Seven Wonders of The World

                                       


A “wonder” is something beautiful and exceptional that gives us a feeling of admiration and surprise. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World included magnificent buildings and structures built in ancient times. One of the most famous and beautiful constructions is the Temple of goddess Diana or Artemis at Ephesus, in modern Turkey. She was the goddess of hunting and Apollo’s twin sister. In mythology Diana is pictured as a maiden in a hunting skirt with a bow and a quiver. The Temple was built at about 550 BC but was later destroyed by cruel invaders. Another well-known ancient wonder is the Colossus at Rhodes, which is in modern Greece. It was a huge bronze statue of Apollo – the god of sun. This statue was erected between 292 and 280 BC. Its height was over 100 feet. It was destroyed in 224 BC because of a strong earthquake. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon became another ancient wonder. They were situated in Babylon, which is now in Iraq. These beautiful gardens were built by King Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife, who liked nice scenery. The approximate year of building is 600 BC. It was a square construction of receding terraces supported by arches and columns. The terraces perhaps rose up to 300 feet. The flowers, shrubs and even trees could grow them. Another interesting wonder was the Statue of Zeus or Jupiter. He was a man of gigantic size with curly hair and beard. The statue was built in the 5th century BC in Olympia, in modern Greece. It was a 40-feet-high colossal statue made of gold. The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt also refers Seven Wonders. This pyramid was built in 2540 BC in honor of Cheops Pharaoh and is the only ancient wonder to survive today. It is situated outside of modern Cairo and is visited by millions of tourists. There was another wonder built in Egypt – the Pharos of Alexandria. It was a lighthouse built around the 3rd century BC on the island of Pharos. Its light was very useful at those times for ships. It was later destroyed by an earthquake. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus which was situated in modern Turkey was another ancient wonder. This was a tomb built by Queen Artemisia around the year 351 BC in honor of her beloved husband King Mausolus. The sight was destroyed by an earthquake in 1494. However, some of its remains can now be seen at the British Museum in London.