Finalists of the "New Seven Wonders of the World" competition. The great Wall of China. History and legends of the Chinese Colosseum

The only construction site of man

Which is visible from space,

And with its power it surprises century after century -

The great Wall of China.

(SergePhil)

Each country is associated with one specific image-symbol. For local residents and all foreigners arriving in the country, the Great Wall of China has been and will be a symbol of China. At the entrance to the restored part of it there is an inscription made by Mao Zedong: “If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese.”

The wall is one of the largest and most skillful civil engineering structures in the world. It stretches from the Liaodong Gulf, northeast of Beijing through Northern China to the Gobi Desert. Data on its length are different and vary. The distance from one end to the other is 2450 km, but if you take into account the other ramparts extending from it, you get 6000-6500 km. Currently, scientists want to carry out a topographical survey to determine the exact length of the wall.

The width of the top of the Wall made it expensive for military units. At the same time, 5 infantrymen or cavalrymen could march in a row. Indeed, it served only to patrol the border and completely block mountain trails, which cannot be covered by other means. In the era of cold steel, the Great Wall of China reliably protected trade routes and protected peasants from raids by nomads. Only betrayal was able to cross the Wall several times.

Previously, the Great Wall of China was an obstacle on the path of everyone who wanted to get to China. Several special checkpoints were made in the Wall, which were closed at night and under no circumstances were to be opened. No exceptions were made even for the emperor.

Only in 1644, after the conquest of China by the Manchus and the accession of a new dynasty, the Great Wall of China became unnecessary and was abandoned.

Along its entire length, fortresses, forts, and signal towers were torn down, and the wall and watchtowers were only slightly damaged by time. Nowadays, several areas are open to tourists; the unrestored Symatai area is of greatest interest. In 1962, the Great Wall of China was included in the list of Chinese national monuments, and in 1987 - in the list of world monuments. cultural heritage UNESCO. Nowadays, scientists have been able to unravel the composition of the mortar that the Chinese used to hold bricks together during construction - its main component turned out to be a viscous rice mass.

Under the influence of time and weather conditions, the Great Wall of China is gradually collapsing, and local residents use bricks as building material for their houses and outbuildings. The Chinese government is currently developing projects to restore the historical monument. A system of fines has been introduced for various violations during visits.

2.2 Colosseum

O symbol of Rome! Proud inheritance

Left time for me too

Centuries of magnificent power-hungers!

(BetakiBasil)

The Flavian Colosseum-Amphitheater is an amphitheater, one of the largest arenas, an architectural monument of Ancient Rome.

For a long time, the Colosseum was for the residents of Rome and visitors the main place for entertainment spectacles, such as gladiator fights, animal persecution, naval battles (naumachia). It is located in a hollow between the Esquiline, Palatine and Caelian hills, in the place where there was a pond that belonged to the Golden House of Nero. The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheater because it was a collective structure of the Flavian emperors. Construction was carried out over 8 years, in 72-80. n. e.

Like other Roman amphitheatres, the Flavian Amphitheater is an ellipse in plan, the middle of which is occupied by the arena and the surrounding concentric rings of seats for spectators. The Colosseum differs from all buildings of this kind in its size. This is the most grandiose ancient amphitheater: the length of its outer ellipse is 524 m, the major axis is 187.77 m, the minor axis is 155.64 m, the length of the arena is 85.75 m, its width is 53.62 m, its height its walls are from 48 to 50 meters. With such dimensions, it could accommodate about 50 thousand spectators.

The walls of the Colosseum were built from large pieces or blocks of travertine stone or travertine marble, which were quarried in the nearby city of Tivoli. The blocks were connected to each other by steel ties with a total weight of approximately 300 tons; local tuff and brick were also used for the internal parts. The Flavian Amphitheater was built on a concrete foundation 13 meters thick.

