A message about the 7 wonders of the world. Seven Wonders of the World
At the initiative of Bernard Weber, with the help of the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation, a project to update the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World began. Using a survey, over the Internet and telephone, more than 100 million people cast their votes, after which the final list of the new seven wonders of the world was approved. The voting results were announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Petra in Jordan
200 km south of the Jordanian capital, deep in the sandy mountains near the Wadi Musa valley (“Valley of Moses”), the ruins are hidden ancient Petra. It is believed that the temples and palaces of Petra were carved into the rocks 2000 years before Christ by the ancient Arab nomadic tribe of the Nabataeans.
The city took about 500 years to build and turned into a large trading center. Petra was located at the intersection of important trade routes between Krasny and Mediterranean seas
. Petra has more than 800 attractions. Temples and crypts, Roman colonnades and an amphitheater with 3,000 seats, palaces of nobles, baths and canals - all this is hewn from stone.
Chichen Itza in Mexico
The ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, located in Mexico in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula. The name of the ancient city of Chichen Itza translates as “Well of the Itza Tribe.” The city arose in the 7th century AD. e. as a Mayan religious center, and by the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs, who came to Yucatan from central Mexico, and by the 11th century it became the capital of the Toltec kingdom.
In 1178, the Indian ruler Hunak Keel destroyed the Mayan sanctuary, turning it into a pitiful pile of ruins. The city fell into decay and became depopulated. Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil The giant statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowning the 710-meter high Corcovado Mountain, has been rightfully considered a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil for 80 years. The statue of Christ with outstretched arms towers over the city of 10 million, as if blessing and hugging it. The statue reaches 38 meters in height and weighs 1,145 tons. At the foot of the monument there is Observation deck
, which offers amazing views of
The Colosseum - one of the most monumental monuments of the Roman era - is a symbol of Italy to the same extent as the Eiffel Tower is for France or the Kremlin for Russia. The amphitheater was built in 8 years - construction began by Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed in 80 by his son Titus.
The walls of the Colosseum are built from large blocks of travertine, fastened together with steel brackets with a total weight of approximately 300 tons. 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 great Wall of China Great Chinese Wall
is a chain of defensive structures stretching across Northern China from the Liaodong Bay of the Yellow Sea to the sands of the Gobi Desert. The length of the Chinese wall in a straight line, from edge to edge, is 2,450 km, and if we take into account all the bends and branches, then, according to various estimates, it turns out to be from 6,000 to 8,850 km.
Construction, which began in 210 BC, continued with minor interruptions until the end of the Ming dynasty, that is, until the 1640s. The average height of the wall reached 7.8 meters, and its width allowed five infantrymen to march in a row or five horsemen to ride in a line.
Machu Picchu in Peru
Facts and legends are closely intertwined in the history of the white marble masterpiece, but most historians agree that the tomb was built in the 1630s. by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his untimely deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Construction continued for 22 long years. More than 20,000 people took part in it, among them builders from all over the empire, craftsmen from
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.
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 on the site Alexandria lighthouse a fortress that still exists today.
That's the whole list of 7 wonders of the world or just wonders of the world.
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 greenery combined with fountains and ponds 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, it was necessary a large number of water. 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 facility was supposed to help sea vessels safely overcome coastal reefs 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 way. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake that occurred in the mid-14th century. Scientists discovered some fragments of the Alexandria lighthouse on the seabed 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!
The primacy of compiling a list of the 7 Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is attributed to Antipater of Sidon, who sang them for centuries in his poem:
I saw your walls, Babylon, on which there is spacious
And chariots; I saw Zeus at Olympia,
Miracle of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Colossus of Helios
And the pyramids are the work of many and hard labors;
I know Mausolus, a huge tomb. But I just saw
I am the palace of Artemis, the roof raised to the clouds,
Everything else faded before him; outside Olympus
The sun does not see beauty equal to it anywhere.
At different times, with the construction of new buildings, they tried to change the list of 7 wonders of the world of antiquity, but in the final version, only the Lighthouse of Alexandria appeared among the new ones, which eclipsed the greatness of the walls of Babylon.
Some include here all the pyramids of Egypt, some of the great pyramids of Giza, but for the most part only the largest of them, the Pyramid of Cheops, is perceived as a miracle. The pyramid is also considered the oldest miracle on the list - its construction is estimated to be around 2000 BC. Despite its old age, this is the only structure of the 7 old wonders of the world that has survived to our times.
