A short message about the 7 wonders. Modern seven wonders of the world. Petra - the pearl of Jordan

Egyptian pyramids at El Giza

EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS, the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. The largest of them - the pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin in El Giza in ancient times were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The erection of the pyramid, in which the Greeks and Romans already saw a monument to the unprecedented pride of kings and cruelty, which doomed the entire people of Egypt to senseless construction, was the most important cult act and was supposed to express, apparently, the mystical identity of the country and its ruler. The population of the country worked on the construction of the tomb in a free from se agricultural work part of the year. A number of texts testify to the attention and care that the kings themselves (albeit of a later time) paid to the construction of their tomb and its builders. It is also known about the special cult honors that turned out to be the pyramid itself.

The pyramids of Egypt served as tombs for their dead kings. In the center of the ritual complex of the building are the Egyptian pyramids, according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, they had magical powers, in which the mummified pharaoh could achieve eternal life. The first step that led to the creation of the Egyptian Pyramids complex was the Pyramid of Djoser, built shortly after Egypt became a unified land (around 3000 BC). The pyramids of Egypt became known mainly due to the Pyramid of Cheops, located in Giza, which was discovered centuries later. The Egyptian pyramids were distinguished by unique technological features, and it is still not entirely clear how they were built. The true evolution in which the Egyptian pyramids developed can be traced from the most ancient prehistoric tombs to the splendor of the Giza plateau. The pyramids were built on the left - western bank of the Nile (the West is the kingdom of the dead) and towered over everything city ​​of the dead- countless tombs, pyramids, temples. The largest of the three is the pyramid of Cheops (architect Hemiun, 27th century BC). Its height was originally 147 m, and the length of the side of the base was 232 m. For its construction, it took 2 million 300 thousand huge stone blocks, the average weight of which is 2.5 tons. The slabs were not fastened with mortar, only an extremely precise fit holds them. In ancient times, the pyramids were lined with polished white limestone slabs, their tops were covered with copper slabs that sparkled in the sun (only the pyramid of Cheops preserved the limestone lining, the Arabs used the coating of other pyramids in the construction of the White Mosque in Cairo). Near the pyramid of Khafre rises one of the largest statues of antiquity and our time - a figure of a lying sphinx carved from the rock with portrait features of Pharaoh Khafre himself. The great pyramids were surrounded by a number of small tombs for the wives of the pharaohs and their entourage. Such complexes necessarily included the sanctuaries of Upper and Lower Egypt, large courtyards for the celebration of heb-su, mortuary temples, the ministers of which were supposed to support the cult of the deceased king. The space around the pyramid, surrounded by steles, was connected by a long covered passage to the temple on the banks of the Nile, where the body of the pharaoh was met and funeral ceremonies began. All pyramids are precisely oriented to the cardinal points, which indicates high level astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, the calculation of the angles of inclination of the faces is absolutely impeccable. In the pyramid of Cheops, the angle of inclination is such that the height of the pyramid is equal to the radius of an imaginary circle in which the base of the pyramid is inscribed. A remarkable engineering find of ancient architects and builders was the construction of five unloading chambers in the thickness of the masonry above the burial chamber, with the help of which it was possible to remove and evenly distribute the colossal load on its floors. In addition to the chambers in the pyramid, there are other voids - corridors, passages and galleries, the entrances to which were carefully walled up and disguised. Nevertheless, the burials in the pyramids were plundered, apparently quite soon after the burial of the pharaohs. The thieves knew all the traps well, so they were most likely connected either with the builders or with the priests who carried out the burials. The buildings in El Giza, with their grandeur and apparent uselessness, amazed the imagination already in antiquity, which is best conveyed by the Arabic proverb: "Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time is afraid of the pyramids."

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

HANGING GARDENS OF SEMIRAMIS, gardens in the palace of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), which he ordered to be laid out for his beloved wife, the Median princess; traditionally ranked among the Seven Wonders of the World. The first mention of wonderful gardens was preserved in the "History" of Herodotus, who probably visited Babylon and left us the most complete description of it. Perhaps, with an eye to the "father of history", the hanging gardens in the Hellenistic era were placed on the list of the greatest and most famous buildings.

