Seven wonders of the world of our time: description. A brief history of the seven ancient wonders of the world (8 photos) What are the names of the seven wonders of the world

The only one of the 7 wonders of the world Ancient world, surviving to this day, is the Great Pyramid of Giza - the Pyramid of Cheops. In the suburbs of Egypt's capital, Cairo, this ancient monument was designed and built as the tomb of the most famous pharaoh (Khufu) and is recognized as the tallest structure of its time. It’s hard to believe, but the height of this miracle of art is almost 147 meters (imagine five nine-story buildings stacked on top of each other). Initially, the pyramid occupied an area larger than seven football fields, and the length of one of the sides of its base was over 230 meters.

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The construction of the Great Pyramid, according to the official version of Egyptologists, was completed in 2540 BC. To create this truly extraordinary miracle, it took the joint efforts of 100 thousand people. According to archaeologists' calculations, the work lasted about 20 years.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

It is generally accepted to be the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which, according to one of the many versions, were built around 600 BC by order of the Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, the Median princess Amytis. Later, the daughter of King Cyaxares began to be called after the Assyrian queen.


Source: wikipedia.org

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were a four-story building, shaped like a pyramid, the tiers of which, supported by powerful columns, were both balconies and terraces. Hanging unique plants combined with fountains and ponds turned the Babylonian structure into a real oasis.

To supply the gardens with water, a special irrigation system was designed: hundreds of slaves turned wheels with buckets all day long. When Babylon fell into decay, there was no one to do the irrigation, and the unique flora of the hanging gardens died. Frequent earthquakes completed the job - finally destroying the palace. Babylon disappeared from the face of the earth, and with it the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the most beautiful monuments of antiquity, also disappeared into oblivion.

Zeus statue in Olympia

In the 5th century BC, a sports and religious center Ancient Greece There was Olympia, where the god Zeus was most revered. It was to him, the head, that the Olympians unanimously decided to build a majestic temple. To implement the plan, the Athenian sculptor Phidias, famous for his sculptures, was invited to Olympia. The master faced a difficult task: to create a structure that would surpass all his previous creations in its monumentality. Phidias gave the go-ahead. Work has begun.

It took the sculptor and his apprentices ten years for the Ancient World to see this wonder of the world. The temple was entirely made of marble. Columns made of limestone were installed along its perimeter. On the walls of the temple there were picturesque bas-reliefs depicting Zeus and the twelve labors of Hercules.


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The thunder god himself, called “the embodiment of male beauty,” was made of ivory and reached a height of 13 meters. He sat majestically on a throne carved from ebony and covered with chased gold plates, and almost touched the ceiling of the temple.

Phidias' masterpiece did not go unnoticed. For many years, writers and philosophers admired him, classifying the statue of Olympian Zeus among the best creations of mankind. But in 476 there was a fire, during which this wonder of the world was lost.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The initiator and “sponsor” of the latest version of Artemision, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, was. The construction of this wonder of the world, which began in 323 BC, made of limestone and marble, continued for many years. The “highlight” of the temple, its main distinguishing feature, were 127 giant columns installed in nine rows. The interior decoration of Artemision was mesmerizing. There was everything here: marvelous statues made by the best architects of that time, and beautiful paintings by famous artists. And in the center of this splendor stood the statue of the goddess Artemis, the patroness of love relationships and the family hearth.


Source: journal. tapigo.ru

Artemision, rebuilt by Alexander, lasted six centuries. It was plundered and destroyed by the Goths, and was inundated by numerous floods. Today, the existence of this wonder of the world is evidenced by only one single column, restored from the rubble.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

Ancient Halicarnassus, where the “father of history” Herodotus was born, was famous for its architectural beauty. White marble temples built in honor of Ares and Aphrodite, the Salmakin fountain, theaters and palaces attracted foreign guests to the city. But the real “pearl” of Halicarnassus, a wonder of the world, was the tomb of the despotic king, which he began to build during his lifetime.

Pytheas and Satyros, the best architects of that time, worked on the tomb, which consisted of three tiers and reached a height of 46 meters. Leochares and Skopas were entrusted with decorating the building - creating marble figures of gods, animals and horsemen.


Long ago, sages and travelers compiled a list of 7 wonders of the world, the list included the most beautiful and, in their opinion, most majestic buildings in the whole world.

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After this, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list received the name 7 wonders of the world.

Add to list seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous monuments art of the ancient world. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles.

The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC. e.

1. Egyptian pyramids


Topping the list are the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day.

These stone structures became greatest monuments ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC.

During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the Cheops pyramid. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and to date, the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly smaller in size.


The Hanging Gardens were built in 600 BC. by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. It is believed that this was done to entertain his wife, who was yearning for the greenery of her homeland in dusty Babylon. The Hanging Gardens were a four-tiered pyramid that looked like a flowering hill. The lower tier was an irregular quadrangle, the smallest side of which was 34 m, the largest - 42 m. The tiers were supported by columns whose height reached 25 m. Each tier was covered with a layer of fertile soil on which various plants could be planted.

Although the wife of the Babylonian king was named Amitas, the name of the Hanging Gardens is traditionally associated with the name of the legendary Assyrian ruler Semiramis.

The famous statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, was created by the great sculptor and architect Phidias. It was intended for the temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, the city in which the Olympic Games. The frame of the statue was made of wood, onto which ivory plates were glued, imitating naked skin. The hair, beard, wreath, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and the eyes were made of precious stones. In his right hand Zeus held the goddess of victory Nike, also made of ivory and gold.

In 393, Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where some time later it died in a fire.

4. Temple of Artemis in Ephesus


In 550 BC, the construction of a temple was completed in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, dedicated to the goddess Artemis. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved it detailed description. In 356 BC a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned it in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century AD. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt temple. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Statues of its builders, Praxiteles and Scopas, were installed inside the temple.

At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.


This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located on the territory of modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named a mausoleum after him. The Tomb of Mausolus is a brick building faced with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m and the height was 46 m.

This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the Knights of St. John dismantled its remains to build a fortress.

In the 3rd century BC this giant statue was installed on greek island Rhodes. Work on it continued for about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its production.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 56 years. As a result of what happened in 222 BC. earthquake, he broke at the knees and fell. This is where the expression “colossus with feet of clay” comes from. In 977 AD e. what was left of the statue was sold to merchants. According to the chronicles, there was enough debris to load 900 camels with it. The ancient Greek author Philo of Byzantium was first mentioned as one of the Colossae of Rhodes.

7.

Around 280 BC, the world's first lighthouse was completed on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria. This work took about 20 years. Height Alexandria lighthouse was equal to 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. A fire was constantly burning at the top of the lighthouse, the light from which was directed out to the sea using polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.

In the 12th century AD e. Alexandria Bay ceased to be used due to filling with silt, and Faros lighthouse has lost its meaning. In the 14th century, it was damaged by an earthquake and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.

The seven wonders of the world are ancient monuments architecture that is rightfully considered the greatest creations of human hands. The number 7 was chosen for a reason. It belonged to Apollo and was a symbol of completeness, completeness and perfection. At the same time, the traditional genre of Hellenistic poetry was the glorification of a list of the most famous cultural figures - poets, philosophers, kings, generals, etc., or outstanding architectural monuments.

The first mentions of the Wonders of the World are found precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander the Great had already marched across Europe. The wide dissemination of Greek culture in the territories that were part of the states that the great commander conquered ensured the great popularity of individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the “selection” of miracles occurred gradually. Some names replaced others, and today the list of the most majestic works of art and architecture includes:

Briefly about everything

Historians and scientists believe that the most ancient is the first attraction - Egyptian pyramids. A distinctive feature of this Wonder of the World is that it is the only one that has survived to this day in almost its original form. The construction of the Pyramids of Giza dates back to approximately 1983 BC, and the largest structure from the complex is the tomb of Cheops.

The rest of the Wonders of the World were not so lucky, and only the ruins of some of them have survived to this day. Eg, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were created in the 6th century BC, were destroyed by floods in the 2nd century. But even the dilapidated remains of this majestic structure are breathtaking.

