Pyramids of Giza

Every person, regardless of the level of education and social status, has heard about seven wonders of the world, representing the greatest monuments of human civilization since ancient times. