Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Pyramid of Khufu is the only remaining structure from the original Seven Wonders of the World.

The Seven Wonders of the World are "fabled sights that evolved from various ancient Greek lists," according to the World Encyclopedia. It is thought that the documentation and research that went into choosing the seven sites was lost in the great fire at the Alexandria Library in Egypt. Of the original seven wonders, only the Pyramid of Khufu still exists today.

Great Pyramid of Khufu

According to the 2004 Encyclopedia of World Biography, Khufu, also known by the Greek name Cheops, was an Egyptian king who reigned between 2590-2568 B.C. and built the Great Pyramid at Giza. The pyramid has been studied extensively. The base of the pyramid covers an area of just over 13 acres. In 1925 a survey of the pyramid discovered that the difference between the longest and shortest sides was only 7.9 inches. Originally, the pyramid stood just over 481 feet tall; today it stands at around 450 feet.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are thought to have been built in 600 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar II. According to legend, Nebuchadnezzar built the gardens for his wife. The 2005 World Encyclopedia suggests that the gardens actually rose upward using a series of terraces, rather than actually hanging.

Statue of Zeus

A great statue of the god Zeus is said to have sat upon a throne inside the temple of Olympia. Nothing of this statue remains today, but its creation is credited to Pheidias. In 1955 and 1956, terra-cotta molds from the Zeus statue's formation were found at the site of Pheidias' ancient workshop, according to The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

Colossus of Rhodes

A statue of the sun god, Helios, the Colossus of Rhodes is thought to have been built between 292 and 280 B.C. According to The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, the bronze used to build the enormous statue was left behind by Demetrius I after his unsuccessful siege of the city of Rhodes. Legend had the statue standing astride the harbor, with ships passing between Helios' legs. This was disproved by coins of the same era that clearly depict the statue on a promontory overlooking the harbor.

Temple Of Artemis

According to The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, the Temple Of Artemis was originally associated with a nature goddess. The temple was rebuilt around 550 B.C. much larger in what is now the west coast of Turkey. In the 4th century B.C. the temple was burned down, but construction on a new temple started almost immediately. The Romans called it the temple of Diana. The Goths destroyed the temple in A.D. 262.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum was built in memory of and as a burial tomb for King Mausolus, by his wife and sister, Artemisia. According to the The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, the Mausoleum sat in what is now the city of Bodrum, Turkey. The Mausoleum was built around 353 B.C. and was damaged in an earthquake in the 15th century. The stone from the Mausoleum was used by the Knights of John of Malta to build a castle. Some of the sculptures from the Mausoleum survived and are housed in London.

Lighthouse of Alexandria

Destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century, the Lighthouse of Alexandria is still an enigma. There is no precise description of the lighthouse left in existence. According to The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, estimates place the lighthouse somewhere between 200 and 600 feet tall. It is known that the lighthouse was constructed somewhere near 280 B.C. on the island of Pharos, now Alexandria, Egypt. The lighthouse's construction was started by Ptolemy I and completed after his death by his son, Ptolemy II.

References

• SevenWondersWorld: Seven Wonder of the World - Ancient Times
• HighBeam Research, Inc.: Seven Wonders of the World