Statue of Zeus from Olympia, created around 435 BC. by the famous ancient sculptor Phidias, burned down almost a thousand years later in Constantinople. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was erected in 550 BC, but after two centuries it was also destroyed by a severe fire.

Halicarnassus Mausoleum created by the architect Pytheas in 351 BC. In 1494, earthquakes occurred in southwestern Turkey, after which only the foundations and architectural fragments of the structure were preserved. Concerning Colossus of Rhodes, built at the beginning of the 3rd century BC. Greeks, it fell as a result of a series of powerful earthquakes somewhere between 224 and 225 BC.

Alexandrian lighthouse, built in the 3rd century BC. at the direction of the ruling Ptolemaic dynasty, it is the pinnacle of engineering and technical thought of that time. The structure lasted until 1480, providing reliable lighting to the coastal waters. In the 15th century, the lighthouse was partially destroyed by an earthquake.

We can talk endlessly about each of the Seven Wonders of the World. Any schoolchild knows about them. Ancient epics and ancient legends are associated with them. Each of them is covered in a shadow of mystery and uncertainty. But one thing can be said with all confidence - these are the most significant monuments of civilization of all that humanity has managed to create.

The list of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World includes the most famous art monuments of the Ancient World. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they were called miracles. The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the author of the classical version of the list is considered to be the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC.

Let's start with interesting fact: Herodotus was the first to create a list of the seven most impressive wonders in the world known to the ancient Greeks, but his work has since been lost. Today's traditional set of ancient wonders (listed below) is recorded in a poem by Antipater of Sidon written in 140 BC, although later lists included Roman and then Christian sites. In the 1st century, the poet Martial defended the Colosseum, while the medieval theologian Gregory of Tours added Solomon's Temple and Noah's Ark. As you can see, the debate regarding this list has lasted for thousands of years - discussions continue in 2020.

We have already talked about each of these wonders of the world separately, so we advise you to also follow the links in the article, where many are available useful information. We will pay special attention to the pyramids, talking about each:

1. Egyptian pyramids

Topping the list of the seven ancient wonders of the world are the Egyptian pyramids, which is not surprising, since they are the only one of the wonders of the world that have survived to this day. These stone structures became the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture, served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The construction period dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennia BC. During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. A little more detail:

Sphinx

A thousand years after its creation in 1550-1397. BC. The Sphinx was buried under the desert sands. A story is carved on the stele located between the Sphinx's front paws. It described how the young prince Thutmose, who was hunting here, fell asleep in the shadow of a stone body. In a dream, the Sphinx appeared to him in the form of Horus and predicted the prince's future accession to the throne and asked to free him from the sand. When Thutmose found himself on the throne a few years later under the name of Pharaoh Thutmose IV, he remembered his dream and carried out the first restoration. Apart from natural erosion, the most serious damage was caused to the Sphinx by the Mamluks, who knocked off its nose with a cannon shot (Muslims had an extremely negative attitude towards the image of a person). The statue was finally cleared of sand in the mid-1920s.

The statue is 57 m long and 20 m high, the width of the face is 4.1 m, the height of the face is 5 m - depicts a pharaoh who combines the power of man, god and lion. At the same time, the Sphinx is considered the chief of the guards of the necropolis; he was identified with the god Horus.

Cheops

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Everyone has definitely heard about the legendary 7 wonders of the world - the greatest creations of mankind - in childhood, even if not everyone can remember them in order. And although most of the monuments from the history textbook will no longer be able to be seen, people have managed to create many other, alternative ones to the delight of tourists. Together with a service for selecting cheap air tickets, we have prepared for you a list of outstanding attractions that have survived to this day.

The list of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World includes the most famous art monuments of the Ancient World. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity they received the “title” of miracles. The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged.

The Pyramid of Cheops- the most ancient, the first wonder of the world and the only one that has survived to this day. Part of the pyramid complex in Giza - the main attraction of Egypt. The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest pyramid in Egypt. Previously, its height was about 146 meters, and today it is approximately 138 meters. The date of construction begins is somewhere around 2600 BC, although this is imprecise and disputed by many scholars. You can get inside the artificial mountain through a natural entrance, located at an altitude of about 15 meters, or through an artificial one, which was made in 820.

The legendary Babylonian Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the second wonder of the world, supposedly existed from the end of the 7th century BC to the 1st century BC. Unfortunately, this amazing architectural structure has not survived to this day, but the memory of it is still preserved. According to legend, the unique Hanging Gardens were a beautiful declaration of the feelings of King Nebuchadnezzar II to his wife Amytis. The attraction is located not far from Baghdad, and today its stone ruins can only impress an ordinary tourist with its scale. However, history shows that the structure was one of the most beautiful creations of mankind.

Temple statue of Zeus at Olympia, reaching a height of about 12-17 meters together with the pedestal, was made of ivory, ebony and gold, stood for about nine centuries: from 432 BC to the 5th century, and, unfortunately, burned down in a fire. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was created by the Greek sculptor Phidias in what is now Greece. This place was not chosen by chance - it was in Olympia, in the Temple of Zeus, that the Olympic Games were held annually.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was built in greek city Ephesus in what is now Turkey in the 5th century BC. A distinctive feature of the temple from other ancient wonders of the world is that it was partially preserved - the ruins of the temple still stand to this day. According to ancient Greek belief, Artemis was the goddess of hunting and fertility, the patroness of all life on earth.

The fifth wonder of the world is mausoleum in Halicarnassus. If you want to visit this historical area, go to the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. It was there that scientists discovered the ruins of the wonder of the world - the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. The building was a ziggurat, that is, at the same time a tomb, a sanctuary, and a monument. It should be noted that the name “mausoleum” comes from the name of the powerful and cruel ruler of Caria - Mausolus. The mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake and then partially dismantled for building materials.

Earthquakes caused the death of two more ancient wonders: the bronze statue of the Colossus on the island of Rhodes (lasted only 65 years, destroyed in the same 3rd century BC) and the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt (the seventh wonder of the world, collapsed in the 14th century).

New seven wonders of the world
The list of new wonders of the world was specially created by the non-profit foundation The New 7 Wonders of the world based on international voting. Selections of the new seven wonders of the world from the known ones architectural structures worldwide via SMS, telephone or Internet. In total, more than 100 million people around the world took part in the selection of new wonders of the world. The result was announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Great Chinese Wall. The largest architectural monument, passing through China for 8851.8 kilometers. In terms of the grandeur of its structure, the Great Wall of China has no equal in the history of world architecture. From its highest points you can admire the breathtaking panorama. For a long time there was a myth that Great Wall- the only structure that can be seen from space. However, this turned out to be just a delusion. When American astronauts said they could not detect it from space, many in China attributed this to the fact that the astronauts were foreigners. But later, both the first Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei and other Chinese astronauts confirmed the disappointing observations of the Americans.

The most popular sections of the wall are located in relative proximity to Beijing. You can get to them directly from Beijing airport - take the subway and go to Dongzhimen station. From there, on weekends at 07.00 and 08.30, bus No. 867 leaves for the wall. It spends 2-2.5 hours on the road and leaves back to Beijing at 14.00 and 16.00. In addition, bus No. 877 to Badaling departs from the capital's Deshengmen Bus Station at 06.00 am. You can also get here by tourist bus Beijing Tourist Hub, operating from the southern part of Tiananmen Square. A ticket costs 100 yuan, which is approximately 5,343 tenge, children under 120 centimeters tall travel for free.

As with all attractions in Rome, the queue for the Colosseum often exceeds even your wildest expectations. However, there are a few tricks here that will help you avoid it. Guaranteed trick - buy one admission ticket Colosseum + Palatine + Roman Forum for 12 euros, which is valid for 2 days. Every half hour there are organized tours of the Colosseum in major European languages. Cost - 6 euros per person. The guides are all with historical and archaeological education, and you can learn a lot of interesting things.

The Colosseum opens at 09.00 and closes, depending on the season, an hour before sunset. From March 30 to August 31, the Colosseum closes at 19.15, from September 1 to 30 - at 19.00, from October 1 to 30 - at 18.30, from October 31 to February 15 - at 16.30, from February 16 to March 15 - at 17.00.

