Man-made wonders of the modern world. A brief history of the seven ancient wonders of the world (8 photos). Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt

Pyramids of Giza

Every person, regardless of the level of education and social status, has heard about seven wonders of the world, representing the greatest monuments of human civilization since ancient times. Few people remember the entire list, and almost all of them have not survived, however, even in our time, attempts are being made to compile new, alternative lists of attractions that can compete with the ancient creations of human genius.

The first who tried to formulate human achievements in the form list of wonders of the world, were the ancient authors of ancient Hellas, whose written heritage has survived to this day.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Zeus statue in Olympia

The "father of history" Herodotus was the first to point out the architectural wonders that existed in his time. His work mentions three majestic structures on the Greek island of Samos - a mountain tunnel, a temple of Hera and a dam.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Beginning with Herodotus, the list of attractions grew, changed and was supplemented by other Greek authors until it was formulated in its final form as a list of seven points.

Historically and geographically 7 Wonders of the Ancient World are related to the territories conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC.

They were scattered throughout all the territories of the Ecumene - from ancient Egypt to Babylon and ancient Greece.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The most ancient wonder of the world, but ironically the only one that has survived to this day is the main Egyptian attraction - The Pyramid of Cheops, included in the complex. When selecting the new Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramid was awarded the title of “Honorary Candidate”.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Second wonder of the world, semi-mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon, existed for 7 centuries until they died in a flood of the 1st century BC.

The third miracle, huge Temple statue of Zeus at Olympia, made of ivory, precious woods and inlaid with gold, stood for 9 centuries, but burned down in a fire in the 5th century AD.

In the Turkish city of Selcuk you can still see the ruins of the fourth wonder of the world, Temple of Artemis in, which at one time exceeded the size of the huge temple of Jupiter in.

Statue of the Colossus of Rhodes

Halicarnassus Mausoleum lasted longer than all other attractions of the ancient world (with the exception of the Pyramid of Cheops).

This amazing architectural monument stood proudly for 19 centuries, but the elements overcame it too - the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake.

Lighthouse in Alexandria

The ruins of the colossal structure can currently be seen in Bodrum, Turkey.

Earthquakes also destroyed two other ancient monuments - a bronze statue of the Colossus of Rhodes(destroyed in the 3rd century BC) and in Egypt (destroyed in the 14th century).

New seven wonders of the world

At the beginning of the 21st century, on July 7, 2007, on the day of the “three sevens,” new seven wonders of the world were named in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, each of which could well compete with lost architectural treasures.

The project was organized by the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC) on the initiative of the Swiss Bernard Weber. The selection of the new seven wonders of the world from the famous architectural structures of the world took place via SMS messages, telephone or Internet. About 100 million votes were taken as part of the selection of attractions, but since the conditions did not prohibit voting more than once, this list began to be questionable almost immediately after publication.

However, at present this is the most famous of such ratings and therefore, along with it, is the main guide for tourists actively traveling around the world with

The great Wall of China

One of the undisputed leaders of the list is one of the largest and oldest architectural monuments in the world. Its total length is 8851.8 km, in one of the sections it passes near Beijing. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. A fifth of the then population of the country, i.e., about a million people, took part in the construction.

Today the wall is a symbol of China, both for the Chinese themselves and for foreigners. At the entrance to the restored part of the Wall you can see an inscription made by Mao Zedong - “If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese.”

Machu Picchu

The famous statue of Jesus Christ, with outstretched arms and gaze turned towards the city, stands on the top of Mount Corcovado in. At the foot of the monument there is an observation deck, which offers amazing views of the sandy beaches, the huge bowl, the bay and the Sugarloaf peak, similar in its outline to a lump of sugar.

White Temple Wat Rong Khun

Along with the main lists of wonders of the world, new, alternative lists exist and continue to be compiled - author’s and based on survey results.

Statue of Liberty in New York

As a modern alternative to the famous the Pyramid of Cheops a glass pyramid of Paris (France) was proposed.

The most striking among modern temple complexes is considered to be the Buddhist one opened in 1997 in Thailand. This temple, according to journalists, is quite capable of eclipsing the ruins Temple of Artemis in Other similar structures include one built in 1604 in Amritsar (India), in (Japan) and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain).

Temple complex Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Dubai "Garden of Miracles"(UAE), where on an area of ​​72 thousand square meters. m grow 45 million flowers, also (according to journalists) can compete with Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The royal botanical records also fully comply with the formal criteria. Kew Gardens(UK), Royal Flower Park Keukenhof(Netherlands) and gardens (France).

