wanted to move the statue of Zeus to his place in Rome. Workers were sent for her. But, according to legend, the statue burst out laughing, and the workers fled in horror. The statue was damaged after an earthquake in the 2nd century BC. e., then it was restored by the sculptor Dimofont. In 391 a.d. e. The Romans, after the adoption of Christianity, closed the Greek temples. Emperor Theodosius I, who affirmed Christianity, banned the Olympic Games as part of a pagan cult. Finally, only the base, some columns and sculptures remained from the temple of Olympian Zeus. The last mention of it refers to 363 AD. e. At the beginning of the 5th century A.D. e. The statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople. The statue burned down in the fire of the temple in 425 AD. e. or in the fire at Constantinople in 476 AD. e.

Ancient ruins at Olympia

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located in the Greek city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor (now the city of Selchuk in the south of the province of Izmir, Turkey). The first major temple was built in the middle of the VI century BC. e., burned by Herostratus in 356 BC. e., soon restored in a rebuilt form, in the III century plundered by the Goths. In the 4th century it was closed by Christians in connection with the ban on pagan cults and destroyed. The church built in its place was also destroyed.

Artemis of Ephesus

Model of a temple in Turkey in the Miniaturk park

View of the temple ruins

This is what the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus looked like

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is a tombstone of the Carian ruler Mausolus (Greek Μαύσωλος), built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. by order of his wife Artemisia III in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Turkey), one of the ancient wonders of the world. The mausoleum stood for 19 centuries. In the XIII century, it collapsed from a strong earthquake, and in 1522 the remains of the Mausoleum were dismantled by the Knights of St. John for the construction of the fortress of St. Peter. In 1846, the British Museum expedition led by Charles Thomas Newton explored the ruins. Based on the results of the research, several options for reconstructing the original appearance were drawn up, one of which was used as the basis for the Grant mausoleum in Manhattan.

Carian King Mausolus

Perhaps this is what the Colossus of Rhodes looked like

The Colossus of Rhodes (Greek Κολοσσός της Ρόδου, lat. Colossus Rhodi) is a giant statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios, which stood in the port city of Rhodes, located on the island of the same name in the Aegean Sea, in Greece. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. For twelve years, the sculptor Chares, a student of Lysippus, worked on the creation of an almost 36-meter bronze giant. When the work on the statue was completed, a tall and slender youth-god with a radiant crown on his head appeared before the eyes of the amazed Rhodians. He stood on a white marble pedestal, leaning slightly back, and peered tensely into the distance. The statue of the god stood right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible from the nearest islands. The statue was made of clay, it had a metal frame at its base, and it was covered with bronze sheets on top. It took 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron to make the grandiose monument (about 13 and about 8 tons, respectively). The colossus also gave rise to a kind of fashion for giant statues, on Rhodes already in the 2nd century. BC e. about a hundred colossal sculptures were installed. The colossus stood for sixty-five years. In 222 B.C. e. the statue was destroyed by an earthquake. As Strabo writes, "the statue lay on the ground, overthrown by an earthquake and broken at the knees." But even then, the Colossus was surprising for its size. Pliny the Elder mentions that only a few could wrap both hands around the thumb of the statue (given the natural proportions of the human body, this indicates the height of the statue at 200 feet or 60 m). The fragments of the Colossus lay on the ground for more than a thousand years, until they were finally sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977, to a merchant who, according to one of the chronicles, loaded 900 camels with them.

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros) - one of the 7 wonders of the world, was built in the 3rd century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, so that the ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to the Alexandrian Bay. At night they were helped in this by the reflection of the flames, and during the day by a column of smoke. It was the first lighthouse in the world, and it stood for almost a thousand years. The lighthouse was built on the small island of Pharos in the Mediterranean off the coast of Alexandria. This busy port was founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt in 332 BC. e. The building was named after the island. It was supposed to take 20 years to build, and it was completed around 283 BC. e., during the reign of Ptolemy II, king of Egypt. The construction of this gigantic structure lasted only 5 years. Architect - Sostratus of Cnidus. The Pharos lighthouse consisted of three marble towers, standing on a base of massive stone blocks. The first tower was rectangular, it contained rooms in which workers and soldiers lived. Above this tower was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the top tower. The upper tower was shaped like a cylinder in which a fire burned. By the 12th century A.D. e. the bay of Alexandria was so silted up that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. In the 14th century, the lighthouse was completely destroyed by an earthquake. A few years later, its fragments were used to build a fortress. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt several times. Interestingly, before the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the walls of Babylon were the seventh wonder of the world. Before its construction, the walls of Babylon were considered the second wonder of the world. When a 130-meter lighthouse was built at the mouth of the Nile, contemporaries were so amazed by this outstanding technical achievement that they simply crossed out the walls of Babylon from the list of the Seven Wonders of the World and included the lighthouse as the latest, newest miracle.

The Colosseum was also added to the list of wonders of the world of the Ancient World.

The first mention of the Seven Wonders in Rus' is found by Simeon of Polotsk, who was familiar with their description from some Byzantine source. In modern Europe, they became widely known after the publication of Fischer von Erlach's (1656-1723) book Sketches on the History of Architecture, which also contains the first reconstructions of famous monuments of ancient architecture known to us.

Seven wonders of the world, photos and descriptions of unique architectural structures show the greatness of ancient history.

The ancient era, with its greatest cultural and historical monuments, laid the foundation for the outstanding creations of mankind, which continue the legacy with new discoveries and genuine miracles.

What are the wonders of the world, how many of them exist, what they are, why the word “miracle” is used in relation to them, what significance these objects have for world history and culture - we will try to answer these questions, as well as give a definition, a brief description and provide photographs of those that exist in the 21st century.

Since the time of Ancient Hellas, it has been customary to call a wonder of the world an ancient work of architecture and art, which has no equal in beauty, majestic size, precious decoration and originality.

There were 7 such miracles in the ancient world. Who has not heard about the Eighth Wonder of the World? Probably everything. Can you name him? List them, and you will be convinced that there are only seven of them in our time. Not a single list or table in the textbook contains it. And all because the 8th wonder of the world does not officially exist - this is just an expression designed to evaluate something truly amazing and grandiose, or ... to emphasize the extraordinary curiosity of some phenomenon or incident.

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7 wonders of the world - list

So what's on the list:

1. - the age is about 4.5 thousand years, daily crowds of tourists visit this sight of Egypt.
2. - an amazing and unusual gift made by a husband for his beloved wife. Beautiful, green gardens full of exotic plants, birds and animals have grown up among dusty Babylon.
3. Zeus statue in Olympia- only this miracle was located on the territory of mainland Europe. The Olympic Games have already been held for 300 years, and only then the construction of the majestic and main temple began.
4. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus- a beautiful building, burned for the sake of "glorification" of the name.
5. mausoleum in Halicarnassus- has stood in its place for a long time - nineteen centuries.
6. The Colossus of Rhodes- a huge statue of the sun god worshiped by the people.
7. Alexandrian lighthouse- not just a lighthouse, but a fortress city, on top of which a fire burned day and night. They brought firewood on mullahs along a winding road inside the building.

Detailed Description of the Seven Wonders

The Pyramid of Cheops

The first wonder of the world is the pyramid of Cheops. The ancient heritage of Egypt is located in the northwestern part of Cairo. The location points to 4 parts of the world and shows the unique accuracy of the structure. The greatest Egyptian wonder of the world was erected for 20 years. About a million slaves were used for its construction, the work of which continued even after the death of Pharaoh Cheops.

The area of ​​the base of the pyramid reaches 53,000 square meters. m, and the height at the end of construction reached 147 m. You can get inside to the tomb of the pharaoh only through one entrance, which is located above the ground at a level of 15.5 m.

It is worth noting: Caliph Abdullah Al-Mamun decided to disturb the chambers of the pharaoh, who made a tunnel into the pyramid with the intention of profit, and as a result did not find any treasures.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The second wonder of the world is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They present a chic gift from Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian ruler, for his beloved wife. Subsequently, the wealth and splendor of the city was destroyed by a flood. Structures and buildings where gardens grew are washed out and broken under the influence of a powerful water stream.

Landmark misleads contemporaries about its location. Many archaeologists have made repeated attempts to find traces of the most ancient phenomenon.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The third wonder of the world - the majestic Zeus was a masterpiece of jewelers. The author is the great master of that time - Phidias. The wonders of the world described on Wikipedia say that the author spent about 10 years creating his creation. Until now, the dimensions of the statue have not been precisely determined, it is believed that the approximate height was 12-18 m.

The pedestal for the throne was impressive in size; fragments from the Olympic Games and the life of the gods served as its decoration. On it sat a thunderer naked to the waist, supported at his feet by two lions. On the body is a golden cloak with images of animals and plants. There is a wreath on his head, the Thunderer holds a scepter in one hand, and a golden statue of the goddess of Victory in the other.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

The fourth wonder of the world is the temple of Artemis of Ephesus. The ancient pilgrimage center is located in Turkey. It was built by the Amazons, who were considered the founders of the city. Soon the city was burned by Herostratus. In the 6th century, the project of new construction under the leadership of Khersifron provided for white marble columns.

Its construction lasted 120 years and was carried out according to the same project, with the preliminary collection of money and jewelry from the townspeople.

Good to know: on the day of the temple fire, Alexander III the Great was born, and the phrase "Gerostrat's glory" turned into a symbol of a bad deed.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The fifth wonder of the world is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The ruler Mausolus built his tomb under personal supervision. The three-level mausoleum towered 46 meters. The lower level was lined with marble. It contained the tomb of the king. The next level featured a colonnade supporting the roof, creating a pyramidal shape.

