The architectural buildings of the past are considered wonders of architectural thought and architecture. Takov can be attributed to the Colosseum, the Babylonian Tower, the Gate of Ishtar and dozens of other buildings of past millennia. But there are buildings that are highlighted in the group "7 wonders of the world." Read about our article. The choice of the number 7 is unuschaued because it was considered sacred.

7 Wonderland of the Ancient World: List

The list of seven wonders of the ancient world includes the buildings of three cultures: Babylonian, Greek and Egyptian. Today, from 7 miracles of the world, only the pyramids in Giza survived, while the remaining 6 were completely destroyed and ruins remained from some.

Pyramids Giza - the oldest of. They were built about 4300-4600 years ago. The highest of them is the pyramid of Heops, which has long been the highest building on the planet.

All others (and this is Alexandrian Lighthouse, Colossus Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis Efesse, the Hanging Gardens of Semiramides, the statue of Zeus in Olympia and) were built between the VII and III century BC.

Most were destroyed during the first thousand years. But the Alexandria Lighthouse and Mausoleums were destroyed only in the XV century. By reference you can repair more about.

Seven wonders of the world of the ancient world: the causes of destruction

The reason for the destruction of three of 6 wonders (Colossus, lighthouse and mausoleum) became an earthquake. Two more burned (Statue of Zeus and the Temple of Artemis), and the gardens of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon destroyed the Persians.

Seven wonders of the world of the ancient world: the evolution of the list

The first list of miracles was still created Herodotus and included 3 miracle of Samos Island. New lists about them are no longer mentioned. Later he expanded, changed. So, the Babylonian Tower was excluded from it.

Nowadays, the List of Miracles of Light has been recycled, expanded. Also in 2007, an alternative list of "7 contemporary miracles of the world" was created, which includes:

- Colosseum;
- The great Wall of China;
- Machu Picchu;
- Peter;
- Taj Mahal;
- Chichen Itsa;
- Statue of Christ-Redeemer in Rio.

There are other variations, more complete and lists of wonders by country.
Also on the site you can read about other interesting wonders of ancient architecture, both European and other civilizations. I especially recommend to read about the great Chinese wall.

Seven wonders of the ancient world - a list of famous antique monuments compiled by ancient historians and travelers, including the "father of history" Herodot.

The list was repeatedly edited, and his classic option was formed 2.2 thousand years ago due to the efforts of Philone of Byzantine. The list of "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" includes: The Pyramid of Heops, "Hanging Gardens" of Semiramides, Statue of Zeus Olympic, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesians, Mausoleum in Galicarnassa, Colossus Rhodes and Lighthouse on about. Faros in Alexandria.

Heops Pyramid, Egypt

Hope's pyramid, or a big pyramid is the only one of the 7 wonders of the world, preserved to the present day. The age of the facilities is 4500 years. 120 thousand Egyptians for 20 years in the sweat of the face erected the Grand Faramonic Tomb. The cheops pyramid is composed of 2.5 million blocks by weight of 2.5 tons each. Without the use of cement and other bonding substances, the blocks are so tightly fitted to each other that the gap between them does not exceed 0.5 mm.

Initially, the pyramid had a height of 147 meters, but today, when her top is destroyed, and the highest point is at the mark of 138 meters, the tomb of Heops still produces a majestic impression. Almost 4,000 years, until the XIV century, our era, the pyramid of Heops wore the title of the highest facilities in the world.

Hanging Gardens Semiramis, Asia

About 600 BC. In the territory of modern Iraq, the ancient Babylon was noisy. The city has reached his highest heyday at Queen Nebuchadneosor II, who concluded a military union with his chief enemy - Assyria and reached with the Midy king Kaiacsar, marrying his daughter Amitiis (Semiramide). For his wife, the king ordered the broken "hanging gardens". The gardens were placed on a four-tier platform, resembling an eternal green hill. The base of the terraces was composed of stone blocks covered with a layer of reassembly and asphalt poured. Then he walked a double layer of bricks, even higher - lead plates that prevent irrigation water seeping. A fertile soil layer was laid on top of this design, on which trees, palm trees were grown, flowers. Great gardens, ascended by a large height, seemed to be a real miracle of the world in hot, dusty brevony.

Statue of Zeus, Olympia, Greece

In 435 BC e. In Olympia, one of the sanctoes of ancient Greece - the majestic temple was built in honor of the Lord of the Gods - Zeus. Inside the temple was placed a huge 20-meter statue of the Olympic Godhead, squeezing on the throne. The sculpture was made of wood, on top of which plates made of ivory, imitating the upper nude part of the body of Zeus. Clothes and shoes of God are covered with gold. In his left hand, Zeus kept a scepter with an eagle, and in the right - the statue of the goddess of the victory.

Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, Turkey

The temple of Artemis was built in 560 BC. King Lydia Krezha in Ephesus on the coast of Malaya Asia. A huge white graft framed 127 columns with a height of 18 meters. Inside was the statue of Artemis - the goddess of fertility made of gold and ivory. In 356 BC One vain resident of Ephesus - Herostrat Troats the temple, deciding thus to glorify and perpetuate his name. The sanctuary of Artemis was rebuilt again, but in 263 he was destroyed and loosened.

