We all know and have heard about the Seven Wonders of the World viz. Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Colosseum in Rome, India’s Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Jordan’s ancient city of Petra, the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, and the ancient Maya city of Chichén Itzá in Mexico. But do you know about the ancient Seven Wonders of the World? Actually NO
Here is a short synopsis of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. The Seven Ancient Wonders are: the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Statue of Zeus and the Temple of Artemis.
The Colossus of Rhodes, Greece – it took almost 12 years to complete this great art. Made of stone and iron with outer covering of bronze the statue represented the Greek sun God, Helios. It was 110 feet high. In 227 B.C the statue got cracked at the knee due to an earthquake.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon – the hanging garden was built in 7th century BC. King Nebuchadnezzar created this beauty for her wife Semiramis who wanted her homeland in the Medes to be full of greenery, roses and forests.
The Lighthouse of Alexandra, Egypt – To ensure safety of shipping traffic this lighthouse was built between 299 and 79 B.C with a purpose to guide the ships. It was 384 feet high. During night fire was used to show path to the lost ships. During day time the polished bronze mirrors were so designed that it reflected the sunlight. The light was so powerful that it helped the ships to almost 35 miles. Due to series of earthquake and natural calamities the structure collapsed.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece – this statue of the king of Greek God was made of gold and the throne was made of wood situated in a temple of Olympia city. 40 foot tall statue was destroyed along with the temple after an earthquake.
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Turkey – this tomb was dedicated by Artemisia II to her husband King Mausolus of Caria. The great Greek artists decorated the chambers with gold and the exterior with ornate stone.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt – this ancient pyramid was built by great Greek scholars about 2200 years ago. This is the only surviving wonder of the ancient world. The 480 feet high pyramid is believe to be the planet’s tallest human-made structure.
The Temple of Artemis, Turkey – dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis, the temple was first built in 6th century BC. It was again rebuilt under the supervision of Alexander, the Great. Destroyed by invaders, earthquakes and plunders, today only few columns have remain.
Courtesy – NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC