Classic 7 wonders of the world. Seven Wonders of the World of Our Time: Description

The only one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world that has survived to this day is the Great Pyramid of Giza - the Pyramid of Cheops. In the suburbs of Egypt's capital, Cairo, this ancient monument was designed and built as the tomb of the most famous pharaoh Cheops (Khufu) and is recognized as the tallest structure of its time. It’s hard to believe, but the height of this miracle of art is almost 147 meters (imagine five nine-story buildings stacked on top of each other). Initially, the pyramid occupied an area larger than seven football fields, and the length of one of the sides of its base was over 230 meters.

Source: version. info

Construction Great Pyramid, By official version Egyptologists, ended in 2540 BC. To create this truly extraordinary miracle, it took the joint efforts of 100 thousand people. According to archaeologists' calculations, the work lasted about 20 years.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

It is generally accepted to be the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which, according to one of the many versions, were built around 600 BC by order of the Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, the Median princess Amytis. Later, the daughter of King Cyaxares began to be called after the Assyrian queen.

Source: wikipedia.org

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were a four-story building, shaped like a pyramid, the tiers of which, supported by powerful columns, were both balconies and terraces. Hanging unique plants combined with fountains and ponds turned the Babylonian structure into a real oasis.

To supply the gardens with water, a special irrigation system was designed: hundreds of slaves turned wheels with buckets all day long. When Babylon fell into decay, there was no one to do the irrigation, and the unique flora of the hanging gardens died. Frequent earthquakes completed the job - finally destroying the palace. Babylon disappeared from the face of the earth, and with it the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the most beautiful monuments of antiquity, also disappeared into oblivion.

Zeus statue in Olympia

In the 5th century BC, the sports and religious center of Ancient Greece was Olympia, where the god Zeus was most revered. It was to him, the head of the ancient Greek Pantheon, that the Olympians unanimously decided to build a majestic temple. To implement the plan, the Athenian sculptor Phidias, famous for his sculptures, was invited to Olympia. The master faced a difficult task: to create a structure that would surpass all his previous creations in its monumentality. Phidias gave the go-ahead. Work has begun.

It took the sculptor and his apprentices ten years for the Ancient World to see this wonder of the world. The temple was entirely made of marble. Columns made of limestone were installed along its perimeter. On the walls of the temple there were picturesque bas-reliefs depicting Zeus and the twelve labors of Hercules.

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The thunder god himself, called “the embodiment of male beauty,” was made of ivory and reached a height of 13 meters. He sat majestically on a throne carved from ebony and covered with chased gold plates, and almost touched the ceiling of the temple.

Phidias' masterpiece did not go unnoticed. For many years, writers and philosophers admired him, classifying the statue of Olympian Zeus among the best creations of mankind. But in 476 there was a fire, during which this wonder of the world was lost.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Initiator and “sponsor” latest version Artemision, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, was. The construction of this wonder of the world, which began in 323 BC, from limestone and marble, continued for many years. The “highlight” of the temple, its main distinguishing feature, were 127 giant columns installed in nine rows. The interior decoration of Artemision was mesmerizing. There was everything here: marvelous statues made by the best architects of that time, and beautiful paintings by famous artists. And in the center of this splendor stood the statue of the goddess Artemis, the patroness of love relationships and the family hearth.

Source: journal. tapigo.ru

Artemision, rebuilt by Alexander, lasted six centuries. It was plundered and destroyed by the Goths, and was inundated by numerous floods. Today, the existence of this wonder of the world is evidenced by only one single column, restored from the rubble.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

Ancient Halicarnassus, where the “father of history” Herodotus was born, was famous for its architectural beauty. White marble temples built in honor of Ares and Aphrodite, the Salmakin fountain, theaters and palaces attracted foreign guests to the city. But the real “pearl” of Halicarnassus, a wonder of the world, was the tomb of the despotic king, which he began to build during his lifetime.

Pytheas and Satyros, the best architects of that time, worked on the tomb, which consisted of three tiers and reached a height of 46 meters. Leochares and Skopas were entrusted with decorating the building - creating marble figures of gods, animals and horsemen.

At the initiative of Bernard Weber, with the help of the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation, a project to update the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World began. Using a survey, over the Internet and telephone, more than 100 million people cast their votes, after which the final list of the new seven wonders of the world was approved. The voting results were announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Petra in Jordan

200 km south of the Jordanian capital, deep in the sandy mountains near the Wadi Musa valley (“Valley of Moses”), the ruins are hidden ancient Petra. It is believed that the temples and palaces of Petra were carved into the rocks 2000 years before Christ by the ancient Arab nomadic tribe of the Nabataeans. The city took about 500 years to build and turned into a large trading center.

Petra was located at the intersection of important trade routes between the Red and Mediterranean seas. Petra has more than 800 attractions. Temples and crypts, Roman colonnades and an amphitheater with 3,000 seats, palaces of nobles, baths and canals - all this is hewn from stone.

Chichen Itza in Mexico

The ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, located in Mexico in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula. Name ancient city Chichen Itza translates to “Well of the Itza Tribe.” The city arose in the 7th century AD. e. as a Mayan religious center, and by the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs, who came to Yucatan from central Mexico, and by the 11th century it became the capital of the Toltec kingdom. In 1178, the Indian ruler Hunak Keel destroyed the Mayan sanctuary, turning it into a pitiful pile of ruins. The city fell into decay and became depopulated.

Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil

The giant statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowning the 710-meter high Corcovado Mountain, has been rightfully considered a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil for 80 years. The statue of Christ with outstretched arms towers over the city of 10 million, as if blessing and hugging it. The statue reaches 38 meters in height and weighs 1,145 tons. At the foot of the monument there is Observation deck, which offers amazing views of sandy beaches, the huge bowl of the Maracana stadium, Guanabara Bay and Sugarloaf Peak, similar in its outline to a lump of sugar.

Roman Colosseum in Italy

The Colosseum - one of the most monumental monuments of the Roman era - is a symbol of Italy to the same extent as the Eiffel Tower is for France or the Kremlin for Russia. The amphitheater was built in 8 years - construction began by Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed in 80 by his son Titus. The walls of the Colosseum are built from large blocks of travertine, fastened together with steel brackets with a total weight of approximately 300 tons. The opening of the Colosseum was marked by 100 days of entertainment. During this time, several thousand warriors and 5 thousand wild animals brought from Africa died in gladiatorial tournaments.

The great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a chain of defensive structures stretching across Northern China from the Liaodong Gulf Yellow Sea to the sands of the Gobi Desert. The length of the Chinese wall in a straight line, from edge to edge, is 2,450 km, and if we take into account all the bends and branches, then, according to various estimates, it turns out to be from 6,000 to 8,850 km. Construction, which began in 210 BC, continued with minor interruptions until the end of the Ming dynasty, that is, until the 1640s. Average height the wall reached 7.8 meters, and its width allowed five infantrymen to march in a row or five horsemen to ride in a line.

Machu Picchu in Peru

Ruins of Machu Picchu - « lost city Incas" - hidden in the jungle high in the Peruvian Andes and surrounded on three sides by the stormy mountain river Urubamba. The city was built as a sanctuary in 1438 by the ninth ruler of the Inca Empire, Pachacutec Yupanqui. For more than 400 years, only legends circulated about the existence of the city, and just 100 years ago (1911), the Inca stronghold again “resurrected from oblivion” thanks to the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. The city flourished, at an altitude of 3000 meters its inhabitants grew maize, potatoes and other vegetables. The Incas cut out terraces right in the rocks, covered them with earth from the Urubamba river valley and erected massive retaining walls that protected the beds from the sun, wind and sand drifts. Around 1532, the inhabitants of Machu Picchu left the city for unknown reasons, leaving their descendants with beautiful architectural creations.

Taj Mahal in India

Facts and legends are closely intertwined in the history of the white marble masterpiece, but most historians agree that the tomb was built in the 1630s. by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his untimely deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. Construction continued for 22 long years. More than 20,000 people took part in it, among them builders from all over the empire, craftsmen from

Album "From Wonders of the World to Wonders of Russia"

Description: This material will be useful for teachers. It is intended for students in grades 5 and 6. The material provides useful and interesting information, which can be used in history lessons and in extracurricular activities.
Seven Wonders of the World- These are the oldest architectural monuments, 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 a list of the most famous cultural figures - poets, philosophers, kings, generals, etc., or outstanding architectural monuments.
The first mentions of the Wonders of the World are found precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander the Great had already marched across Europe. The wide dissemination of Greek culture in the territories that were part of the states that the great commander conquered ensured the great popularity of individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the “selection” of miracles occurred gradually. Some names replaced others, and today the list of the most majestic works of art and architecture includes:
1. Pyramids of Giza
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3. Olympian statue of Zeus
4. Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
5. Halicarnassus Mausoleum
6. Colossus of Rhodes
7. Alexandrian lighthouse

Pyramids of Giza
One of the most ancient and yet striking Wonders of the World are the Great Pyramids located in Giza (Egypt). The complex of Gisean buildings represents the greatest architectural monument ever created by man. In total, more than a hundred pyramidal structures were found in Egypt, but most of them did not stand the test of time.

The Pyramid of Cheops
The largest of the Gisean complex, the Pyramid of Cheops is the largest building structure in the world. Its base is a square with a side of as much as 227.5 meters. It is assumed original height The structure was 146 meters high, but several of the top stones were destroyed, and today the pyramid is 9 meters lower.
Engineering studies have shown that the largest Gisea architectural monument consists of 2.3 million stone blocks, each of which weighs at least 2.5 tons. The total volume of the structure is 2.34 million cubic meters. The sides of the pyramid are turned to the cardinal directions, with the entrance to the inside being from the north.
A distinctive feature of the structure is that every single building block fits together so well that even now, after several thousand years, it is impossible to insert even the thinnest blade between them. In addition, the researchers discovered that the mortar used to hold the structural elements together was stronger than any modern material.
Purpose of the pyramids
There are no inscriptions, drawings or decorations in the Cheops pyramid. Inside the building there are three chambers, in the center of one of which there is a granite sarcophagus. At first it was assumed that the structure was a tomb. Many years of research have either confirmed or refuted this assumption.
But neither the remains of the pharaoh, nor any utensils or things that, according to the tradition of that time, were buried with the deceased, were found. True, there is a high probability that the pyramid was simply plundered. However, some details in the hypothesis about the purpose of the structure do not agree with the version about the tomb.
However, we will leave to historians and archaeologists questions about the origin and purpose of the construction of such an amazing complex of buildings, the entrance to which is protected by the Great Sphinx - the largest monolithic sculpture on the planet. For you and me, the Pyramids of Giza, with which many legends are associated, remain one of the most striking and unusual examples of the heights of engineering.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the second most important Wonder of the World. Unfortunately, this amazing architectural structure has not survived to this day, but the memory of it is still preserved.
The attraction is located not far from Baghdad, and today its stone ruins can only impress an ordinary tourist with its scale. However, history shows that the structure was one of the most beautiful creations of mankind.

Amazing gift for wife
The gardens were discovered by Robert Koldewey, who carried out excavations near Al Hill in 1989. During archaeological research, an extensive network of trenches was discovered, and in their sections the scientist immediately recognized the legendary architectural monument.
Evidence suggests that the Hanging Gardens were built at the behest of Nebuchadnezzar II, whose reign dates back to the 6th century BC. The best engineers, mathematicians and inventors of Mesopotamia worked day and night to satisfy the king's request to create a gift for his wife Amytis.
The latter was of Median origin, and those lands, as you know, were filled with the aromas of flowering gardens and green hills. The queen had a hard time in stuffy Babylon; she became homesick for her native land. That is why the ruler decided to lay out an unusual park that would at least slightly remind his wife of her home.
Controversy surrounding the Babylonian Miracle
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were described by many ancient historians. But there are still some doubts about the reality of this piece of engineering art. For example, Herodotus, who traveled through Mesopotamia somewhere in the 5th century BC, did not say a word about this structure. Although, apparently, it was the most majestic and beautiful in Babylon.
Even the chronicles of the city itself do not mention the Gardens. However, Berossus, a Chaldean priest who studied chronicles at the end of the 4th century BC. very clearly and clearly outlined the building in his works. There is even an opinion that all historians, including modern scientists, relied precisely on his descriptions, and they are too much embellished with the author’s conjectures and judgments.
Some even believe that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were confused with similar parks that were created in Nineveh, located on east coast Tiber. But the basis of the irrigation system of this monument was the design of Archimedean screws, which was invented in the 2nd century BC, while the construction of the Gardens dates back to the 6th century.
However, perhaps the Babylonians already had an idea about the special thread of such a screw, although they called the device differently. And be that as it may, the mystery of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still excites the minds of scientists, archaeologists and historians.

Zeus statue in Olympia
The statue of Zeus at Olympia is the third most important Wonder of the World, the history of which began long before its creation - in 776 BC. Then, for the first time, participants of the next Olympic Games arrived at the temple, which was built in honor of the father of the gods.
Representatives of Asia Minor, Syria and Sicily, Egypt and, of course, Great Hellas were present at the opening of the greatest event in history. The first sanctuary of Zeus was built 150 km from Athens. But over time, the Games gained more and more political weight, so the rulers of Greece decided to build a new Temple.

Temple of Zeus
Construction lasted over 15 years, and in 456 BC. the world saw one of the most monumental and beautiful Houses of Zeus. The project was developed by the famous ancient architect Lebon, whose creation had all the features of the famous Greek sanctuaries, but surpassed them in scope.
The Temple building was erected on a high rectangular platform. The roof was supported by 13 majestic columns about 10 m high and at least 2 m in diameter, and there were a total of 34 of them.
Creation of Phidias
The government of Hellas invited Phidias, a famous sculptor, to Athens, who managed to create something excellent - a statue of Zeus. The news of this work of art instantly spread throughout the ancient world, and the masterpiece took its place on the list of Wonders of the World.
The creation of the statue dates back to approximately 440 BC. The sculpture of the father of the gods was created mainly from the finest ivory. According to the description of eyewitnesses who managed to find the statue in “good health”, it had a very impressive size.
Its height was at least 15 m, the structure contained about 200 kg of gold, the modern monetary equivalent of which exceeds 8 million dollars. The discovery of the statue of Olympian Zeus falls on 435 BC.
The fate of the statue of Zeus
Historical sources claim that in the second half of the 4th century AD. The Temple of Zeus was closed by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who was a Christian and disliked the pagan beliefs of the Greeks.
In 363, the statue was transported to Constantinople. Although some facts indicate that this architectural monument did not survive the looting and destruction of the Temple, which took place at the end of the 5th century.
In 1875, the remains of the Temple of Zeus were found, and in 1950, archaeologists discovered the workshop of Phidias. Careful research of the place where the architectural monument was found made it possible to recreate both the Temple itself and the statue of Olympian Zeus.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Ancient Greek Ephesus saw a period of unprecedented prosperity. Founded in the 12th century BC, the city was largest center trade and radiated wealth and prosperity. Artemis patronized him. She is known to be the goddess of fertility and the patroness of animals, the guardian of women in labor and hunters. Piously revering her, the townspeople decided to build a majestic temple in honor of Artemis, which, moreover, was supposed to significantly increase the income of the city.

Construction of the shrine
In the 6th century BC. Harsifron, a famous architect, arrived in Ephesus. It was he who came up with the idea of ​​​​building a building made of marble. According to his plan, the temple should have been surrounded by two rows of impressive columns. Moreover, the master, apparently, had an extraordinary engineering mind, since the project is the most complex and at the same time original of all that were being developed at that time. Since the city was rich and could afford the construction of such a large and expensive building.
But there was one obstacle - a deposit capable of satisfying the project’s appetites had not yet been found. But soon, thanks to chance, a sufficient amount of stone was found, and the temple was successfully built. Monolithic marble columns deserve a special place in the building’s design. They were transported here straight from quarries located tens of kilometers from the construction site. The foundation of the temple represents the aerobatics of engineering.
The building was built on a swampy area, since the sad memory of the earthquakes that struck Hellas was still alive. A huge pit was dug at the site of the future building, which the builders filled with charcoal and wool. This, plus the very unorthodox foundation of the Temple, should have been a guarantee that the building would withstand earthquakes of any magnitude.
In the main hall of the Temple, an amazingly beautiful statue of the goddess Artemis was installed, the height of which was about 15 meters. It was very expensive because it was often inlaid precious stones and gold. Outstanding Greek artists and sculptors took part in the decoration of the building. Rumors about the beautiful shrine quickly spread throughout the ancient world, and subsequently the Temple of Artemis became one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Fate of the Temple
It should be noted that Kharsifron did not have time to complete the construction. But the business was continued by his son, and then by the architects Peonit and Demetrius. And then around 450 BC. the world saw the unsurpassed Temple of Artemis. They say that if it had survived to this day, it could have eclipsed any of the currently existing masterpieces of architectural art. But, unfortunately, in 356 BC. Herostratus, obsessed with the idea of ​​becoming famous at any cost, started a fire in the building.
The building was almost completely destroyed, of course, with the exception of those structural elements that were made of marble. After this, the Temple of Artemis was revived several times and ceased to exist again. But in 263 BC. it was last sacked by the Goths. The “marble” health of the building was finally broken by the swampy soil, as well as the Kaistra River flowing nearby. And it took scientists from all over the world several decades to restore the original appearance of the building.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is the same age as the second Temple of Artemis. The same people who restored the shrine after the fire started by Herostratus took part in its construction. The building is a ziggurat, that is, at the same time a tomb, a sanctuary, and a monument. It should be noted that the name “mausoleum” comes from the name of the powerful and cruel ruler of Caria – Mausolus.

Start of construction
Despite the fact that already in the 4th century BC. the state was a colony of the Persian Empire, Mausolus ruled imperiously and stubbornly, trying not to bend under imperial pressure. His position was so strong and his connections so wide that even after the suppression of the uprisings he raised, he managed to remain on the throne. During the reign of the energetic and ambitious king, Helicarnassus became the capital of Caria.
Moreover, the construction of the tomb, which was later included in the list of the seven most famous sights of the ancient world, began long before the death of the ruler - approximately 353 BC. The Mausoleum project was developed by Greek architects - Satyr and Pytheas. The sculptors Timofey, Leochares, Scopas and Briaxides were hired to decorate the building. In total, hundreds of talented craftsmen took part in the construction, whose names, unfortunately, have not been preserved in history.
R magnificent tomb for the king
The tomb was an impressive architectural complex, which has its own courtyard. A stone platform was installed in the center of the latter. A wide staircase, guarded by stone lions, led to the top. The inside of the building was decorated with bas-reliefs depicting scenes from ancient greek legends and legends. The outer walls of the Mausoleum were covered with statues of gods and goddesses, and in the corners of the structure huge guardian warriors carved from stone carried out their service.
The ziggurat was crowned by a marble chariot driven by four massive horses. The statues of charioteers depicted Mausolus himself and his sister-wife Artemisia. The height of this sculpture was about 6 meters, and the pyramidal roof of the tomb was supported by 36 7-meter monolithic columns.
The fate of the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus
When the ruler of Caria died, the construction of the Mausoleum had not yet been completed, and the decoration of the premises was completed only in 350 BC. The tomb survived both the conquest of Halicarnassus by the Macedonian and the attack of pirates at the beginning of the 1st millennium. But at the beginning of the 15th century, the Maltese visited Asia Minor and completely destroyed the building, taking marble and stone slabs for the construction of the fortress of St. Peter, which was located on the very spot where the palace of Mausolus and Artemisia stood. By the end of the 16th century, only one foundation remained of the Mausoleum.
Excavations of the tomb of Mausolus, led by Christian Jeppesen, were completed only in 1966-1977. Based on the found bas-reliefs, statues and other elements of furnishings and construction, the appearance of the Mausoleum was restored. His project served as the basis for the construction of the City Hall in Los Angeles, the Indiana Warriors Memorial, St. George's Church in London and many other architectural monuments of our time.

The Colossus of Rhodes
Rhodes was a major economic center of the ancient world. Located on southwest coast In Asia Minor, he often acted as a tasty morsel for the rulers of neighboring powers. So, in 357 BC. The famous king Mavlos became the new ruler of the city, and after 17 years the city fell into the possession of the Persian Empire. In 322 BC. Rhodes was conquered by Alexander the Great, but after his death, civil strife began between the heirs of the great commander and one of them, Antigonus, sent his son Demetrius to capture and destroy the rebellious city.

It should be noted that the long siege did not bring success, and the commander was forced to retreat. On the shore of the island, his warriors abandoned a huge siege tower, which was a real engineering miracle of that time, and the enterprising people immediately decided to sell it. With the money raised, it was decided to build a statue of Helios, the patron saint of Rhodes, in order to praise the sun god for ridding the city of invaders.
Construction of the statue began around 304 BC. The creation of the Colossus was entrusted to Chares, a student of the famous ancient sculptor Lysippos. It was proposed to depict Helios standing, and in his left hand he was supposed to hold a blanket flowing down to the ground, and with his right hand to cover his eyes from the sun. Despite the fact that such a pose did not correspond to some canons of sculpture of that time, the master understood that the huge statue would not stay on its feet if the Colossus pointed his hand into the distance.
Three massive stone pillars served as the basis for a 36-meter statue. They were fastened with iron beams at the level of the Colossus's shoulders, which was supposed to provide him with stability. Construction continued for 12 years, after which the world saw the greatest statue, whose head was adorned with a radiant crown.
Death of the Colossus
Literally half a century later, the island was shaken by strong earthquakes, and the legs of the Colossus of Rhodes were broken. The statue of the god fell into the sea and lay off the coast for about 1000 years. The defeated giant became surrounded by legends, but in 977 AD. They decided to disassemble it, melt it down and sell it. The chronicles preserve data that it took 900 camels to transport the bronze with which the statue was decorated.
Modern interpretations of the great statue
The Colossus of Rhodes was included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. Currently, even some measures are being taken to restore the huge statue. According to some reports, the cost of a modern sculpture of Helios will be about 200 million euros. However, the idea of ​​​​creating monumental sculptures following the example of the Colossus of Rhodes was used much earlier - in New York Harbor there was a statue of a woman holding a huge torch in her hands. This monument is better known to the world as the Statue of Liberty, but its creation was based on the image of the Rhodes masterpiece.

Alexandrian lighthouse
The history of the seventh Wonder of the World - the Lighthouse of Alexandria - is associated with its foundation in 332 BC. Alexandria, a city that was named after the great Roman commander Alexander the Great. It should be noted that throughout his career, the conqueror founded about 17 cities with similar names, but only the Egyptian project managed to survive to this day.

Foundation of the city in honor of the great commander
Macedonian selected the site for the founding of Egyptian Alexandria very carefully. He did not like the idea of ​​a location in the Nile Delta, and so the decision was made to set up the first construction sites 20 miles to the south, near the marshy Lake Mareotis. Alexandria was supposed to have two large harbors - one was intended for merchant ships coming from outside Mediterranean Sea, and the second is for ships traveling along the Nile.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter, the new ruler of Egypt. During this period, Alexandria became a prosperous Trading port. In 290 BC. Ptolemy ordered the construction of a huge lighthouse on the island of Pharos, which would illuminate the path for ships sailing in the city’s harbor in the dark and in bad weather.
Construction of a lighthouse on the island of Faros
The construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria dates back to the 4th century BC, but the system of signal lights itself appeared only in the 1st century BC. The creator of this masterpiece of engineering and architectural art is considered to be Sostratus, a resident of Cnidia. The work lasted a little over 20 years, and as a result, the Alexandria Lighthouse became the first building of this type in the world and the most tall building the ancient world, not counting, of course, the Gisean pyramids.
The height of the Alexandria Lighthouse was approximately 450-600 feet. Moreover, the structure was absolutely unlike any other architectural monument available at that time. The building was a three-tiered tower, the walls of which were made of marble slabs held together with lead mortar. The most Full description The Lighthouse of Alexandria was composed by Abu el-Andalussi - the famous Arab traveler- in 1166. He noted that the lighthouse, in addition to performing purely practical functions, served as a very noticeable landmark.
The fate of the great Lighthouse
The Faros lighthouse illuminated the way for seafarers for more than 1,500 years. But strong tremors in 365, 956 and 1303 AD. severely damaged the building, and a powerful earthquake in 1326 finally destroyed one of the greatest architectural structures in the world. In 1994, the remains of the Alexandria Lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists, and subsequently the image of the structure was more or less successfully restored using computer modeling.

New 7 wonders of the world

The classic list of 7 wonders of the world appeared in the 3rd century BC. It included the greatest architectural, historical and cultural monuments of the ancient world. But the years passed, and more and more new wonders appeared in the world, which today can also rightfully be considered Wonders of the World, that is, the most outstanding creations of man.
And so 2001 marked the beginning of the New Open World Corporation project. Its main purpose was to choose modern miracles light, worthy of going down in history forever. So, the winners of the competition on July 7, 2007 were:
1. The Great Wall of China
2. Taj Mahal
3. Colosseum
4. Machu Picchu
5. Petra
6. Chichen Itza
7. Christ the Redeemer Statue

The great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest structures that has survived to this day, which in its grandeur and grandeur has no analogues even in the modern world. Its history goes back to the 5th century BC, a time that was marked by the collapse of the Zhou state.
In its place, many small kingdoms were formed, which immediately began a bloody internecine struggle with each other for the legacy of the great empire. It was during this period of “warring kingdoms” that the first pits were dug and earthen ramparts were erected in order to strengthen the borders from aggressive neighbors.

Start of construction
And so in 221 BC. The ruler of one of the kingdoms - Qin - the great Shi Huangdi managed to pacify many years of blood feud. He was proclaimed the first Chinese emperor and during the 11 years of his reign he created a state with an effective system of government and justice. It was he who came up with the idea of ​​connecting the defensive structures that already existed in the north of the empire with a single wall.
And by order of the ruler, his army, consisting of 300,000 soldiers, as well as about a million prisoners and slaves, began to build fortress walls. Great Chinese Wall was built using a wide variety of construction technologies. To protect the still unfinished fortifications in the area of ​​the construction site, numerous garrisons were vigilantly serving.
Continuers of Shi Huangdi's work
After the death of Shi Huangdi, the work was continued by his successors - the emperors of the Han dynasty, who not only ensured the maintenance of the structure in proper order, but also worked on lengthening the wall. The last important stage in the construction of the Great Wall of China occurred during the reign of the imperial Ming dynasty, 1368-1644.
From the middle of the 17th century, the need for the building disappeared, and time and natural factors immediately took hold of its stone sides. But, fortunately, most of the Wall has survived to this day. Moreover, the Chinese government once invested huge sums in its reconstruction.
New Wonder of the World
Already during the reign of the Ming dynasty, fortifications stretched from the Shanhaiguan fortress, located on the shores of the Bohaiwan Strait, all the way to Jiayuguan in the north-west of Gansu province. Today, the length of the wall is a total of 8,851.8 kilometers, which is an absolute and most likely invincible record in construction.
In 1962, the Great Wall of China took pride of place on the list of national monuments of China, and in 1987 it was accepted into common list UNESCO World Heritage Site. It should be noted that this is the only structure that can be seen from Earth orbit without the use of any optical instruments. And in July 2007, the Wall was included in the list of New Wonders of the World, as one of the most impressive structures in the history of mankind.

Taj Mahal Mausoleum
It's not called the Taj Mahal for nothing architectural gem India. You will not find a more majestic and magnificent building in the whole country. This mausoleum represents the memory of the tender love of the Muslim ruler Shah Jahan for his wife, a fabulously beautiful woman named Mumtaz Mahal. The future king of the Great Mughals was still a young prince when, at the beginning of the 17th century, he took a nineteen-year-old beauty as his wife. The newlyweds loved each other dearly and, despite the fact that the king had huge harem, he simply did not pay attention to other women.

Background of construction
His beloved wife gave birth to Shah Jahan six daughters and eight sons, but numerous births broke the woman’s health, so when the fourteenth child was born, she was gone. The king's grief was so great that he wanted to take his own life. But responsibility for the state and other reasons kept the ruler in this world. Literally before the eyes of his retinue, he turned gray, and soon a two-year mourning was declared throughout the state, during which there was no place for holidays, dancing, music and fun.
"Indian Pearl"
Somewhat later, a grandiose mausoleum was erected in the capital of the Mughal Empire - Agra. Construction of the Taj Mahal took more than 20 years. More than 20 thousand people worked at the construction site, including the best Persian, Turkish, Samarkand and, of course, Indian architects and architects. The project was completed in 1653, and since then this amazing structure has attracted millions of explorers and travelers.
Inside the Taj Mahal there are two tombs - the Shah and his wife. But in fact the burial place is underground. The mausoleum is a five-domed building 74 meters high. It is located on a platform with 4 minarets, which are tilted away from the tomb, and adjacent to the building is an amazingly beautiful garden with an abundance of fountains and a swimming pool. The walls of the Taj Mahal were made of translucent polished marble, which was brought to the construction site from a unique deposit 300 km from Agra.
The greatest monument architecture
The great mausoleum has survived to this day. It is one of the most majestic and beautiful structures on the planet. Every day it is visited by tens of thousands of tourists, thanks to whom the “Indian pearl” replenishes the state treasury with considerable funds. Throughout the year, the Taj Mahal receives about 5 million visitors. In order to preserve the architectural monument, road traffic in the Taj Mahal area was prohibited.
Not long ago, cracks were discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. Scientists believe that the destruction of the building is associated with the shallowing of the Jumna, a river flowing in close proximity to it. But, nevertheless, the Taj Mahal remains one of the most unusual and majestic structures in the world. He was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO, and in July 2007 it took pride of place among the New Wonders of the World.

Coliseum
The Colosseum is one of the most majestic amphitheaters ever built by man. This famous ancient Roman monument still stands in the middle of modern buildings Italian capital. For a very long time, the Colosseum played a very important cultural role in the lives of the citizens and guests of Rome. A huge number of people gathered in its stands, yearning for one thing - bright and exciting spectacles. It was here that gladiator fights and animal persecution, sports competitions and naumachia took place.

The beginning of the history of the Flavian Amphitheater
The Colosseum is located on the Caelian, Palatine and Esquiline hills, that is, where the pond of the Golden House of Nero used to be. Initially, the structure was called the Flavian Amphitheater (in honor of its founders) of the famous imperial dynasty. Construction continued for 8 years, and around 80 AD. the world saw one of the most capacious arenas.
Like any other Roman building of this type, the Colosseum has the shape of an ellipse, in the center of which is the arena, and its stands are arranged in the form of concentric rings. The perimeter of the outer ellipse of the Roman arena is 524 m, the major and minor axes have a length of 187.7 and 155.64 m, and the height of the walls of the amphitheater approaches 50 m. The results of simple calculations show that the Colosseum could easily accommodate about 50 thousand people. spectators. It is the largest arena in the world, not counting modern stadiums that can accommodate over 100 thousand people.
The fate of the world's greatest arena
The Colosseum was rightly considered a symbol of Roman greatness. Philosophers said that as long as he stands, he will stand and Great empire. Back in 264, during the reign of Decius, the millennium of Rome was celebrated in the amphitheater. History records that during this era, about 40 wild horses, more than 30 elephants, 60 lions and many other wild animals were killed in the arena. In 405, gladiatorial combat was banned by Emperor Honorius, and the Colosseum withdrew its laurels as the greatest arena in the world.
Towards the end of the 13th century, the Roman amphitheater was turned into a quarry. At the same time, 23 estates for aristocratic families were built from it. In the 14th-15th centuries, the Italians built 6 churches from dismantled parts of the Colosseum, and at the end of the 15th century, the office of the Pope was built from the material of the Colosseum. In the mid-16th century, the architectural elements of the amphitheater served as the basis for some Roman bridges. In 1744, the Colosseum was illuminated in honor of the early Christian martyrs, and a cross was installed in the center of the arena.
In July 2007, the amphitheater was included in the list of New Wonders of the World. Today it is the most famous historical and architectural monument of Rome, annually attracting tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world.

City of Machu Picchu
On the territory of modern Peru there is one old Mountain peak, which the Indians called Machu Picchu. It is located at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level, offering amazingly beautiful views of the Urumamba River valley. It is here, at the foot of Mount Machu Picchu, that one of the ancient cities, which is often called “the city among the clouds.”