Created by order of the king of desert Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II, for his wife, these gardens were supposed to comfort and remind her of her distant homeland. The name of Semiramis, the Assyrian queen, appeared here by mistake, but, nevertheless, was firmly entrenched in history.
The statue was created for a temple in a large religious center Ancient Greece- Olympia. The giant Zeus struck the sculptor Phidias local residents so much so that they decided that Zeus himself personally posed for the master.
In the ancient large port city of Ephesus, the goddess of fertility Artemis was especially revered. In honor of her, a huge and majestic temple was created here, which was included in the list of 7 ancient wonders of the world.
The rich king Mausolus wished to erect a mausoleum-temple in Halicarnassus, incomparable in beauty. The best craftsmen of that time worked on the construction. The work ended only after the death of Mavsol, but this did not prevent him from going down in history forever.
In honor of the great victory, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build a huge statue of the god Helios. The plan was carried out, but this miracle did not last long, and was soon destroyed by an earthquake.
For navigating ships nearby major port In Alexandria, it was decided to build the largest lighthouse at that time. The building immediately eclipsed the walls of Babylon and took a place on the list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The familiar concept of “Seven Wonders of the World” was born in ancient times, more than 2 thousand years ago. Since then, it has united famous creations of ancient architecture.
Let's remember what is included in these “miracles”. After all, they have practically not survived to this day.
Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt
The only exception is the Cheops pyramid. It is already 4.5 thousand years old, but it still impresses with its grandeur. Construction took place over 20 years, and tens of thousands of Egyptians and slaves took part in it. Another hundred thousand were busy delivering blocks. Construction was completed around 2560 BC.
The pyramid consists of - as calculated today - 2.5 million blocks. The most amazing thing is that they are not held together by cement or any other binder. They are held together by tightly fitting each other. Now the top of the Cheops pyramid has been destroyed. Previously, its height was 147 meters.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Iraq
The next miracle is the “Hanging Gardens” of Babylon. Their purpose was to please the beauty, the wife of King Nebuchadnezzar P
The gardens rose in four tiers. From a distance it seemed that they were rising above the ground. In fact, it was very difficult to build structures in which, like in huge pots, not only flowers and shrubs, but also trees would grow. Both stones and lead plates were used. It was also necessary to bring and pour here a fairly large layer of fertile soil.
It is not surprising that in arid Babylon such an oasis seemed like a real miracle.
Zeus statue in Greece
In Greece there was a third “miracle” - a statue of Zeus. In the 5th century BC. a temple was built here in honor of the most important Greek god. Naturally, there was a statue of him inside the temple. The 20-meter tall Zeus sat on the throne, overwhelming the believers with his magnificence. This was not just a sculpture. The wooden body was covered with ivory. The god's robe naturally shone with gold.
Temple of Artemis in Turkey
Where modern Türkiye lies, in ancient times there was a temple of Artemis. It was built in the 6th century. BC. by order of King Croesus. The greatness and power of the goddess was to be emphasized by her statue. The basis of production was ivory. And also 127 high columns, as if supporting a huge structure.
The temple was burned in 356 BC. But he remained forever in people's memory.
Mausoleum in Halicarnassus Türkiye
The next “miracle” was again located in Turkey. This is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. It became the tomb for Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, who lived in the 4th century BC. This structure, although inferior in height to the Cheops pyramid, still reached a significant height - 46 m. It was framed by columns, and crowned by a sculpture of a chariot.
Colossus of Rhodes in Greece
The sixth “miracle” can be called the statue of the Sun God - Helios. Its other name is the Colossus of Rhodes. This statue stood in Greece in the 3rd century BC. So the Greeks decided to thank their beloved god. They believed that it was Helios who helped them survive the fight against the invaders and survive the siege. In the hand of the young god there was a torch, as if lighting the way for ships sailing to and leaving the port of Rhodes. Six and a half decades later, the statue was destroyed by an earthquake.
At the moment they want to restore the statue to attract tourists.
By the way, in the famous series “Game of Thrones” there is a similar sculpture
Alexandria Lighthouse in Egypt
The world also lost the seventh “miracle” as a result of the shaking of the soil. This is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which in the 3rd century BC. was in Egypt, on the island of Pharos. For that time it was a huge tower. According to historians, its height reached 120 m. But even more amazing was the way in which the lighthouse sent light to ships. At its top, servants kept the fire burning, and specially made metal mirrors directed the light into the distance.