Mausoleum in Galicarneas, Turkey

Ruler of Karia Mawsol during life in 353 BC Began construction of his own tomb in Galicarneas (modern Bodrum, Turkey). The grand burial structure with a height of 46 meters, gone by 36 columns and crowned with the sculpture of the chariot, produced such a strong impression on contemporaries, which since then all the monumental tombs began to call the mausoleum named Tsar Malsol.

Colossus Rhodes, Greece

The gigantic statue of the ancient Greek god of the Sun Helios was established at the entrance to the Rhodes port in 292-245. BC E .. Slender young man-God, stupid in full growth, held a torch in his hand. Between the legs of the statue floated ships. Only 65 years old Colossus Rhodes stood in its place: in 222 BC He destroyed an earthquake. The fragments of sculptures were transported by 900 camels.

Alexandrian Lighthouse, Egypt

New seven wonders of the world - a project, the purpose of which was to search for modern seven wonders of the world. It was organized by the Non-Profit Organization of New Open World Corporation (Nowc) on the initiative of Swiss Bernard Weber. The election of the new seven "miracles of the world" from the famous architectural structures of the world occurred through SMS, telephone or internet. The result was announced on July 7, 2007.

The Colosseum or Amphitheater Flaviev is an amphitheater, a monument of the architecture of ancient Rome, the most famous and one of the most ambitious structures of the ancient world, preserved to our time. Located in Rome, in a hollow between Eskvilinsky, Palatinsky and the Kolelyological hills.

In ancient Rome, many historical monuments have survived, but the most extraordinary one - the Colosseum, in which people doomed to death desperately fought and died for the entertainment of the free citizens of Rome. He became the largest and most famous of all Roman amphitheators, and one of the largest masterpieces of Roman engineering art and architecture that has come down to this day. The Grand Colosseum was amazed by anyone who first fell into the capital of the empire. This is a symbol of Rome and his age-old history, the biggest and beautiful stadium of the ancient world.

Amphitheater - Roman invention. It consisted of an isna of an elliptical form, surrounded by built tiers of the series of sedentary tribunes, being on which, numerous public, without exposing themselves at risk, could observe the exciting bloody spectacles. There were fights of gladiators and deposited with wild exotic beasts, then in front of the desired crowd, to keep them with each other in a deadly fight.

Rome and before the construction of the Colosseum had several amphitheaters, but after the grandiose fire in 64 N. e. It took a new structure. Roman emperor Vespasian, ruled from 69 years old. er, wanting to extend the bloody sport of gladiators even more, ordered to start in 72 n. e. The construction of the amphitheater, which was supposed to carry the name of the new imperial dynasty and exceed all previously unprecedented sizes and beauty. The amphitheater was initially called Flavium (Amphiteatrum Flavium).

It was erected at the bottom of an artificial reservoir, dilated under the predecessor of Vespasian, the emperor Nerna, for his famous luxurious gold house. A similar choice of the place was very beneficial not only with the technical, but also from a political point of view, as if demonstrating a break with the former decadent luxury. Vespasian developed construction plans with no less than Nero, a scope, but it was a construction for public needs, but not at all for the depreciation of the personal whims of the emperor.

In the circumference, the Colosseum reaches 527 meters, it has the form of an ellipse with diagonals of 188 and 156 meters. The height of the non-destroyed part is 57 meters. Four floors of construction could accommodate 80 thousand people. In the columns of the upper tier, a giant baldahin was attached, defending the audience from the scorching sun. Inside the building was laid out marble, and according to the facade - travertine (porous rock, widely used in the ancient era as a building material), the plates of which fastened the iron brackets. Numerous underground strokes began under the sand coated sand layer. During the submissions on these moves, with the help of special mechanisms, scenery, animals, gladiators and their weapons were raised. The public separated the metal grille from the arena. It was possible to get inside the building through one of the 80 arches of the first tier.

He was solemnly consecrated in the 80th century. e. Already the heir to Vespasian, the emperor Titis. On this occasion, there was a holiday that continued exactly 100 days. During that period of time, 5 thousand predators brought from North Africa and hundreds of gladiators killed in the arena of the Colosseum. But then, despite the official discovery, the construction has not yet been completely completed. The latter, the upper stand for the audience was completed only with the successor of Titus, the emperor of Domitian.

A distinctive feature of this facility is a large number of tiers. Its architecture shows how ingeniously - you can simply be streamlined and direct the movement of unpretentious human copies. A complex system of staircase marches and passes provided unhindered and easy access to the stands for seating places. Four main entrances allowed to make a quick passage into the arena, and in 80 arches in just 10 minutes it was possible to be at numbered visual places. Often, the audience spent several days in a row here, so I brought with me food from home. All this speaks about the high engineering and architectural design level. But it should also be noted that there were no toilets with all the circumstances arising from this.