Origin of the "city in the sky"
Archaeologists believe that this lost Inca city was created as the winter residence of the ruler of this ancient people– Pachacuteca – literally a century before the Spaniards came here. In 1532, when the brave conquistadors and gold-lusted adventurers invaded the Inca Empire, every single inhabitant of the city mysteriously disappeared.
Machu Picchu was one of the three houses of Pachacutec and at the same time served as a shrine. The city had a very modest size and contained about 200 buildings. The city buildings were built from high-quality stone blocks, fitted together so tightly that most of the buildings of Machu Picchu have survived to this day. The abandoned settlement was accidentally discovered only at the beginning of the 20th century by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. A few decades later, the legendary Inca trail was discovered, leading through the Urumamba Valley straight to the city.
Attractions of the residence of the Inca ruler
The highlight of the ancient city are the extensive terraces on which the Incas practiced agriculture. The "decorated room" found near the western wall of the main temple is a clear indication of how skilled these people were. The foundation of the room is made of two impressive stone blocks with three-dimensional hewn tops.
The Temple of Three Windows is the most mysterious structure of Machu Picchu. According to Bingham's hypothesis, the trapezoidal windows facing east were symbols of the Pachacutec ancestral home. But since the architectural style of the city dates back to the late Inca period, the reliability of this assumption raises certain doubts among archaeologists.
New Wonder of the World Machu Picchu received UNESCO World Heritage status, after which it turned into a bustling center of mass tourism. About 2,000 travelers visited the city every day. But in order to preserve the city, UNESCO demanded that the number of visitors be reduced to 800 people per day. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was selected to the list of New Wonders of the World, and since February 2012 it has been excluded from the list of World Heritage Sites in danger of destruction.

Rock City Petra
The ancient city of Petra is one of the most amazing architectural monuments. It is carved from solid rock, and a huge number of secrets and omissions hover around its origin. It is believed that the city was founded by the Nabataeans - nomadic tribes who, in the 6th-4th centuries BC. managed to subjugate the vast territory in which Jordan, Syria and Israel are located today.

great city in a desert
Thanks to its advantageous location at the crossroads of wide trade routes, Petra prospered and grew rich over the years. For many years it was a real salvation for merchants and travelers from the scorching sun. However, in the 4th century BC. for reasons still unknown, it was abandoned. Perhaps the inhabitants were driven out of the cool stone shade by lack of water. But most likely the city was abandoned due to the loss of significance of its location in the very depths of the rocky Jordanian desert.
The city of Petra is carved out of red sandstone rock. Externally, the architectural elements that have survived to this day resemble Roman architecture. On the territory of the city, archaeologists were able to discover many temples, palaces, tombs and even an ancient theater. The buildings of Petra were built over many centuries, so there is an incredible interweaving of echoes of the culture of different eras.
IN different time Petra was owned by the Edomites, Nabataeans, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, and in the 12th century BC. The city was captured by the crusaders. After the 6th century AD construction stopped, and gradually one of the most amazing settlements on the planet became empty. The first European to visit famous city, is the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt. It was thanks to him that a detailed description of the structure of Petra, as well as sketches of some of its attractions, was preserved.
Main attractions
The main city attraction is the Treasury - a huge building with a solid facade carved out of rock. The majestic colonnade with an amphitheater crowning the kilometer-long Siq canyon also evoke admiration. They are the legacy of Roman culture in the history of Petra. Also noteworthy is the aqueduct that supplied water to the city. It was a complex system of terracotta pipes that collected moisture from all sources located within a radius of 25 km from the city.
Ed-Dair deserves special attention - a huge monastery carved right into the rock at the top of the highest cliff in the canyon. For some time it even served as a Christian temple. While excavating the monastery, archaeologists discovered the tomb of the Nabatean king here. You can climb to it via a staircase carved into stone, consisting of 800 steps.
Center of Mass Tourism and New Wonder of the World
Today Petra is one of the busiest tourism centers in the world. Every year about half a million people come here to see this amazing creation of human hands with their own eyes. In July 2007, Petra, a little earlier included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, became one of the New Wonders of the World.

City of Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza - the sacred Mayan city - is located 75 miles in east direction from Merida - the capital of Yucatan. Archaeologists believe ancient settlement, covering an area of ​​about 6 square miles, is one of the world's greatest architectural monuments. Previously, there were several hundred buildings here, but most of them have not survived to this day. The surviving buildings, of which there are about 30, are of great interest to archaeologists, scientists and researchers.

Ancient center of culture and religion
Archaeologists conditionally divide the remains of the city into two parts - the first contains buildings erected by the Mayans approximately in the 6th-7th centuries AD, while the second is a monument to the culture of the Toltecs, who lived in Yucotan in the 10th-11th centuries. Apparently, the population of Chichen Itza experienced a fairly acute lack of water. This is evidenced by numerous cenotes - wells with steep smooth walls.
It was during the Mayan period, which is associated with an unprecedented flowering of science and art, that the city acquired the high status of a cultural and religious center. A clear confirmation of this are the buildings erected during this period - the House of the Deer, the monastery and church, Akab Dzib, the House of Pali, the Temple with three lintels and the Red House. After the Mayan civilization fell into decline, the reasons for which are still shrouded in a dense shadow of mysteries and secrets, cities like Chichen Itza were used for burials and certain rituals.
City symbols
One of the most famous structures remaining at Chichen Itza is the Pyramid of Kukulcan, often called El Castillo by locals. The height of the structure is 23 m. On the day of the spring and autumn equinoxes in the afternoon, the sun illuminates the western balustrade of the main staircase so that an image of 7 isosceles triangles is formed, placed in a special order. Upon careful examination, it becomes clear that the figure created by the sun's rays most closely resembles a huge snake crawling towards its head. And to see this breathtaking spectacle, thousands of tourists gather here every year on March 20 and September 21.
Another attraction - Huego de Pelota - is the largest playground, ever created by the Mayans. It should be noted that there are eight other such structures in the city, but the “Great Ball Field” is significantly larger than them in size - its length is 135 m. Particular attention is drawn to the paintings carved on the walls that enclose Huego de Pelota. They depict very brutal scenes, and scholars believe that they are directly related either to the practice of sacrifice, or to the illustration of a game that serves as a substitute for bloody war.
Fate of the city
After 1194, Chichen Itza was completely deserted, and there are numerous rumors and legends surrounding what caused the city’s inhabitants to leave. It should be noted that the harsh policy of the Spaniards, who ruled America in the 11th century, involved the execution of Mayan priests, as well as the destruction of ancient books and manuscripts. Therefore, no more or less plausible information about the mysterious history of this ancient civilization has survived to this day.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is installed on the top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. The monument is a symbol of the city and Brazil. Every year millions of travelers and tourists come here to see with their own eyes the majestic statue of Christ, as if taking the entire modern world into his arms.

