Seven Wonders of the World: List and Description

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, “ hanging gardens» Semiramis, 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 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.

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.

Nowadays, it is customary to call unique artistic and technical creations a wonder of the world, which, due to 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 unique architectural masterpieces, 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 the Great Pyramid of Cheops, located in El Giza, has survived.

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 the 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 only follows 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.

Last week, I went to visit my mother, and found my old children’s encyclopedia “7 Wonders of the World” from her, flipped through it with nostalgia, and finally decided to make a post about the wonders of the world, because today there are many more than 7 wonders of the world.

To begin with, I propose to recall these “7 wonders” of antiquity.

The only miracle that has survived to this day. Construction, which lasted twenty years, began around 2560 BC. e. Excavation data from January 2010 confirm the theory that the pyramids were built by civilian workers. Up to 10 thousand people were simultaneously employed at the construction site, with workers working in shifts of three months. It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids of the necropolis of the city of Giza.

Initially, the Cheops pyramid rose to 147 meters, but due to the advance of sands, its height decreased to 137 meters.

The Cheops Pyramid consists of 2,300,000 cubic blocks of limestone with smoothly polished sides. Each block weighs on average 2.5 tons, and the heaviest is 15 tons, the total weight of the pyramid is 5.7 million tons.

Confirmation of the inexplicably high knowledge of the Egyptians in the field of astronomy and civil engineering is the location of the Cheops pyramid in relation to the cardinal points: the pyramid almost unmistakably points to the true north. As a result of precise measurements carried out in 1925, it was established incredible fact: the error in its position is only 3 minutes 6 seconds.

The base area of ​​the pyramid is comparable to the area of ​​10 football fields.

We can talk for a long time about the pyramids shrouded in myths and legends, their labyrinths and traps, mummies and treasures, but we’ll leave that to Egyptologists. For us, the Cheops Pyramid is one of the greatest structures of mankind throughout its existence and, of course, the only First Wonder of the World that has survived to this day from the depths of centuries.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon)

The city has long ceased to exist, but even today the ruins testify to its grandeur. In the 7th century BC. Babylon was the largest and richest city of the Ancient East. There were many amazing structures in Babylon, but the most striking were the Hanging Gardens royal palace- gardens that have become a legend.

the famous “Hanging Gardens” were not created by Semiramis and not even during her reign, but later, in honor of another - non-legendary - woman. They were built by order of King Nebuchadnezzar for his beloved wife Amytis, a Median princess who, in dusty Babylon, yearned for the green hills of Media.

This king, who destroyed city after city and even entire states, built a lot in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar turned the capital into an impregnable stronghold and surrounded himself with luxury unparalleled even in those times.

The design of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was a pyramid with a base (43x35 meters), which consisted of four tiers mounted on twenty-five-meter columns. The surface of each tier was covered with a layer of reeds (reeds), stone blocks held together with gypsum and lead plates, on which a thick layer of fertile soil was poured. All these measures helped to preserve water for plants for as long as possible, of which there was very little in Babylon.

The height of the structure was almost thirty meters! Trees, flowers, soil - all this was brought in carts drawn by oxen. Water was supplied through pipes from the Euphrates River. To do this, hundreds of slaves turned a huge wheel installed in one of the towers around the clock.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The statue of Olympian Zeus is the work of Phidias. An outstanding work of ancient sculpture, one of the seven wonders of the world. It was located in the temple of Olympian Zeus, in Olympia - a city in the region of Elis. Construction of the temple took about 10 years. But the statue of Zeus did not appear in it right away. The Greeks decided to invite the famous Athenian sculptor Phidias to create a statue of Zeus.

Ancient Roman sculpture "Seated Zeus", Phidias type. Hermitage Gold covered the cape that covered part of Zeus’s body, the scepter with an eagle, which he held in his left hand, the statue of the goddess of victory - Nike, which he held in his right hand, and a wreath of olive branches on Zeus’s head. Zeus's feet rested on a stool supported by two lions. The reliefs of the throne glorified, first of all, Zeus himself. Four dancing Nikes were depicted on the legs of the throne. Centaurs, lapiths, the exploits of Theseus and Hercules, and frescoes depicting the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons were also depicted. The base of the statue was 6 meters wide and 1 meter high. The height of the entire statue together with the pedestal was, according to various sources, from 12 to 17 meters. Zeus's eyes were the size of an adult's fist.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (Ephesus)

Several hundred years BC, when Ephesus was at the zenith of its glory, the inhabitants decided to build a large temple. By that time, the city was already about 600 years old, it was rich and powerful, growing and prospering under the patronage of the goddess Artemis, sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus - known in Roman mythology as Diana the Huntress. Artemis was also considered the goddess of the moon and helped women during childbirth.

The place for the new, majestic and grandiose temple in the part of the goddess was chosen as sacred - even in ancient times, religious rituals took place there. The townspeople decided not to spare either money or time, and also attracted wealthy construction sponsors from other regions of the country.

The finished temple was magnificent, and was constantly decorated with new decorative elements - after all, Ephesus was a very rich city. Historical data is contradictory, but it is mentioned that the temple had many bronze statues, the interior was decorated with gold and silver, the statue of the goddess herself was made of ivory and gold, and trimmed with ebony.

It is noteworthy that in those days the temple was not only a religious building, but also a financial and business center. The souvenir business also flourished: not far from the temple, original souvenirs - its smaller copies - were successfully sold. Scientists still have not figured out which temple was considered a wonder of the world - rebuilt or burned by Herostratus

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is a wonderful monument of ancient Greek architectural art, which went down in the history of ancient culture as one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Our contemporaries generally believe that the mausoleum is the tomb of great leaders.

The builders placed the tomb in the peripterus - a building framed by a colonnade of 11-meter columns. To support the roof of the mausoleum, 36 columns were needed. The spaces between the columns were filled with various statues of mythological figures, and the roof looked like a step pyramid with 24 steps. Its crown was a marble quadriga, that is, an antique chariot with four horses harnessed to it. Huge statues of Mausolus and Artemisia were placed in the chariot, playing the role of charioteers. This magnificent sculpture reached a height of 6 m. In the tomb room there were marble sarcophagi intended for the royal couple. The foot of the mausoleum was decorated with sculptures of horsemen and marble lions.

In general, the history of the Halicarnassus mausoleum is eventful. At one time, he survived the conquest of the city by Alexander the Great, and even withstood the attack of pirates who set their sights on Halicarnassus at the beginning of the 1st century. However, after the Maltese attacked the mausoleum and took away stone and marble slabs from it, only the foundation remained of the majestic structure.

Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes)

It was called a colossus giant statue, which stood in the port city of Rhodes, an island in the Aegean Sea, off the coast modern Turkey. In ancient times, the people of Rhodes wanted to be independent traders.

The colossus grew on the shore of the harbor on an artificial hill lined with white marble. For twelve years no one saw the statue, because as soon as the next belt of bronze sheets was attached to the frame, the embankment surrounding the colossus was added to make it more convenient for the craftsmen to climb up. And only when the embankment was removed, the Rhodians saw their patron god, whose head was adorned with a radiant crown.

The sparkling god was visible many kilometers from Rhodes, and soon rumors about him spread throughout the ancient world. But half a century later, a strong earthquake that destroyed Rhodes knocked the colossus to the ground; the most vulnerable point of the statue was the knees. This is where the expression “colossus with feet of clay” comes from.

So the colossus lay on the shore of the bay - the main tourist attraction of the island. The defeated giant was seen by Pliny the Elder, who came there in the first century AD. What struck Pliny most was that only a few people could wrap their hands around the thumb of the statue.

The colossus lying on the ground was overgrown with cobwebs and legends. In eyewitness accounts, he seemed much larger than he actually was. Legends appeared in Roman literature that it originally towered over the entrance to the harbor and was so large that ships passed between its legs to the city.

Alexandria Lighthouse (Pharos)

The Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros Lighthouse) is one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, built in the 3rd century BC. e. on the small island of Pharos off the coast of the Egyptian city of Alexandria. It was a busy port founded by Alexander the Great during his visit to Egypt in 332 BC. e.

The Alexandria Lighthouse was the world's first lighthouse and the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World that served a practical purpose, helping ships safely pass the reefs on their way to Alexandria Bay. The lighthouse, according to various estimates, rose to a height of 120 to 140 meters, and the light it emitted could be visible at a distance of up to 60 km.

The lighthouse stood for almost a thousand years, but by the 12th century AD. e., the Alexandria Bay became so silted that ships could no longer use it and the lighthouse fell into disrepair. Abandoned, it stood for some time, until in 796 AD. e. it was not destroyed by an earthquake. At the end of the 15th century. Sultan Qait Bey erected a fortress from the rubble on the site of the lighthouse, which was subsequently rebuilt more than once.

These are the miracles that were described in my book. The same ones: 7 wonders. But time does not stand still, and now there are many more such miracles. It seems to me that they are also worthy of our attention...

New 7 wonders of the world

Great Wall of China (China)

The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest architectural monuments China and a symbol of the power of Chinese civilization. There is probably not a single civilized person in the world who has not heard of the Great Wall of China. It stretches from the Liaodong Gulf northeast of Beijing through Northern China to the Gobi Desert.

Construction took 10 years and faced numerous difficulties. The main problem was the lack of appropriate infrastructure for construction: there were no roads, there was no adequate water and food for those involved in the work, while their number reached 300 thousand people, and the total number of builders involved under Qin reached, according to some estimates, 2 million. Slaves, soldiers, and peasants were involved in the construction. As a result of epidemics and overwork, at least tens of thousands of people died. Outrage against the mobilization for the construction of the wall caused popular uprisings and served as one of the reasons for the fall of the Qin dynasty.

Probably, no creation of human hands amazes the imagination as much as the Great Wall of China - the most grandiose and longest architectural and fortification structure on the planet. The wall is not just impressive - it is stunning. First of all, the titanic labor invested in it and its prohibitive size. Truly, only the Chinese, organized and hardworking like ants, could endure this. In China they say that a good half of their history falls on the Great Chinese wall– it was built by different generations and dynasties over more than two thousand years; all the country’s wars are connected with it in one way or another.

Christ the Redeemer Statue (Rio de Janeiro)

One of the most famous statues in the world and definitely the most recognizable in Brazil - the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Installed on Mount Corcovado at an altitude of more than 700 meters, she looks at the large city, located under it. The Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, due to its fame, attracts millions of tourists to Mount Corcovado. From its height it opens beautiful view to a city of ten million with its bays, beaches, Maracana stadium.

The height of the statue is 38 m, including the pedestal - 8 m; arm span - 28 m. Weight - 1145 tons. Being the most high point area, the statue regularly (on average four times a year) becomes the target of lightning. The Catholic diocese specially keeps a supply of the stone from which the statue was built to restore parts of the statue damaged by lightning

The statue of Christ the Redeemer is without a doubt one of the main symbols not only of Rio de Janeiro, but of all of Brazil. Many tourists visit the statue every year. Mount Corcovado experiences a particularly large influx of visitors during the traditional annual carnival, which is held in Rio de Janeiro. Definitely, this grandiose monument is one of the greatest works of sculpture in the world.

Colosseum (Rome)

amphitheatre, listed building Ancient Rome, the most famous and one of the most grandiose structures of the ancient world that have survived to this day. Located in Rome, in the hollow between the Esquiline, Palatine and Caelian hills.

Construction itself large amphitheater of the entire ancient world, with a capacity of over 50 thousand people, was carried out over eight years as a collective construction of the emperors of the Flavian dynasty. It began to be built in 72 AD. under Emperor Vespasian, and in 80 AD. The amphitheater was consecrated by Emperor Titus. The amphitheater was located on the site where there was a pond that belonged to the Golden House of Nero.

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, and naval battles.

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. 1000th anniversary " eternal city"became the last day of life for 2000 gladiators.

Machu Picchu (Peru)

A city of ancient America, located on the territory of modern Peru. Machu Picchu is also often called “the city in the sky” or “the city among the clouds”, 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.

Due to its modest size, Machu Picchu cannot claim to be large city- there are no more than 200 structures in it. These are mainly temples, residences, warehouses and other premises for public needs. For the most part they are made of well-processed stone, slabs tightly fitted to each other. It is believed that up to 1,200 people lived in and around it, who worshiped the sun god Inti there and cultivated crops on the terraces. For more than 400 years, this city was forgotten and was in desolation.

Machu Picchu, especially after receiving the status World Heritage UNESCO, has become a center of mass tourism. In 2011, it was decided to limit the number of visitors. According to new rules, only 2,500 tourists per day can visit Machu Picchu, of which no more than 400 people can climb Mount Wayna Picchu, which is part of the archaeological complex. In order to preserve the monument, UNESCO requires that the number of tourists per day be reduced to 800. Machu Picchu is located in a remote region.

City of Petra (Jordan)

The city of Petra in Jordan is located in the heart of the desert. This place is the heritage of an ancient culture. Built more than two thousand years ago, it is of great value to admirers ancient architecture and art. This ancient miracle city stretches along a winding valley formed among the rocks, on a place that was a river bed in ancient times. Steps carved into the rocks lead to an innumerable number of structures - monuments, necropolises, reservoirs, altars. More than eight hundred monuments of Petra have survived to this day.

Petra's surviving structures include rock-cut temples, dwellings, tombs, reservoirs, aqueducts and altars. If you approach the city along the es-Siq gorge, the first large monument that opens up to your gaze is el-Khazneh - a temple located in a solid rock with a two-tiered façade approx. 20 m.

A mysterious people who have reached unattainable architectural heights are the Nabateans. Without exaggeration, we can say that the best reminder that they left about themselves to their descendants and which speaks about them better than any chronicles is a windswept pink rock masterpiece, hidden by them among the inaccessible mountains.

Pyramid of Kukulcan (Mexico)

25 meters high with nine levels, located in the center of a large square. The base of the pyramid is a square with sides of 55.5 meters. On each side of the pyramid there are four wide staircases, each with 91 steps. And these stairs lead to the upper platform on which the temple is located.

The northern staircase of the pyramid ends with snake heads - a symbol of Kukulkan, because translated from the Mayan language, Kukulkan is a feathered serpent.

Exactly at 17:15, the light show begins - the sun's rays, when going around the ledges of the pyramid on the days of the equinox, through the play of light and shadows, depict the image of a revived ancient god. This effect lasts for 3 hours and 22 minutes. The sun goes lower and the image becomes clearer. Soon the seven curves of the body of the Solar Serpent appear - they are formed by the shadows of the seven ledges of the pyramid. The sun goes down - and the snake also slides, lower and lower. And below, at the foot of the pyramid, the head of the image coincides with the real stone sculptured head of the serpent, which ends the northern staircase of the pyramid.

The ancient builders of the Mayan tribe were simply brilliant, being able to calculate the parameters so accurately at that time and placing the walls of the pyramid strictly along the cardinal points. The Kukulcan Pyramid has some astronomical significance. Each of its staircases has 91 steps, and the total number of steps is 364, plus the upper platform step at the base of the temple, for a total of 365 - a number corresponding to the number of days in a year. And the side parts of the structure are divided in accordance with the number of months in the Mayan calendar - into eighteen sections.

Taj Mahal (India)

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum-mosque located in Agra, India, on the banks of the Jamna River (the architects were probably Ustad-Isa and others). Built by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth (Shah Jahan himself was later buried here). Although the white marble dome of the mausoleum is the most famous component, the Taj Mahal is a structurally integrated complex. The building began to be built around 1632 and was completed in 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The management of the construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a Council of Architects under imperial control, including Abd ul-Karim Mamur Khan, Makramat Khan and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lakhauri is usually considered the main designer.

Majestic, divine, shining, and, despite its 74-meter height, so light and airy that it is like a fairy-tale dream, the Taj Mahal mausoleum rises in the valley of the Yamuna River - the most beautiful architectural creation of India, and, perhaps, of the whole earth... White marble domes soar high into the sky - one large and four small ones, in the chaste outlines of which one can guess the female form. Reflected in the motionless surface of an artificial canal, the Taj Mahal seems to float in front of us, representing an example of extraterrestrial beauty and perfect harmony... But it is not only architectural perfection that attracts millions of travelers from all over the world to the Taj Mahal. The story of its origin makes no less impression on the hearts of people... A story more like oriental fairy tale or a legend that any poet would envy...

There are many mysterious and enigmatic places in the world. But only a few of them are recognized as genuine miracles, which had no equal on Earth! From this article you will learn which of the 7 wonders of the world have survived to this day, and which have sunk into oblivion forever. We present to your attention the 7 wonders of the world - the list consists of the following items:

This exclusive complex is included in the list of 7 wonders of the world. The basis of the Gardens of Babylon was a monumental building with four tiers, erected in the shape of a pyramid. Hanging green spaces combined with fountains and ponds have turned it into a real oasis. According to an ancient legend, these gardens were created for the wife of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II named Amytis.

To maintain the green miracle in a viable state, a large amount of water was required. The problem was solved at the expense of human resources, or rather, slave labor. The slaves continually rotated a wooden wheel to which leather wineskins were tied. This wheel took water from the river (according to another version, from some underground sources). Water was pumped to the very top tier, and from there flowed down through a complex system of numerous channels.

After the death of the ruler Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon for some time became the residence of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, the city gradually began to fall into disrepair; the Gardens of Babylon were also left without proper care. After some time, a nearby river overflowed its banks, which led to the erosion of the foundation of the building.

Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops

This existing one geographical feature, which is also included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, is sometimes called Great Pyramid Giza. It serves as the tomb of the Egyptian ruler Cheops (Khufu). The pyramid was erected near Giza, a suburb of Cairo. To create this miracle, it took the joint efforts of 100 thousand people. According to archaeologists' calculations, the work lasted about twenty years.

Zeus statue in Olympia

A truly monumental structure was erected in honor of the Thunder God. The Temple of Zeus was entirely built of marble, including even the roof. Along the perimeter of the sanctuary there were 34 columns made of limestone. The walls of the temple were covered with picturesque bas-reliefs depicting the labors of Hercules.

But it was not included in the list of 7 wonders of the world. temple complex, and a statue of Zeus. The ancient Greek sculptor Phidias worked on bringing this masterpiece to life. The body of the god was created from ivory; a great many rare gems and about 200 kg of gold without the slightest admixture of ligature were also used to decorate the statue. The Thunderer's eyes seemed to flash lightning, and his head and shoulders shimmered with an unearthly light.

According to legend, lightning struck the center of the marble floor of the temple. This was regarded as an expression of approval from Zeus. An altar made of copper was erected at the site of the impact. The statue of Zeus was destroyed in a fire that occurred in the temple in 425. There is another version, according to which it was transported to Istanbul, where the figure of the Thunderer burned down in 476.

The ancient city of Halicarnassus was famous for the residences of nobles, theaters and green gardens. But the list of 7 wonders of the world does not include these architectural beauties, but the tomb of the cruel ruler Mausolus. The mausoleum had 3 levels, the total height of the building was 46 meters. This man-made masterpiece combines several architectural styles.

Traditional columns, as well as statues of horsemen and lions, were used to decorate the mausoleum. At the very top there was a sculpture of King Mavsol, proudly seated in a horse-drawn chariot. The mausoleum stood for about 19 centuries; the cause of its destruction was a strong earthquake. An interesting fact is that some of the fragments of the mausoleum were used to build the fortress of St. Peter.

The Faros lighthouse was built in the 3rd century BC, it is also included in the world famous list 7 Wonders of the World. This object was supposed to help sea ​​vessels navigate coastal reefs safely and avoid shipwrecks. During the day, the sailors were guided by a column of smoke, and at night they could navigate by the flames.

The Alexandria lighthouse rose 120 meters above sea level, its signals could be seen at a distance of up to 48 km. The upper part of the structure was decorated with a statue of Isis-Faria, who was revered as the patroness of sailors. To make the flow of light as efficient as possible, the builders used an original system of curved mirrors.

The Faros lighthouse, like many other objects from the list of 7 wonders of the world, was destroyed in a rather trivial manner. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake that occurred in the mid-14th century. Some fragments Alexandria lighthouse scientists discovered it at the bottom of the sea during research in 1996.

The Colossus of Rhodes

This statue was made in honor of Helios (the Sun God). It was assumed that the height of the figure would be 18 meters, but later they decided to make it 36 ​​meters. The statue in the form of a youth god was cast from bronze and was located on a marble pedestal. Construction took place on a hill created artificially. There were stones inside the figure, which was done to increase the stability of the structure.

The sculptor Hares, who worked on the Colossus of Rhodes, made a miscalculation in determining the amount of materials needed. The master had to borrow a lot of money to be able to complete his masterpiece. Hares was completely ruined and surrounded by creditors, the sculptor committed suicide.

The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake that occurred in 222 or 226 BC. The statue broke at the knees, and its fragments continued to lie in place for about 1000 years. Fragments of the Colossus were sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977. To remove parts of the sculpture, it was necessary to equip a caravan consisting of 900 camels.

By the way, have you ever wondered why there are only seven wonders of the world? In this case, we recommend that you read the article “” - and the secret meaning of this “lucky” number will be revealed to you!

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 Egyptian pyramids and the most popular among the 7 wonders of the world. It was built 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.

 

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