Places in the Colossee were distributed in accordance with the social status of the audience. The bottoms were intended for representatives of the highest layers of society - government officials, priests, Vests. On the upper tiers were sitting over coarse. The imperial bed - the podium with a spacious terrace - was at the Arena itself. Nearest rows were discharged for rich patricians and honored guests. The amphitheater was divided into sectors, each of which had a sequence number.

The name of the architect to whom the Amphitheater project belongs is unknown, but it is assumed that they were Rabiri, which was subsequently the author of the Domitsian Palace. Outside the amphitheater is entirely covered with travertines and has four tiers. Three lower submissions are arched by the arched seasons cut by pilasters and semi-colonels in the canonical sequence: on the first tier - doric, on the second - ionic, and in the third - Corinthian. The fourth, the upper tier, completed somewhat later, is a solid wall, dismembered by Corinth pilasters and cut through small windows. On the crowned eaves still preserved holes where supports inserted for tensioning a bright awning, protecting the audience from the heat. Each arched span of the first tier corresponded to the place of space for the audience: 76 of these inputs were numbered (Roman figures still can be seen on the arches); Four main entrances were intended: one - for the imperial suite, the other - for Vestas, the third - for judges and the last - for honored guests.

36 elevators managed by slaves worked in the Coliseum. Each elevator could lift up to 10 slaves. They also transported wild animals. In 523 n. er, after a long folk protest, Rome adopted a resolution prohibiting the killing of predators. On this antique stadium, the showing of gladiator bonds continued until the V century N. e.

In the center of the Roman Colosseum was Arena, surrounded by the Sagittars who guarded the audience from the attack of predators. The terrace was built around the arena, where the imperial bed and lodges of prominent senators, judges and dad were located. The remaining visual places were divided into three tiers. The lower tier is noble venoms and rich merchants, the second - for the free citizens of Rome Middle class, the last - for simple people. On the top rows were slaves controlling elevators. And even above the slaves were the sailors of the Imperial Military Fleet Classis Miseniensis. What did they do there? They managed a huge linen canvas that covered the Colosseum from above in such a way that the Arena remains always open. For this purpose, a complex design was constructed here, consisting of 240 pillars supporting gigantic matter. And since the sailors were excellent masters in the control of sails, then they were responsible for this sector. Special passages were held under the arena, which were used about performing performances, as well as cells with wild beasts. The creators of the Colosseum constructed a complex system of passages and lifts, for which furious beasts released from their cells in the dungeon fell directly into the arena. The Coliseum existed 2 special outputs: the exit of the life and the yield of death. In one, the winners or pardoned gladiators went out, through the other endured the dead.

The entrance to the Colosseum was free. Many emperors cared for the envelope of their people, so it could be easier to keep it under control. For the same purpose, before entering the stadium, a flour for baking bread was distributed free. Among the audience there were many women who were Yary Fans of these bloody spectacles.

The gladiator fights began with dawn and ended in the twilight, and some festive performances continued for several days. The performance was usually opened by the performance of festively dressed gladiators, under their feet there were wooden flooring, sprinkled with sand to absorb blood.

The first number of the program was crippled and clowns: these were also fought, but not seriously without blood. Sometimes women appeared - competed in archery. And only then there was a turn of gladiators and animals. First, trained beasts were performed, and then they produced wild on the arena, which were raised by each other or on armed people. Love Romans to such spectacles led to mass extermination of animals. But much more cruel were fighting fearlessly, but to the death of gladiators. They were recruited from slaves, convicted criminals or prisoners of war. The main weapon of gladiators was a short double-edged sword - Gladius. When mortally wounded fighters fell, a man in a costume of Charon (a character of Greek mythology is a carrier of the dead in the afterlife). The body was carried out, the bloody stain was satisted with sand, and the place of the deceased gladiator occupied the next one. He who was hard wounded could lie on the floor and ask the audience about mercy. If the crowd believed that he fought Valiant, then chant "Mitte!" ("Free it!"). But if the fighter could not be able to decline the sympathy of the public, followed the inexorable "Ingra!" ("Kill him!"). In the Coliseum, the almighty Caesar did not contradict the desires of the subjects: at the request of "Mitte!" He raised her thumb up, giving a gladian life, and sometimes freedom, whereas after the shouts "ingula!" I lowered my finger down, saying the fighter to death.

The use of wild animals in the arena has become so diverse and difficult that specially trained people began to carry out the numbers with them - Bestiaries. Animal spectacles especially loved Roman Mobile. Higher know the gladiator fights preferred. Bestiaries prepared in a special school. They had their own traditions, their own shape and their professional jargon. In the course of the lush celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the Colosseum in the 80th year. e. The gladiators were killed about 5 thousand lions, hippo, elephants, zebras. A huge number of animals died in 248, during the festivities in honor of the 1000th anniversary of Rome.

Bloody boots of gladiators were banned only in 404. e. In 523 n. Er., After a long folk protest, Rome adopted a resolution prohibiting the killing of predators.