Construction of the monument
The history of the monument dates back to the 16th century, when Portuguese navigators dubbed Corcovado Peak “the mountain of temptation.” In 1921 (a year before the anniversary of Brazil's independence), the famous publication O Cruzeiro announced a fundraiser for the construction of the monument, as a result of which over 2 million reis were collected.
The design of the statue of Christ the Redeemer was developed by Carlos Oswald. In 1927, the first models of the monument were constructed, and all the necessary calculations were carried out by Costa Hissses. Pedro Viana and Heitor Levi took part in the construction of the monument, as well as the sculptor Paul Landowski, who modeled and made the plaster head and hands of the statue.
An entire army of engineers and technicians worked on the creation of the sculpture. It was decided to replace the steel frame of the monument with reinforced concrete, and the outer layer of the monument was made of soapstone, specially imported to Rio de Janeiro from the Swedish Lymhamn deposit.
Construction lasted about 9 years, and in 1931 the world saw the majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer, which for a long time had no equal in scale in the whole world. The height of the monument is 38 meters, and the weight of the entire structure, including the base, exceeds 1100 tons. The reach of the statue's arms is approximately 23 meters, and the head and arms of Christ the Redeemer weigh about 54 tons.
The Majestic History of the Christ the Redeemer Statue
In 1965, the monument was consecrated by Pope Paul VI, and in 1981, on the 50th anniversary of the monument, John Paul II was present at the solemn celebration. The statue of Christ the Redeemer was restored three times - in 1980, 1990 and 2010. In 1932 and 2000, the night lighting system of the statue was modernized, and today it stands out in a special way against the background of the starry sky at night.
It should be noted that the statue of Christ the Redeemer was spared by a severe storm in July 2008, which destroyed several nearby neighborhoods in Rio. The monument was saved by the same soapstone, which acted as a dielectric and extinguished lightning discharges on the surface of the statue. Today the monument is in excellent condition.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer took pride of place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and on July 7, 2007, at the initiative of the New Open World Corporation, it was included in the list of New Wonders of the World.

7 wonders of Russia: the greatness and beauty of the country

Everyone knows the Seven Wonders of the World. Their history is studied by scientists all over the planet, many scientific works have been written about them, presentations, messages, reports, chapters in textbooks are devoted to them. Each of the unusual world heritage sites of Russia and UNESCO is associated with secrets and legends; there are many facts and unconfirmed information. On June 12, 2008, the world learned that the 7 Wonders of Russia had been published - choose these objects from a huge number of ancient, mysterious, mystical and simply very beautiful places, which abound in corners of the country, was quite difficult. The project, aimed at identifying the most beautiful places in Russia, was initiated by the Izvestia newspaper in collaboration with the Mayak radio station and the Rossiya TV channel in 2007. In 2008, as a result of a popular vote, the most iconic and amazing sights of the country were chosen - the 7 Wonders of Russia.
The list of 7 wonders of Russia includes: 1. Man-Pupu-ner weathering pillars in the Komi Republic. 2. Elbrus peak in Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria. 3. Lake Baikal in Buryatia. 4. Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula. 5. Mamayev Kurgan, “Motherland” monument. 6. Monument of palace and park art "Peterhof", St. Petersburg. 7. St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow.
Of the seven wonders of the world in Russia, 4 belong to the class natural objects, three – to architectural monuments and park art.

Lake Baikal, Buryatia
In Buryatia, where Lake Baikal is located, it is called Baigal Dalai or Baigal Nuur. The most deep lake of tectonic origin and is a UNESCO protected site. Baikal, one of the 7 Wonders of Russia, is often called the sea - its dimensions are truly impressive: width from 24 to 80 km, length 632 km. The very shape of the majestic and very beautiful reservoir is also interesting - in the form of a crescent.

Interesting to know. The crystal purity of the waters of “Father Baikal”, a member of the Great Seven Wonders of Russia, is also unique - it is possible to see every pebble at a depth of 40 meters, and the minimum amount of mineral salts allows you to use Baikal water as distilled water.
The object of the 7 Wonders of Russia received the name “Father Baikal” because of an ancient legend. Baikal had 336 sons and only one daughter - Angara. The sons constantly replenished Baikal with their waters, and Angara gave her waters to the Yenisei, which she fell in love with. Angry Baikal cursed its daughter Angara by throwing the Shaman-stone rock into its source.

Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka Territory
The Valley of Geysers is hidden in one of the volcanic gorges of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, and can only be reached by helicopter. 250 kilometers on the road over the tundra, ridges, hills, taiga gorges and acidic lakes - and a person finds himself in another world, filled with fountains of swirling vapors, light smells of sulfur and rain splashes, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. Walking along a pedestrian path with wooden decks, you can observe 30 large geysers and many small springs, throwing jets of boiling water (+95 °C) tens of meters into the air. Hot mud pots have also been preserved. Due to the well-warmed soil, the slopes of the valley are overgrown with lush green herbs and trees. The Geysernaya River flows along the bottom of the gorge, which never freezes.

Mamayev Kurgan and Motherland, Volgograd region

During the Great Patriotic War, Mamayev Kurgan became the scene of bloody battles. The fight for Mamayev Kurgan, indicated on military topographic maps as “Height 102.0,” lasted 135 days out of 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1959 - 1967, a memorial Complex- “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad.” On the hill, in a mass grave, 34,505 soldiers found eternal peace. 200 granite steps lead from the foot to the top of the mound (according to the number of days of the battle). There is a statue “The Motherland Calls!” installed here. It represents the figure of a woman 87 meters high with a raised sword in her hands. This is one of the tallest monuments in the world. (For comparison: the height of the Statue of Liberty in the USA reaches only 46 meters). The figure of a woman-mother is an allegorical symbol of the Motherland, calling on her sons to fight the enemy.

Peterhof, St. Petersburg

Founded in the 1710s by Emperor Peter I, Peterhof became a luxurious royal residence and a kind of triumphal monument, symbolizing Russia’s successful access to Baltic Sea. A single ensemble combines palaces, alleys, elegant sculptures and greenhouses with strange plants. But the main pride of Peterhof is its fountains. 176 fountains and 4 cascades operate without a single pump. Hydraulic engineer V. Tuvolkov created a unique fountain conduit: 20 km from here there are springs from which water, due to the difference in height, flows through canals and sluices into pools, and from there through underground pipes it rushes to the fountains and cascades of Peterhof.

St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

St. Basil's Cathedral is the same symbol of Russia and Moscow as the Eiffel Tower is for Paris and France, the Statue of Liberty for the USA and New York, or the Taj Mahal for India and Agra. St. Basil's Cathedral was built by Ivan the Terrible in 1555 - 1561 as a sign of victory over the Kazan Khanate. In plan, the temple is an eight-pointed star: 8 churches symbolize 8 days falling on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan. They are grouped around the 9th, central church, which personifies the tsar’s state idea of ​​united lands. The name of the cathedral was given by a chapel built in 1588 and consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed.

Weathering pillars, Komi

The top of Mount Man-Pupu-ner is crowned with the remains of bizarre shapes. These giant pillars, 30 to 42 meters high, were created over 200 million years by the influence of water and wind. According to legend, the pillars were giants who wanted to destroy the local people - the Mansi. But as soon as their leader-shaman saw sacred mountain- Man-Pupu-ner, then in horror he threw his tambourine, and his companions turned into stone idols.

Elbrus, Caucasus

On the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia there is the double-headed Elbrus, the highest point in Russia. The height of the western peak of Elbrus is 5642 m, and the eastern peak is 5621 m. The mountain is famous for its glaciers that feed mountain rivers, mineral springs, spread out at the foot, and with stunning views. Few mountains of volcanic origin exceed Elbrus in height: for example, highest peak Africa - the Kilimanjaro volcano - is only 253 meters higher than the “Russian miracle”.
Summary of a Russian history lesson in 8th grade. Domestic policy of Alexander I

by Daria Nessel | Dec 15, 2016

The Pyramid of Cheops

Neither he nor his wife lived to see the completion of construction. The architects and sculptors completed the work they started on their own initiative so that people could admire this masterpiece of architecture.

The crypt of Mausolus stood in Halicarnassus for 1700 years, until an earthquake destroyed the three-tiered 50-meter walls, decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures.

Four marble horses at a gallop, with the royal couple, crowned this tombstone, called the mausoleum. Since then, all such structures are called mausoleums.

From 270 to 220 BC on the shore of the island of Rhodes stood, amazing in its size, a monument to the sun god Helios in the form of a young man with a torch in his raised hand. Delightful on the outside, in reality it consisted mainly of mortar, its power was only a mirage that soon dissipated.

The statue of the radiant handsome man collapsed, unable to withstand the vibrations of the earth's surface, and lay there for 900 years, until the iron and bronze were sent for smelting, leaving no mention of the place where it was located.

The 32 m clay-filled giant is the progenitor of the colossi that appeared later, such as, for example, the Statue of Liberty in the USA. There is a project for a virtual embodiment of the Colossus of Rhodes.

Alexandrian lighthouse

The signal tower on the island of Pharos at the entrance to the harbor was erected in 280 BC. in five years and served for almost 1000 years, showing the right path to sailors and reliably protecting the capital of Egypt from attack from the sea.

The design proposed by the architect Sostratus was implemented so successfully that in the future all coastal lighthouses decided to build according to its model.

The giant fire, which burned day and night on the third level, was visible at sea almost 100 km away, thanks to mirror reflectors made of polished bronze plates, first used here.

Strong seismic shocks destroyed the building, leaving only the ruins on which another fortress was built.

In 2015, the Egyptian authorities decided to restore the Alexandria Lighthouse.

Some of the disappeared ancient wonders of the world have been reconstructed as mini-copies in the miniature park in Istanbul: the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Halicarnak Mausoleum.

It is better to see in reality once than to hear (read) a million times in order to understand and appreciate these beautiful works of art.

7 Wonders of the World ancient world- these are the results of human genius, covered with a flair of mystery and legends, created many centuries ago and almost all of them sank into the abyss without a trace.

Why exactly 7 wonders of the world? Were there really so few of them? In fact, this list should be much longer, but seven has been revered since ancient times as a magical, divine number in which providence manifests its will.

Maybe that’s why so many colors of the rainbow, notes, and days of the week are known. This is where the expressions come from: behind seven seals, seven circles of hell, in seventh heaven...

In those distant times, the Greeks annually determined a list of wonders, making it a kind of lottery, because there was so much to choose from. Until the ancient Greek poet Antipater of Sidon, in his famous poem about the 7 wonders of the world, named the objects that he considered worthy of this title.

I’m an Image Caption ready-to-use.

Later it became fashionable and ancient historians, poets and writers began to repeat it. The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World were built within 2,500 years before Christ. The geography of their location is the Mediterranean region: the territory of modern Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Turkey. This unprecedented surge of creative energy and talent took place here, leaving a bright mark on world culture.

The Pyramid of Cheops

The largest of all existing pyramids in the Giza Valley, dating from 2540–2560 BC, 146 m high (currently 138 m), with a base of just over five hectares. This is the memorial complex of Pharaoh Cheops and the only one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world that has survived to this day.

A stone monolith, completely filled with heavy, weighing more than 2 tons, blocks of cut limestone with three granite burial chambers inside. Today you can hear many hypotheses about the purpose of rooms and new ones are constantly being put forward.

More than 5 million tons - this is the weight. Over the course of twenty years, 4 thousand builders laid them out in a geometrically correct form during a period when wheels were unknown in Egypt.

Looted in ancient times, the tomb of Khufu keeps the secret of its creation, continuing to attract the attention of scientists and archaeologists.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Babylonian miracle, built by order of Nebuchadnezzar 3000 BC. for his wife, the daughter of the Median king, so that she could dispel longing for her native land.

Four platforms, placed in tiers on powerful supports, were like a mountain hill, planted with rare trees and bushes. It was an oasis of peace and coolness in the sultry and noisy Babylon.

The name of Semiramis, a legendary woman who lived several centuries earlier, was connected by people's rumors with this unique creation, creating beautiful fairy tales. Amytis, for whose sake the birds sang and the streams gurgled, is forever forgotten by history.

Statue of Olympian Zeus

In Olympia from the 7th century BC. popular athletic competitions were held. The patron of athletes participating in competitions and citizens of the polis was the formidable head of Olympus. He was feared and respected, so a palace was built for him, suitable for such a powerful protector.

The marble temple was the largest ever dedicated to deities. An impressive ivory and gold statue of the thunder god, created by the sculptor Phidias, sat on a throne in the center of the building.
The optical effect, thanks to which the figure of the Thunderer seemed to shine in the twilight of the room, amazed those present.

For almost a millennium, the Olympians brought gifts to, until Emperor Theodosius the Second ordered the burning of the temple of the supreme pagan god in order to strengthen the formation of the Christian religion.

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is reproduced in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Residents of Ephesus in the 5th century BC. In honor of their patroness, Artemis, the always young goddess of the hunt, they erected a magnificent temple. They worked for almost a hundred years, experiencing serious difficulties with the foundation, located on shaky, swampy soil.

A lover of glory, Herostratus fifteen years later burned the pride of the Ephesians, thus wanting to become famous. Since then, his name has become a proverb, so he managed to achieve his goal.

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 , short 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 dug 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 - hanging gardens Semiramis. 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 took place according to the same project, with preliminary collection Money and jewels of 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

Entered our lives famous miracles light and 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. Since the beginning of the Hellenic era, writings about unique monuments 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. Egyptian miracle of antiquity still holds the secrets of its great ancestors. IN this 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.

1997 was marked by inclusion in the status of a miracle 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 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 are beloved by the way local residents. 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 emergence of new miracles is evidence that there are still many mysterious places 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: