The Seven Wonders of the World are the oldest monuments of architecture, which are rightfully considered the greatest creations of human hands. The number 7 was chosen for a reason. It belonged to Apollo and was a symbol of completeness, completeness and perfection. At the same time, the traditional genre of Hellenistic poetry was the glorification of the list of the most famous cultural figures - poets, philosophers, kings, generals, etc., or outstanding architectural monuments.

The first mention of the Wonders of the World occurs precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander the Great had already passed through Europe. The wide distribution of Greek culture in the territories that are part of the states that the great commander conquered ensured loud fame for individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the "selection" of miracles occurred gradually. Some names have been replaced by others, and today the list of the most magnificent works of art and architecture includes:

Briefly about everything

Historians and scientists believe that the first attraction is the most ancient - Pyramids of Egypt. A distinctive feature of this Wonder of the World is that only it has survived to this day in almost its original form. The construction of the Pyramids of Giza dates back to approximately 1983 BC, and the largest building of the complex is the tomb of Cheops.

The rest of the Wonders of the World were not so lucky, and only the ruins of some of them have survived to this day. For example, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were created in the VI century BC, were destroyed by floods in the II century. But even the dilapidated remains of this majestic structure are breathtaking.

Statue of Zeus from Olympia, created around 435 BC. by the famous ancient sculptor Phidias, burned down almost a thousand years later in Constantinople. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was erected in 550 BC, but after two centuries it was also destroyed by a strong fire.

Halicarnassus Mausoleum created by the architect Pytheas in 351 BC. In 1494, earthquakes were noted in southwestern Turkey, after which only the foundations and architectural fragments of the structure were preserved. Concerning Colossus of Rhodes, built at the beginning of the III century BC. Greeks, it fell as a result of a series of strong tremors somewhere between 224 and 225 BC.

Alexandrian lighthouse, built in the III century BC. at the direction of the ruling Ptolemaic dynasty, is the pinnacle of engineering and technical thought of that time. The structure lasted until 1480, providing reliable lighting for coastal waters. In the 15th century, the lighthouse was partially destroyed by an earthquake.

One can talk endlessly about each of the Seven Wonders of the World. Every student knows about them. Ancient epics and ancient legends are associated with them. Each of them is covered with a shadow of mystery and suspense. But one thing can be said with all confidence - these are the most significant monuments of civilization of all that mankind has managed to create.

The architectural structures of the past are considered wonders of architectural thought and architecture. These include the Colosseum, the Tower of Babel, the Ishtar Gate and dozens of other buildings of the past millennia. But there are buildings that are highlighted in the group "7 wonders of the world." Read about in our article. The choice of the number 7 is not accidental, since it was considered sacred.

7 wonders of the world of the ancient world: a list

The list of the seven wonders of the ancient world includes the buildings of three cultures: Babylonian, Greek and Egyptian. Today, of the 7 wonders of the world, only the pyramids in Giza have survived, while the remaining 6 are completely destroyed and only some of them remain in ruins.

The pyramids of Giza are the oldest of. They were built approximately 4300-4600 years ago. The highest of them is Cheops pyramid, which for a long time was the highest building on the planet.

All the rest (and this is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Colossus of Rhodes, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, the hanging gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus in Olympia and) were built between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC.

Most were destroyed within the first thousand years. But the lighthouse of Alexandria and the mausoleum were destroyed only in the 15th century. You can read more about .

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Causes of Destruction

The reason for the destruction of three of the 6 wonders (colossus, lighthouse and mausoleum) were earthquakes. Two more burned down (the statue of Zeus and the temple of Artemis), and the gardens of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon were destroyed by the Persians.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: List Evolution

The first list of miracles was created by Herodotus and included 3 miracles of the island of Samos. They are no longer mentioned in the new lists. Later it expanded and changed. So, the Tower of Babel was excluded from it.

Today, the list of wonders of the world has been revised, expanded. Also in 2007, an alternative list of "7 modern wonders light, which includes:

- Colosseum;
- The great Wall of China;
— Machu Picchu;
— Petra;
- Taj Mahal;
- Chichen Itza;
- statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

There are other variations of it, more complete and lists of wonders by country.
Also on the site you can read about other interesting wonders of ancient architecture, both European and other civilizations. I especially recommend reading about the Great Wall of China.

In our time, it is customary to call the wonder of the world unique artistic and technical creations, which, with their level of performance, arouse the admiration of most specialists. But in fairness, this erroneous approach should be corrected - the wonders of the world include specific objects created by people in ancient times.

Below is a list of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World...

1. Pyramids of Cheops (Giza)

Pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu (in the Greek version of Cheops), or the Great Pyramid - the greatest of the Egyptian pyramids, the oldest of the seven wonders of the world of antiquity and the only one of them that has come down to our time. For over four thousand years, the pyramid was the largest building in the world.

The pyramid of Cheops is located in the far suburbs of Cairo Giza. Nearby are two more pyramids of the pharaohs Khafre and Menkaure (Khafren and Mikerin), according to ancient historians, the sons and successors of Khufu. These are the three largest pyramids in Egypt.

Following the ancient authors, most modern historians consider the pyramids to be the burial structures of the ancient Egyptian monarchs. Some scientists believe that these were astronomical observatories. There is no direct evidence that pharaohs were buried in the pyramids, but other versions of their purpose are less convincing.

Based on the ancient "royal lists", it is established that Cheops ruled around 2585-2566. BC. The construction of the "Sacred Height" lasted 20 years and ended after the death of Khufu, around 2560 BC.

Other versions of construction dates based on astronomical methods give dates from 2720 to 2577. BC. The radiocarbon method shows a spread of 170 years, from 2850 to 2680. BC.

There are also exotic opinions expressed by supporters of theories of visiting the Earth by aliens, the existence of ancient pra-civilizations, or adherents of occult currents. They determine the age of the pyramid of Cheops from 6-7 to tens of thousands of years.

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon)

The existence of one of the wonders of the world - many scientists question and argue that this is nothing more than a figment of the imagination of an ancient chronicler, whose idea was picked up by his colleagues and began to diligently rewrite from chronicle to chronicle. They justify their statement by the fact that they most carefully describe the gardens of Babylon just by those who have not seen them in their eyes, while historians who have visited ancient Babylon are silent about the miracle erected there.

Archaeological excavations have shown that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still existed.

Naturally, they did not hang on ropes, but were a four-story building built in the shape of a pyramid with a huge amount of vegetation, and were part of the palace building. This unique structure got its name due to a mistranslation of the Greek word “kremastos”, which actually means “hanging” (for example, from a terrace).

The unique gardens were erected by order of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II, who lived in the 7th century BC. BC. He built them specifically for his wife Amitis, daughter of Cyaxares, king of Media (it was with him that the Babylonian ruler made an alliance against a common enemy, Assyria, and won a final victory over this state).

Amitis, which grew up among the mountains of green and fertile Media, did not like dusty and noisy Babylon, located on a sandy plain. The Babylonian ruler was faced with a choice - to move the capital closer to his wife's homeland, or to make her stay in Babylon more comfortable. They decided to build hanging gardens that would remind the queen of her homeland. Where exactly they are, history is silent, and therefore there are several hypotheses:

• The main version says that this wonder of the world is located near the modern city of Hilla, which is located on the Efrat River in the center of Iraq.
• An alternative version, based on the re-deciphering of cuneiform tablets, claims that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are located in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria (located in the north of modern Iraq), which, after its fall, went to the Babylonian state.

The very idea of ​​​​creating hanging gardens in the middle of a dry plain looked like fantastic at that time. This task turned out to be within the power of local architects and engineers of the ancient world - and the hanging gardens of Babylon, which were later included in the list of seven wonders of the world, were built, became part of the palace and were located on its northeast side.

They say that the statue of Zeus at Olympia turned out to be so majestic that when Phidias, having created it, asked his creation: “Are you satisfied, Zeus?” thunder boomed, and the black marble floor at the feet of the god cracked. The Thunderer was pleased.

