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7 Wonders of the World. The Seven Wonders of the World form a group of seven works of architecture and art considered the most extraordinary in the ancient world.

 

7 Wonders of the World

7 Wonders of the World

The origin of the list is unknown, but these works all correspond to achievements far beyond common lineage, demonstrating that architects and builders of very ancient times were capable, through hard work and ingenuity, of exceptional monumental works (Greek: thaumasia). The popularity of monuments followed the political and economic influence of the cities, and the construction of a majestic architectural element witnessed this dominance (Memphis, Ephesus, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Babylon, Olympia, and Alexandria).

1- The Pyramid of Giza

Situated in the Pyramids area of Giza, Egypt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, is the only surviving remnant of the Seven Wonders of the World. The pyramid was built over 20 years ago to serve as the tomb for Khufu, the pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty, and dates back to around 2560 BC.

A significant cultural revolution occurred in ancient Egypt during the building of the Great Pyramid, which Khufu built under the influence of his father, King Sneferu. Once he passed away, Khufu assumed the role of supreme deity on Earth, and he had to consider constructing his tomb—regarded as the first national project in ancient Egypt—with the help of skilled laborers from all over the country.

With its original height of 148 meters, the Great Pyramid remained the tallest building completed by a man on Earth for 3,800 years.

2- Hanging Gardens of Babylon

one of the Seven Wonders of the World which Nebuchadnezzar built after his marriage to the daughter of Cyxares, King of the Medes. The princess longed for The greenness of her country, which is why he built wondrous gardens for her with fragrant and diverse trees and flowers and made pastures from the Euphrates River that passed through them and reached the highest layer of them with water machines.

It is currently located in the Babylon Governorate of Iraq, close to the city of Hilla, and is said to have been built in the ancient city of Babylon. It is the only wonder believed to be a myth. The structure is believed to have been built some 600 years before the year AD, despite the lack of hard evidence to support its existence.

3- Statue of Zeus in Greece

The Zeus Statue is a huge statue sculpted in Greece in 450 BC, representing the Greek god Zeus. It is a statue of a huge man sitting on a wooden throne decorated with gold. The statue is covered with a scarlet scarf and he holds a scepter of pure gold in his hand.

This statue was erected on the famous Mount Olympus in Greece, and it was one of the most famous statues in ancient times, but it was destroyed in an earthquake in the fifth century BC. Its maker is the famous sculptor called Rafidias. The huge statue reached a height of about 12 meters above a base about 6 meters high.

4- Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis is the temple of the Greek goddess Artemis (who was called Diana in Roman mythology). Its construction was completed around 550 BC in Ephesus (currently located in Türkiye).

The structure was destroyed and rebuilt twice, and it was the largest Greek structure at that time. It was 115 meters high and 55 meters wide, and only a little of its ruins remain today.

In this temple, which was located in Ephesus, western Turkey today, Philo of Byzantium said: “I saw the walls of ancient Babylon, its hanging gardens, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the giant statue of Rhodes, the mighty works of the soaring pyramids, and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the temple in Ephesus rising to "The clouds put all these other wonders in shadow," according to the National Geographic website.

5- Mausoleum of Mausolus in Helikarnassus

The Mausoleum of Mausolus is located in the city of Halicarnassus (currently Bodrum), the capital of his kingdom of Caria, which is located in western Anatolia (currently Turkey). 

It is a luxurious mausoleum due to its size, its expensive inscriptions, and its lavish and majestic decorations. This mausoleum belongs to the ancient Greek king Mausolus. This king enjoyed wide fame in his time, as he was inclined to a life of extravagance and luxury, which prompted him to build a tomb for himself while he was alive in the year 337. BC

The Mausoleum of Mausolus was built between 353 and 350 BC, by Greek architects. It was created for the Persian Emperor, his wife, and his sister, and is about 41 meters high. A series of earthquakes left only a few pieces scattered from its foundation.

6-  Statue of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes, Apollo of Rhodes, Helios of Rhodes, or Statue of Rhodes is located in the inlet of the port of the private Mediterranean island of Rhodes in Greece. Helios of Rhodes was one of the most famous ancient colossal statues. It was destroyed by the Rhodes earthquake in 226 BC. This statue was made of bronze reinforced with iron.

This huge bronze statue of the sun god Helios, which was erected overlooking the harbor, was made by Chares at the end of the fourth century BC. The statue remained erect in its place for 200 years before it fell due to an earthquake, and it remained there until the year 654 AD when it was seized. The scrap metal merchants found him and transported him on camel back to Syria.

The statue was carved between 292 and 280 BC, is 33 meters high, and is called the Colossus of Rhodes. The statue was a victory monument marking the defeat of Demetrius' invading army in 304 BC.

7- Lighthouse of Alexandria

One of the Seven Wonders of the World that the Greeks mentioned is the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It was situated at the point where the Qaitbay Citadel of Alexandria, Egypt, currently stands on the Pharos Peninsula. It is regarded as the world's first lighthouse. In 270 BC, during Ptolemy II's reign, Sostratus founded it.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria helped guide commercial ships to reach the port without losses. It is distinguished by being the first lighthouse built in history by the Greek architect Sostratus. The lighthouse was built on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea on the tip of the Pharos Peninsula in the city of Alexandria. It was 120 meters high and was considered one of the tallest buildings in the ancient world. The lighthouse remained tall in its place for a full thousand years, and it was said that it survived 22 earthquakes that struck the region until it was destroyed in the earthquake of 1323.

 

The New Seven Wonders of the World

Because the Seven Wonders of the World are so old and most of them have disappeared, it was necessary to update them. Therefore, in 2000, the Swiss Seven Wonders Foundation launched a campaign to identify the new Seven Wonders of the World, and the Giza Pyramid remains the only participant in it that is still standing.

More than 100 million voted online or via text for the new wonders.

The New Seven Wonders of the World was announced on July 7, 2007 (7/7/2007). This vote is considered the largest in the world, as 7 new wonders were chosen:

• The Great Wall of China in China in 700 BC.

• Pyramid of Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, 600 AD.

• Petra, in Ma'an, Jordan, 312 BC.

• The ancient city of Machu Picchu, in Cusco, Peru, 1450 AD.

• Statue of Christ the Redeemer, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1930 AD.

• The Colosseum, in Rome, Italy, 80 AD.

• Taj Mahal, in Agra, India, 1643 AD.