The 7 Wonders of The Ancient World

I know some of you only know 2, 3 or 4 from 7 wonders of the world. Below i listed the original 7 wonders of the world (these 7 wonders got change from time to time without me knowing the reason why. Still need to read a lot though).

1. The Colossus of Rhodes.

The statue of Greek god Helios on the island called Rhodes. Constructed to celebrate the victory of Rhodes over the ruler of Cyprus. Stood at about 107 ft high, it was considered to be one of the tallest statues in the ancient world

2. The Great Pyramid of Giza.

Constructed about 2560 BC, this pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty Pharaoh, called Khufu. The building stands at 480 ft tall and was the tallest man-made building for over 3800 years. Among the 7 original wonders of the world, this is the only one that remains intact and still can be seen until today.

3. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The gardens, which were believed to be built around 600 BC by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II and were destroyed during 2 BC due to several earthquakes that hit the area. Nebuchadnezzar II created these gardens to please his sick wife who longed for the trees and the fragrant plants of her homeland. The argument made by historians was whether this one was actually built or just a poetic creation due to the lack of documentation about this building.

4. The Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Built in around 280 BC to 247 BC, the lighthouse of Alexandria was about 390 to 450 ft and was also among the tallest man-made structures during that time. Located on the small island at the coast of Alexandria, the lighthouse served its function to guide the mariners at night and being a landmark during the day. The lighthouse was claimed as a structure that can be seen from 29 miles away. It destroyed during the 13th century due to a series of earthquakes occurred in that area.

5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.

This building was built around 353 to 350 BC and served as a tomb for the ruler of Caria, Mausolus and Artemisisa II of Caria, Mausolus wife. Stood at 148 ft in height, this building was located at Halicarnassus, the place where Mausolus decided to built his new capital that can protect the city from being captured. Mausolus made Halicarnassus so that it fit with his role as the warrior prince. The series of earthquakes shattered the columns and during 1404 AD, only the base of the Mausoleum is recognizable.

6. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

Made by the Greek sculptor, Phidias, the statue of Zeus was built in the Temple of Zeus, Olympia, occupying about half of the width of the aisle of the temple built to house it. Existed at around 432 BC until 475 AD when it was burned (the method and the time of destruction are still debatable). With the height of 43 ft tall, this statue was made with lots of luxury as the sculpture was wreathed with shoots of olive worked in gold and seated on a magnificent throne of cedarwood, inlaid with ivory, gold, ebony, and precious stones.

7. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

Also known less precisely as Temple of Diana, this was a greek temple made for the goddess of the hunt, Artemis. The creation of this building occurred at several phases. In seventh century, a great flood destroyed the initial creation and its reconstruction occurred at around 550 BC. The temple was 377 ft long and 180 ft wide with the height of the columns at about 40 feet. This second phase building was destroyed in 356 BC, very soon after its completion. The Ephesians began the third face in 323 BC with 450 ft long, 255 ft wide and 60 ft tall. This time, the temple managed to survive up to 600 years before it was destroyed by Goths, an East Germanic Tribe around 268 AD.