Egyptian pyramids in El Giza

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

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

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

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

Gardens in Babylon

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

Statue of Olympian Zeus

ZEUS OF OLYMPIAN STATUE, an illustrious statue of the king of gods and men by the great Greek sculptor Phidias; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue was placed in the cult center of the Olympic sanctuary - the Temple of Zeus, in the sacred grove of Altis. When asked by the artist Panen how Phidias intended to represent the supreme god, the master replied: “...The way Zeus is presented by Homer in the following verses of the Iliad: Rivers, and as a sign Zeus waves his black eyebrows: Quickly the fragrant hair rose up from Kronidas Around immortal head; and the many-hilled Olympus shook.”

Zeus statue in Olympia

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

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

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

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

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

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

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

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

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

Faros lighthouse.

FAROSIAN LIGHTHOUSE (Alexandria Lighthouse), a lighthouse on the eastern shore of the island. Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria, the Hellenistic capital of Egypt; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The builder of this miracle of technology, the first and only colossal lighthouse in the entire Greek world, was Sostratus of Knidos. On the marble wall of the building, Sostratus carved the inscription: “Sostratus, son of Dexiphanes of Cnidus, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of sailors.” He covered this inscription with a thin layer of plaster with the glorification of King Ptolemy Soter written on it. Over time, the falling plaster revealed the true name of the builder and great engineer.

Alexandrian lighthouse

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

The Colossus of Rhodes.

COLOSSUS OF RHODES, a giant statue of Helios by the sculptor Chares on the island. Rhodes; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was built with money received by Rhodes after the sale of the siege engines of Demetrius I Poliorcetes, who tried to capture this richest Greek island in 305 BC. e.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Travelers in New York Harbor can see a wonderful sight. A huge statue of a robed woman appears in front of them, standing on a small island in the harbor, holding a book in her hands and a torch reaching into the sky. The statue measures almost one hundred twenty feet from the feet to the crown. It is sometimes called the "Modern Colossus", but more often it is called the Statue of Liberty. The Colossus of Rhodes, which the Statue of Liberty so reminds us of, is an ancient creation of the ancients, located on the island of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue standing along the banks of the strait, one leg was on one bank, the other on the other. According to the project, ships were supposed to sail between the legs of the statue. Unfortunately, the Colossus of Rhodes turned out to be “weak in the legs”; due to the earthquake, its legs broke and the huge statue collapsed into the water. For a long time, the remains of his legs remained, serving as proof of his existence, but they have not survived to this day. The Colossus of Rhodes today has become a symbol of a large-scale, but poorly thought out project at its foundation, which could easily collapse. Helios was not just a particularly revered deity on the island - he was its creator: not having a place dedicated to him, the sun god carried the island in his arms from the depths of the sea. The statue of the god towered right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible to those sailing from the neighboring islands; the height of the statue was approx. 35 m, i.e. almost three times higher than the Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg. The base of the statue was made of clay with a metal frame, and the top was decorated with bronze sheets. To work on the image of the god directly at the site of its installation, Hares used a clever technique: with the gradual elevation of the sculpture, the earthen hill around it also rose; the hill was subsequently torn down, and the statue in its entirety was revealed to the astonished inhabitants of the island. The production of the grandiose monument required 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron (about 13 and about 8 tons, respectively). The colossus also gave rise to a kind of fashion for giant statues in Rhodes already in the 2nd century. BC e. About a hundred colossal sculptures were installed. The creation of the bronze giant lasted approx. 12 years, but it stood, however, only 56 years. In 220 BC e. During the earthquake, the statue collapsed, unable to withstand the vibrations of the soil. As Strabo writes, “the statue lay on the ground, overthrown by an earthquake and broken at the knees.” But even then the Colossus caused surprise with its size; Pliny the Elder mentions that only a few could clasp the statue's thumb with both hands. The remains of the Colossus lay on the ground for more than a thousand years, until they were finally sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977, to a merchant who, as one chronicle says, loaded 900 camels with them. At present, it is not possible to fully reconstruct the appearance of the statue. Not so long ago, a couple of years ago, another election was held, where the new 7 wonders of the world were determined.

Modern Wonders of the World

The new list includes the following miracles:

The Great Wall of China - in our humble opinion, it should be included in all such lists that touch on new wonders of the world. The wall is a truly incredible object, on which a lot of money, materials, and human lives were spent. The design, amazing in its size, evokes admiration when we first think about the level of technology that existed at that time.

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

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

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

- Chichen Itza- these are buildings that became a monument to another great civilization - the Mayans. Ancient sculptures, buildings, and inventions have been preserved here, surviving to this day in almost perfect condition. Even some pieces of furniture were found here. Our verdict is that modern wonders of the world must include this city.

- Roman Coliseum- a place where gladiator battles took place, soaked in blood and terrible stories, the last breaths of people and animals. The New Wonders of the World include the Colosseum not just because of its beauty, but because of the history, involvement in ancient works, stories and narratives.

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

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

Illustrated interpretation Seven Wonders of the World.

Long ago, sages and travelers compiled a list of 7 wonders of the world, including the most beautiful and, in their opinion, most majestic buildings of the whole world.

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

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

The Pyramid of Cheops

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

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

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

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

To confirm the military alliance, Nebuchadnezzar II marries the daughter of the Median king, Amytis. Amitis, who was accustomed to green gardens, was not happy with the “dusty” Babylon and to console his wife, Nebuchadnezzar builds her these hanging gardens.

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

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

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

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

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

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

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

Construction of the mausoleum began even before the death of Mausolus, for whom the monument was actually built. The wife of the Carian ruler called the most notorious architects of Greece, Satyr and Pytheas, and the most recognized architects of those times - Leochares, Skopas.

The Colossus of Rhodes

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

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

The lighthouse would have been built in the 3rd century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The Alexandria Lighthouse was the very first lighthouse in history. This lighthouse stood for about a thousand years!

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

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

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is a list of famous ancient monuments compiled by ancient historians and travelers, including the “father of history” Herodotus.

The list was edited several times, and its classic version was formed 2.2 thousand years ago thanks to the efforts of Philo of Byzantium. The list of “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” includes: the pyramid of Cheops, the “hanging gardens” of Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the lighthouse on the island. Pharos in Alexandria.

Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt

The Pyramid of Cheops, or the Great Pyramid, is the only one of the 7 wonders of the world that has survived to this day. The age of the structure is 4500 years. Over the course of 20 years, 120 thousand Egyptians, by the sweat of their brow, erected a grandiose pharaoh’s tomb. The Cheops pyramid is made up of 2.5 million blocks weighing 2.5 tons each. Without the use of cement or other fastening agents, the blocks are fitted so tightly to each other that the gap between them does not exceed 0.5 mm.

Initially, the pyramid had a height of 147 meters, but today, when its top is destroyed and the highest point is at 138 meters, the tomb of Cheops still makes a majestic impression. For almost 4000 years, until the 14th century AD, the Pyramid of Cheops bore the title of the tallest structure in the world.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Asia

Around 600 BC Ancient Babylon roared on the territory of modern Iraq. The city reached its greatest prosperity under King Nebuchadnezzar II, who entered into a military alliance with his main enemy, Assyria, and became related to the Median king Cyaxares, marrying his daughter Amytis (Semiramis). The king ordered the famous “Hanging Gardens” to be laid out for his wife. The gardens were located on a four-tiered platform, reminiscent of an ever-blooming green hill. The base of the terraces was made of stone blocks covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Then there was a double layer of brick, and even higher - lead plates that prevented the seepage of irrigation water. A fertile layer of soil was laid on top of this structure, on which trees, palm trees, and flowers were grown. The magnificent gardens, elevated to great heights, seemed like a real wonder of the world in sultry, dusty Babylonia.

Zeus statue, Olympia, Greece

In 435 BC. e. in Olympia - one of the sanctuaries of Ancient Greece - a majestic temple was built in honor of the ruler of the gods - Zeus. Inside the temple there was a huge 20-meter statue of the Olympian god seated on a throne. The sculpture was made of wood, on top of which ivory plates were glued, imitating the upper naked part of the body of Zeus. The god's clothes and shoes are covered with gold. In his left hand Zeus held a scepter with an eagle, and in his right hand a statue of the goddess of victory.

Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, Türkiye

The Temple of Artemis was built in 560 BC. King Croesus of Lydia in the city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor. The huge white marble temple was framed by 127 columns 18 meters high. Inside was a statue of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, made of gold and ivory. In 356 BC. one vain resident of Ephesus, Herostratus, set fire to the temple, thus deciding to become famous and perpetuate his name. The sanctuary of Artemis was rebuilt, but in 263 it was destroyed and plundered by the Goths.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, Türkiye

The ruler of Caria, Mausolus, was still alive in 353 BC. began construction of his own tomb in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Türkiye). The grandiose funeral structure, 46 meters high, surrounded by 36 columns and crowned with a sculpture of a chariot, made such a strong impression on contemporaries that since then all monumental tombs began to be called mausoleums after King Mausolus.

Colossus of Rhodes, Greece

A giant statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios was installed at the entrance to the port of Rhodes in 292 - 280. BC e.. A slender young god, sculptured to full height, held a torch in his hand. Ships sailed between the legs of the statue. The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 65 years: in 222 BC. it was destroyed by an earthquake. The fragments of the sculpture were transported on 900 camels.

Alexandria Lighthouse, Egypt

Many things that are familiar to you and me are in one way or another connected with the number 7.

These are the seven days of the week, seven notes, seven deadly sins, seven sacred church sacraments, “flower - seven flowers,” Snow White and the seven dwarfs, and many others. The number 7 is considered symbolic and lucky by many peoples. In ancient civilizations (Babylonian, ancient Greek) it denoted the completeness, perfection of the world, the sum of its main components (4 parts of the world and the basis of life in the person of parents and children). The city of Rome was built on 7 hills. To describe all such examples you need to spend a lot of time, so let’s move on to describing the history of occurrence 7 Wonders of the World.

The first mentions of the wonders of the world appeared in Ancient Greece. So the historian and philosopher Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century. BC, listed 3 wonders of the world:

1) Temple of the goddess Hera on the island of Samos;

2) An aqueduct delivering water through a system of tunnels (Samos Island);

3) A dam protecting the port from sea storms (Samos Island).

Since then, people increasingly began to describe the most grandiose and significant architectural buildings, so Herodotus’ list was completely updated and expanded two centuries later.

The writer from Sidon (Phenicia) Antipater, in the third century BC, became the author of a new list 7 Wonders of the World the ancient world, which has reached our time almost unchanged. Traveling to different countries, he left reviews about each of them, paying special attention to the most important architectural monuments. He could only tell us about those architectural masterpieces that were not destroyed by natural disasters or military actions, otherwise the list of wonders of the world could have become much more voluminous. Also in the classical interpretation of the list 7 Wonders of the World, did not include structures built by man later than the 3rd century BC.

Thus, such grandiose man-made architectural projects as: Tower of Babel, walls of the city of Babylon, Library of Alexandria, Palace of Cyrus in Persepolis, Acropolis of Athens with a statue of the goddess Athena, Temple of King Solomon, Roman Colosseum, Capitol and many others.

Let's move on to the description miracles Sveta in the classic version according to chronology.

1) The Pyramid of Cheops, built by the Egyptians around 2550 BC. AD. Located in the Giza Valley (Egypt), and intended as a tomb for Pharaoh Cheops. This is one of seven wonders of the world, which has survived to this day almost in its original form and is very popular among tourists from all over the world.

2) Hanging Gardens of Babylon, were built around 600 BC. AD in the city of Babylon, (modern Iraq). The gardens were presented as a gift to the wife of King Nebuchadnezzar II. This architectural monument has not survived to this day, as it was destroyed by an earthquake 200 years after its construction.

3) Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, built in 550 BC. AD Greeks, Lydians and Persians near the city of Ephesus (Türkiye). This temple was built in honor of the ancient Greek goddess Artemis. The Temple of Artemis was plundered and destroyed 2 times (first by Herostratus in 370 BC, and then by Gothic tribes in the 3rd century AD). As a result of the fire, the temple was completely burned down.

4) Zeus statue, created by the ancient Greek sculptor Phidias in 435 BC. was originally installed in Olympia (Greece), where the Olympic Games were held every 4 years, in the Temple of Zeus. The god Zeus is depicted as a statue seated on a throne, holding a scepter on which Zeus' messenger Eagle is located. The temple statue, impressive in its size, execution and cost, was destroyed during a fire that occurred at the Hippodrome of the city of Constantinople in the 5th century AD.

5) mausoleum in Halicarnassus erected jointly by Carian, Persian and Greek architects in 351 BC. under the leadership of the architect Pytheas. The mausoleum was the tomb of the ruler of Caria - King Mausolus and his wife, Artemisia, and was located near the city of Halicarnassus (Turkey). Only architectural fragments and the foundation of the mausoleum, destroyed in 1494 by a strong earthquake, have survived to this day. Miraculously, 2 statues survived - King Masol and Queen Artemisia. They are currently kept in the British Museum in London.

6) The Colossus of Rhodes a huge 18-meter statue in a bronze case, dedicated to the sun god Helios, in honor of the victory of the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes (Greece) over the troops of Demetrius Polyocretos in 304 BC. The work was completed in 280 BC. The statue stood for just over 66 years, after which several elements of the statue fell off during an earthquake. In the 7th century. AD the bronze body of the statue was completely dismantled.

7) Alexandrian lighthouse, erected in the 3rd century. BC. at the direction of Alexander the Great. The lighthouse was located on the island of Pharos, near the newly built city of Alexandria (Egypt). It was a grandiose architectural structure more than 130 meters in height. It was crowned with a statue of the god Zeus. The lighthouse made it possible to navigate not only during the day, but also at night. From the name of the island on which it was located (Pharos) in the 19th century. lighting devices for cars were named - headlights. Having stood for more than a millennium, the lighthouse nevertheless fell under the pressure of the elements. In 783 AD. The lighthouse of Alexandria was destroyed by a strong earthquake. And in its place in the 15th century. The Turks built a fortress that remains to this day.

Long ago, sages and travelers compiled a list of 7 wonders of the world, the list included the most beautiful and, in their opinion, most majestic buildings in the whole world.

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After this, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list received the name 7 wonders of the world.

Add to list seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous monuments of art of the Ancient world. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles.

The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC. e.

1. Egyptian pyramids

Topping the list are the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day.

These stone structures became the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC.

During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the Cheops pyramid. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and to date, the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly inferior to it in size.

The Hanging Gardens were built in 600 BC. by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. It is believed that this was done to entertain his wife, who was yearning for the greenery of her homeland in dusty Babylon. The Hanging Gardens were a four-tiered pyramid that looked like a flowering hill. The lower tier was an irregular quadrangle, the smallest side of which was 34 m, the largest - 42 m. The tiers were supported by columns whose height reached 25 m. Each tier was covered with a layer of fertile soil on which various plants could be planted.

Although the wife of the Babylonian king was named Amitas, the name of the Hanging Gardens is traditionally associated with the name of the legendary Assyrian ruler Semiramis.

The famous statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, was created by the great sculptor and architect Phidias. It was intended for the Temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, the city where the Olympic Games were held. The frame of the statue was made of wood, onto which ivory plates were glued, imitating naked skin. The hair, beard, wreath, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and the eyes were made of precious stones. In his right hand Zeus held the goddess of victory Nike, also made of ivory and gold.

In 393, Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where some time later it died in a fire.

4. Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

In 550 BC, in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, the construction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis was completed. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved its detailed description. In 356 BC a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned it in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century AD. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt temple. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Statues of its builders, Praxiteles and Scopas, were installed inside the temple.

At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.

This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located on the territory of modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named a mausoleum after him. The Tomb of Mausolus is a brick building faced with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m and the height was 46 m.

This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the Knights of St. John dismantled its remains to build a fortress.

In the 3rd century BC, this giant statue was installed on the Greek island of Rhodes. Work on it continued for about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its manufacture.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 56 years. As a result of what happened in 222 BC. earthquake, he broke at the knees and fell. This is where the expression “colossus with feet of clay” comes from. In 977 AD e. what was left of the statue was sold to merchants. According to the chronicles, there was enough debris to load 900 camels with it. The ancient Greek author Philo of Byzantium was first mentioned as one of the Colossae of Rhodes.

7.

Around 280 BC, the world's first lighthouse was completed on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria. This work took about 20 years. The height of the Alexandria lighthouse was 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. A fire was constantly burning at the top of the lighthouse, the light from which was directed out to the sea using polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.

In the 12th century AD e. The Alexandria Bay ceased to be used due to filling with silt, and the Faros Lighthouse lost its significance. In the 14th century, it was damaged by an earthquake and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.