The most remarkable or amazing creations by mankind are included in the list of seven wonders of the world. The number 7 is said to symbolize perfection and hence is used to list the wonders. Let us have a look at each of these ancient and modern wonders.
Seven Wonders of the World
The seven wonders of the ancient times, due to destruction are no longer available for people to see. Thus, the need to find out new wonder may have arisen. The information about both ancient and new seven wonders of the world is provided in the paragraphs below.
Seven Ancient Wonders of the World
Here is a list of seven ancient wonders of the world. It provides information in short about the oldest seven wonders known as of today.
Pyramids of Egypt
The three pyramids located in Giza near Cairo are one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Among the three pyramids, the largest was built in ancient Egypt by a king of the fourth dynasty, called Khufu. Approximate height of the largest pyramid is 450 feet and its construction was completed in 2680 B.C.
Temple of Artemis
The construction of temple of Artemis had started in 350 B.C. and was built in the honor of Diana, a non-Hellenic goddess. The need to state the word, ‘non-Hellenic’ arises due to the fact that, the name Diana got associated with a Greek goddess later on. The Temple of Artemis which is located in Ephesis was destroyed by Goths during the invasion in 262 A.D.
Colossus of Rhodes
The colossus of Rhodes depicts the sun god, Helius and was built by Chares from Rhodes (formerly known as Lindus). This 105 feet statue was destroyed during an earthquake which occurred in 224 B.C. It is said that ships which came to the harbor passed between the legs of this huge statue.
The Statue of Zeus
The statue was built around 432 B.C. and erected in the Zeus (Jupiter) temple of Olympia. This 39 feet high statue was made of ivory and gold. Wooden frames were used in the construction by the sculptor Phidias who created this statue.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Built around 600 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar II, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was built by king Nebuchednezzar in 600 B.C (circa), in an attempt to please his wife, Amytis (also known as Amuhia). The Hanging Gardens which was laid above a vaulted building had the facility of raising water. The height of different terraces on the Hanging Garden varied from 75 to 300 feet.
The Pharos of Alexandria
The Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria was built in Alexandria, Egypt on an island called Pharos. It was constructed by Soatratus, a Greek architect. Estimates of the height of this building vary between 115 m and 135 m. During an earthquake which occurred in the 13th century building got destroyed.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
This monument was built by Queen Artemisia in the memory of king Mausolus, her husband. The mausoleum at Halicarnassus which is actually a tomb has an approximate height of 45 m.
Seven Modern Wonders of the World
The modern wonders include 6 new and an ancient world wonder. The Giza Pyramid complex is the only ancient wonder to feature in this list. The remaining 6 wonders are enlisted below.
Christ the Redeemer
A statue of Jesus Christ located in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Christ the Redeemer has a height of 39.6 m and is the largest ‘Art Deco’ statue.
The Great Wall of China
A series of walls built on the northern border of China, it was constructed and maintained during the period between 5th and 16th century. The Great Wall of China that we see today was constructed in the Ming dynasty. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China had built a wall, the remains of which are found even today. It was built between 220 B.C. and 206 B.C.
Taj Mahal
It is a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan a Mughal emperor in the memory of Mumtaz Mahal, his wife. The Taj Mahal is located at Agra, India and was constructed between 1632 A.D. And 1648 A.D.
Chichen Itza
The word Chichen can be broken into ‘chi’ and ‘ch’e’en’, which means ‘mouth’ and ‘well’ respectively. Itza is an ethnic group of northern peninsula of Mexico. The name, Chichen Itza thus, translates as, ‘at the mouth of well of Itza’. This pyramidal structure was built during the Mayan civilization. Read more on Mayan culture
Petra
A rock city carved in red stone at Jordan by Nabataens, is one of the major tourist attractions. It has been described as a “rose-red city half as old as time”. It remained hidden from the western world till 1812, when Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt discovered it. UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”.
Machu Picchu
An archaeological site located at a height of 2,430 m in the Urubamba Valley, Peru, Machu Picchu is 80 km. away from Cuzco. The construction of Machu Picchu started in 1400 A.D. during the the Inca civilization, however, the site was abandoned later on. Read more new 7 wonders.
Apart from the ancient and modern wonders, the seven natural wonders of the world include Mount Everest, Victoria Falls, Great Barrier Reef, Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, Paricutin Volcano, Aurora and Grand Canyon. The list of ancient and modern seven wonders of the world presents before us the richness of culture and architecture of our ancestors.