Ancient Wonders

Seven Wonders

THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA, EGYPT

The Great Pyramid of Giza is 454 feet high.

This giant tomb was the burial place of Khufu, an Egyptian pharaoh, about 4500 years ago. It is a four-sided pyramid made entirely of stone. The pyramid made entirely o stone. The pyramid was build as an almanac and can measure the length of the year. The pyramid proves the mastery that ancient Egyptians had over mathematics and astronomy. 

There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The so-called Queen's Chamber and King's Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in Egypt known to contain both ascending and descending passages. The main part of the Giza complex is a setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.


THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON

Water from the river Tigris was pumped to irrigate
the plants and teh trees at the Hanging Garden.

The Hanging Garden was located on the bank of River Euphrates and was built by the King Nebuchadnezzar II in about 605 BC. The Garden was built on high terraces with green leaves and branches growing all over the walls. The garden had been built to please his Persian wife, Amytis since she missed the greenery of her native country.





THE STATUE OF ZEUS OLYMPIA, GREECE

The throne of Zeus was decorated with gold,
precious stones, ebony, and ivory

The colossal statue of god Zeus seated on a throne is approximately 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide at the base. Covered with gold and ivory, it was made by the famous Athenian sculptor, Phidias, in about 435 BC. With God Zeus' head almost touching the ceiling of the temple, you can imagine what would have happened, if Zeus would have decided to stand up!

FUN FACTS! Phidias used to craft his statues in his studio and later assemble them at a site. This explains why the giant statue of Zeus looked bigger than the temple in which it had been place.

THE MAUSOLEUM AT HALICARNASSUS, TURKEY

For years, it was the beauty of the Mausoleum rather
than it's size that attracted visitors to this tomb.

Built as a burial monument for King Mausolus of Caria by his wife Queen Artemisia, this 130 feet high tomb had a huge statues of the king and his wife. The roof was shaped like a pyramid and it had a carved chariot on top, pulled by four horses. This tomb became so famous that from then on all the large tombs are called 'mausoleums'.




THE TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS AT EPHESUS, TURKEY

The Temple of Artemis was burnt down by a man named
Herostratus, in order to immortalise his name.

Croesus, the King of Lydia had a temple built in about 550 BC. Constructed at Ephesus (present day Turkey), it was built in honour of Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting and birth. The Romans worshipped this goddess as Diana. With 106 marble columns, elaborate marble sculptures, carvings and paintings, this temple was an amazing architectural masterpiece.

The first sanctuary (temenos) antedated the Ionic immigration by many years, and dates to the Bronze Age. Callimachus, in his Hymn to Artemis, attributed it to the Amazons. In the 7th century the old temple was destroyed by a flood. Its reconstruction began around 550 BC, under the Cretan architect ChersiphronMetagenes, at the expense of Croesus of Lydia: the project took 10 years to complete, only to be destroyed in an act of arson by a young arsonist seeking fame named Herostratus. It was later rebuilt.

THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES, GREECE

The fallen statue of Colossus was left untouched,
until 653 AD. Raiding Arabs broke up the remains and
sold the bronze for scrap

Located in Greece, this was a giant 108 feet high statue of the Greek Sun god, Helios. It took about 12 years to complete and had a stone and iron framework with an outer shell of bronze. The statue collapsed in an earthquake in 226 BBC, having stood for just about 20 years. It was constructed to celebrate Rhodes' victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, who unsuccessfully besieged Rhodes in 305 BC.


THE PHAROS OF ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT 

With an estimated height of 383-400 feet, the Pharaos
of Alexandria was considered the tallest man-made
structure for many centuries.

This 500 feet high lighthouse was located on the island of Pharos, at the entrance to the Alexandria harbour, Egypt. Being so huge and well lit, it was able to guide ships for long distances. This impressive wonder lasted all of 1500 years!

FUN FACTS! In ancient times, the Greek city used to hold sporting events every four years, just like the Olympic games held today. These games were held in honour of Zeus.