Gardens in Babylon

Curiously, however, one of the world's most impressive sights is not even mentioned by Herodotus: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. They indicate that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years, starting from 605 BC. There is a less credible alternative story that the gardens were built by the Assyrian queen Semiramis during her five-year reign beginning in 810 BC. This was the peak of the city's power and influence, when King Nebuchadnezzar built an amazing array of temples, streets, palaces and walls, which included the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. According to legend, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built to surprise and please Nebuchadnezzar's wife, Amitis. Amitis, the daughter of the king of Media, married Nebuchadnezzar to create an alliance between the nations. She came from a green, sunny country, and the sun-dried terrain of Mesopotamia seemed depressing to her. The king decided to recreate his homeland by creating artificial mountains with gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon got their name not because they hung like a cable or rope. The name comes from an inaccurate translation of the Greek word, which means not only "hanging", but "overhanging", as is the case with a terrace or balcony. Already in the time of Herodotus, the construction of hanging gardens was attributed to the legendary conqueror of all Asia - the Assyrian queen Shamurmat (in Greek pronunciation - Semiramis). The gardens were located on a wide four-tiered tower. The terrace platforms were built of stone slabs covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Next came the laying of two rows of bricks fastened with plaster and lead slabs, which did not let water into the lower floors of the garden. All this complex structure was covered with a thick layer of fertile earth, which made it possible to plant the largest trees here. The tiers rose in ledges, connected by wide staircases with slabs of pink and white. Every day, thousands of slaves pumped water from deep wells to the top into numerous canals, from where it flowed down to the lower terraces. The murmur of water, the shade and coolness among the trees (taken from distant Media) seemed like a miracle. At the base, the structure rested on columns and vaulted ceilings. It was in these halls of the palace in the lower tier of the garden that Alexander the Great, the conqueror of Babylon and Asia, died. After the desolation of Babylon (Alexander's heirs no longer returned to this capital of their great predecessor), the flood destroyed the walls of the palace, the water softened the poorly baked clay, the terraces settled, the vaults and supporting columns collapsed. The only trace of the once grandiose monument of engineering at the present time is the network of intersecting trenches discovered thanks to the excavations of Robert Koldewey in 1898 near the Iraqi city of Hille (90 km from Baghdad), in the sections of which traces of dilapidated masonry are still visible.

Statue of Olympian Zeus

STATUE OF OLYMPIC ZEUS, the famous statue of the king of the gods and people by the great Greek sculptor Phidias; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue was placed in the cult center of the Olympic sanctuary - the temple of Zeus, in the sacred grove of Altise. To the question of the artist Panen, how Phidias planned to present the supreme god, the master replied: “... So, as Zeus is represented by Homer in the following verses of the Iliad: Rivers, and as a sign of black Zeus waves his eyebrows: Quickly, fragrant hair rose up at Kronid Okrest immortal head; and the multi-hilled Olympus shook.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The statue was made by Phidias in the chrysoelephantine technique: the exposed parts of the body were lined with ivory plates, the robes were cast in gold, and the base of the sculpture was wooden. The height of the statue reached approx. 17 m high. If the god "rose", his height would far exceed the height of the temple itself. Travelers who saw Zeus at Olympia call the combination of authority and mercy, wisdom and kindness in his face amazing. In his hand, the Thunderer held a statue of Nike (a symbol of victory). The richest throne of Zeus was also made of gold and ivory. The back, armrests and foot were decorated with ivory reliefs, golden images of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. The lower walls of the throne were covered with drawings of Panen, his legs - images of dancing Nik. Zeus's feet, shod in golden sandals, rested on a bench decorated with golden lions. In front of the pedestal of the statue, the floor was paved with dark blue Eleusinian stone, a basin carved into it for olive oil was supposed to save the ivory from drying out. The light that penetrated the doors of the dark temple, reflected from the smooth surface of the liquid in the pool, fell on the golden clothes of Zeus and illuminated his head; it seemed to those who entered that the radiance emanated from the very face of the deity. Possibly at the end of the 4th c. the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople and installed at the capital's hippodrome, where it died during one of the fires.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