Despite the fact that only memories of one of the most majestic statues of this magnitude have come down to us, the mere description of the monument, which was in its way a real jewelry masterpiece, cannot but stagger the imagination. Both before and after the creation of the statue of Olympian Zeus, people did not create a monument of this magnitude - and it is not a fact that they will ever be created: this wonder of the world turned out to be too expensive in cost and huge in scale.

The uniqueness of this monument also lies in the fact that the statue of Olympian Zeus, the only one of all the wonders of the ancient world, was located on the territory of continental Europe, in the Greek city of Olympia, which is located on the Balkan Peninsula.

The statue of Zeus in Olympia was created for a long time: Phidias spent about ten years on it. When she appeared before the inhabitants and guests of Olympia in 435 BC, she was a real wonder of the world.

The exact dimensions of the statue have not yet been determined, but apparently, its height was from 12 to 17 meters. Zeus, naked to the waist, sat on a throne, his feet were on a bench, which was supported by two lions. The pedestal on which the throne was located was quite huge: its dimensions were 9.5 by 6.5 m. Ebony, gold, ivory and jewelry were used for its manufacture.

The throne itself was decorated with images of scenes from the life of the Greek celestials, the goddesses of victory danced on its legs, and the battles of the Greeks with the Amazons were depicted on the crossbars and, of course, the Olympic Games were not without (Panen was engaged in painting). The Thunderer was made of ebony, while his entire body was covered with plates of ivory of the highest quality. The master selected the materials for his statue extremely meticulously.

On the head of the supreme god was a wreath, and in one hand he held the golden Nike, the goddess of Victory, in the other - a scepter decorated with an eagle, symbolizing supreme power. The god's clothes were made of gold sheets (in total, about two hundred kilograms of gold were used to make the sculpture). The cloak of the Thunderer was decorated with images of representatives of the animal and plant world.

Nowadays, a marble copy of one of the wonders of the world can be seen in the Hermitage, where it was brought from Italy in 1861. Apparently, this statue of Zeus was created by a Roman author in the first century BC, and it was found during archaeological excavations in the vicinity of Rome at the end of the 18th century. It is notable for the fact that today it is one of the largest ancient sculptures that are in the museums of the world - the height of the monument is 3.5 meters and weighs 16 tons.

The sculpture was acquired at the beginning of the 19th century by one of the Italian collectors, Marquis D. Campana.

She did not stay with him for long, because after a while he went bankrupt, his property was confiscated and sold at auction. Before the auction, the director of the Hermitage managed to persuade the Italian authorities to give him the opportunity to purchase some items before the sale, so the best exhibits from the collection of the ruined marquis, including the statue of the Thunderer, ended up in the Hermitage.

4. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (Ephesus)

According to the ancient Greek belief, Artemis was the goddess of hunting and fertility, the patroness of all life on earth. She looked after the animals in the forest, herds of domestic animals, plants. Artemis ensured a happy marriage and assisted in childbirth.

In honor of Artemis in Ephesus, a temple was built on the site of the former sanctuary of the Carian goddess, also responsible for fertility. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was so large that it immediately entered the list of the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world. The financing of the construction was covered by the Lydian king Croesus, the construction work was led by the architect from Knossos Harsiphron. Under him, they managed to erect walls and columns. After his death, the post of chief architect was taken over by his son Metagen. The last stage of construction was led by Paeonite and Demetrius.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was completed in 550 BC. Front local residents a delightful spectacle unfolded, the like of which had never been built here. And although at present it is impossible to recreate the former decoration of the temple, one can be sure that the best masters of their time, employed here at work, could not blunder. The very statue of the culprit of the construction was made of ivory and gold.

It was possible to recreate the image of the former majestic temple of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus only after archaeological excavations were carried out. The temple measured 105 by 51 meters. The roof of the building was supported by 127 columns, each 18 meters high. According to legend, each column was donated by one of the 127 Greek rulers.

In addition to religious services, financial and business life was in full swing in the temple. It was the center of Ephesus, independent of the authorities, subordinate to the local college of priests.

In 356 BC, when the famous Alexander the Great was born, the temple of Artemis was burned down by the Ephesian resident Herostratus. The motive of this feat is to remain in history in the memory of posterity. The arsonist after the capture was waiting for the death penalty. In addition to it, it was also decided to eradicate the name of this person from history. But what is forbidden sits even more firmly in the memory of people, and the name of Herostratus is now a household name.

