7 wonders of the world: is it worth looking at them today.

Not so many of the greatest creations of the past have survived to our time. For this reason, a list of seven ancient "wonders of the world" was compiled, which includes the most famous monuments of art of the Ancient World. They got the opportunity to be on such a limited list for the beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity of their creation.

Ancient Wonders of the World

The Pyramid of Cheops

The most ancient, the first wonder of the world and the only one that has survived to this day. It is part of the Giza Pyramid complex, the main attraction of Egypt.

The greatest pyramid in the world was built for the Pharaoh Cheops of the IV dynasty. Its original name is "Akhet-Khufu", which means "Referring to the sky". There is a whole ensemble of large pyramids in Giza, of which the pyramid of Cheops is considered the most monumental.

The majestic tomb of the Pharaoh is shrouded in an alluring aura of mystery. For thousands of years, it has kept many secrets related to its origin and construction technology.

Babylonian "Hanging Gardens of Semiramis"

The second wonder of the world, which supposedly existed from the end of the VII century to the I BC. Unfortunately, this amazing architectural structure has not survived to the present day, but some knowledge about it has still been preserved.

The hanging gardens were a beautiful confession of his feelings by King Nebuchadnezzar II to his wife Amitis. But from the point of view of construction, it was a complex architectural structure in which a full-fledged irrigation system was designed, consisting of water-lifting wheels with leather buckets, with the help of which water was supplied from the Euphrates to the upper tier around the clock.

The exact location of the "Hanging Gardens" is unknown. Presumably, they were located near Baghdad, where parts of the palace of Sinakherib were found (it was in it that the multi-level gardens were located). However, it is impossible to conduct further research, since a military base is located on the proposed territory.

Temple statue of Zeus in Olympia

In Greece, on the Peloponnese peninsula, in an area called Elida, there is a town called Olympia. He once gave the world the Olympic Games and one of the seven wonders of the world of antiquity — the statue of Zeus by sculptor Phidias. The huge statue, about 12-17 meters high, along with a pedestal, was made of ivory, ebony and gold, and stood for about nine centuries: from 432 BC to the 5th century. But unfortunately, it burned down in a fire.

Temple of Artemis

The temple of Artemis was built in the Greek city of Ephesus in what is now Turkey in the 5th century BC. The temple was partially preserved – its ruins can still be visited. According to ancient Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of hunting and fertility, the patroness of all life on Earth.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The building was a ziggurat – that is, both a tomb, a sanctuary, and a monument. It should be noted that the name "mausoleum" comes from the name of the domineering and cruel ruler of Karia - Mausolus. The mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake, then partially dismantled for building materials.

If you want to touch the history, go to the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. Not far from the city, scientists discovered the ruins of the wonder of the world - the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Colossus of Rhodes – the statue of the city of Rhodes did not survive the earthquake. The attempt to restore was thwarted by the Delphic oracle, who feared the wrath of the god Helios.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria

The famous lighthouse on the island of Pharos, with a height of about 150 meters, was one of the tallest structures in the world. After a series of earthquakes, the ruins were turned into the citadel of Kite Bay in Alexandria in Egypt.

The New Seven Wonders of the World

The Great Wall of China

The largest architectural monument passing through the territory of China for 8,851.8 km (according to official sources – 21,196.18 km). The Great Wall of China is a unique architectural monument and a place where traces of wars and economics, political actions and cultural events remain.

The most popular sections of the wall are located in relative proximity to Beijing. They can be reached directly from Beijing Airport.

The Ancient Colosseum

The business card and the most iconic landmark of Rome, its signature silhouette. This amphitheater, a masterpiece of architectural thought of the 1st century AD, was almost immediately after its creation proclaimed a wonder of the world in the speeches of the Roman poet Martial.

The amphitheater was built by slaves who were brought to Rome after Vespasian's return from Judea. According to scientists, at least 100 thousand people were involved in the construction of the Colosseum.

The opening of the Colosseum was marked by grandiose games. The amphitheater was the center of the cruel spectacles of Ancient Rome for almost three and a half centuries - gladiatorial fights, animal baiting. People and animals died here for the amusement of the crowd and the patricians. Until at the beginning of the 5th century, the Emperor of the Roman Empire banned gladiatorial combat.

Statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro

The Statue of Christ is one of the most famous statues in the world and definitely the most recognizable in Brazil. Installed on Mount Corcovado at an altitude of more than 700 meters, she looks with outstretched hands in a blessing gesture at the huge city below her. The statue attracts millions of tourists to Mount Corcovado every year. From its height, there is a beautiful view of the city of ten million.

The very prostrating gesture of the Redeemer symbolizes love and forgiveness as part of the consciousness of a strong-minded personality.

Petra, Jordan

The capital of the ancient kingdoms of Idumea and Nabataea was opened to Europeans only in the XIX century. The main attractions of the "stone city" of Petra are the crypts hollowed out in the red sandstone rocks and the rock temple of Ad-Dare and the temple-mausoleum of El-Khazna (or "Pharaoh's Treasury", as the Arabs call it).

Petra, often called the eighth wonder of the ancient world, is a unique city that was carved right into the rocks by the Nabataeans, a hardworking Arab tribe that settled here over 2,000 years ago and turned this place into an important center at the intersection of trade routes.

Mausoleum-Mosque of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India

The mosque was built in the XVII century by the will of 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 only 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 Lost Inca City of Machu Picchu

This unique place is located on the territory of modern Peru. The new wonder of the world was created as a sacred mountain shelter in the middle of the XV century. The city remained inhabited for less than a century until the Spaniards landed on its territory. It is unusually beautiful and perfectly integrated into nature and the surrounding landscape.

The Holy City of Chichen Itza

It was founded by the Maya tribe around the 5th century AD, and later the Toltecs who captured it made their contribution to the architecture of the complex. The complex of preserved monuments of Chichen Itza includes the pyramid temples "Temple of Kukulkan", "Temple of Warriors", "Temple of Jaguars", seven ball stadiums, the ruins of four colonnades "Group of a Thousand Columns", the sacrificial well "Sacred Cenote" and the observatory "Karakol".

Stonehenge

The unofficial wonder of the world is also worth mentioning: 82 megaliths weighing more than five tons each, installed in a circle. inside there are 30 stone blocks of 25 tons each and five huge trilithons weighing about 50 tons.

Stone blocks form arches that served in ancient times as an accurate pointer to the cardinal directions.

Stonehenge attracts a large number of people on the summer solstice. People come here from all over the country to see the Sun rise over the Heel Stone.

The wonders of the world really seem extraordinarily powerful and great. And what attraction would you add to the list of Wonders of the world?