MAUSOLEUM IN HALICARNASS, the tomb of King Mausolus of Caria (died 353 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The building originally combined the eastern step pyramid and the Greek Ionic peripter (architects Satyr and Pytheas). Like other Greek monuments from among the Seven Wonders of the World, the mausoleum was famous not only for the grandeur of its architecture, but also for its collection of sculptures - the base of the pyramid, on which the Greek-type temple and another pyramid rested, were decorated with reliefs with scenes of Amazonomachy by the most famous sculptors of the 4th century BC. BC e. - Leochar, Skopas, Briaxis and Timothy.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

In 377 BC, the city of Halicarnassus was the capital of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in this year that the ruler of this land died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Mausolus continued the expansion of the territory begun by his father, reaching the southwestern part of Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen, ruled Halicarnassus and the surrounding territories for 24 years. Mausolus, although he was local resident, spoke excellent Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government. Then, in 353 BC. Mausolus died, leaving his queen alone, who was also his sister (It was the local custom for rulers to marry their own sister), heartbroken. As a tribute to him, she decided to build the most magnificent Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which became his tomb. Soon the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus became a famous building, and now the name of Mausolus is associated with all the majestic tombs, since it was from his name that the word "mausoleum" appeared. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was so beautiful and unique that it became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The almost untouched mausoleum stood for approx. 1800 years in the middle of a deserted city until the 15th century, when it was dismantled by the crusaders, who reinforced it with plates of their stronghold on the Aegean Sea - the castle of St. Petra (modern Bodrum in Turkey). It was within the walls of the fortress and the surrounding houses that in 1857 the English archaeologist C. T. Newton discovered relief slabs from the basement of the tomb (now in the British Museum in London and the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul), the statues of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia (who continued after her death king, the construction of their common tomb) and a colossal chariot that crowned the entire structure.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

ARTEMIS EPHESUS TEMPLE (Artemision), one of the most famous and revered pilgrimage centers of the ancient world; Since the Hellenistic era, it has traditionally been included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus today is the remains of columns and meager fragments lying on the ground, and this is all that remains of the seventh wonder of the world. According to Strabo, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus was destroyed at least seven times, and rebuilt the same number of times. Archaeological finds testify to at least four restorations of this temple, dating back to the 7th century BC. Chersiphon and Metagenes erected a two-winged temple in the 6th century BC. and, according to Herostratus, it was burned - the next majestic structure, built entirely of marble, appeared in 334 BC, and was completed in 250 BC. The temple of Artemis of Ephesus was admired even by Alexander the Great, who paid for the continuation of the work. Skopas and Praxiteles also worked there, and Chirocrates was responsible for the design. The Hellenistic temple was built on a podium, which was reached by a 13-step staircase. A double colonnade surrounded the outer and inner space (105 x 55 m). The relief columns were the work of Scopas, and Praxiteles worked on the design of the altar. Unfortunately, as we have already said, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus has not been preserved. The oldest traces of the veneration of Artemis near the place of her birth date back to pre-Greek times; a giant temple of the goddess was built in the 6th century. BC e. architect Hersiphron of Knossos. During one of the sieges, the inhabitants of Ephesus stretched a rope from the temple to the city, thereby turning it into an inviolable sanctuary. The glory of Artemision was so great that people from all over the Greek ecumene placed their savings in it. A student of Socrates, the famous historian Xenophon, who transferred a large amount of money to the goddess for safekeeping before going to Persia (described in Anabasis), upon his return he built a small temple on them as a token of gratitude to Artemis - an exact copy of Ephesus - in the town of Skillunt in Elis. July 21, 356 BC e. the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, the main shrine of the Greeks of Asia Minor, was burned by Herostratus - a sacrilege was committed that shook the entire Hellenic world. Subsequently, a legend arose that Artemision burned down on the day when the future conqueror of Asia, Alexander the Great, was born. When Alexander approached the city after 25 years, he wished to restore the temple in all its splendor. The architect Alexandra Deinocrates, who supervised the work, retained his previous plan, only raised the building to a higher stepped base. The whole building was striking in its splendor and scale unusual for Greek architecture. The temple occupied a huge area - 110 x 55 m, the height of the Corinthian columns (there were 127 of them), a double row surrounding the structure, was also grandiose - about 18 m. ; the roof of Artemision was covered with marble tiles. One of the sights of the building were 36 columns, decorated at the base with reliefs almost in human height. The great Greek masters took part in the decoration of such a revered place: Praxiteles sculpted reliefs for the altar in the sanctuary fence, the reliefs of the columns were made by Skopas, Apelles placed his paintings in the temple; the art gallery of Artemision was as famous as the collection of paintings in the Athenian propylaea. The sanctuary also flourished under the Romans, sources report rich gifts to the temple of silver and gold statues and the construction of a portico along the road from the city to the sanctuary (about 200 m). The Acts of the Apostles mentions the indignation caused in the city by the preaching of the Apostle Paul, which interfered with the trade in silver models of the temple of the goddess, the manufacture of which was the most profitable craft here. In 263, the Goths who broke into Asia Minor, having heard about the innumerable riches of the city and Artemision, plundered the sanctuary; the next blow was the prohibition of pagan cults in the Roman Empire in 391 under Theodosius I the Great. It is known, however, that the cult of Artemis continued to go here for another two centuries, until this place was finally abandoned after an earthquake. In 1869, as a result of excavations begun by the English archaeologist J. T. Wood in a swamp at the supposed site of the sanctuary, the base plate of the structure was discovered and numerous offerings to the temple were found. The famous reliefs of the columns of Artemision are currently in the British Museum (London).