The invasions of the barbarians led the Amphitheater of Flaviev in the launch and marked the beginning of its destruction. From the XI century and until 1132, he served as a fortress for noble Roman giving birth, challenged influence and power over fellow citizens, especially for the names of Frangipani and Annibaldi. The latter, however, were forced to give the Colosseum by Emperor Henry VII, who presented it with the Roman Senate and the people. Back in 1332, the local aristocracy arranged here for bulls here, but from this pore the systematic destruction of the Colosseum began. It began to look at it as the source of the production of building material, and not only falling off, but also the stones sacrificed from it began to go to new structures. So, in the XV and XVI centuries, Pavel II took material to build the so-called Venice Palace, Cardinal Riaryo - Palace of the Office, Pavel III - Pallazo Farnes. However, a significant part of the amphitheater survived, although the building as a whole remained disfigured. Sikst V intended to take advantage of it for the device of a closer factory, and Clement IX actually turned the Colosseum to the plant to mining Selitra.

Coloring the stone threatened to completely destroy an ancient monument, stopped only in the middle of the 18th century, Pope Benedict XIV, who established a cross on the building, and around him a number of altars in memory of the Savior and the Savior's death and sanctifying him as a place of martyrdom of many Christians. This cross and altari were removed from the Colosseum only in 1874. Pope, who followed Benedict XIV, especially Pei VII and Lion XII, continued to take care of the preservation of the surviving parts of the building and supported the walls of the walls of the walls, threatened with a fall, and Piya IX corrected some of the inner stairs in it.

The current type of amphitheater is almost a triumph of minimalism: a strict ellipse, made in three orders three tiers, exactly calculated form of the arch. Initially, each arch was attached according to the statue, and the gigantic opening between the walls with the help of a special mechanism was delayed with canvas.

Seven wonders of the world are the most ancient monuments of architecture, which are rightfully considered the most great creations of human hands. The number 7 was chosen far from just like that. It belonged to Apollon and was a symbol of completion, completeness and perfection. At the same time, the traditional genre of Hellenistic poetry was the glorification of the list of the most famous cultural figures - poets, philosophers, kings, commander, etc. or prominent architectural monuments.

The first mentions about the miracles of the world are found precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander Macedonsky have already passed in Europe. The widespread extension of Greek culture in the territories included in the states that the Great Communist Party won, ensured loud fame to individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the "selection" of miracles happened gradually. Some names were replaced by others, and to date, 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 - Pyramids of Egypt. A distinctive feature of this miracle of light is that only it has been preserved to the present day in an almost priority form. The construction of the Pyramid Giza is dating approximately 1983 BC, and the largest structure of the complex is the tomb of Heops.

The rest of the miracles of light are not so lucky, and to this day they lived only the ruins of some of them. For instance, Hanging Gardens of Babylonwhich were created in the VI century BC, were destroyed by floods in the second century. But even the dilapidative remnants of this majestic building are captured by the Spirit.

Statue of Zeus from Olympia, created approximately in 435 BC. The famous antique sculptor FIDIA burned out almost one thousand years in Constantinople. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus It was erected in 550 BC, but after the two centuries, he was also destroyed the strongest fire.

Galicarnas mausoleum Created by architect PIFEM in 351 BC In 1494 in the south-west of Turkey, earthquakes were noted, after which only the foundations and architectural fragments of the structure were preserved. Concerning Colossus Rhodhodsky, built at the beginning of the III century BC. Greeks, he fell as a result of a series of strongest underground jokes somewhere between 224 and 225 BC

Alexandrian lighthouse, built in the III century BC. At the direction of the ruling dynasty of Ptolemyev, is the peak of the engineering and technical thought of that time. The structure lasted until 1480, providing reliable coverage of coastal waters. In the XV century, the lighthouse was partially destroyed by an earthquake.

About each of the seven miracles of the world can speak infinitely. Any schoolboy knows about them. Antique EPOS and ancient legends are associated with them. Each of them is covered with shadow of mystery and unknown. But one thing can be said with all confidence - these are the most significant monuments of civilization from all that managed to create humanity.

Egyptian pyramids in El Giza

Egyptian pyramids, tomb of Egyptian pharaohs. The largest of them are the pyramids of Heops, Hefren and Micrine in El Giza in antiquity were considered one of the seven wonders of the world. The construction of the pyramid, in which the Greeks and Romans seen the monument of the unprecedented pride of the kings and cruelty, who converted the entire people of Egypt to senseless construction, was an essential cult act and should have expressed, apparently, the mystical identity of the country and its ruler. The population of the country worked on the construction of the tomb in the free extensive work part of the year. A number of texts indicate the attention and care that the kings themselves (however, a later time) paid the construction of their tomb and its builders. It is also known about the special religious honors, which turned out to be the pyramid itself.

