I'm sure all or most of us are familiar with the seven modern wonders of our world. They are the world's most majestic architectural structures and all seven of them represent the achievements of mankind and are of great symbolic value.
However, did you know that in the days of yore, seven ancient wonders gleamed magnificently and proudly among the ancient civilizations that once ruled the planet?
The seven ancient wonders were meticulously compiled by the historian Herodotus and one of the most remarkable scholars of all time, Callimachus of Cyrene.
An ancient Greek poet, Antipater of Sidon, who traveled to see the ancient wonders famously, composed this poem.
The only remaining ancient wonder on the surface of this planet, the world famous Pyramids is located in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now Cairo, Egypt in Africa. It was built as a tomb for Ancient Egypt’s fourth dynasty pharaoh, Khufu. The structure measures 756 feet long on each side, 450 high and is composed of 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each averaging 2 1/2 tons in weight.
The most elusive monuments among all the ancient wonders, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is seen more as a myth than an fact. It was presumed to have been located on or near the east bank of the River Euphrates, about 31 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq. They gardens said to have been built by Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 B.C. The majestic gardens were not just known for its beauty, but also for the engineering feat of supplying the massive, raised gardens with soil and water.
The Temple of Artemis was a magnificent place of worship built in the city of Ephesus in present-day Turkey in 550 B.C., dedicated to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. The temple was said to be a fantastic structure made of marble, with gold and silver decoration and the finest art and statuary of the age. Although regularly destroyed by enemies envious of the structure, most famously, a man called Herostratus, it was constantly rebuilt. It was ultimately demolished by Saint John Chrysostom, who considered it idolatrous.
The monumental Statue of Zeus, which was carved by the famed sculptor Phidias around 435 B.C. in Olympia, Greece was made of ivory and accented with gold plating. It was built as atribute to the king of the gods, Zeus. The 40 feet tall statue occupied the whole width of the aisle of the Temple of Zeus which was built in 456 B.C. by Lisbon of Elis at Archaeopaedia to house it. The temple was eventually destroyed by earthquake in the fifth century and the statue razed to the ground.
The Mausoleum was a magnificent tomb built in 350 B.C. at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum, Turkey) for Maussollos, a governor in the Persian Empire. The structure was designed by the Greek architects Satyrus and Pythis. It stood approximately 135 feet in height, and each of the four sides was adorned with sculptural reliefs created by four famous Greek sculptors—Bryaxis, Leochares, Scopas, and Timotheus. The structure was eventually destroyed by a series of earthquakes.
The Colossus of Rhodes was a giant statue of the Greek god Helios, erected on the Greek island of Rhodes by Chares of Lindos, a student of sculptor Lysippos in 280 B.C. It stood at 110 feet, making it the tallest statues of the ancient world. The Colossus was originally built as a victory monument by the people of Rhodes after they successfully resisted an attack by a powerful army in the aftermath of the division of Alexander the Great's empire. The statue stood for 56 years until it crumbled under an earthquake in 224 B.C.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a tower built in the third century on the island of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt to serve as that port's landmark, and later, its lighthouse. Located in the harbor of Alexandria, the most famous lighthouse in antiquity was a technological masterpiece of the age and a model for all future lighthouses. Also known as the Pharos, it had a height estimated at between 383 to 440 feet and was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries. The tower was later destroyed by two earthquakes and today a medieval fort is built over its ruins.
The Seven Ancient Wonders have been a symbol of mankind's aspirations and evolution. Till this day, we continue to build monuments to signify our progress and celebrate our achievements.
There are still many other wonders that did not made it into the official list, like the Tower of Babel and Stonehenge, go and do a little research of these ancient wonders. Likewise, go and find out the new wonders of our modern world and be intrigued by the tales told by each of them.
What are you waiting for?
Winston
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