Compare with 137-meter Alexandria lighthouse in terms of beauty these days, lighthouses in Lindau(Germany) and lighthouse "Cape Florida"(USA). And the lighthouse Jeddah(Saudi Arabia) almost catches up with Alexandria in height - 133 meters.

Acropolis in Athens

Statue of Zeus at Olympia, according to the logic of journalists, today it may eclipse Golden Buddha in (Thailand) - the world's largest golden statue of a deity. At the same time, it does not matter at all that Buddha is not nearly as stern and angry as Zeus the Thunderer.

And Mausoleum at Halicarnassus there were followers in the modern world, this title was awarded to the mausoleum and Mausoleum of V.I.Lenin in Moscow.

Alhambra Palace and Fortress

And finally, the statue Colossus of Rhodes journalists compared it with a statue in (Brazil), which is comparable to the ancient structure not only in height, but also in its location by the sea.

At the same time, some new lists of wonders of our time are deliberately narrowed to cover sites by location or time of creation.

Easter Island

For example, ratings by country have been repeatedly compiled (in Russia, Portugal, Belgium and others) or exceptional objects of the underwater world have been identified (cracks, reefs, islands and even underwater ruins).

The finals of the competition for the title of man-made new wonders of the world also included other equally worthy attractions, and some of them, in the opinion of many people, are much more worthy of being on the final list of “the very best.”

Timbuktu

In particular, obvious competition could come from the American one, which is larger in size and installed 40 years earlier. . It is also quite surprising that the final list of seven wonders does not mention the Cambodian - the largest religious building ever created by people.

All these great monuments of human civilization were on the list of contenders, along with, Sydney Opera, in Spanish Granada, Eiffel Tower, Moscow Kremlin,, moai sculptures on, a castle, a Buddhist temple in and the city.

Seven new wonders of nature

Iguazu Falls

Komodo Park

Seven new wonders of nature is a competition also organized by the Swiss non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC), which, through a worldwide popular vote, has found the seven most amazing natural places on Earth.

Project "Seven New Wonders of Nature" started at the end of 2007. Until 07/07/09, the nomination and preliminary selection of all candidates took place, among whom was the Russian natural pearl - Lake Baikal. Voting was completed by the mystical date - 11/11/11.

Among the main natural wonders are the longest river in the world - Amazon and its jungle; The largest underground river is in the Philippines.

The “7 Wonders of Russia” project was launched in 2008 with the goal of finding all the wonders of vast Russia and identifying the best of the wonders. The competition, which took place in three stages, was organized by the Izvestia newspaper, the Rossiya TV channel and the Mayak radio station. Voting was carried out via SMS and the Internet. As a result, 7 truly wonderful places that the whole country is proud of, unique in their kind all over the world, made it to the finals. We will tell you more about each of the miracles..

The competition took place in three stages. The first stage involved accepting options and voting on them. As a result, 49 miracles were selected from 7 federal districts of Russia (7 miracles from each federal district). Then the second stage took place, as a result of which 14 finalists of the competition were selected. As a result, from May 1 to June 10, a super-final was held, in which 7 wonders of Russia were chosen by secret ballot. On June 12, 2008, Russia Day, the winners of the competition were announced on Red Square.


The winners of the “Seven Wonders of Russia” competition were:

Lake Baikal
The most wonderful of all wonders, the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal. Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. For more than half of the year the lake is frozen. The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Local residents and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea. Baikal ranks first among the seven wonders of Russia. Read more here - Lake Baikal

St. Basil's Cathedral (Pokrovsky Cathedral) in Moscow
St. Basil's Cathedral (Pokrovsky Cathedral) is one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. For many inhabitants of planet Earth, it is a symbol of Moscow. This is why the Intercession Cathedral is one of the finalists and winners of the “7 Wonders of Russia” competition

Weathering pillars on the Man-Pupu-ner plateau
Weathering pillars (remnants) on the Man-Pupu-Ner plateau are the hallmark of the Urals. Once upon a time, the Weathering Pillars were objects of Mansi cult. In connection with the mysterious origin of these pillars, the local population - Mansi, Komi and Russians - created various legends about their appearance. Currently, the Weathering Pillars are recognized as one of the seven wonders of Russia.


Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus
Once upon a time, Elbrus was an active volcano, and now it is included in the group of the largest extinct volcanoes on the planet. The height of Elbrus is 5642 meters. Few volcanic mountains on the globe exceed Elbrus in height. Only the extinct volcano Aconcagua (6960 m) and the active fire-breathing Mount Llullaillaco (6723 m), located in South America, exceed Elbrus by a little more than one kilometer. The largest volcano in Africa, Kilimanjaro, is almost equal to Elbrus, surpassing it only by 253 meters, the same can be said about the largest volcano in North America, Orizaba (5700 m), surpassing Elbrus by 58 meters. Among the mountains of Asia, Elbrus is the highest volcanic peak, next to it, Mount Damavand is inferior to Elbrus in height by 38 meters. There is no doubt that Elbrus can rightfully be considered one of the seven wonders of Russia


This article is just a brief overview of the seven wonders of Russia. In order to learn more about each of the finalists of the competition, I recommend that you follow the links in the article. You will learn a lot of interesting things and have a pleasant time :) Thank you for your attention

Masterpieces created by the hands of ancient masters still amaze the human imagination - with their beauty, grace, ideal proportions, and precision of calculation. But even among these impeccably made works of art, works periodically appeared that were so magnificently and competently made both technically and artistically that they simply could not help but delight both local residents and world-famous traders, sailors, and travelers.

Usually they caused such a strong reaction that they were almost immediately and unconditionally included in the list of “Seven Wonders of the World”, after which they almost never left it, except for the only case when the Lighthouse of Alexandria confidently displaced the famous Babylonian walls from there.

The fact that the list included precisely the seven wonders of the ancient world is not an accident. This number belonged to Apollo and symbolized completeness, completeness and perfection, and therefore was especially revered by the ancient Greeks.

People have always loved to compile lists in which they included all the best, beautiful and original, and the residents of Greece, as true admirers of everything beautiful, were no exception. Therefore, among the classical genres of poetry of this people there were movements glorifying both the most eminent cultural figures (poets, philosophers, rulers) and the most beautiful architectural monuments of the ancient world.

First list of wonders of the world

The first list of wonders of the ancient world was compiled by Herodotus in the 5th century BC. All of them were in Greece, on the island of Samos, the homeland of Pythagoras, Epicurus, Aristarchus and other eminent figures of Hellas. True, it was short and consisted of only three points:

1. Aqueduct - was a one-kilometer-long canal that supplied local residents with water;
2. Temple of Hera - was built back in the 8th century BC. The vault of this graceful structure was supported by about a hundred tall columns, the base of which was processed by a machine specially invented for this purpose;
3. Damba-mol.

Over time, more and more interesting wonders and amazing structures began to appear in Greece and neighboring countries, which easily eclipsed Herodotus's list, expanded it and completely modified it.

Second list of miracles

Walls of Babylon

In his list of the seven wonders of the world, Antipater first of all mentioned the walls of ancient Babylon, which was located on the territory of modern Iraq (they were later displaced from there by the Lighthouse of Alexandria).

The old walls of Babylon were created by Nebuchadnezzar in the 7th century BC. - and were absolutely impregnable, since in order to penetrate the city, the enemy had to overcome not only them, but also a moat, cedar gates covered with metal plates, a defensive rampart, bastions and water obstacles. Since the city itself was planned in the shape of a square, the walls with which it was surrounded had the same shape.

Moreover, the length of each wall was 23 km, width - 24 meters, height - from 60 to 100 m, and they went underground for another ten meters. It was discovered that Old Babylon was surrounded not by one belt of walls, but by three, and their length exceeded 90 km.

A century after their construction, the ancient city was nevertheless captured - despite the fact that the walls of Babylon continued to faithfully serve the city, its inhabitants themselves opened the gates to the king of Persia, Cyrus.

Zeus statue in Olympia

Naturally, in his list of “Seven Wonders of the World,” Antipater could not help but mention the one built in Greece in 435 BC. a statue of the most important god of Olympus - Zeus. People, seeing her for the first time, always came to inexpressible admiration: the head and shoulders of the god emitted divine light, and his eyes shone so brightly that it seemed as if they were throwing lightning. Moreover, the height of the statue ranged from 12 to 17 meters, the clothes of the Thunderer were made of gold, and the body was made of ebony and covered with ivory plates.

The statue was so majestic that after Greece officially adopted Christianity, even ardent fanatics did not dare to destroy it. The statue was sent to Constantinople, where it was in the palace of the local ruler and burned down during a major fire.

The idea to create a flowering garden (7th century BC) in the middle of a dry plain belonged to Nebuchadnezzar, who wanted to console his young wife, who felt extremely uncomfortable in Babylon, since she grew up among mountains covered with abundant vegetation.