By the 3rd century BC, the wonder of the world, the temple of Artemis in Greece, was restored at the initiative of the aforementioned Alexander the Great, but with the advent of the Goths, it is again destroyed. Later, with the ban on pagan cults, the Byzantine authorities closed the temple. Then they begin to gradually disassemble into building materials, as a result of which the temple goes into oblivion. A Christian church was erected in its place, but it also faced the fate of destruction.

On October 31, 1869, the English archaeologist Wood manages to find the location of the former temple of Artemis in Turkey, and excavations begin. Now in its place stands one column restored from the wreckage. Despite this, the place still attracts thousands of tourists.

5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Fast forward to the ancient city of Halicarnassus. It was the capital of Caria and, as is due to the capital of the state, was famous for its beauty and grandeur. Temples, theaters, palaces, gardens, fountains, a living harbor guaranteed honor and respect for the city. But special attention here was occupied by the tomb of King Mausolus, one of the seven wonders of the world in the ancient world. So, the wonder of the world mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

King Mausolus ruling Caria in the 4th century BC (377-353 years), according to the experience of the Egyptian pharaohs, he began the construction of his tomb during his lifetime. It was supposed to be a unique building. Located in the center of the city, among palaces and temples, it symbolizes the power and wealth of the king. And to worship the late king, it must combine both the tomb and the temple. The best architects and sculptors were allocated for the construction - Pythius, Satyr, Leohar, Skopas, Briaxides, Timothy. After the death of the king, his wife, Queen Artemisia, approached the construction of an eternal monument to the great husband even more intensively.

The building was completed in 350 BC. Its appearance combined several architectural styles of that time at once. There were three levels in the mausoleum with a total height of 46 meters. The first tier was a massive plinth made of bricks lined with marble. Further on it towered a temple with 36 columns. The columns supported the roof in the form of a pyramid with 24 steps. At the top of the roof was a sculpture of King Mausolus and Artemisia in a chariot drawn by 4 horses. Around the building were statues of horsemen and lions. The beauty of the building was fascinating, it is no coincidence that the mausoleum in Halicarnassus quickly entered the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world.

The tomb of Mausolus and his wife was located in the lower tier. To worship the king, an upper room was built with columns and a statue of Mausolus. The statue has survived to this day, and fully reflects the image of the despot king. The sculptor in the facial features subtly conveyed the character of Mausolus - evil, cruel, capable of getting everything he needs. No wonder he was a very rich man. Next to the statue of Mausolus was a statue of Queen Artemisia. The sculptor embellished her, filed in a stately, soft image. The famous sculptor of that time Skopas worked on it. Both of these statues are now considered among the finest in Greek culture from the 4th century BC. Separately, it is worth mentioning the upper part of the base of the mausoleum. The sculptors decorated it with scenes from the Greek epic - the battle with the Amazons, hunting, the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs.

Mausoleum - a word that came from the name of King Mausolus, is currently a household word among all peoples.

After 18 centuries, the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake. Later, its ruins were used to build the castle of St. Peter by the Knights of St. John. When the Turks arrived, the castle became the fortress of Budrun, currently called Bodrum. Excavations here were carried out in 1857. Relief slabs, statues of Mausolus and Artemisia, a statue of a chariot were found. They are currently on display at the British Museum.

6. Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes)

The Colossus of Rhodes is a huge statue that has become one of the seven Wonders of the World. The grateful inhabitants of the island of Rhodes decided to build it in honor of the sun god Helios, who helped them withstand the unequal struggle against the invaders. The siege of the beautiful island lasted almost a year and the probability of victory was negligible, but the patron helped the islanders win. For this, Helios was immortalized in the guise of a huge statue. For the people of Rhodes, the statue represented independence and freedom, just like the Statue of Liberty in New York for Americans.

The island of Rhodes had a favorable geographical position, its inhabitants freely traded with many countries, which ensured the wealth of the city as a whole and each citizen individually. From the moment of foundation to the III century. BC. Rhodes was alternately ruled by the famous king Mausolus, the Persian rulers and Alexander the Great. None of them oppressed the city and did not prevent it from developing. However, after the death of Alexander the Great, his heirs began to divide the inherited lands in a bloody struggle.

