Although most people know that a list exists of the Seven World Wonders, only few can name them. The list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was originally compiled around the second century BC. The first reference to the idea is found in History of Herodotus as long ago as the 5th century BC. Decades later, Greek historians wrote about the greatest monuments at the time. Callimachus of Cyrene (305BC-240BC), Chief Librarian of the Alexandria Mouseion, wrote "A Collection of Wonders around the World". All we know about the collection is its title, for it was destroyed with the Alexandria Library.
The final list of the Seven Wonders was compiled during the Middle Ages. The list comprised the seven most impressive monuments of the Ancient World, some of which barely survived to the Middle Ages. Others did not even co-exist. Among the oldest references to the canonical list are the engravings by the Dutch artist Maerten van Heemskerck (1498-1574), and Johann Fischer von Erlach's History of Architecture.
Today, archaeological evidence reveals some of the mysteries that surrounded the history of the Wonders for centuries. For their builders, the Seven Wonders were a celebration of religion, mythology, art, power, and science. For us, they reflect the ability of humans to change the surrounding landscape by building massive yet beautiful structures, one of which stood the test of time to this very day.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
A gigantic stone structure near the ancient city of Memphis, serving as a tomb for the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
A palace with legendary gardens built on the banks of the Euphrates river by King Nebuchadnezzar II
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
An enormous statue of the Greek father of gods, carved by the great sculptor Pheidias
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
A beautiful temple in Asia Minor erected in honor of the Greek goddess of hunting and wild nature
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
A fascinating tomb constructed for King Maussollos, Persian satrap of Caria
The Colossus of Rhodes
A colossus of Helios the sun-god, erected by the Greeks near the harbor of a Mediterranean Island
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
A lighthouse built by the Ptolemies on the island of Pharos off the coast of their capital city
man, youre gonna have to be more specific. there are a whole slew of categories. for instance; the seven wonders, the seven ancient wonders, the seven man-made wonders, the seven natural wonders, etc etc
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.