The top was personified by the figures of King Mausolus with Artemisia, who are in a chariot with 4 horses.

The Colossus of Rhodes

The sixth wonder of the world is the Colossus of Rhodes. The islanders of Rhodes erected a monument to their patron Helios in gratitude for the victory against the invaders. The monument is the personification of freedom and independence of the inhabitants of the island. The statue has been under construction for 12 years. According to numerous descriptions of contemporaries, the Colossus was located on an embankment, which was a kind of gate to the city. In one hand the young man held the blazing fire of Helios.

The height of the statue reached 36 m. The retaining pillars of the structure's structure proved to be unreliable and after only 65 years collapsed as a result of an earthquake. The statue of the colossus of Rhodes is a wonder of the world that lasted less than all the others.

It is worth noting: fragile structures later became known as the term "Colossus with feet of clay."

Alexandrian lighthouse

The seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The tower got its name from the city of the same name, located near the island of Pharos. The lighthouse performed its immediate role, illuminating the path of ships that got lost to the shore at night. The designer of the gigantic structure of 140 meters was Sostratus of Knidos.

Consisting of several tiers, the lighthouse served as housing for sailors and port workers. At the top of the octagonal tower was a source of light - a large fire. The unique creation served until the 15th century, when an earthquake completely destroyed it.

Note: the second name of the lighthouse is Zeus the Savior.

Who first described the 7 wonders of the world

The founder of the work "On the Seven Wonders of the World" was Philo of Byzantium. His short essay on 12 pages consists of eyewitness accounts of unique buildings.

Philo of Byzantium did not see any of the miracles described with his own eyes, and wrote about them according to the stories of others.

Information about the life and work of the great engineer and poet consists of small facts that are famous for their great discoveries. The wonders of the world were described by many talented authors: Herodotus, Strabo, Pausanias, Sequester, Cassiodorus and others. However, they did not have a single idea and uniquely defined unique monuments.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The well-known wonders of the world that have entered our lives are the wonders of the ancient world. Why are there not five or six wonders of the world ... namely 7?

"7" is a number associated with the sacred god Apollo, signifying completeness and perfection in the view of the ancient civilization.

Compiles a list of venerable rulers of the ancient age. Based on their significance, grandiose monuments of that time were created.

Each monument from the list is the embodiment of architectural art. From the beginning of the Hellenic era, writings about unique monuments were distributed on papyri by Greek authors. They were widely studied at school and were a teaching aid.

How many wonders of the world have survived to this day

Only one pyramid of Cheops has been completely preserved to our time. The Egyptian miracle of antiquity still keeps the secrets of the great ancestors. At the moment, this is the largest architectural construction of stone, reaching 137 m. During its existence, it has decreased by almost 10 m.

Architectural sights that are of interest to many researchers in the world and make up the wonders of the world of the ancient world, have been partially preserved or in the form of a copy:

• The lighthouse of Alexandria was destroyed by an earthquake and could not be restored. To date, only the fortress has survived.
• A copy of Zeus is exhibited in the Hermitage. This is the tallest antique sculpture of our time with a height of 3.5 m.
• Having existed for 19 centuries, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus was destroyed by an earthquake. The tombs of Artemisia and Mausolus are in the British Museum.
• During 18 years of excavations, only the German historian Robert Koldewey managed to discover the gardens of Babylon. Buildings of Ancient Babylon and structures surrounding gardens have been found.

Seven wonders of the world of our time

On July 7, 2007, a list of 7 wonders of the world of our time was compiled. We will give a description and present a photo of each object that was included in the list, which was called the UNESCO World Heritage List.

the great Wall of China

The construction of the greatest defensive structure began in the 3rd century BC, and now it still harbors many legends. During the construction, the main goals were pursued: protecting the territory from the Mongol invasion and creating a guarantee for the protection of one state from another. Inappropriate attention to the great structure gradually destroyed it in some places. Since the end of the twentieth century, a large-scale restoration of architecture began.

1997 was marked by the entry into the status of a miracle of the modern world. The architectural structure stretches for almost 9 thousand km, has a height of 6 to 10 meters.

Do you know that: the construction of the wall resulted in tens of thousands of deaths due to hard labor and epidemics.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer

The famous symbol of the Brazilian people is located at the very top of Mount Corcovado. Towering over the city with outstretched arms, Christ the Redeemer, with his 38-meter height, seems to embrace all the inhabitants of the metropolis, and at the same time greets guests from afar.

The construction of the monument is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of independence. Funds for the construction were collected by all the inhabitants of the country. The detailed production of the statue took place in France.

