Seven Wonders of the ancient world and story behind
The Seven Wonders of the ancient world are no less than a testament to ancient history, art, hard work and vivid imagination. They show us our ancient history with various brave stories, the sheer amount of talent possessed by the ancient art makers is also on display. They managed to showcase the human capacity. The seven wonders are undoubtedly the first names one should add to their travel list. This idea of defining monumental architectures as seven wonders came after Alexander the great explored most of the world. There were some lists showcasing the must visit place around the globe, but the following is the actual list of Seven Wonders of the ancient world which are a must visit.
#1 Mausoleum of Halicarnassus:
Built between 353 to 350 BC, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was built after the governor of Persia, Mausolus. After his death, his wife and sister decided to make a tomb in his memory, which later was labeled as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The monument is so beautiful and mesmerizing that it was immediately added to the list. The urn was also placed in the tomb in the memory of Mausolus.
#2 Statue of Zeus at Olympia:
The great statue which was sculpted by famous Greek sculptor Phidias in the 432 BC. The statue which is 12 meters tall graces a throne made of Cedarwood and decorated with ivory, gold, and other precious stones.
#3 Lighthouse of Alexandria:
Built around 280 to 247 BC the lighthouse of Alexandria was initially been designed to guide sailors at the harbor of Alexandria beach during the night. The statue which was original of around 140 meters height was one of the tallest monuments for decades. The lighthouse of Alexandria was severely damaged due to a series of earthquakes in the region until the Sultan of Egypt built a fort using the same fallen stones at the place of the lighthouse.
#4 Temple of Artemis:
Located at Ephesus, the Greek temple was dedicated to the goddess of wild animals and hunt. It took around 120 years to complete the monument which was completed in 550 BC. Build of marble the monument was destroyed by Hero stratus for fame in 356 BC. He was later sentenced to death and this night also happens to be the date of birth of Alexander the great. The monument was again destroyed by Goths.
#5 Hanging Gardens:
The Hanging Gardens is still one of the most mysterious places in the world. The heritage site which is situated in Babylon was built by the king of Babylonian, Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BC. It is being said that the king built the monument to please his homesick wife who was missing her home in The statue is 22 meters high within built machines to circulate water throughout. The monument was damaged due to multiple earthquakes in the second century BC.
#6 Colossus of Rhodes:
Situated in the city of Rhodes, the monument was dedicated to the Greek god Helios. Built in between 292 and 280 BC the Colossus of Rhodes was constructed of bronze and iron and was around 30 meters high, which made it one of the tallest monuments of the ancient history. Though this was the last of the seven wonders to be built, it was the first to be destroyed in the 226 BC. Though the Pharaoh of Egypt offered to repair the damage and reconstruct the statue, the Oracle of Delphi warned them against it.
#7 The Great Pyramid of Giza:
The Great Pyramid of Giza which was built in as a moment of respect to the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. The monument which was built over a period of 20 years was finally completed in 2560 BC. The pyramid is comprised of an astonishing 2.3 Million limestone blocks which were collected from the nearby quarries. The blocks of limestone’s which were used to build this monument were quarried across river Nile. The large and humongous granite stones which were found in the Kings chamber was calculated to be weighing 25 to 80 tonnes and were reportedly shipped from Aswan, which was about 500 miles away from the site of the monument. Standing tall at 146.5 meters the Great Pyramid of Giza was one of the tallest man-made monuments for about 3880 years. The towering Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the seven wonders and is the only monument in the list which has been able to bear the wrath of the time.
The Seven Wonders of the ancient world are surely monuments to cherish. The places have many stories attached to their hearts making them extra special. So if you are an explorer, these Seven Wonders of the World should feature on your bucket list.