Faros lighthouse.

FAROS LIGHTHOUSE (Lighthouse of Alexandria), a lighthouse on the east coast of about. Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria, the Hellenistic capital of Egypt; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The builder of this miracle of technology, the first and only colossal lighthouse in the entire Greek world, was Sostratus of Cnidus. On the marble wall of the building, Sostratus carved the inscription: "Sostratus, the son of Dexifan from Cnidus, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of sailors." He covered this inscription with a thin layer of plaster with the glorification of King Ptolemy Soter written on it. Over time, the plaster that fell off revealed the true name of the builder and great engineer.

Alexandrian lighthouse

During the construction of the lighthouse, the most remarkable and ingenious inventions of the Alexandrian scientists were applied. The lower floor of the three-tier 120-meter tower had four faces facing north, east, west and south, eight faces of the second tier were oriented in the direction of the eight main winds. The third floor - a lantern crowned the dome with a statue of Poseidon about 7 m high. A complex system of metal mirrors intensified the light of the fire that lit on the top of the structure and made it possible to observe the expanse of the sea; the lighthouse itself was also a well-fortified fortress with a large military garrison. Travelers who saw the lighthouse wrote about the ingeniously arranged statues that adorned the lighthouse tower: one of them always pointed to the sun along its entire path and lowered its hand down when it set, the other beat every hour day and night, the third one could find out the direction wind. The amazing building stood until the 14th century, but even in its already badly destroyed form, its height was approx. 30 m. At present, only the base of the lighthouse has been preserved, entirely built into a medieval fortress (now the base of the Egyptian fleet).

The Colossus of Rhodes.

THE COLOSS OF RHODES, a gigantic statue of Helios by the sculptor Hares on the island. Rhodes; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was erected with the money received by Rhodes after the sale of the siege machines of Demetrius I Poliorket, who tried to capture this richest Greek island in 305 BC. e.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Travelers in New York Harbor can see a wonderful sight. Before them appears a huge statue of a woman in clothes, standing on a small island in the harbor, holding a book and a torch, rushing into the sky. The statue is almost one hundred and twenty feet from the feet to the crown. It is sometimes called the "Modern Colossus", but more often it is called the Statue of Liberty. The Colossus of Rhodes, which the Statue of Liberty so reminds us of, is an ancient creation of the ancients, located on the island of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue standing along the banks of the strait, one foot was on one side, the other on the second. According to the project, ships were supposed to float between the legs of the statue. Unfortunately, the Colossus of Rhodes turned out to be “weak in the legs”, because of the earthquake, his legs gave way, and the huge statue collapsed into the water. For a long time there were remains of his legs, which served as proof of his existence, but they have not survived to this day either. The Colossus of Rhodes today has become a symbol of a massive, but ill-conceived project at the base, which can easily collapse. Helios was not just a particularly revered deity on the island - he was its creator: having no place dedicated to him, the sun god carried the island on his hands from the depths of the sea. The statue of the god towered right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible to swimmers already from the neighboring islands, the height of the statue was approx. 35 m, i.e., almost three times higher than the "Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg. At the base, the statue was made of clay with a metal frame, finished with bronze sheets on top. To work on the image of the god directly at the site of its installation, Chares used a cunning technique: with the gradual elevation of the sculpture, the earthen hill around it also rose; the hill was subsequently torn down, and the statue in its entirety was revealed to the astonished inhabitants of the island. It took 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron to make a 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 creation of the bronze giant lasted approx. 12 years, but he stood, however, only 56 years. In 220 BC e. during the earthquake, the statue collapsed, unable to withstand the vibrations of the ground. 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 grasp the statue's thumb with both hands. 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, as one of the chronicles tells, loaded 900 camels with them. At present, it is not possible to fully reconstruct the appearance of the statue. Not so long ago, a couple of years ago, regular elections were held, where new 7 wonders of the world were determined.

Modern wonders of the world

The new list includes the following miracles:

Great Chinese Wall- in our humble opinion, it should be included in all such lists, which affect the new wonders of the world. The wall is a truly incredible object, on which a lot of funds, materials, and human lives have been spent. Striking in its size, the design is admired when we only think about the state of the art that existed then.

- Petra- this object was also rightfully included in the new 7 wonders of the world, since it is a whole city, completely carved into the rocks. The craftsmanship of the workers is surprising even by modern standards, and if we again remember that the city is several thousand years old, then we can say with confidence that this is a real miracle.

- Christ statue- known to us from the Brazilian TV series, a tall structure crowning a hill in Rio. Considering the new 7 wonders of the world, we believe that it would be possible to choose something else, more worthy, but this is only our personal opinion.

- Machu Picchu- an Indian city that has survived to this day, and is a monument to the ancient civilization of the Incas. The new wonders of the world put it in one place with Chinese wall and the Egyptian pyramids, and we tend to agree with them - indeed, there is something to see here.

- Chichen Itza- these are buildings that have become a monument to another great civilization - the Maya. Here, ancient sculptures, buildings, inventions have been preserved, almost in perfect condition that have survived to this day. Even some pieces of furniture were found here. Our verdict - the modern wonders of the world must include this city.

- Roman Coliseum- a place where gladiator battles took place, soaked in blood and scary stories, the last breaths of people and animals. The new wonders of the world include the Colosseum, not just because of its beauty, but because of its history, participation in ancient works, stories and narratives.

- Taj Mahal- fanned with a romantic halo, the temple, built in memory of probably one of the most famous love stories in the world, it deserves to be included in the modern 8 wonders of the world solely because of its history.

- Pyramids of Egypt- they were included in the new 8 wonders of the world, because the Egyptians were offended by the fact that their "miracle" was not included in the list of the best. It was decided to respect the request, because the truth is, the design deserves admiration. Another new 8 wonders of the world A new selection of applicants for the list of "modern 8 wonders of the world" is currently being conducted. The fact is that the previous selection attracted a lot of attention, allowed to significantly increase knowledge about natural wonders, engineering and others. Therefore, today it is proposed to once again choose the new 8 wonders of the world - natural. The selection will take place in several stages, now 21 finalists are being determined.

Illustrated interpretation Seven Wonders of the World.

For a long time, sages and travelers made a list of 7 wonders of the world, they added the most beautiful and most majestic buildings of the whole world in their opinion.

The most majestic buildings of antiquity - the seven wonders of the world

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After that, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list was named 7 wonders of the world. Here is the list of 7 wonders of the world:

The Pyramid of Cheops

This pyramid is the largest of all Egyptian pyramids and the most popular among the 7 wonders of the world. It was erected in 2540 BC. e.