Taj Mahal

The pinnacle of the Mongolian architectural style is the snow-white palace, located on the banks of the Jamna. Construction was carried out for two decades, it was built by the middle of the 17th century.

The mausoleum contains the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, a descendant of Tamerlane. The presence of four minarets along the edges of the palace helps protect the tombs from tremors and destruction.

Coliseum

The largest amphitheater of the ancient era can accommodate more than 50 thousand people. The beginning of construction during the Flavian dynasty lasted 8 years. In the 8th century, due to its impressive size, it began to be called.

At the beginning of its existence, gladiators practiced their art in the arena of the amphitheater. After the looting by the barbarians and the earthquake of the 14th century, the Colosseum was literally pulled apart brick by brick. Only since the 18th century, the building has been taken under protection as an important architectural mega-object.

Machu Picchu

So called the city in the sky, which is located at an altitude of about 2500 m above the sea. Previously, it was the residence of the emperor. The almost untouched ancient city architecture did not suffer from the attacks of the Spanish conquerors.

The clear structure of the city delights with its architectural design. However, little is known about the urban population and the city.

Petra

Jordanian Petra is a city in the rock, located above the sea at a level of 900 meters. The road to it is laid through a natural gorge, which acts as city walls.

The surviving ruins of houses built with the traditional stone method stretch for kilometers. Ad-Deir is a 45-meter monastery carved into the rock. The main attraction - the El-Khazneh mausoleum - still keeps the legend of countless treasures. Previously, the city served as a trade route, connecting Damascus and the Red Sea regions.

Note: adventure film by Indiana Jones filmed in Petra.

Chichen Itza

Mexico is famous for the legendary city called, reminiscent of the consonance of legumes, loved by the way the locals. Chichen Itza - the Mayan civilization, has a 24-meter pyramid Temple of Kukulkan, which has 365 steps.

How many days in a year, so many steps. The natural well located is Sacred Cenote. Its depth is "deadly" - 50 m. Previously, it served for the ritual of sacrifice. It is known that living people were dumped into the cenote. Now tourists swim in it.

The change of civilizations leaves behind a grandiose heritage of architecture, which has partially been preserved to this day. To the question - how many wonders of the world are in the world and which ones, now you can definitely answer. The emergence of new wonders is evidence that there are still many mysterious places in the world to study and recognize their significance for all mankind.

We bring to your attention an interesting film about the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world:

Seven wonders of the world.
Our world is full of unusual and wonderful places that everyone should visit! Think for yourself, what do we live for, for the sake of new gadgets and financial well-being? Isn't it better to see the world, travel and discover more and more new horizons of the unknown? We are starting a review of the best and most beautiful places on our planet!
Undoubtedly, the seven wonders of the world are of the greatest interest to the whole world, which every person, young and old, should know about! In this article, we will briefly describe each of the 7 wonders of the world, and by clicking on the title and following the link, you can learn more about the place that interests you the most.

After the victory over the Macedonian king Demetrius II, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to commemorate the momentous event with a giant statue of the sun god Helios, who was considered the patron of the island. The sculptor Hares, a student of Lysippus from the city of Lind, took up the construction. From bronze, by casting, a forty-meter statue was created. This required more than thirteen tons of bronze and eight tons of iron. Helios, depicted in full growth, stood on a pedestal of stone blocks fastened with iron. The construction lasted twelve years, and how insulting it was for the inhabitants of the island after about 60 years, when the statue was destroyed by a powerful earthquake. Learn more about the magnificent statue on Rhodes by reading the detailed material -.

The architect Libon from the city of Elis erected a temple that was entirely dedicated to the sky god Zeus. Built of limestone blocks, measuring 30x65 meters, the temple was decorated with pediments depicting battles and metopes with paintings depicting the exploits of Hercules. Inside the building was a huge statue of Zeus seated on a throne, about fifteen meters high. To the sculpture made of wood, plates of ivory and gold were attached. Sandals, clothes and a wreath on the head were completely gold. In 476, the statue was transported to Constantinople, where it burned down in a fire. Read more about the construction and fate of the statue in the material -

Alexandria, founded in 332 BC, was a kind of cultural center. Here were the great architects, mathematicians, scientists, poets, astronomers. To ensure the safety of ships approaching from the sea, a lighthouse 125 meters high was erected! The first floor was made in the form of a rectangle oriented to the cardinal points. The length of each side was more than thirty meters. The second floor faced with marble had eight faces and was oriented in the direction of eight winds. Bronze statues were also located here, some of which served as a weather vane to determine the direction of the wind. The third floor was round and carried a huge lantern, above which was a dome with a seven-meter figure of Poseidon. The lighthouse of Alexandria burned for almost 1,000 years until the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake in 797. Now on the remains of the lighthouse there is a fortress built by Qait-bey at the end of the fifteenth century. You can learn even more about this grandiose structure by reading the expanded material -