"Seven Wonders of the World" is a term coined by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus in the 5th century BC. The list of wonders was compiled on the basis of the principle of uniqueness and grandeur. In those distant times, the most significant and majestic creations of human hands were considered miracles. Six of them were irretrievably lost to humanity, so later an updated list of miracles that can be found on the planet was compiled.
Ancient wonders of the world
The Pyramid of Cheops is the only surviving wonder of the world. Its original height was 146 meters, until recently it was the tallest building in the world. The pyramid has suffered greatly from time to time: its upper part, the facing, has collapsed, but even today it causes a person's feelings of admiration and awe.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are a structure created by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife Amitis. The gardens consisted of several steps-terraces on which a large number of amazing exotic plants grew. The gardens were destroyed in 562 BC. e. flood that eroded the foundation.
The Colossus of Rhodes is a huge statue of Helios, the ancient Greek god of the sun. The height of the statue was estimated at 36 meters, the feet of the statue were located on different banks of the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes. It towered on marble pedestals and was cast from 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron. She died in 224 BC. as a result of a powerful earthquake.
The statue of Olympian Zeus was erected in the 5th century BC, its height, according to some sources, reached 17 meters. According to the descriptions, the temple around the statue was created from white marble, the body of Zeus was made of ivory, and the cape, scepter and wreath were cast in pure gold, inlaid with precious stones. In 425 A. D. it burned down in a church fire.
The Temple of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, fertility and chastity, was built in the 4th century BC. The temple consisted of 127 eighteen-meter marble columns supporting the roof. Inside, it was decorated with antique sculptures, carvings and paintings. In 351 BC. the temple was burned down by the fanatic Herostratus, who tried to perpetuate his name in this way.
Halicarnassus Mausoleum - was built in the 4th century BC. by order of Queen Artemisia III as a tombstone for her husband, ruler Mavsol. It reached a height of 46 meters and was strikingly different from the structures of Greece of that era. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in the 13th century.
The Alexandria or Pharos lighthouse is a construction of the III century BC, was erected over five years at the entrance to the Alexandrian bay and reached a height of 140 meters. It consisted of three white marble towers. It suffered the same fate as other wonders of the world - it was destroyed by an earthquake in the XIV century.
New wonders of the world
In 2007, a new list of wonders of the world was announced. All structures were selected as a result of a vote, in which anyone could take part. An honorable place in this list is occupied by the pyramids of Giza, but they were not included in the “list of seven”. And the first place was awarded to the Colosseum - an amphitheater-arena built in the first century AD.
Moai - statues of Easter Island and Stonehenge - were contenders for places on the list of wonders of the world, however, for some reason, these ancient relics were never awarded such a title.
The second most important miracle was the Great Wall of China, the length of which, taking into account all its branches, is 8000 km. Its age is more than 2,000 years, and its authorship, attributed to one of the Chinese emperors, in recent years has been disputed by many modern researchers.
The third place was taken by the Inca city - Machu Picchu. Inundated with tourists, it looks very busy today, but this city, built on the side of a mountain, has been empty for over 500 years.
The ancient city of Petra is located in the territory of modern Jordan, dating back to 300 BC. It was ranked fourth on the list of new wonders of the world.
The main place in it is occupied by the temples of Al-Khazneh and El-Deir - colossal structures entirely carved into the rocks.
The statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro - rightfully occupies a place among the modern wonders of the world, its height is 38 meters. And although this is the youngest wonder of the world, in grandeur it is not inferior to the ancient Colossus of Rhodes.
Taj Mahal is a magnificent mausoleum, built in 1653 by order of the padishah Shah Jahan in memory of the deceased wife of Mumtaz Mahal.
22,000 skilled craftsmen were involved in the construction of this architectural masterpiece, the construction cost about 27 million rupees. The mausoleum was decorated with translucent marble and inlaid with precious stones.
Chichen Itza - the center of Mayan culture has become one of the unspoken symbols of Mexico. On its territory there are mysterious temples, pyramids and colonnades. This striking cultural heritage has also been listed as a New Wonder of the World.