Despite the complexity of the idea, the engineers and architects of Ancient Babylon (located on the territory of modern Iraq) coped with this task and erected a four-tiered structure, externally extremely similar to a green hill - not only grass and flowers grew on each floor, but also shrubs and even trees. They were able to grow, bloom and bear fruit thanks to a specially designed complex irrigation system.

After the collapse of Babylon, the city fell into decay, and with it the gardens perished - without artificial watering and care they could not exist for long.

Helios, the sun god, was revered throughout Greece, but he was especially worshiped by the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes. Therefore, when after a long siege the enemy retreated, the inhabitants of the island, grateful to Helios for this, dedicated the victory to their main deity and decided to create a statue of an unprecedented scale at that time and install it at the entrance to the port.

It should be noted that they succeeded: it took about 10 years to make the statue - and the world saw it somewhere between 292 and 280. BC. Despite the fact that there is no exact data on what exactly the sculpture looked like, the height of the monument was definitely at least thirty meters. Three huge stone pillars were used as a frame for the statue, fastened together with hoops, which the craftsmen lined with bronze sheets, after which clay was poured into the prepared mold.

The clay statue could not survive for long and was destroyed by the first major earthquake: Helios’s legs buckled and the statue collapsed, falling apart.

The Pyramid of Cheops

The only architectural monument from the list of “Seven Wonders of the World” that has survived to this day is the ancient Egyptian pyramid of Cheops, whose age exceeds 4.5 thousand years. Its height immediately after construction was completed was 147 m, then it became somewhat lower - 138 m (the top of the tomb was destroyed over time). Until the 14th century, the pyramid was the tallest structure of the ancient world.

To build a pyramid of such a scale, the ancient Egyptians needed to use 2.5 million blocks weighing about 2.5 tons. Moreover, in order to fasten them together, the ancient architects did not use absolutely any solutions; the blocks were connected using a special technology, so the distance there was no more than half a millimeter between them.

Antipater, speaking about the “Seven Wonders of the World,” could not fail to mention the world’s first mausoleum, built in 353 BC. It was located in Caria (the territory of modern Turkey), and the ruler Mavsol began to build it.

The height of the tomb was 46 meters; 36 columns were installed along the walls, between which the sculptors placed statues of mythical animals. The roof had a triangular shape, and on its top there was a six-meter sculpture - a chariot. Its drivers were a married couple, Mavsol and his wife Artemisia, who were subsequently cremated and buried here (the construction was completed by the wife, since Mavsol died before the work was completed).

The mausoleum existed for about nineteen centuries and suffered more than one earthquake. The tomb could not resist the crusaders - they dismantled the tomb and built St. Peter's Castle in its place.

Temple of Artemis

But what most captivated Antipater with its beauty was the Temple of Artemis, built in 550 BC. on the territory of modern Ephesus (Turkey) - despite the fact that in his list of “Seven Wonders of the World” this building was in last place, he dedicated the largest number of lines to it. The building was made entirely of marble and was supported by 127 columns, each about 18 meters high.

The structure itself was approximately 131 m long and 79 m wide. In the middle was a fifteen-meter statue of Artemis, made of gold and ivory, decorated with precious stones. The most famous sculptors of ancient Greece were involved in decorating the temple, thanks to which the goddess’s house surpassed all the world’s famous temples in beauty.

Third final list

Who knows, maybe Antipater’s list of “Seven Wonders of the World” would have remained unchanged, if not for the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which managed to displace the walls of old Babylon from the list (the first memories of it as a wonder of the world are found in Pliny the Elder).

The huge lighthouse, whose height was about 120 meters, was erected in the 4th century. BC. on the island of Pharos near Alexandria (Egypt). It turned out to be the only miracle of the ancient world that had a practical purpose - it was supposed to not only illuminate the path for ships and show them the way to the harbor (the signal lights of the lighthouse were visible even at a distance exceeding 60 km), but also served as an observation post from which the surroundings were visible and the enemy could be seen from afar.

This building stood for almost a millennium, until the 14th century, and survived several serious earthquakes, until one of them completely wiped out the man-made miracle from the face of the earth.

In all centuries, people were proud and carefully protected the achievements of their civilizations. The memory of these achievements has survived to this day, becoming a worldwide property. The Seven Wonders of the World is a classic list of outstanding human creations.

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

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

List of 7 wonders of the world

Well, now photos and descriptions of the masterpieces of antiquity, which we call nothing less than seven wonders of the world.

