The seven ancient wonders of the world
The concept of the seven wonders of the world is well known. But did you know that there is a difference between the old and the new wonders of the world? The myth of the seven wonders of the world dates back to ancient times. Writer Antipater of Sidon, a scribe from the 2. Century BC, mentioned the impressive buildings in a short poem. Today, little remains of most of the ancient wonders of the world except for ruins. Read on and find out which structures are involved.
What are the 7 wonders of the ancient world?
- Pyramids of Giza
- Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
- Colossus of Rhodes
- Artemis Temple
- Hanging Gardens of Semiramis
- Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- Pharos Lighthouse
The art world of antiquity is characterized by the development of different...
The 7 ancient wonders of the world in detail
The Pyramids of Giza.
The famous pyramids, located about 20 kilometers outside of Cairo, are not only the best preserved wonder of the world, but also the oldest. They were built over 4,500 years ago at the beginning of Egyptian civilization and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Sphinx in 1979. The Pyramids of Giza include three separate pyramids that the Egyptians used as tombs for their pharaohs.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
Maussolus II, a powerful governor from Halicarnassus, already planned his final resting place during his lifetime based on the pyramids mentioned. Persian, Greek and Egyptian architectural styles were combined in the unique structure. This was something very new at the time. A huge portico was built on a cube foundation, topped by a horse-drawn carriage statue - the mausoleum thus reached a height of 46 meters. Unfortunately, since an earthquake in 1304 AD Chr. only the ruins of the tomb near Bodrum in Turkey survive.
The Colossus of Rhodes.
After the end of a long siege, the people of Rhodes wanted to thank the sun god Helios and built a 30 meter high bronze statue in his honour. According to tradition, the giant stood with his legs apart in the port of Rhodes and protected the city from enemies. However, it was destroyed 66 years later, in an earthquake in 226 BC. Chr. destroyed down to the lower legs. And after the conquest of Rhodes by the Arabs a few hundred years later, the last remains of the statue were also gone from the city. Since then there has been no trace of this wonder of the world.
The Artemis Temple in Ephesus.
In modern-day Turkey stood the ancient Temple of Artemis, built in honor of the Olympian goddess of the hunt. With over 8,000 square meters of temple area, 127 columns 18 meters high and a huge stone roof, it was the largest temple of its time and formed a structure that was truly worthy of a goddess. In addition to the ruins of Ephesus near Izmir, there are numerous other ruins to visit in the area, such as the Celsus Library.
The Hanging Gardens of Semiramis.
The gardens are perhaps better known under the names "The Hanging Gardens of Babylon". This ancient wonder of the world is considered the least known - the existence of the gardens has been questioned time and time again. Even where they should have been is unclear. However, the traditions and writings point to the ancient cities of Babylon and Nineveh, both of which are in modern-day Iraq.
The statue of Zeus at Olympia.
The Temple of Zeus in the Greek city of Olympia was built with a ca. 12 meter high statue equipped. The image of the supreme Olympian god, to whom the Greeks sent their requests and wishes, was not as large as the Colossus of Rhodes, but certainly no less impressive. The structure was made of gold, ivory and ebony and took eight years (438-430 BC) to build. BC). Unfortunately there is no trace of the statue, it is said to have been destroyed in a fire.
The lighthouse of Pharos.
The small ancient island with the lighthouse of Pharos off Alexandria is one of the seven wonders of the world that is least remembered. But the sheer size of the tower, carved out of white stone, has awed people for centuries to this day. It is said to have reached a height of 113 meters - it is also said to have been the first lighthouse ever. Several earthquakes left less and less of the structure over the centuries until an earthquake in 1323 destroyed the Wonder of the World, which was built around 282 BC. Chr. was completed, finally disappeared.
Well, how many of the ancient wonders of the world did you already know? Or are there some that you will visit on your next vacation?