Thanks to the many entrances located evenly around the entire perimeter of the building, the public could fill the Colosseum in 15 minutes and leave in 5. The Colosseum in Rome had 80 entrances, of which 4 were intended for the highest nobility. The simpler spectators entered the amphitheater from under the arches of the lower floor, marked with numbers from I to LXXVI, and climbed to their seats along the stairs, of which there were also 76. These seats were located around the entire arena in the form of rows of stone benches, rising one above the other. The lower row, or podium, was assigned exclusively to the emperor, his family, senators and vestals, and the emperor had a special, elevated seat.

Since ancient times, the Colosseum has been considered a symbol of the greatness of Rome. “As long as the Colosseum stands,” the pilgrims said in the 8th century, “Rome will stand; if the Colosseum disappears, Rome will disappear and with it the whole world.” In 246, under Emperor Decius, during the celebration of the millennium of Rome, the Colosseum was a theater of magnificent spectacles, where, according to the memories of that era, 32 elephants, 60 lions, 40 wild horses and dozens of other animals were killed: moose, zebras, tigers, giraffes and hippopotamuses. But already in 405, Emperor Honorius banned gladiator fights, and later animal persecution was also prohibited. The Colosseum ceased to be the main arena of Rome. At the end of the 13th century, the Colosseum in Rome was turned into a quarry. The houses of 23 prominent aristocratic families were built from it, 6 churches were built from it in the 14th-15th centuries, in 1495 the office of the Pope was built from the material of the Colosseum, and in the 16th century bridges were built from the “giant’s” squares.

Subsequently, the arena of the legendary Roman amphitheater was associated for quite a long time with the torment of early Christians. Thus, in 1744, the Colosseum was consecrated in memory of the Christian martyrs who died here in battle with wild animals in front of the rampaging Roman crowds. The cross still stands in the center of the Colosseum.

The great Wall of China

— The Great Wall of China, which is truly an incredible object, on which it was spent great amount funds, materials, and human lives.

The structure, unprecedented in its size, evokes delight when we only think about the state of the art of that time. Unfortunately, it was not included in the list, due to young, but truly inspiring in scale no less than the pyramids of Chiops.

City of Petra

- The city of Petra - this object was also rightfully included in the new seven wonders of the world, since it represents Big city, completely cut down in the mountains.

The skill of the workers is amazing even by modern standards, and if we remember again that this city is several thousand years old, then we can confidently say that this is true magic.

Sculpture of Christ

— The sculpture of Christ is popular among us from Brazilian television series, the tallest structure that crowns the elevation in Rio. The height of the statue is 38 m, the pedestal is 8 m, the weight of the statue is 1145 tons, the arm span is 30 m.

Machu Picchu

— Machu Picchu is an Indian city that has survived to this day and represents a monument to the old Inca civilization. The new seven wonders of the world place it on a par with Chinese wall and Egyptian pyramids, there is a lot to see here.

Pyramid of Chichen Itza

- Chichen Itza - these pyramids, which became a monument to the second great civilization - the Mayans. Preserved here ancient statues, buildings, inventions, in fact, in impeccable condition, which have survived to this day. Even individual pieces of furniture were found here.

Roman Coliseum

— The Roman Colosseum is the place where gladiator fights 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 only because of its beauty, but because of the history, deeds in ancient works, narratives and stories.

Taj Mahal

— The Taj Mahal, a romantic haloed temple built to commemorate one of the most popular love stories in the world, is considered the best example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Indian, Persian and Islamic architectural styles.

Egyptian pyramids

— Egyptian pyramids- they were included in the new eight wonders of the world, as the Egyptians were offended that their miracle was not included in the list of the best. It was decided to respect the request, since the design deserves admiration.

The idea of ​​holding the world competition “New 7 Wonders of the World” belongs to the Swiss traveler Bernard Weber. The population of the planet was asked to choose the seven most amazing structures created by human hands in early January 2006.

