Report on ancient wonders of the world. Seven wonders of the world: who created the masterpieces of antiquity. Amphitheater Colosseum in Italy

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - a list of famous ones 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

Pyramid of Cheops, or 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 even today, when its top is destroyed, and the very high point

located at around 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.

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 Architectural buildings of the past are considered miracles of architectural thought and architecture. These include the Colosseum, Tower of Babel

, the Ishtar Gate and dozens of other buildings from past millennia. But there are buildings that are included in the “7 Wonders of the World” group. Read about it in our article. The choice of the number 7 is not accidental, since it was considered sacred. 7 Wonders of the World ancient world

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The Pyramids of Giza are the oldest of the. They were built approximately 4300-4600 years ago. The tallest of them is the Cheops Pyramid, which for a long time was the tallest structure on the planet.

Everyone else (which is Alexandrian lighthouse, Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia and ) were built between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC.

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

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Causes of Destruction

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

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Evolution of the List

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

Nowadays, the list of wonders of the world has been revised and expanded. Also in 2007, an alternative list of “7 Modern Wonders of the World” was created, which included:

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

In the minds of ancient society, the most famous sights are: the ancient Egyptian pyramids; Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, around 550 BC. e.; Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, mid-4th century. BC e.; terraced, so-called hanging gardens... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Seven wonders of the world- Seven wonders of the world. Statue of Artemis of Ephesus. SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD, in the minds of ancient society, the most famous sights: the ancient Egyptian pyramids; terraced, so-called hanging, gardens of Babylon in Babylon, 6th century. before ours... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

In antiquity, the seven wonders of the world were called seven architectural structures, which captured the imagination of contemporaries. These are the pyramids of the Egyptian pharaohs, the hanging gardens of the legendary Assyrian queen Semiramis (Shammurat) in Babylon, the temple of the goddess... ... Dictionary of popular words and expressions

In the minds of ancient society, the most famous sights are: the ancient Egyptian pyramids; Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, c. 550 BC e.; Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, mid. 4th century BC e.; terraced, so-called Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Babylon... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

This was the name given to seven remarkable structures in ancient times: 1) the pyramid of Egypt; 2) pharos lighthouse near Alexandria, built by Ptolemy II on the island of the same name; 3) the walls and hanging gardens of Babylon; 4) temple of Artemis or Diana in Ephesus; 5)… … Encyclopedia of Mythology

In the minds of ancient society, the most famous sights are: the ancient Egyptian pyramids; Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, around 550 BC. e.; Mausoleum at Ganikarnassus, mid-4th century. BC e.; terraced, so-called hanging gardens... ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

Seven wonders of the world- (Seven Wonders of the World), the most famous man-made monuments of Ancient. peace. Usually they included: Egypt. pyramids; so-called Hanging Gardens Semiramis in Babylon terraced gardens, the creation of which is attributed to Nebuchadnezzar II; statue of Zeus in... ... The World History

Seven Wonders of the World- (lat. septem miracula mundi) seven works of ancient architecture and sculpture, which, according to contemporaries, had no equal in grandeur, beauty and uniqueness: Egyptian pyramids, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus... Ancient world. Dictionary-reference book.

Seven wonders of the world- since the time of Hellenistic creatures. tradition of identifying seven antiques. production architecture and art, unparalleled thanks to your majesties. size, beauty, jewels. finishing and uniqueness. The expression “wonder of the world” contains the concept of something... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

Seven wonders of the world- Since the time of Hellenism, there has been a tradition of highlighting seven ancient works of architecture and art that have no equal due to their majesty, size, beauty, and jewels. finishing and uniqueness. The expression “wonder of the world” contains the concept... Dictionary of Antiquity

Books

Seven Wonders of the World, Hans Reichard. Interest in outstanding achievements has always been characteristic of man and is rooted in his very nature. Of course, each of the Seven Wonders of the World was an outstanding technical achievement of its time,...
Seven Wonders of the World, Matthew Reilly. Sun stone. A giant gold bar that once topped the Great Pyramid of Giza. In 323 BC it was broken into seven parts, and its fragments were hidden in ancient monuments,…

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

The earliest information about the seven wonders of the world was found in the works of the ancient philosopher and scientist Herodotus. Five thousand years BC Herodotus tried to classify these wonderful and mysterious objects. The work of Herodotus, in which he described in detail the unique architectural masterpieces of the ancient world, burned in a fire in the Library of Alexandria, like many other unique manuscripts. Only isolated entries in surviving manuscripts and fragments of structures related to the Seven Wonders of the World, which were found as a result of archaeological excavations, have survived to this day.

In a small work by Philo of Byzantium, entitled “On the Seven Wonders of the World,” seven objects of antiquity are described on twelve pages. But the author wrote his work based on the stories he heard from others, but he himself never saw them.

In Europe, they learned about the Seven Wonders of the World after the publication of the book “Sketches on the History of Architecture.” In it, the author, Fischer von Erlach, meticulously described seven unique objects of antiquity.

In Rus', the very first mention of the seven wonders of the world was found in the works of Simeon of Polotsk, who in his notes refers to a certain Byzantine source.

The list of the most famous monuments of the ancient world includes: the Egyptian pyramid in El Giza, the statue of Olympian Zeus, Faros lighthouse, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes and Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

Pyramids of Giza.

Today, of all the listed seven wonders of the ancient world, only Great Pyramid Cheops, located in El Giza.

For about four thousand years, the Cheops pyramid was the tallest structure. It was designed and built as the tomb of the most famous pharaoh - Khufu (Cheops). Construction of the pyramid was completed in 2580 BC. Then more pyramids were built here for the grandson and son of Cheops, as well as pyramids for the queens. But the Great Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of them. Archaeologists suggest that the construction of this pyramid took about 20 years and at least one hundred thousand people took part in its construction. The construction required 2 million stone blocks, each weighing at least 2.5 tons. Workers used levers, blocks and ramps to lay them without mortar and fit each block together. When completed, the pyramid was a stepped structure. The steps were then covered with polished snow-white limestone blocks. The blocks fit so tightly together that you couldn’t even insert a knife blade between them. The Great Pyramid rose 147 meters high! The length of one of the sides of the base of the Cheops pyramid is 230 meters. The pyramid covers an area larger than nine football fields. The ancient Egyptians believed that if the body of a pharaoh was preserved, his spirit would live on after death, so they mummified the body of Pharaoh Khufu and placed it in a burial chamber located in the center of the pyramid.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

In the sixth century B.C. The New Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the construction of marvelous gardens for his wife Amytis. Being a Median princess, she missed her homeland in dusty and noisy Babylon, which was famous for the aromas of numerous gardens and green flowering hills. The king wanted not only to please Amytis, but also to create a masterpiece that could glorify him.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the second wonder of the world. There are chronicles that describe in great detail the gardens of the Babylonian king. According to the records found, the gardens were built around 600 BC. Ancient Babylon was located on the banks of the Euphrates River, south of modern Baghdad. Despite the fact that the idea of creating flowering gardens and green hills among the arid Babylonian plain was considered a pipe dream, the project of Nebuchadnezzar II nevertheless came to life.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were a four-tiered pyramid, the tiers of which were both terraces and balconies. The tiers were supported by powerful columns. Each of them was planted with unique plants (flowers, trees, grass and shrubs). Seeds and seedlings for gardens were brought from all over the world. Outwardly, the pyramid resembled a constantly flowering hill. A unique irrigation system was designed for the gardens. Around the clock, several hundred slaves turned wheels with buckets to supply the plants with water.

The Babylonian Gardens were truly an oasis in hot and stuffy Babylon. For some unknown reason, Queen Amytis began to be called by the name of the Assyrian queen, Semiramis, and therefore the amazing gardens of Babylon were also called the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis.

In the 9th century BC, Alexander the Great was so captivated by the splendor of the gardens of Babylon that he placed his residence in the palace. He loved to relax in the shade of the gardens and remember his native Macedonia. When the city fell into decay, there was no one to supply water to the gardens, all the plants died, and numerous earthquakes completely destroyed the palace. Babylon disappeared along with one of the most beautiful objects of antiquity - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was created on the initiative and financing of Alexander the Great. The interior of the temple was magnificent: beautiful statues and stunning paintings created by the best artists and architects of that time. But the history of this temple began long before that. In 560 BC. King Croesus of Lydia (considered the richest ruler of that time) built a majestic temple in the city of Ephesus in honor of the moon goddess Artemis, who was considered the patroness of young girls and animals. The temple was built from local building materials - marble and limestone, mined in the nearby mountains. The main feature of the temple was the giant marble columns in the amount of 120 pieces. In the center of the temple stood a statue of the goddess Artemis. This temple was larger than the then famous one Athenian temple Parthenon. It stood for two hundred years and in 356 BC. the temple was completely burned. According to history, Herostat set it on fire, thus dreaming of becoming famous for centuries. An interesting coincidence - the temple was burned on the day when Alexander the Great was born. Years have passed. Alexander the Great visited Ephesus and ordered the temple to be restored. The temple built by Alexander lasted until the 3rd century AD. The city was dying, the bay of Ephesus was covered with silt. The temple was plundered by the Goths and was inundated by numerous floods. Today, only a few blocks and one restored column can be seen on the site of the temple.

Halicarnassus Mausoleum.

Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, managed to achieve power and acquire significant wealth. Caria was then part of the Persian Empire, and the city of Halicarnassus became its capital. He decided to build a tomb for himself and his queen. But, as he dreamed, the tomb should be unusual - it should become a monument to his wealth and power. Mavsol himself did not live to see the completion of this majestic object, but his widow continued to supervise the construction. The tomb was completed in 350 BC. and they named it after the king - Mausoleum. Later, this name began to be given to majestic and impressive tombs.

The mausoleum in Halicarnassus was a rectangle measuring 75x66 meters and 46 meters high. The ashes of the reigning couple were kept in golden urns located in the tomb of the Mausoleum. Several stone lions guarded this room. Above the tomb itself stood a majestic temple, surrounded by statues and columns. A step pyramid was erected on top of the building. And the whole complex was crowned with a sculptural image of a chariot, which was ruled by the reigning couple. After 18 centuries, a powerful earthquake destroyed the Mausoleum to the ground. In 1489, the ruins of the majestic tomb were used by Christian knights to build their castle. The tomb itself was mercilessly plundered by looters. Currently, parts of the foundation of the Mausoleum, reliefs and statues that were found during excavations are in the British Museum in London.

The Colossus of Rhodes.

The fifth wonder of the ancient world is the statue of the Colossus of Rhodes. The giant statue stood in port city on the island of Rhodes. The inhabitants of Rhodes considered themselves independent traders and tried not to interfere in other people's military conflicts, but they could not avoid the fact that they themselves were repeatedly conquered. In the 4th century, the people of Rhodes managed to defend their city from the invasion of the warlike Greeks. To commemorate this victory, they decided to build a statue of the sun god Helios. The exact location and type of the statue remained unknown to us; from the chronicles it follows only that it was made of bronze and reached a height of thirty-three meters. To make it stable, its hollow shell was filled with stones during construction. It took 12 years to build! In 280 BC. The colossus rose to its full height over the bay of Rhodes. After 50 years, a strong earthquake occurred, and the Colossus collapsed, breaking at the knee level. The local oracle demanded that the statue not be restored. For 900 years, every visitor to Rhodes could look at the statue of the defeated god. In 654 AD. The Syrian prince, who captured the island, removed all the bronze plates from the statue and took them to Syria.