The height of this giant is approximately 138.75 m. The heaviest stone pyramid module weighs 15 tons. Imagine! The pyramid consists of 2.5 million blocks, which weigh 2.5 tons each.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

This wonder of the world still has one name - the Hanging Gardens of Amitis, that was the name of the wife of the king of Babylon. For her, these gardens were created. The Babylonian ruler, Nebuchadnezzar II, twice giving the city to his enemy, decided to join his forces with the king of Media. Having won the war, Nebuchadnezzar II and the ruler of Media divide the territory of Assyria.

To confirm the military alliance, Nebuchadnezzar II marries the daughter of the Median king, Amitis. Amitis, who was accustomed to green gardens, was not happy with the "dusty" Babylon, and in order to comfort her wife, Nebuchadnezzar builds these hanging gardens for her.

Third of the Seven Wonders of the World - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

This statue was made in the temple of Zeus by the brilliant architect Phidias. The temple was built much earlier than the statue itself.

It took 10 years to build only the temple, only this fact allows us to put it on the list of 7 wonders of the world! The sculpture of Zeus sits on the throne, holding in his left hand a scepter with a falcon, and in his right hand - a sculpture of the goddess of victory - Nike.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

The temple was located in the old town of Ephesus, was built in the 6th century BC. e. In 356 BC burned by Herostratus. This temple was built for Artemis because, according to legend, she had a special gift: she could cause the growth of all vegetation, took care of animals, blessed happiness in marriage and the birth of babies.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

This wonder of the world was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. by order of the wife of Mausolus - Artemisia III.

The construction of the mausoleum began even before the death of Mausolus, for whom the monument was actually built. The wife of the Carian ruler called the most notorious architects of Greece, Satyrus and Pytheas, and the most recognized architects of that time - Leochar, Skopas.

The Colossus of Rhodes

This huge statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios was located in Rhodes. The statue was created by the majestic architect Hares. The height of the statue was 36 m., It was made entirely of bronze. 13 tons of bronze and 12 years of work by the architect Hares were spent on the statue.

The seventh wonder of the world of the seven wonders of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria

The lighthouse was built in the III century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the very first lighthouse in history. This lighthouse stood for about a thousand years!

At the end of the 15th century, Sultan Kait Bey built a fortress on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which still exists today.

That's the whole list of 7 wonders of the world or just wonders of the world.

Everyone has heard about the wonders of the world, but confusion often arises with what exactly they consider to be such. Often, this list includes those buildings and monuments that, of course, have great historical and cultural value, but are not included in the official list. In addition, in 2007, new "wonders" were chosen in Portugal, so we can say that there are already more than seven of them. All of them have made a huge contribution to the culture of mankind. About the seven wonders of the world, Wikipedia and other encyclopedias write in great detail. Let's stop at short description everyone.

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The wonders of the Ancient World are studied at school in history lessons. It included those structures that were created before our era. None of them have survived to this day, except for the pyramids of Cheops in. These include:

• Pyramid of Cheops.
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia.
• Colossus of Rhodes.
• Alexandrian lighthouse.

Pyramid of Cheops and Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Both structures belong to the legendary tombs, but the time of their construction is very different.

Interestingly, the pyramid of Cheops - most ancient miracle Sveta and, at the same time, the only one that has survived to this day. It was created approximately two thousand years BC. e., and there are still disputes about the mysteries of its construction and sometimes absolutely incredible theories are put forward. For example, the shape of the location of the pyramids exactly repeats the location of the stars in the constellation Orion, so some consider the pyramids a gift from alien civilizations. Every year, thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see them. Indeed, the building is striking once and for all.

This building, like all the mausoleums built later, was named after King Mausolus, who ordered, after his death, to erect a monument similar to the pyramids of Egypt, and glorifying the king himself and his wife. The building was not only a tomb, but also a temple. On the first tier the king rested, and on the second it was possible to hold services. Both the statues of the gods and the statues of Mausolus himself and his wife Artemisia were installed in the mausoleum. The statues of the royal couple have survived to this day, you can find their photos and even look at them in the British Museum.

The gardens got their name from the legendary Queen Semiramis, but, oddly enough, she has nothing to do with them. Two centuries after her death, the Babylonian king decided to marry the daughter of the king of Media - a country immersed in gardens and greenery. Babylon stood in the desert, and in order to impress the bride, the ruler ordered the creation of gardens of unprecedented beauty. Pots with plants bloomed so luxuriantly that they almost hid the building on the walls of which they were located, and seemed to hang in the air. The building looked especially majestic in the middle of a barren desert, when the traveler saw a magical garden in the endless sands, symbolizing the greatness of Babylon and its king.

supreme greek god reached the height of a five-story building, to work on it, the architect Phidias demanded the creation of a workshop that repeats the temple in which the statue was installed. At the same time, Zeus, sitting on the throne, seemed to “not fit” into the temple, if the statue could stand up, it would break the vault. Thus, the greatness of God was emphasized.

Materials were also selected appropriate: ivory and gold. Interesting: Phidias in those distant times, when physics had not yet reached its peak, managed to choose the material and location of the statue in such a way that it seemed that the light falling on it was reflected, and it seemed to glow from within. After the establishment of Christianity and the closure of pagan temples, Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where, unfortunately, he burned down.

Its significance was great, the building was used not only for religious ceremonies, but also for public meetings and even trade. The best sculptors and architects worked on the building, the building was striking in its beauty and majesty. It is also famous for the fact that it was burned by the hot-tempered youth Herostratus, who thus decided to leave his name in history. It is worth noting that he really succeeded. Fortunately, the temple has been restored.

The Colossus of Rhodes

The colossus with feet of clay collapsed seventy years after its construction, but it rightfully occupies a place among the wonders of the world. There are disputes about its height, indicate sizes from forty to sixty meters. There is a legend that ships easily sailed between his legs, although this theory is now controversial. According to the descriptions found, the colossus could not be in the port, but on land, in the city of Rhodes. It was erected as a gratitude to the god Helios for the fact that he defended the city from enemy troops who left after a year of siege. Interestingly, the chief sculptor of the colossus committed suicide, as he borrowed a huge amount to complete his creation, which he was unable to return.

Alexandrian lighthouse

Lighthouse of Alexandria - this structure saved the life of more than one ship, since its light spread for sixty kilometers. Built among reefs and rocks, the lighthouse, one hundred and thirty-five meters high, pointed the way to a life-saving bay in one of the most dangerous places in the sea. According to the surviving descriptions, the sculptures inside the lighthouse were very interesting:

• One of them pointed to the position of the sun all day, and at night her hand dropped.
• The other was set up like a clock, striking the hour every sixty minutes.
• The third always pointed with her hand in the direction the wind was blowing, and thus was used as a weather vane.

To perpetuate his name, the sculptor, who was required to glorify the king, went to the trick - he carved his name on a stone, covered it with plaster and wrote the name of the king. Centuries later, the plaster crumbled, and the name of the architect, Sostratus of Knidos, has come down to us.

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.

They make up a pyramid - as it is estimated today - 2.5 million blocks. The most amazing thing is that they are not held together with cement or other binder. They are held together by a tight fit. Now the top of the pyramid of Cheops is destroyed. Before its height was 147 meters.

"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 Turkey 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 Turkey

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 thing on our planet. architectural structure. The wall stretches for 8851.8 km. Every year over 40 million tourists come to see this miracle.

Amphitheater Colosseum in Italy

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

The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru

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

There are many mysterious and mysterious places in the world. But only a few of them are recognized as genuine miracles, which were no longer equal on Earth! From this article you will find out which of the 7 wonders of the world have survived to this day, and which ones have sunk into oblivion forever. We present to your attention the 7 wonders of the world - the list consists of the following items:

This exclusive complex is included in the list of 7 wonders of the world. The basis of the gardens of Babylon was a monumental building in four tiers, erected in the shape of a pyramid. Hanging green spaces combined with fountains and ponds have turned it into a real oasis. According to an old legend, these gardens were created for the wife of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II named Amitis.

To keep the green miracle in a viable state, a large amount of water was required. The problem was solved at the expense of the human resource, or rather, slave labor. The slaves kept turning the wooden wheel, to which the skinskins were tied. This wheel took water from the river (according to another version - from some underground sources). Water was pumped to the uppermost tier, and from there it flowed down through a complex system of numerous channels.

After the death of the ruler Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon for some time became the residence of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, the city began to gradually fall into disrepair, the gardens of Babylon were also left without proper care. After some time, a nearby river overflowed its banks, which led to the erosion of the foundation of the building.

Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops

This now existing geographical feature, which is also included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, is sometimes called great pyramid Giza. It serves as the tomb of the Egyptian ruler Cheops (Khufu). The pyramid was built near Giza, a suburb of Cairo. It took the combined efforts of 100,000 people to create this miracle. According to the calculations of archaeologists, the work lasted about twenty years.

Zeus statue in Olympia

A truly monumental structure was erected in honor of the God of Thunder. The temple of Zeus was built entirely of marble, including even the roof. Around the perimeter of the sanctuary there were 34 columns made of limestone. The walls of the temple were covered with picturesque bas-reliefs with images, as well as the exploits of Hercules.

But not included in the list of 7 wonders of the world temple complex and a statue of Zeus. The ancient Greek sculptor Phidias worked on the realization of this masterpiece. The body of the god was created from ivory, a great variety of rare gems and about 200 kg of gold without the slightest admixture of ligature also took to decorate the statue. The eyes of the Thunderer seemed to be throwing lightning, and the head and shoulders shimmered with an unearthly light.

According to legend, lightning struck the center of the marble floor of the temple. This was regarded as an expression of approval from Zeus. An altar of copper was erected at the site of the blow. The statue of Zeus was destroyed in a fire that broke out in the temple in 425. There is another version, according to which it was transported to Istanbul, where the figure of the Thunderer burned down in 476.

The ancient city of Halicarnassus was famous for its residences of nobles, theaters and green gardens. But the list of 7 wonders of the world did not include these architectural beauties, but the tomb of the cruel ruler Mausolus. There were 3 levels in the mausoleum, the total height of the building was 46 meters. This man-made masterpiece mixed several architectural trends.

Traditional columns, as well as statues of horsemen and lions were used as decoration of the mausoleum. At the very top was a sculpture of King Mausolus, proudly seated in a horse-drawn chariot. The mausoleum stood for about 19 centuries, the reason for its destruction was a strong earthquake. An interesting fact - some fragments of the mausoleum went to the construction of the fortress of St. Peter.

The Pharos lighthouse was built in the 3rd century BC and is also included in the world famous list of 7 wonders of the world. This facility was supposed to help seagoing ships safely navigate offshore reefs and avoid shipwreck. During the day, sailors were led by a column of smoke, and at night they could focus on flames.

The lighthouse of Alexandria towered 120 meters above sea level, its signals could be seen at a distance of up to 48 km. The upper part of the structure was decorated with a statue of Isis-Faria, who was revered as the patroness of navigators. To make the light flow as efficient as possible, the builders used an original system of curved mirrors.

The Pharos lighthouse, like many other objects from the list of 7 wonders of the world, was destroyed in a rather trivial way. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake that occurred in the middle of the 14th century. Some fragments of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered by scientists at the bottom of the sea during research in 1996.

The Colossus of Rhodes

This statue was made in honor of Helios (the sun god). It was assumed that the height of the figure would be 18 meters, but later it was decided to make it 36 ​​meters. The statue in the form of a god-youth was cast in bronze; it is located on a marble pedestal. Construction was carried out on a hill created artificially. Stones were placed inside the figure, which was done to increase the stability of the structure.

The sculptor Hares, who worked on the Colossus of Rhodes, made a miscalculation in determining the amount of materials needed. The master had to borrow a lot of money to be able to complete his masterpiece. Hares was completely ruined and surrounded by creditors, the sculptor committed suicide.

The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake that occurred in 222 or 226 BC. The statue broke at the knees, and its fragments continued to lie in place for about 1000 years. The fragments of the Colossus were sold by the Arabs who captured Rhodes in 977. To take out parts of the sculpture, it was necessary to equip a caravan consisting of 900 camels.

By the way, have you ever wondered why there are only seven wonders of the world? In this case, we recommend that you read the article "" - and you will discover the secret meaning of this "lucky" number!