Egypt's pyramids served as graves for their deceased kings. In the center of the ritual complex of the building - the Egyptian pyramids, according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, possessed magical power, in them the mummified pharaoh could reach eternal life. The first step, which served as the creation of the "Egyptian Pyramids" complex was the Joser Pyramid, built shortly after Egypt became a single land (approximately 3000 BC). The Pyramids of Egypt became known mainly due to the pyramid of Heops, located in Giza, which was open a century later. Egyptian pyramids were distinguished by unique technological features, and still not fully clear how to build them. The real evolution, as the Egyptian pyramids developed, can be traced from the most ancient prehistoric graves to the magnificence of the Giza Plateau. The pyramids are built on the Left-West Bank Nile (West - the Kingdom of the Dead) and towering over all the city of the dead - countless tombs, pyramids, temples. The largest of the three is the pyramid of Heops (architect chemoon, 27 century BC.). Its height was initially 147 m, and the length of the base side is 232 m. It took 2 million 300 thousand huge stone blocks for its construction, the average weight of which is 2.5 tons. Plates were not fastened with mortar, only an extremely accurate fit holds them. In ancient times, the pyramids were lined with polished plates of white limestone, the vertices were covered with copper plates, sparkling in the sun (the limestone wrapper also retained the peyramid of Heops, the coating of other Arabs pyramids were used during the construction of a white mosque in Cairo). Near the pyramids of Hefren, one of the largest statues of antiquity and our time - carved out of the cliff, the figure of the lying sphinx with the portrait features of the Pharaoh Hefren itself. The great pyramids were surrounded by a number of small tolls of Pharaohs and their approximate. Such complexes have necessarily entered the sanctuary of the Upper and Lower Egypt, large yards for the holiday of Cheb-Su, the funeral temples whose ministers had to support the cult of the deceased king. The space around the pyramid surrounded by steles, by means of a long indoor transition connected with the temple on the bank of the Nile, where they met the body of Pharaoh and the burial ceremonies began. All pyramids are precisely identified by countries of light, which indicates a high level of astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, the calculation of the angles of inclination of the faces is completely immaculate. In the pyramid of Heops, the angle of inclination is such that the height of the pyramid is equal to the radius of an imaginary circumference, which is written to the base of the pyramid. The wonderful engineering find of the ancient architects and builders was the construction in the thickness of stone masonry over the burial chamber of five unloading cameras, with which they managed to remove and evenly distribute the colossal load on its overlap. In addition to cameras in the pyramid there are other voids - corridors, passages and galleries, the entrances to which were carefully closed and disguised. Nevertheless, burial in the pyramids were looted, apparently, rather soon after the burial of the pharaohs. Thieves knew all traps well, so they were most likely related to either builders, or with the priests who were buried. The structures in El-Giza are their grandiiness and visible usefulness hit the imagination already in antiquity, which the Arab Proverb is best: "Everything is afraid of time, but time is afraid of the pyramids."

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Hanging Gardens of Semiramides, Gardens in the Palace of the Babylonian Tsar Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), which he ordered to break for his beloved wife - Midiy Tsarevna; Traditionally, they are counted for seven wonders of light. The first mentions of the wonderful gardens were preserved in Herodotus History, probably visiting the Babylon and left us the most complete description. Perhaps with a loaf at the "Father of History", the hanging gardens in the Hellenistic era were placed in the list of the greatest and famous structures.

Gardens in Babylon

It is curious, however, one of the most impressive attractions of the world is not even mentioned by Herodot: the hanging gardens of semiramides, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Indicate that the hanging gardens of the Semiramides were built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years, starting from 605 BC. There is a less reliable alternative story that the gardens were built by the Assyrian Queen Seminiramide during its five-year-old board, starting from 810 BC. It was the peak of the city's power and its influence when King Nebuchadnezzar built an amazing array of temples, streets, palaces and walls, which was the hanging gardens of seminimides. According to the legend, the hanging gardens of the seminimides were built to surprise and please the wife of Nebuchadnezzar, Amitis. Amitis, the daughter of Tsar Musia, married Nebuchadnezzar with the aim of creating an alliance between nations. She came from a green, sunny country, and the terrain of Mesopotamia dried in the sun seemed depressing. The king decided to recreate his homeland by creating artificial mountains with gardens. The hanging gardens of semi -ramides received their name not because they hang like cable or rope. The name comes from the inaccurate translation of the Greek word, which means not only "hanging", but "hang", as in the case of a terrace or balcony. Already at the time of herodood, the construction of hanging gardens was attributed to the legendary conqueror of all Asia - the Assyrian Tsaritsa Shamurmat (in the Greek pronunciation of Semiramide). Gardens were placed on a wide four-tier tower. The platforms of the terraces were folded from stone plates covered with a layer of reassembly and asphalt poured. Next, gaskets were stacking from two rows of bricks bonded by plaster and lead slabs that did not let the water in the lower floors of the garden. All this complex structure was covered with a thick layer of fertile land, which allowed to plant the largest trees here. The tiers climbed the ledge, connected by wide stairs with pink and white plates. Daily thousands of slaves swung water from deep wells to the top into numerous channels, from where it flowed to the lower terraces. Miraculously seemed murmur of water, shadow and coolness among trees (taken from distant mussels). At the base, the design rested on columns and forming overlap crops. It was in these halls of the palace in the lower yarus of the garden Alexander Macedonian, the conqueror of Babylon and Asia died. After the confusion of Babylon (Alexander heirs were no longer returned to this capital of their great predecessor) flood destroyed the walls of the palace, the water softened the poorly burned clay, the terraces were assieved, the crops and support columns were collected. The only footprint of an ever received a grand monument of engineering thought - open thanks to the excavations of Robert Koldoyeva in 1898 network of intersecting trenches near Iraqi G. Hill (90 km from Baghdad), in the cuts of which and are now visible traces of dilapidated masonry.