The main contenders for the honorary title of new wonders of the world were the Mayan city of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and the Inca sanctuary - the fortified city of Machu Picchu in Peru. This was announced by the foundation, which, with the support of UNESCO, conducts global voting on the Internet, ITAR-TASS reports.

In addition to Chichen Itza and Machu Picchu, the list of 10 finalists included the Acropolis in Athens, the Roman Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, stone sculptures on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, the city of Petra in Southern Jordan, the iconic Stonehenge complex in England and the stunning Taj Mahal mausoleum in Agra.

Before this final list there was another intermediate one, the list of which included 21 buildings, including Russian Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral.

New wonders of the world. The result of the popular vote for the wonders of the world of modern times is as follows:

  • Great Wall of China;
  • Taj Mahal Palace in India (Taj Mahal);
  • The Colosseum in Rome (The Roman Colloseum);
  • ancient city Petra in Jordan (Petra);
  • statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro;
  • archaeological complex of the Peruvian Incan city of Machu Picchu;
  • Pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico (Chichen Itza).

Chinese Wall

The Great Wall of China is an architectural monument in northern China. The total length of all its lines is 6350 km. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. A fifth of the then population of the country, i.e., about a million people, took part in the construction. The wall was supposed to serve as the extreme northern line of the possible expansion of the Chinese themselves; it was supposed to protect the subjects of the “Middle Empire” from transitioning to a semi-nomadic way of life, from merging with the barbarians. The wall was supposed to clearly fix the boundaries of Chinese civilization and contribute to the consolidation of a single empire, just made up of a number of conquered kingdoms. The wall is a symbol of China for both the Chinese and foreigners. At the entrance to the restored part of the Wall you can see an inscription made by Mao Zedong - “If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese.”

Taj Mahal Mausoleum

Located in the city of Agra in north central India. It is considered the pearl of Indo-Islamic architecture. The Mughal ruler Shah Jahan (1592–1666, ruled 1627–1658) erected this monument as the tomb of his beloved wife Arjumand Banu, better known by her title Mumtaz Mahal or Taj Mahal (Crown of the Palace), who died in 1631. The width of the entire river side is raised on a platform with high (41 m) minarets at the four corners. On the western side of the platform there is a mosque, on the eastern side there is a reception hall (house for visitors). In the center of the platform there is a tomb with a square plan with beveled corners. The designs for the tomb were prepared by the best architects of the Mughal Empire. The mausoleum is located in the center of a vast rectangular area (length 600 m, width 300 m).

Coliseum

This famous amphitheater in the center of Rome was built in recognition of the services of the legionnaires and in honor of the celebration of the victories of the Roman Empire. The design concept virtually matches the style of any modern stadium and is currently perceived as a structure of original design. Today, thanks to historical films and printed publications, we are learning more and more about the brutal battles and games that were held in this arena for the entertainment of spectators.

Petra

Petra is one of the most significant attractions of Jordan, included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. This is a city carved into a mountain, which is called the Pink City due to the unique shade of the rocks. It is believed that Petra was built by the Nabateans, nomadic tribes who lived in the desert and attacked caravans. In the 7th century BC they built this city and settled in it. El Khazneh (Treasury) is the most famous monument of Petra, built in the 1st century BC. The houses of Petra are carved into the rock at different levels. They are connected by streets and terraces. You can also see monasteries, baths, tombs, and an amphitheater with 3,000 seats. The Treasury facade became world famous after the release of the Indiana Jones film, as the final scenes were filmed against it. The monumental structure is 30 meters wide and 43 meters high.

Christ statue

"God created the world in six days. And on the seventh he created Rio de Janeiro." This is what Brazilians joke about, referring to the truly fabulous location and beauty of their city, which was also the capital of the country until 1960, when the city of Brazil was built. This city truly has everything to become a true earthly paradise. It is surrounded by a semi-ring of mountains rising from the azure depths of the bay, and from the sea side it seems to be edged with a white edge sandy beaches in the dark greenery of palm trees. The symbol of the city is rightfully considered the statue of the Savior (Cristo Redentor). It stands on the top of the Corcovado hill (Corcovado means “hump” and quite aptly characterizes its shape) at an altitude of 704 meters. The height of the statue itself is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal.

The idea for this structure originated in 1922, when the centenary of Brazilian independence was celebrated. A well-known weekly magazine then announced a competition of projects for the best monument - a symbol of the nation. The winner, Hetor da Silva Costa, came up with the idea of ​​a statue of Christ with his arms outstretched, embracing the entire city. This gesture expresses compassion and at the same time joyful pride. Da Silva's idea was received with enthusiasm by the public also because it crossed out old plan erection of a grandiose monument to Christopher Columbus on Mount Pan de Asugar. The church immediately got involved, organizing donations across the country to finance the project. As a result, nine years later the statue was already standing in its place.

Before work began, architects, engineers and sculptors met in Paris to discuss all the technical problems of installing the statue on a hilltop, where it was exposed to all winds and other meteorological influences. French sculptor Paul Landowski then began modeling the head and arms while engineers began developing the frame. The scale of the task before them is clearly demonstrated by the following statistical parameters: the head of the statue weighs 35.6 tons, the hands weigh 9.1 tons each, and the arm span is 23 meters.

The statue was then transported from Paris to Rio de Janeiro and installed on Corcovado Hill. On October 12, 1931, its first Grand opening and consecration, a lighting installation was also installed for this day. In 1965, Pope Paul VI repeated the consecration ceremony, and the lighting installation was also updated for the occasion. Another great celebration took place here in the presence of Pope John Paul II on October 12, 1981, when the fiftieth anniversary of the statue itself was celebrated.

Built in 1885, the tram line now leads almost to the top of the hill: the final stop is just forty meters below the statue. From it you need to climb 220 steps of a staircase to the pedestal on which it is located Observation deck. From here you can clearly see the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema stretching on your right hand, and on your left the giant bowl of the Maracana, the world's largest stadium, and international Airport. From the sea side rises the unique silhouette of Mount Pan di Azucar.

Machu Picchu

The city is located on top mountain range at an altitude of 2057 meters above the valley of the Urubamba River in the territory of modern Peru. Machu Picchu (literally "old peak") is sometimes called the "lost city of the Incas." This city was created as a sacred mountain retreat by the great Inca ruler Pachacutec a century before the conquest of his empire, around 1440, and functioned until 1532, when the Spanish invaded the Inca Empire. In 1532, all its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared. The conquistadors never reached Machu Picchu. This city was not destroyed. But we know little about him. Neither the number of inhabitants nor even its real name is known.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is a pre-Hispanic city in what is now Mexico. This sacred place was one of the greatest centers of the Maya Indians on the Yucatan Peninsula. Over the course of approximately a thousand years of history, various peoples have left their mark on the appearance of the city. Maya, Toltec and Itza ideas about the world and the universe were reflected in stone monuments and works of art. The combination of Mayan building technology with new elements from central Mexico makes Chichen Itza one of the most important examples of Maya-Toltec civilization in the Yucatan. Several buildings survived, such as the Temple of the Warriors, "El Castillo" and the circular observatory known as "El Caracol".

Acropolis

The ancient Greek temple of the Acropolis, also known as the Parthenon, took its place on the list for its prominence among the architectural symbols of the past and real history. The Acropolis on the “Holy Mountain” in Athens meant strength and protection for the inhabitants of the city. Today the Parthenon is an international symbol of Greek civilization. The symbolic image of this temple is depicted on the UNESCO logo as a sign of traditions of culture and education.

Eiffel Tower

The creation of the architect Gustav Eiffel, this tower unique style, has become a symbol of Paris and all of France as a whole. The tower is known not only in France, but is also very popular in the Western world. Before the construction of the Empire State Building in New York, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest creation of human hands. Six million people visit the tower every year. The tower was built for the World Exhibition in 1889.