Sailors located 60 km from the port saw a distant spark in the night. It was a fire burning on top of the lighthouse. The most difficult task was to deliver enough wood for the fire. Carts and mules were used for this purpose. They went up the spiral staircase.
The series “Game of Thrones” also played up their own version of the Alexandria Lighthouse
Even now, thousands of years later, we respect these creations by the hands of ancient masters. What can we say about how their contemporaries perceived them! Indeed, these were miracles, there is no better way to say it.
New "Seven Wonders of the World" of the modern world.
Since almost all of these incomparable creations have been lost, the Swiss Bernard Weber proposed implementing the “New Seven Wonders of the World” project. The results were announced on July 7, 2007. Magic number "7".
Great Wall of China in China
Of course, the Great Wall of China, which at one time protected the state from nomads, could not give the palm to anyone. The wall was also supposed to unite the empire, which had just been formed, to help unite its people.
Construction lasted many years, in difficult conditions, when there were no roads and there was a shortage of necessary materials. But the result was great. There is no other architectural structure like this on our planet. The wall stretches for 8851.8 km. Every year over 40 million tourists come to see this miracle.
Amphitheater Colosseum in Italy
The largest amphitheater, the Colosseum, which has survived from the times, also enjoys well-deserved fame. Ancient Rome, and now constitutes one of the main attractions of Italy. The name "Colosseum" also comes from the word "colossus". To the Romans, the amphitheater seemed truly huge. After all, at that time the buildings reached a height of 8-10 m. Against their background, the Colosseum looked majestic. Once upon a time, thousands of guests flocked here to watch the famous gladiator fights.
Ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu Peru
On the territory of the present state of Peru there is ancient city Inca Machu Picchu. Its location is unique - on the tops of the mountains, in the heart of the inaccessible Andes. Despite all the achievements of science, the secrets of Machu Picchu have not yet been fully solved. It is also called “the city among the clouds” and is associated with the name of the ruler Pachacutec. The residence of the ruler, located at an altitude of 2450 m, was inaccessible to enemies. And to those who were on earth, it seemed that it was fitting for the ruler to live next door to the gods. Most likely, the city was built in the 15th century. Even today you can come there along the path of ancient pilgrims, you just need to be prepared for the fact that the hike will take several days.
But you will see a majestic sight - Mountain peaks and the ancient city. Beautiful llamas graze here.
Ancient city - Petra in Jordan
Another ancient city, Petra, is located in what is now Jordan. The peculiarity of this city is that it is carved from stone. Otherwise it would have been impossible to build it here in the Siq Canyon. Bare rocks, steep cliffs, narrow gorges - such a panorama opens up to the eyes of tourists. But people lived and fought with enemies here too. Truly, a person is capable of inhabiting any place!
Taj Mahal Temple in India
Compared to this ascetic shelter of ancient people, the Taj Mahal temple in India seems to be a symbol of beauty and harmony. There is probably no better creation in Indian architecture. This temple is a mausoleum. It was built by order of Emperor Shah Jahan. His beloved wife unexpectedly died during childbirth, and the inconsolable husband decided to perpetuate her memory in this way - by erecting a most beautiful temple. Today there is no tourist coming to India who would not like to see the Taj Mahal. This temple is located in the city of Agra.
Statue of Christ in Brazil
The sixth of the new wonders of the world was the statue of Christ in Brazil. On Mount Corcovado, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the merciful Lord stretched out his hands over the people. This is Christ the Redeemer. It is symbolic that when thunderstorms rage here, the statue is often struck by lightning. After all, she is the most high point around. The height of this figure is 38 m, and it weighs more than 1145 tons. After a lightning strike, it is necessary to repair the damage caused to the reinforced concrete sculpture. Since they could not create such a huge figure in Brazil, they made the sculpture in France. They delivered it to Brazil in parts.
The seventh miracle was another ancient city of Chichen Itza. It belonged to the Mayan Indians and is located in Mexico. It was here that the Mayans gathered for prayers, and here, like nowhere else, they felt the presence of God. And today people feel awe when approaching the pyramids that were built by representatives ancient civilization. The most famous is the El Castillo temple in honor of the god Kukulkan.
All these attractions, which only recently received the proud status of “New Wonders of the World,” have long become true treasures of our cultural heritage. The flow of tourists eager to see these wonderful places with their own eyes does not dry out. And it is gratifying that the “baton” of the ancient “miracles” has been taken up by no less wonderful, but accessible for viewing, “new miracles”.