Statue of Zeus Olympic

Zeus Olympic statue, famous statue of the king of gods and people work of the Greet Greek Sculpty Fidia; One of the seven wonders of the world. The statue was placed in the cult center of the Olympic sanctuary - the temple of Zeus, in the sacred grove of Altis. To the question of the artist Panan, what fidium conceived to present the Supreme God, the master replied: "So, as Zeus is represented by Homer in the following verses" Iliad ": rivers, and in the banner, black Zeus enters the eyebrows: fast Varia incense up climbed immortal chapter; And shared Olympus Multi-Fiber. "

Zeus statue in Olympia

The statue of FIDIA was performed in Christhelefactory technique: open parts of the body were laid out by plates of ivory, robes are cast from gold, and the sculpture base was wooden. The statue height reached ok. 17 m in height. If God "rose", his growth would have exceeded the height of the temple itself. Travelers who have seen Zeus in Olympia are called an amazing combination in his face of authority and mercy, wisdom and kindness. In the hand, the thumbnail kept the statue of Niki (victory symbol). The richest throne of Zeus was made of gold and ivory. The back, armrests and foot decorated reliefs from ivory, golden images of gods and godesses of Olymp. The lower walls of the throne covered the pictures of the Pangan, its legs - images of the dancing nickname. Zeus's feet, shoved in golden sandals, rested on a bench, decorated with gold lions. Before the pedestal statue, the floor was lined with a dark blue Eleusinsky stone carved in it the pool for olive oil should have saved the elephant bone from drying out. The light penetrated into the door of the dark temple, reflected from the smooth surface of the fluid in the pool, fell on the golden clothes of Zeus and illuminated his chapter; It seemed that shine comes from the very face of the deity. Perhaps at the end of the 4th century. The Zeus statue was transported to Constantinople and was installed on the metropolitan hippodrome, where he died during one of the fires.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

Mausoleum in Galicarneas, tomb of Karia Mawsol (died at 353 BC. Er), one of the seven wonders of the world. The construction originally combined the eastern stepped pyramid and the Greek ionic peripter (Satir and Pill architects). Like other Greek monuments from among the seven miracles of the world, Mausoleum was famous not only by the greatness of his architecture, but also a collection of sculpture - the pyramid base, which was resting to the Greek type of temple and another pyramid, decorated reliefs with the scenes of the Amazonacia of the most famous sculptors 4 in. BC e. - Leohara, Skopas, Brixis and Timothy.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

In 377 BC, the city of Galicarnas was the capital of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Malaya Asia. It was this year that the ruler of this land died and left control over the kingdom to the Son, Malsol. Maulsol continued his father's expansion of the territory, reaching the southwestern part of Malaya Asia. Mawsol, with his queen, rules Galicarnas and surrounding territories within 24 years. Mawsol, although he was a local resident, spoke perfectly in Greek and admired Greek lifestyles and the government. Then, in 353 BC. Mausol died, leaving her queen one, who was also his sister (it was a local custom for rulers - marry her own sister), with a broken heart. As a tribute to him, she decided to build the most magnificent Galicarnas Mausoleum, who became his grave. Soon, the Galicarnasian mausoleum became a famous structure, and now the name of Mawsol is connected with all the majestic tombs, since it was from his behalf the word "Mausoleum" appeared. Galicarnassian mausoleum was so beautiful and unique that he became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Almost untouched by mausoleum stood OK. 1800 years in the midst of an empty city to 15 century, when he was disassembled by the crusaders who had strengthened his stoves with his support fortress on the Aegean Sea - Castle St. Peter (Sovr. Bodrum in Turkey). It was in the walls of the fortress and the surrounding houses that were found in 1857 by the English archaeologist. Tsar Construction of already common tomb) and a colossal chariot, crowned all the construction.

Temple of Artemis Efesse.

Artemis Ephesus Temple (Artemius), one of the most famous and revered centers of the pilgrimage of the ancient world; The era of Hellenism is traditionally included in the list of seven wonders of the world.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis Efesse today is the remnants of columns and scant fragments, lying on Earth, and that's all that remains from the seventh miracle of light. According to Strabo, the temple of Artemis Efesse was destroyed at least seven times, and the same time was rebuilt. Archaeological finds indicate at least four recovery of this temple, starting from the 7th century to our era. The calcifone and metagen erected a double temple in the 6th century BC. And his, in Herostratu, burned - the next majestic structure, built entirely from marble, appeared in 334 BC, and was completed in 250 BC. The temple of Artemis Efesse caused admiration even Alexander the Great, who paid the continuation of work. They also worked Skas and Praxitel, and he was answered by the design. The Hellenistic Temple was built on the podium to which the 13-speed staircase led. The double colonnade surrounded the external and internal space (105 x 55 m). The embossed columns were the work of the square, and Praxitel worked on the decoration of the altar. Unfortunately, as we said, the temple of Artemis Efesse was not preserved. The oldest traces of the worship of Artemis near its place of birth refer to betrayal times; The giant temple of the goddess was built in 6 c. BC e. Architect Hersfron from Crane. During one of the Osid, the inhabitants of Ephesus stretched the rope from the temple to the city, thereby turning it into an inviolable sanctuary. The glory of Artemision was so great that people had their savings from all over the Greek Okumen. Student Socrates, the famous historian Xenophon, who passed the goddess of a large amount of money before going to Persia (described in Anabasis), a small temple was built on them as a sign of gratitude to Artemis - a small temple - an accurate copy of Ephesus - in the town of Skillunte in Elide. July 21, 356 BC. e. The temple of Artemis Efesse, the main shrine of the lowland Greeks, was burned with Herostratom - the blasphemy was accomplished, shook the entire Elllinsky world. Subsequently, there was a legend that Artemias burned down on that day when the future conqueror of Asia Alexander Macedonsky was born. When Alexander went to the city in 25 years later, he wished to restore the temple in all its magnificence. Architect Alexander Dynokrat, who led the works, retained his former plan, only raised the building to a higher stepped base. All construction is amazed by magnificence and inconspicuous for Greek architecture scale. The temple occupied a huge area - 110 x 55 m, the height of the Corinthian columns (there were 127), the double number of surrounding the construction was also the grandiose - about 18 m. ; The roof of the artemision was covered with marble tiles. One of the attractions of the facilities were 36 columns, decorated at the ground with reliefs in almost human growth. The Great Greek Masters took part in the decoration of such a revered place: Praxitel Slap the reliefs for the altar in the fence of the sanctuary, the reliefs of the column performed the scas, the Apelles placed his paintings in the temple; Artemision's art gallery used as great fame as the collection of paintings in Athenian propiles. The sanctuary flourished and during the Romans, the sources report the rich gifts to the church of silver and gold statues and the construction of the portication along the road from the city to the Sanctuary (approx. 200 m). In the Acts of Apostles, it is mentioned about the indignation, which caused the preaching of the Apostle Paul in the city, which preserved the trade in silver models of the church of the Goddess, the manufacture of which was here the most profitable craft. In 263, the goths that heard about the irrelevant wealth of the city and Artemision, granted the sanctuary; The next blow was the prohibition of pagan cults in the Roman Empire in 391 at Feodosia I Great. It is known, however, that the cult of Artemis continued to go here for two more centuries, until it was completely abandoned after the earthquake. In 1869, as a result of the excavations started by the English archaeologist, J. T Wood in a swamp on the intended place of the sanctuary, a support plate of the structure was discovered and numerous offerings to the temple were found. The famous reliefs of Artemision columns are currently in the British Museum (London).

Faros Lighthouse.

Faros Lighthouse (Alexandrian Lighthouse), lighthouse on the eastern shore about. Faros within Alexandria, the Hellenistic capital of Egypt; One of the seven wonders of the world. The builder of this miracle of technology, the first and sole in the whole Greek world of a beacon of colossal sizes, was Costrath Book. On the marble wall of the structure of the constructions of the Sostrah, the inscription: "Sostrath, the son of Dexphan from the book, dedicated to the Savior Savior Bowls." He closed this inscription in a thin layer of plaster with the glorification of the king of Ptolemy Saker. Over time, the falling plaster revealed the true name of the builder and the Great Engineer.

Alexandrian lighthouse

With the construction of the lighthouse, the most wonderful and ingenious inventions of the Alexandrian scientists were applied. The lower floor of the three-tier 120-meter tower had four faces facing north, east, west and south, eight edges of the second tier were oriented towards eight main winds. The third floor - the lantern was crowned dome with a poseidon statue with a height of about 7 m. A complex system of metal mirrors increased the light of fire, lit up on top of the structure and allowed to monitor the sea space; The lighthouse itself was also a well-fortified fortress with a large military garrison. Travelers who saw the lighthouse wrote about the helica-arranged statues who were adorned by the Lighthouse Tower: One of them always pointed out his hand on the sun on all his way and lowered his hand down when it came, the other beat off every hour and at night, on the third one could learn the direction wind. The amazing structure stood up to 14 centuries, but even in an already strongly destroyed form height was approx. 30 m. Currently, only the groundhouse is preserved, entirely built into the medieval fortress (now - the base of the Egyptian fleet).

The Colossus of Rhodes.

Colossus Rhodes, Giant Statue of Helios, the work of the Harez sculptor on about. Rhodes; One of the seven wonders of the world. Erected by the money received by Rhodes after the sale of siege machines Demetrius I Polyorod, who tried to capture this richest Greek island in 305 BC. e.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Travelers in New York Harbor can see a wonderful spectacle. Before them there appears standing on a small island in the harbor of a huge statue of a woman in clothes holding a book and a torch in his hands, rushing into the sky. The statue has almost one hundred and twenty feet from the legs to the crown. It is sometimes called the "modern colossus", but more often it is called the statue of freedom. Colossus Rhodes, which so reminds us the statue of freedom, is the ancient creation of ancient, located on the island of Rhodes. Colossus Rhodes was a statue standing on the shores of the Strait, one leg was on the same shore, the second - on the second. According to the project, the statues should be saved between the legs of the statue. Unfortunately, the Colossus Rhodes turned out to be "weak in the legs", because of the earthquake his legs were lifted, and a huge statue collapsed into the water. For a long time, the remains of his feet that served as evidence of its existence remained, but they did not reach this day. Colossus Rhodes today has become a symbol of a large-scale, but poorly thought out at the base of the project, which can easily collapse. Helios was not just a particularly revered deity on the island - he was his creator: without having a place for him dedicated to him, Sunny God was an island on her hands from the sea depth. The statue of God was towering right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible to swimming already from the neighboring islands, the statue was OK. 35 m, i.e. almost three times the "copper rider" in St. Petersburg. The statue was based on a clay with a metallic frame, on top of finished bronze sheets. To work on the image of God directly at the site of its installation, Harez used a cunning reception: with a gradual elevation of sculpture rose and an earthen hill around her; The hill was subsequently broken, and the statue in full was revealed to amazed inhabitants of the island. The manufacture of a grand monument took 500 bronze talents and 300 iron talents (respectively approx. 13 and approx. 8 tons). Colossus gave rise to a kind of fashion on the giant statues, in the Rhodes already in 2 V. BC e. About one hundred colossal sculptures were established. Creating a bronze giant lasted approx. 12 years old, but he stood, however, only 56 years old. At 220 BC e. During the earthquake, the statue collapsed, not withstanding soil oscillations. As Stracon writes, "the statue lay on the ground, defeated by the earthquake and broken by the knees." But then Colossus caused surprise with its sizes; Pliny senior mentions that only a few could grab the thumb of the statue with both hands. Colossus fragments were lariped on Earth for more than a thousand years, until finally, they were not sold by the Arabs who captured in 977 Rhodes, a merchant, who, as described in one of the chronicles, loaded 900 camels. Currently, reconstruct to the full appearance of the statue fails. Not so long ago, a couple of years ago, the next elections were held, where the new 7 wonders were determined.

Modern wonders of the world

The following wonders entered the new list:

The Great Wall of China is in our humble opinion, it should be included in all such lists, where new world wonders are addressed. The wall is a truly incredible object, at what a variety of means, materials, and human lives were spent. The design striking in size causes admiration when we just think about the technique that existed then.

- Peter - This object is also rightly included in the new 7 miracles of the world, since it represents a whole city, fully chopped in the rocks. The skill of workers surprises even according to modern standards, and if they again remember that the city is several thousand years old, then it is possible to assert with confidence - this is a real miracle.

- Statue of Christ - known to us in Brazilian TV shows, high design, crowning the hill in Rio. Considering the new 7 miracles of the world, we believe that it would be possible to choose something more, more worthy, but this is only our personal opinion.

- Machu Picchu - Indian city, preserved to this day, and representing a monument to the ancient civilization of the Inca. New miracles of the world put it on one place with a Chinese wall and Egyptian pyramids, and we tend to agree with them - indeed, there is something to see.

- Reading itz - These are the buildings that became a monument to another great civilization - Maya. Ancient sculptures, buildings, inventions, inventions, have been preserved here, almost in perfect condition. Even some furniture items were found here. Our verdict - modern wonders of light should include this city.

- Roman Coliseum - The place where the battles of gladiators, impregnated with blood and terrible stories, the last sighs of people and animals. New wonders of the world include the Colosseum not just because of its beauty, but because of history, participation in ancient works, stories and narratives.

- Taj Mahal - Owned romantic halo, a temple built into memory, probably one of the most famous love stories in the world, he is worthy to be included in the modern 8 miracles of the world exclusively because of its history.

- Pyramids Egypt - They were included in the new 8 miracles of the world, since the Egyptians were offended due to the fact that their "miracle" did not enter the list of the best. It was decided to respect the request, since the truth, the design deserves admiration. The next new 8 miracles of the world are currently a new selection of applicants for the list "Modern 8 Wonders of Light". The fact is that the previous selection attracted a lot of attention, allowed much to increase knowledge of natural wonders, engineering and others. Therefore, today it is proposed to once again choose the new 8 miracles of the world - natural. The choice will be held in several stages, 21 finalists are defined now.

Illustrated interpretation Seven wonders of the world.