Sculptures on Easter Island

Easter Island is located in the eastern part Pacific Ocean. It has the shape of a triangle with sides of 16, 18 and 24 kilometers. The island is of volcanic origin. It has 70 craters extinct volcanoes, the largest are located in the corners of the “triangle”. There is a desert in the center of the island. One of the main mysteries of the island, which has haunted several generations of travelers and researchers, remains completely unique stone statues - moai. These are stone idols of various sizes - from 3 to 21 meters. On average, the weight of one statue is from 10 to 20 tons, but among them there are real colossi weighing from 40 to 90 tons. The glory of the island began with these stone statues. It was completely incomprehensible how they could appear on an island lost in the ocean with sparse vegetation and a “wild” population. Who hewed them out, dragged them to the shore, placed them on specially made pedestals and crowned them with weighty headdresses? The statues have an extremely strange appearance - they have very large heads with heavy protruding chins, long ears and no legs at all. Some have red stone “caps” on their heads. A pointed, raised nose, thin lips, slightly protruded as if in a grimace of mockery and contempt. Some statues have necklaces carved in stone, or tattoos made with a chisel. The face of one of the stone giants is riddled with holes.

Stonehenge

Megalithic building on Salisbury Plain in England. Now archaeologists agree that this architectural monument was erected in three stages between 3500 and 1100. BC. Stonehenge was a circular ditch with two halls and may have served as a cemetery. Stonehenge is a structure of 82 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks weighing 25 tons and 5 huge so-called trilithons, stones whose weight reaches 50 tons. Folded stone blocks form arches that once served as a perfect indicator of the cardinal directions. Until recently, scientists assumed that this monument was built in 3100 BC by those who lived on British Isles tribes to observe the Sun and Moon. But the latest data from modern science force us to reconsider many of the conclusions of researchers.

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We all know about such sights as the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal. But there are other truly grandiose buildings in the world that even the most avid travelers have not heard of. But they are also worthy of attention.

Djennen Cathedral Mosque, Mali

The hundred-year-old Djenne Mosque is the largest clay-alluvium building in the world. As part of the old town of Djenne, the mosque was included in the list in 1988 World Heritage UNESCO. On this moment The mosque is closed to tourists. It is believed that this decision was made in 1996 after filming a candid photo shoot for Vogue magazine within its walls.

Chand Baori, India

The Chand Baori architectural complex, located in the small Indian village of Abaneri, is one of the oldest and deepest step wells in the world. The gigantic structure, reminiscent of an inverted pyramid, goes underground for more than 30 m; on its three walls, in perfect symmetry, there are 3,500 steps along which you can go down to the water - a small muddy green lake. Scientists are still arguing whether the well was built between the 9th and 11th centuries or 600 years BC.

Palace of Parliament, Romania

One of the most famous architectural monuments Bucharest was built during the Socialist Republic of Romania. The palace is considered the world's largest civil administrative building, the largest parliament building, and also the heaviest administrative building in the world. The dimensions of the palace are 270 by 240 m. Height is 86 m. The underground part of the palace goes 92 m deep. The palace has 1100 rooms and 12 floors.

Old Bridge, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The pedestrian bridge over the Neretva River in the city of Mostar is a modern copy ancient bridge, completely destroyed by Croatian militants in 1993. The bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the entertainments of tourists and the traditional income of young people in the city is jumping into the Neretva River from the center of the Old Bridge (the height of the jump depends on the water level in the river - from 24 to 30 m).

Kumbulgarh Fort, India

Kumbulgarh Fort is surrounded by a unique wall, which in ancient times was called the “death guard”. Its length is 36 km, and its width in some places reaches 8 m. It stretches continuously along the entire perimeter of the fort, protecting it from uninvited invaders for centuries. Just to build it, it took a whole century - from the 15th to the 16th centuries. In the entire history of wars that the Great Indian Wall has seen, it has never collapsed or allowed enemies into the fort. Only the Great Wall of China is longer than the “death guard”, or, as the Indian wall was also called, “the eyes of Mewar”.

Address: Italy Rome
Start of construction:'72
Completion of construction:'80
Coordinates: 41°53"24.7"N 12°29"32.7"E

Content:

Brief history and description

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.

Bird's eye view of the Roman Colosseum

The monument received the name “Colosseum” in the Middle Ages from the distorted Latin word “colosseum” (colossal), and in Imperial Rome it was called the Flavian Amphitheater - in honor of the imperial dynasty. The amphitheater was built in 8 years - construction began by Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed in 80 by his son Titus. 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 theater's arena had a sliding floor that raised and lowered, and with the help of a water supply connected to the Colosseum, the stage was filled with water and naval battles were staged. Up to 3,000 gladiators could fight in the arena at the same time, and 50 thousand spectators, frantically demanding “bread and circuses,” tensely watched the bloody battles, chariot races and theatrical performances. The scale of the celebrations dedicated to the opening of the Colosseum could only be matched by the bloody celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Rome in 248, when dozens of lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, giraffes, horses, donkeys and hyenas were killed in just 3 days.

View of the Colosseum from the Labican road

1000th anniversary " eternal city"became the last day of life for 2000 gladiators. Gladiatorial battles and animal persecution continued to take place in the Colosseum arena until the 4th century. Once, in the midst of one of the battles, the monk Telemachus rushed onto the stage of the Colosseum and began to separate the gladiators. The indignant public stoned an innocent old man to death, and this murder shocked Emperor Honorius so much that he banned bloody fun as contrary to the spirit of Christianity. Gladiatorial games fell into decline also because difficult times came for Rome, the city was constantly subject to raids by vandals.

Architecture of the Colosseum

Like other Roman amphitheatres, the Colosseum is shaped like an ellipse with an arena in the center. Around the arena there are gradually increasing seats for spectators in 4 tiers. Seats were distributed depending on the social status of those present: on the 1st tier there were boxes for the highest nobility, and on the 2nd - marble chairs for honored guests, and persons belonging to the equestrian class or having the rights of Roman citizenship, on the 3rd - wooden benches for commoners.

View of the Colosseum from Arc de Triomphe Constantine

On the 4th floor, a huge linen canvas was attached using ropes, creating a shadow over the arena on hot days. Thanks to the passages arranged around the entire perimeter of the amphitheater, the public could quickly take their numbered seats in just 15 minutes. Under the Colosseum arena there were underground passages, cages with deer, bears and lions, as well as complex lifting mechanisms that made it possible to transport gladiators and animals upstairs in a matter of minutes and erect lush decorations. From the outside, the Colosseum is a four-tiered structure.

The first three floors are formed by arcades of 80 arches, and the last is built in the form of a high solid wall with small rectangular windows. The arched openings are richly decorated with attached semi-columns with entablatures made in Tuscan, Ionic and Corinthian artistic designs. 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. Only the supporting structures of the Colosseum have survived to this day, and the statues and stucco moldings that decorated the arches were either destroyed by barbarian tribes or destroyed by time.

Inside the Colosseum

The Roman Colosseum - a giant from the past

In 476, the Roman Empire fell, but the Colosseum still stands majestically in the 21st century between the hills of Rome, on the site where there once was a pond belonging to the “Golden House” of Nero. By the way, according to one version, the name “Colosseum” comes from the huge bronze statue of the Colossus of Nero, 30 m high, that stood nearby. Despite the fact that in the Middle Ages the Colosseum lost more than 2/3 of its original mass due to earthquakes and builders who pulled it down into stones, the structure still inspires admiration for its grandeur. In 2007, the Colosseum was included in the list of "

 

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