6 wonders of the world you will never see

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

On July 21, 365, the Alexandria Lighthouse, one of the wonders of the world, was partially destroyed. In this regard, we decided to recall the six wonders of the ancient world, which, unfortunately, can no longer be seen.

Lighthouse of Alexandria, Pharos Island, Egypt

Some historians believe the lighthouse was visible from 35 miles away.

Scientists have found that the height of the Alexandria lighthouse could be from 116 to 137 meters. He stood on the small island of Pharos, located off the coast of Alexandria. The lighthouse tower was made of light stone, and a mirror was installed at its highest point to reflect sunlight. A fire was lit on the tower at night. Some historians believe the lighthouse was visible from 35 miles away. Unfortunately, earthquakes destroyed the building - finally in 1375, and in 1480 its ruins were destroyed when a fortress was built in its place.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Iraq

The Hanging Gardens are believed to have been built around 600 BC by Nebuchadnezzar II, ruler of Babylon. Historians often argue about the very fact of the existence of these gardens, because there is no evidence left, and in the Babylonian documents there is no mention of gardens (they were first described by Greek scientists).

However, many believe that they were: one above the other were vaulted terraces supported by columns.

These terraces were filled with earth, with trees and flowers hanging from the edges. Most notable about these gardens was their irrigation system, which carried water from the Euphrates to the plants. The gardens were destroyed by an earthquake in the first century BC.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Selcuk, Turkey

The temple was made of marble.

Built around 550 BC during the reign of the Achaemenid Persian dynasty to honor the Greek goddess of hunting and nature, this temple was burned down in 356 BC. The ancient writer and philosopher Pliny described the temple as being 115 meters long and 55 meters wide (three times the size of the famous Parthenon) with 127 Ionic columns 18 meters high. The temple was made of marble. It was used both for trade and for religious rites, and its walls were decorated with paintings and sculptures.

Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Olympia, Greece

A huge statue of the god Zeus by the sculptor Phidias was built in the temple of Olympia in 450 BC. The 12-meter image of Zeus was carved out of ivory and adorned with gold. God sat on a throne adorned with precious stones, holding in his right hand a statue of Nike (the goddess of victory), and in his left a scepter with an eagle. There are many theories to explain the destruction of the statue. Some scholars believe that it was destroyed along with the temple in the 5th century. Others believe she was transported to Constantinople, where she died in a fire in 462 AD.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Southwest Turkey

Numerous earthquakes in the 14th century led to the destruction of the mausoleum.

The mausoleum was built for the burial of the Persian king Mavsol and his wife Artesisia in 353 BC. Greek architects Satyr and Pytheas. The tomb was located on a hill above the ancient city of Halicarnassus. The Mausoleum was 41 meters wide and its interior walls were covered with fabric. The huge and luxurious tomb was decorated with many statues, bas-reliefs and columns. But, alas, numerous earthquakes in the 14th century led to the destruction of the mausoleum.

Colossus of Rhodes, Rhodes, Greece

The Colossus was a huge 30-meter statue of the Greek god Helios, built on the island of Rhodes in 280 BC. The statue was erected after successfully defending the island from invasion in 304 BC.

Scientists believe that the statue was located either on a pedestal at the entrance to the bay, or in the harbor itself.

The statue stood for only 54 years: it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.

Six wonders of the world can no longer be seen, but one of them still remains - this is the pyramid of Cheops in Giza.

Pyramid of Cheops in Giza, Cairo, Egypt

Each side of the pyramid is precisely oriented to one of the cardinal points.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of the three pyramids located in the ancient city of Giza on the site of modern Cairo. It is believed that it was built in 2560 BC as a tomb for the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu and that its erection took about 20 years (Egyptologists argue about the amount of manpower involved: according to various sources, the pyramid was built from 14 to 360 thousand people). Initially, the pyramid was 147 meters high, and its side was 230 meters long. Each side of the pyramid is precisely oriented to one of the cardinal points. For its construction, it took 2, 3 million stone blocks, 2 tons each. For four millennia, this pyramid remained the tallest structure in the world.