Alexandrian lighthouse.

In the 3rd century BC. On the island of Foros, not far from the shore of the Alexandrian bay, a lighthouse was built to help ships passing through the reefs on the way to the port of Alexandria. The lighthouse was 117 meters high and consisted of three massive marble towers. At the top of one of the towers stood a statue of Zeus. At night the lighthouse reflected the flames, and during the day a column of smoke rose above it. The lighthouse required a large amount of fuel to operate. The tree was brought to the lighthouse by numerous mules and horses. Bronze plates were used instead of mirrors to direct light into the sea. The Foros lighthouse stood for 1500 years and was destroyed by an earthquake. The Muslims built their military fort on the ruins of the lighthouse. This military facility still stands on the site of the Faros lighthouse.

Olympic statue of Zeus.

Three thousand years ago Olympia was religious center Greece. At that time, the most revered Greek deity was the king of the gods - Zeus. Celebrations were held regularly, including sports competitions. It is believed that the first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC. After this, competitions were held every four years for 1100 years. During the games, all wars were stopped to allow the participants to arrive at the competition site. The citizens of Olympia decided to build a majestic temple dedicated to Zeus in the city. It took ten years to build it. There was supposed to be a statue of Zeus in the temple. The sculptor Phidias and his assistants first created a wooden frame for the sculpture, then covered it with ivory plates, while the god’s clothes were made of gold sheets. Despite great amount the details that made up the sculpture, it looked like a monolithic figure. Zeus sat majestically on a throne decorated with precious stones and inlaid with ebony. The statue reached a height of 13 meters, reaching the ceiling of the temple. For 800 years after its creation, the statue of Zeus at Olympia was the seventh wonder of the world. The Roman Emperor Caligula wanted the statue to be moved to Rome. According to legend, when the workers sent by the emperor arrived, the statue burst into loud laughter and the workers fled in fear. In 391 AD. the Romans banned Olympic Games and closed all the Greek temples. A few years later, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople. In 462 AD. the palace where the statue was located burned down. The Temple at Olympia was destroyed by an earthquake. Humanity has lost one of its wonders - the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

We can only hope that someday world technology will reach such a level that it will be able to recreate the seven wonders of the ancient world. And this will truly be a tribute to the memory of generations of talented architects of antiquity, who created architectural masterpieces that have no equal in the modern world.

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 Egyptian pyramids, according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians they had magical power, in them the mummified pharaoh could reach 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 above everything 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 the 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 he was local resident, spoke excellent Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government. Then, in 353 BC. Mausolus died, leaving his queen alone, who was also his sister (It was local custom for rulers - marry your own sister), 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 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 relief slabs from the base of the tomb were discovered in 1857 by the English archaeologist C. T. Newton (currently located in the British Museum in London and Archaeological Museum in Istanbul), statues of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia (who continued the construction of their common tomb after the death of the king) 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, and 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 the veneration of Artemis near her birthplace dates 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, preserved it old 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 decorating 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; Art Gallery 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 those who broke into Asia Minor the Goths, who heard 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.

FAROSIY LIGHTHOUSE (Alexandria Lighthouse), lighthouse on east coast O. 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 Greek world lighthouse of colossal size, 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 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. Built with money received by Rhodes after the sale of the siege engines of Demetrius I Poliorcetes, who tried to capture this richest city 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 sailors already from 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 birth 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:

Great Chinese Wall- 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 represents the whole city, entirely carved 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 ancient civilization Incas. New wonders of the world put it on the same place with Chinese wall And Egyptian pyramids, and we tend to agree with them - indeed, there is something to see here.

- Chichen Itza- these are buildings that have become a monument to another great civilization- Maya. 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 - modern wonders lights should turn on this city.

- Roman Coliseum- a place where gladiator battles took place, soaked in blood and scary 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 stories love 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.

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