1 wonder of the world - Pyramid of Cheops

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 wonder of the world - Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the 2nd wonder of the world. This amazing structure was built in 605 BC, but already in 562 BC. it was destroyed due to flooding.

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

But the Hanging Gardens were included in the list of 7 wonders of the world with the name of Semiramis.

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

The terraces were covered with special lead leaves and filled with asphalt to prevent water for watering the plants from leaking out. On top of all this was sprinkled with earth of such thickness that trees could grow there freely. One can only imagine how much weight the columns of the lower tier could bear.

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

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

3rd wonder of the world - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Based on the name of the 3rd wonder of the world - the statue of Zeus, it is not difficult to guess to whom this architectural masterpiece was dedicated. The fact is that the Greeks built a temple to the pagan god Zeus in 465 BC, but the statue of Zeus, which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, appeared there only 30 years later.

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

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

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

4th wonder of the world - Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

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

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

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

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

Who burned the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus?

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

You may ask why Herostratus needed to destroy such a unique architectural monument?

By his own admission, he did this in order to go down in history and perpetuate his name forever. Despite the fact that he was executed for this crime, the name of Herostratus has indeed survived to this day.

However, the great commander Alexander the Great restored the temple of Artemis of Ephesus to its previous form, allocating colossal funds for this matter.

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

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

5th wonder of the world - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

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

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

The mausoleum building was three-tiered.

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

The second floor was used as a temple to serve pagan cults. There were 36 columns on it that supported the upper, main part of the Halicarnassus mausoleum.

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

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

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which became one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was destroyed in the 13th century due to a large-scale earthquake.

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

6th wonder of the world - Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes entered the classic list of the Seven Wonders of the World almost immediately after its creation in 280 BC.

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

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

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

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

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

He borrowed enormous amounts of money from wealthy friends and relatives and continued to work tirelessly to create a monument that would later join the Seven Wonders of the World.

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

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

In total, 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were used to build the Colossus of Rhodes. However, 65 years after its appearance, around 225 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes fell into the sea, breaking at the knees. By the way, the expression “colossus with feet of clay” appeared precisely after this.

Eyewitnesses left information that the finger of the statue alone was so thick that two adults could barely grasp it.

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

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

7th wonder of the world - Lighthouse of Alexandria

The last, seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC. It is also called the Faros Lighthouse.

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

Probably Sostratus of Knidos (chief architect of the lighthouse) dreamed that his brainchild would be included in the seven wonders of the world and glorify his name for centuries.

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

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

A few decades later, the plaster collapsed, and the residents saw the name of the true master and author of the seventh wonder of the world.

The Alexandria Lighthouse consisted of three towers.

The lowest part was a technical floor, where workers and soldiers lived, and all equipment for maintaining the lighthouse was stored.

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

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

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

It is worth mentioning the reviews of contemporaries who saw the Alexandria Lighthouse in person. So some travelers talked about the amazing statues that were located at the lighthouse.

The first of them raised her hand at sunrise, pointed at it throughout the day, and after sunset the hand dropped.

The second one made a sound 24 times a day with the last second of each passing hour.

The third indicated the direction of the wind.

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

In 796, after standing for almost 1000 years, the seventh wonder of the world, the Faros lighthouse, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. In the 15th century, Sultan Qait Bey founded a fortress on its foundation, which still exists today.

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

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

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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 are they, why is the word “miracle” used in relation to them, what significance do 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 times 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 hasn’t heard about the Eighth Wonder of the World? Probably everything. Can you name him? List them and you will see 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 - it 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 included in the list:

1. - the age is about 4.5 thousand years, every day crowds of tourists visit this attraction 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 grew among the dusty Babylon.
3. Zeus statue in Olympia- only this miracle was located on the territory of continental Europe. The Olympic Games had been held for 300 years, and only then did the construction of the majestic and main temple begin.
4. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus- a beautiful building, burned to “glorify” the name.
5. mausoleum in Halicarnassus- stood in its place for quite a long time - nineteen centuries.
6. The Colossus of Rhodes- a huge statue of the sun god, whom the people worshiped.
7. Alexandrian lighthouse- not just a lighthouse, but a fortress city, on the top of which a fire burned day and night. Firewood was transported by mullahs along a winding road inside the structure.

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 precision of the structure. The greatest Egyptian wonder of the world took 20 years to build. The labor of about a million slaves was used for its construction, whose work continued even after the death of Pharaoh Cheops.

The base area of ​​the pyramid reaches 53,000 square meters. m, and the height at the end of construction reached 147 m. You can get inside 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 built a tunnel into the pyramid with the intention of profit, but in the end did not find any treasures.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The second wonder of the world is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They present a luxurious gift from Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian ruler, for his beloved wife. Subsequently, the wealth and splendor of the city were destroyed by flood. The structures and buildings where the gardens grew were washed away and broken under the influence of a powerful water flow.

The attraction confuses contemporaries about its location. Many archaeological scientists have made repeated attempts to find traces of this 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. Wonders of the World, described on Wikipedia, say that the author spent about 10 years creating his creation. To date, the exact dimensions of the statue have not been determined; it is believed that the approximate height was 12-18 m.

The pedestal for the throne was of impressive size and was decorated with fragments from the Olympic Games and the lives of the gods. On it sat a bare-chested Thunderer, supported at his feet by two lions. On the body there 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 forces of the Amazons, who were considered the founders of the city. Soon the city was burned by Herostratus. In the 6th century, a new building project led by Hersiphron included white marble columns.

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

Good to know: On the day of the fire of the temple, Alexander III the Great was born, and the phrase “Gerostratus’s glory” turned into a symbol of a bad deed.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The fifth wonder of the world is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Governor Mavsol built his tomb under his personal supervision. The three-level mausoleum rose 46 meters. The lower level was faced 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, 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 the freedom and independence of the island’s inhabitants. The construction of the statue took 12 years. According to numerous descriptions of contemporaries, the Colossus was located on an embankment, which was a kind of gateway to the city. In one hand the young man held the flaming fire of Helios.

The height of the statue reached 36 m. The supporting pillars of the structure turned out to be unreliable and, just 65 years later, 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: the fragile structures later became known as the “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 fulfilled its direct role, illuminating the path of ships lost to the shore with flame 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 there was a light source - a large fire. The unique creation lasted 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 12-page essay consists of eyewitness accounts of unique buildings.

Philo of Byzantium did not see any of the described miracles with his own eyes, and wrote about them from 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, etc. However, they did not have a single idea and uniquely defined unique monuments.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The famous wonders of the world that have come into our lives constitute the wonders of the ancient world. Why are there not five or six wonders of the world... but 7?

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

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

Each monument on 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 served as a teaching aid.

How many wonders of the world have survived to this day?

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

Architectural sights, interesting to many researchers in the world and constituting the wonders of the ancient world, have been preserved partially 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 on display in the Hermitage. This is the tallest ancient 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.
• Only the German historian Robert Koldewey managed to discover the Gardens of Babylon over 18 years of excavations. The buildings of Ancient Babylon and the structures surrounding the gardens were found.

Seven Wonders of the World of Our Time

On July 7, 2007, a list of 7 modern wonders of the world was compiled. We will give a description and present a photo of each object that is 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 is still fraught with many legends. During construction, the main goals were pursued: protecting the territory from the Mongol invasion and creating a guarantee of the protection of one state from another. Lack of 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.

The year 1997 was marked by inclusion in the status of a miracle of the modern world. The architectural structure extends for almost 9 thousand km and has a height of 6 to 10 meters.

Do you know that: the construction of the wall led to 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. Rising above 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, he warmly welcomes guests from afar.

The construction of the monument is timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of independence. All residents of the country collected funds for the construction. 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 Jumna. Construction took two decades and 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 seats 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 their existence, gladiators practiced their art in the arena of the amphitheater. After the plunder by barbarians and the earthquake of the 14th century, the Colosseum was literally taken away brick by brick. Only since the 18th century has the building been protected as an important architectural mega-object.

Machu Picchu

This is the nickname for 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 is a delightful 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 serves as city walls.

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

Note: The Indiana Jones adventure film was filmed in Petra.

Chichen Itza

Mexico is famous for the legendary city with a name reminiscent of legumes, which, among other things, are loved by the locals. Chichen Itza - a Mayan civilization, has a 24-meter pyramid, the Temple of Kukulcan, which has 365 steps.

There are as many steps in a year as there are days. The natural well located is the Sacred Cenote. Its depth is “deadly” - 50 m. Previously it was used for the ritual of sacrifice. It is known that living people were thrown into the cenote. Now tourists swim in it.

The change of civilizations leaves behind a grandiose heritage of architecture, which has been partially preserved to this day. The question - how many wonders of the world there are in the world and what they are - can now be answered definitely. The appearance of new wonders is evidence that there are still many mysterious places in the world to study and recognize their significance for all humanity.

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

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