Almost everyone has heard of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but few know what they are much less the stories behind them. Journey back in time for a fascinating look at these awe-inspiring accomplishments of the ancients.
This text will be replaced
Seven wonders of the world. Video hosted on Google. From the pyramids the only Ancient Wonder still standing today to the 100-foot high Colossus of Rhodes the largest bronze statue ever made this unique program explores the history of some of mankind's most incredible achievements. Period art and modern reconstructions bring these long-vanished masterpieces to life. See the incredible details of the Temple of Artemis at Ephemesia, the towering terraced of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the massive Statue of Zeus which formed the centerpiece of the holiest temple of Ancient Greece. Visit the fragmentary remains of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and hear contemporary accounts of the tragic destruction of the Lighthouse at Alexandria in the 14th century. SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD is a definitive look at the most fabled monuments ever built.
The Seven Wonders of the World (or the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) is a widely-known list of seven remarkable constructions of classical antiquity. It was based on guide-books popular among Hellenic sight-seers and only includes works located around the Mediterranean rim. Later lists include those for the Medieval World and the Modern World.
The historian Herodotus and the scholar Callimachus of Cyrene (ca 305240 BC) at the Museum of Alexandria, made early lists of "seven wonders" but their writings have not survived, except as references. The earliest extant version of a list of seven wonders was compiled by Antipater of Sidon, who described the structures in a poem around 140 BC:
"I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the Colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, 'Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand."
Antipater, Greek Anthology IX.58
A later list, under various titles like De septem orbis spactaculis and traditionally misattributed to the engineer Philo of Byzantium, may date as late as the fifth century AD, though the author writes as if the Colossus of Rhodes were still standing.
These are given in the table below:
Great Pyramid of Giza -- Built as the tomb of Fourth dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon -- Herodotus claimed the outer walls were 56 miles in length, 80 feet thick and 320 feet high (although some archaeological findings suggest otherwise).
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus -- Dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis, it took 120 years to build. Herostratus burned it down in an attempt to achieve lasting fame.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia -- Occupied the whole width of the aisle of the temple that was built to house it, and was 40 feet (12 meters) tall.
Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus -- Stood approximately 45 meters (135 feet) tall with each of the four sides adorned with sculptural reliefs. Origin of the word mausoleum.
Colossus of Rhodes -- A giant statue of the Greek god Helios roughly the same size as today's Statue of Liberty in New York.
Lighthouse of Alexandria -- Between 115 and 135 metres (383 - 440 ft) tall it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries.
-Tourist Travel Wonders-
The following list of the top seven tourist travel wonders (not including pilgrimages) was compiled by Hillman Wonders:
Great Pyramids of Giza
Great Wall of China
Taj Mahal
Serengeti Migration
Galapagos
Grand Canyon
Machu Picchu
-Natural Wonders-
Similar to the other lists of wonders, there is no consensus on a list of seven natural wonders of the world, as there has been debate over how large the list should be. One of the many lists was compiled by CNN:
Grand Canyon
Great Barrier Reef
Harbor of Rio de Janeiro
Mount Everest
Polar Aurora
Parícutin volcano
Victoria Falls
-Underwater Wonders-
This list of underwater wonders is of unknown origin but has been repeated sufficiently often to acquire a degree of notability:
Palau
Belize Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
Deep-Sea Vents
Galapagos Islands
Lake Baikal
Northern Red Sea
In the tradition of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, many other lists of wonders have been proposed, including both human feats of engineering and wonders of Nature. However, these lists are rather informal, and there is no consensus on any particular list.
-Modern Wonders-
The American Society of Civil Engineers compiled another list of wonders of the modern world:
Channel Tunnel -- Strait of Dover, between England and France
CN Tower -- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Empire State Building -- New York, New York, USA
Golden Gate Bridge -- Golden Gate Strait, north of San Francisco, California, USA
Itaipu Dam -- Paraná River, South America
Delta Works -- Netherlands, Europe
Panama Canal -- Isthmus of Panama, Central America
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