The island of Rhodes went to Ptolemy, but another heir (Antigon) considered this unfair and sent his son to destroy the city. This would help to equal the power of Ptolemy. Demetrius, son of Antigonus, gathered a huge army that outnumbered the islanders. Only impregnable walls prevented the soldiers from immediately entering the capital and destroying it. Enemies used siege towers - huge wooden catapults that were installed on ships. The inhabitants of Rhodes managed to detain the enemies before the arrival of Ptolemy's army and defend their homeland.

Having sold the siege engines and the surviving ships of the invaders, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build a huge statue of the god Helios, their patron. Until now, any statues were called colossi, but after the Colossus of Rhodes, only the largest of them began to be called that way.

The construction of the Colossus began in 302 BC. and finished only after 12 years (according to other sources after 20 years). They installed a statue on an artificial embankment that blocked the entrance to the harbor. Behind this hill, for a long time, individual parts of the sculpture were hidden from prying eyes. The mound with the statue turned into a kind of gate to the city. Some poets have described the Colossus as standing on two hills. The ships were supposed to sail between the legs of Helios. However, this version is considered doubtful. The stability of such a sculpture would be too small, and big ships would not be able to moor in the port.

The statue has not survived to this day, but numerous descriptions of contemporaries testify that the Colossus stood on one of the banks, and not at all in the form of an arch, as the artists depict it. In the giant's hand was a bowl of blazing fire. At the base there were three pillars that served as a support. Two of them the builders inlaid with bronze details to disguise at the feet of Helios. The third pillar was in the place where the cloak or part of the sheet of the majestic Colossus fell.

The residents wanted the statue to point into the distance, but the sculptor understood that this would reduce the stability of the structure, so the statue seemed to cover its eyes from the sun with its palm. The torso and main elements were made from sheets of iron and bronze. They were fixed on support poles. The space inside was filled with large stones and clay to increase stability. The free space was covered with earth so that the workers could move freely on the surface and fix the following parts. In total, the manufacture of the Colossus required 8 tons of iron and 13 tons of bronze. The resulting statue reached a height of 34 m.

The statue of the Colossus of Rhodes was so huge that it could be seen from ships sailing in the distance. According to the descriptions of contemporaries, she was a tall young man with a radiant crown on his head. One hand of the young man covered his eyes, and the other picked up the falling robe.

Another poet - Philo - described the Colossus differently. He claimed that the statue was on a marble pedestal and struck by the size of the feet. Each of them was itself the size of a small statue. On the outstretched hand was a working torch. It was lit at night to light the way for sailors.

Scientists are still trying to find out where the Colossus of Rhodes is located or where exactly it was installed. At the end of the 20th century, huge boulders were discovered off the coast of the island of Rhodes, which resembled fragments of a statue in shape. However, the theory that these are elements of an ancient sculpture has not been confirmed. But the researcher Ursula Vedder suggested that the Colossus did not stand near the coast at all, but on the hill of Monte Smith. The ruins of the temple of Helios are preserved here, and its foundation has a suitable platform on which the Colossus could rise.

7. Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos)

Only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world had a practical purpose - the Lighthouse of Alexandria. He performed several functions at once: he allowed the ships to approach the harbor without any problems, and the observation post, located at the top of the unique structure, made it possible to monitor the expanses of water and notice the enemy in time.

The locals claimed that the light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria burned enemy ships even before they approached the coast, and if they managed to approach the coast, the statue of Poseidon, located on the dome of an amazing design, emitted a piercing warning cry.

The height of the old lighthouse was 140 meters - much higher than the surrounding buildings. In ancient times, buildings did not exceed three floors, and against their background, the Faros lighthouse seemed huge. Moreover, at the time of completion of construction, it turned out to be the tallest building in the ancient world and was such for an extremely long time.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the east coast of the small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria, the main seaport of Egypt, built by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. It is also known in history as the Pharos lighthouse.

The great commander chose the place for the construction of the city very carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trade center.