One of the most famous statues in the world and definitely the most recognizable in Brazil is. Installed on Mount Corcovado at an altitude of more than 700 meters, she looks at the huge city below her with outstretched arms in a gesture of blessing. The Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, due to its fame, attracts millions of tourists to Mount Corcovado. From its height there is a beautiful view of the city of ten million with its bays, beaches, and the Maracana stadium.

Lost in the desert in Jordan Petra - the capital of the ancient kingdoms of Idumea and Nabatea - opened to Europeans only in the 19th century. The main attractions of Petra, the “city of stone”, are the crypts carved into the red sandstone rocks and the rock temple of El Deir.

By Bus: Jett operates daily bus services from Amman to Petra from Abdali Bus Station. Departure is at 06.30, travel time is about 3.5 hours, ticket price is 11 dinars, which is approximately 5,705 tenge one way. The return bus from Petra leaves at 17.00.

By minibus: a minibus ride from Wadi Rum will take about 1.5 hours and cost 7 dinars (3,000 tenge). The minibus usually leaves at 08.30, but the schedule can be changed at any day. Therefore, you need to agree in advance. Minibus taxis from Amman depart from the Wihdat bus station. The journey takes about 3 hours, the ticket price is 5 dinars (2,751 tenge). In some cases, the driver may ask to pay separately for luggage.

By taxi: taxis, although more expensive, are much more comfortable. A trip from Amman to Petra and back will cost approximately 75-85 dinars (40,000-45,000 tenge), including waiting for the driver. Travel from Aqaba - 55 dinars one way, approximately 28,631 tenge. On the road from Petra to Aqaba, you can visit the Wadi Rum desert to enjoy unique landscapes that are not similar to anywhere else on the planet.

Important! You should always agree on the cost of the trip in advance; if you want, you can save a lot of money by haggling with the driver or finding travel companions and sharing all the costs with them.

The pearl of Muslim architectural art in India - mausoleum-mosque of the Taj Mahal in Agra, built in the 17th century by the will of the padishah Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. It is not surprising that today the Taj Mahal is considered not just an outstanding architectural and spiritual monument, but also a symbol of love. Every year, the marble complex becomes a place of pilgrimage for millions of people from all over the world.

The Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra (200 kilometers from Delhi). You can get there by any train that goes to Kolkata, Mumbai and Gwalior (all of them go through Agra), the travel time is 2-3 hours. From Agra to the mausoleum - by rickshaw or taxi.

Opening hours: the mausoleum is open daily, except Sunday, during daylight hours.

Entrance: for foreigners - 1,000 rupees (4,952 tenge) for Indian citizens - 650 rupees (3,301 tenge).

Lost City Inca Machu Picchu located in modern Peru. This sixth new wonder of the world was created as a sacred mountain refuge when the Incas ruled Pachacutec - in the mid-15th century. However, the high mountain city remained inhabited for less than a century - until the invasion of the Spaniards, who, however, never reached it. The worldwide discovery of the Incan “city among the clouds” occurred only in 1911. Many mysteries of Machu Picchu remain unsolved; they still haunt researchers. Buy a ticket to Lima

Completing the list of modern wonders of the world is the heritage of the Mayans, another lost civilization of America. Holy City Chichen Itza in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula was founded around the 7th century AD; the Toltecs who captured it later contributed to the architecture of the complex. It is not known exactly why such a developed city was deserted at the end of the 12th century. The complex of surviving monuments of Chichen Itza includes pyramid temples, gaming "stadiums", ruins of colonnades, a sacrificial well and an observatory.

A first class bus will take you from Merida in 1 hour 45 minutes and 200 pesos (4,000 tenge). Second class will cost 120 pesos (3,200 tenge) and travel time is 2.5 hours. From Cancun it will be, respectively, 290 pesos (5,500 tenge) and 2.5 hours for first class and 200 pesos (4,000 tenge) and 4.5 hours for second class.

On the site for selecting cheap air tickets you will find the most favorable prices and you can create a route as you wish.