Keep reading below to find out more about the classic seven wonders of the Ancient World: Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
Arguably, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the best known of the 7 Wonders of the ancient world. The Pyramid was constructed for the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. Amazingly, the Great Pyramid maintained its status as the tallest man-made structure in the world for 4000 years and remains mostly unexplored.
The Hanging Gardens of Nineveh
The Hanging Gardens of Nineveh were built near the Euphrates River by the Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II. The king built the towering gardens to ease the homesickness of his lover, Amytis. The gardens rested on stone columns which allowed people to walk beneath it. Sadly, the gardens no longer exist today.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece
The Statue of Zeus was one of two masterpieces created by the Greek sculptor Phidias. The statue, which took eight years to construct, was located in the huge Temple of Zeus at Olympia in western Greece. The admiration of this statue was a result of the divine majesty and virtue it portrayed.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was located on the western coast of Asia Minor. The temple was destroyed by a deliberate fire in the 4th century BCE and later rebuilt. Ultimately, the temple was destroyed again by a Christian mob. Only a single column and the parts of the foundation remain today.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a massive tomb built for Mausolus, the ruler of Caria. The tomb was located in an ancient Greek city known as Halicarnassus. Following a damaging earthquake, the Mausoleum was destroyed.
Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes was a 33-meter high statue of the sun god Helios. The statue stood by the harbor of Rhodes, which was one of the most important trading ports in the ancient Mediterranean. The statue was made by the local sculptor Chares using bronze in honor of the sun god. Unfortunately, the giant Helios did not last long, as it fell over from an earthquake.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the island of Pharos, located near the harbors of Alexandria, Egypt. The lighthouse, which was built of stone, stood over 100 meters (330 ft) tall. The structure gave the name “Pharos” to any tower with a light designed to guide mariners.
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