It was extremely important that it be located at the intersection of both water and land routes of three parts of the world - Africa, Europe and Asia. For the same reason, it was necessary to build at least two harbors here: one for ships arriving from mediterranean sea, and the other - for those who sailed along the Nile.

Therefore, Alexandria was not built in the Nile Delta, but a little to the side, twenty miles to the south. When choosing a place for the city, Alexander took into account the location of future harbors, while paying special attention to their strengthening and protection: it was very important to do everything so that the Nile waters did not clog them with sand and silt (a dam connecting the continent was subsequently built specifically for this). with an island).

After the death of Alexander the Great (who, according to legend, was born on the day of the destruction of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus), after some time the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - and as a result of skillful management, it turned into a successful and prosperous port city, and the construction of one of the seven wonders of the world significantly increased his wealth.

The lighthouse of Alexandria made it possible for ships to sail into the port without problems, successfully bypassing pitfalls, shallows and other obstacles in the bay. Due to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased dramatically.

The lighthouse also served as an additional reference point for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is quite diverse - mostly lowlands and plains alone. Therefore, signal lights in front of the entrance to the harbor were most welcome.

A lower structure would have successfully coped with this role, so the engineers assigned another important function to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - the role of an observation post: enemies usually attacked from the sea, since the desert protected the country well from the land side.

It was also necessary to install such an observation post on the lighthouse because there were no natural hills near the city where this could be done.

The lighthouse of Alexandria served from 283 BC. until the 15th century, when a fortress was erected instead. Thus, he survived more than one dynasty of Egyptian rulers, saw Roman legionnaires. This did not particularly affect his fate: no matter who ruled Alexandria, everyone made sure that the unique structure stood for as long as possible - they restored the parts of the building that had collapsed due to frequent earthquakes, updated the facade, which was negatively affected by wind and salty sea water.

Time has done its job: the lighthouse stopped working in 365, when one of the strongest earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea caused a tsunami that flooded part of the city, and the death toll of the Egyptians, according to chroniclers, exceeded 50 thousand inhabitants.

After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood still for quite a long time - until the XIV century, until the next strongest earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, Sultan Kait Bey erected a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen and these days). After that, the pyramids at Giza remained the only ancient wonder of the world that has survived to this day.

In the mid 90s. the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered at the bottom of the bay with the help of a satellite, and after some time, scientists, using computer modeling, were able to more or less restore the image of a unique structure.

They are called "the new seven wonders of the world » , monuments that have won an international competition held by the New Open World Corporation, inspired by the list of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The initiative came from the Swiss director Bernard Weber.The vote was public, in which more than a hundred million people took part. It was the first mass voting via internet, phone and text messages in history, open to participants worldwide. The new wonders ceremony was broadcast live on over 160 television channels in over 170 countries. Of the seven wonders of the modern world, six have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

So, let's get acquainted with the seven new wonders of the world.

This wonder of the world is located in a narrow valley, on the edge of the Arabian Desert, between the mountains south of the Dead Sea. The city of Petra was the capital of the Nabatean Empire, ruled by King Aretas IV (9 BC to 40 AD). The most famous remains of Peter are certainly his rock-cut structures; in particular the buildings known as Khazne (treasury) and Deir (monastery).

Petra, which means "stone" in Greek, survived for so many years thanks to the fact that most of its "buildings" were carved into solid stone walls. This is perhaps the most exciting ancient city that has stood up to today. It was discovered by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Petra has also been called an object world heritage UNESCO and is part of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

This new wonder of the world was built between 220 BC. and 1644 AD The purpose of this building was the need to link the existing fortifications into a single defense system in order to defend the country from the invasion of the Mongol tribes. It is the largest monument ever built by man and the only one visible from space. The wall is estimated to be 8,851 kilometers long, from the Korean border to the edge of the Yalu River in the Gobi Desert, and is 6 to 7 meters high and 4 to 5 meters wide. At the peak of the Ming era, more than one million warriors guarded the wall.

This monument was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, is considered the largest cemetery in the world (about 10 million workers died during construction), and is now one of the new wonders of the world.

3. Taj Mahal in Agra

The Taj Mahal was created between 1631 and 1654 in the city of Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the Yamuna River, by order of Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, in memory of his beloved late wife. This mausoleum consists of four minarets, each with over 13 floors. It is estimated that 20,000 workers were needed for its construction.

Constructed of white marble and set against gardens, this new wonder of the world is considered the ultimate gem of Muslim art in India, and combines elements of Indian, Persian, Islamic and even Turkish architecture. Please note that the Taj Mahal is on our list " «.

Interesting fact: The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was deposed by one of his children and was finished contemplating and admiring the Taj Mahal from his window for the rest of his days.

4. Colosseum in Rome

Amphitheater of the Roman Empire, built in the first century, in the center of Rome. In ancient times it had a capacity for 50,000 spectators and was the largest amphitheater ever built in the empire. Construction began in AD 70 by Emperor Vespasian, completed in AD 80 by Titus, and some changes were made during the reign of Domitian. The place is dedicated to public entertainment, such as gladiator fights, various performances, etc. Currently, it is not only one of the most famous, but also a new wonder of the world.

5. Chichen Itza in Mexico

7. Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro is a symbol of love and a call to brotherhood. The statue is located at an altitude of 709 meters above sea level and is located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, on top of Mount Corcovado. The total height is 38 m, 8 belong to the pedestal. This new wonder of the world was built on October 12, 1931, after about five years of work.

The creation of this religious monument in the city was first proposed in 1859 by a priest Pedro Maria Boss and Princess Elizabeth. The idea was revived in 1921, on the eve of the centenary of Independence Day.

CANDIDATES FOR THE TITLE OF THE NEW WONDERS OF THE WORLD

There are others in the world Beautiful places, which could have been on the New Seven Wonders of the World list, but didn't make it there. Therefore, I think it will be interesting to learn about them, at least in the photo.

1. Pyramids of Giza in Cairo
   
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Each of us has heard that once there were 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, but not everyone can name them with certainty. The first mentions of seven ancient wonders of the world are found in the writings of the ancient scientist and philosopher Herodotus, which were written 5 thousand years before our era. In his notes, the scientist made attempts to classify the most magnificent architectural structures of that time, which struck the imagination of his contemporaries. Herodotus not only compiled a list of the most outstanding engineering structures of antiquity, but also made Full description each of seven wonders of the ancient world. Unfortunately, his works have not survived to this day. They burned in a fire in the Alexandrian Library, along with many other priceless manuscripts, so we can judge old seven wonders of the world only by scattered references in the surviving manuscripts of that time, as well as on the basis of fragments of once majestic structures found during archaeological excavations.

Of all wonders of the world of the ancient world only the pyramid of Cheops has survived to this day. The huge tomb of the ruler of ancient Egypt, which survived the centuries with virtually no destruction, clearly speaks of the power that the pharaoh possessed.

The Colossus of Rhodes is rightfully considered the most majestic sculptural structure of antiquity. The height of the bronze statue, whose legs were located on the opposite banks of the strait, according to various sources, ranged from 36 to 60 meters, but insufficiently careful calculation of the structure led to the fact that the Colossus collapsed during the first earthquake after 60 years of construction. The legs of the giant that remained on the banks for a long time reminded of the former greatness of the structure, but they have not survived to this day either.

Among the rest 7 ancient wonders of the world includes a statue of Zeus in ancient Greece, whose height was 17 meters, a 150-meter lighthouse of Alexandria on the island of Pharos, the Temple of Artemis in Asia Minor, and the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, which was erected by the wife of the Carian king Mausolus as his tomb. The mausoleum stood for more than one and a half thousand years and collapsed during an earthquake in the XIII century. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were the most unusual structure of all 7 Wonders of the World. old giving in all colors describe the four tiers of the pyramid, located on top of the columns, on which a layer of fertile soil was placed, and rare trees and beautiful flowers grew. The lowest tier was at a height of 34 meters, the highest - at a height of 42 meters. Hundreds of slaves worked continuously to provide the gardens with the necessary amount of water.

Since not one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, except for the pyramid of Cheops, has survived to this day, their former greatness can only be judged by the records of contemporaries that have come down to us.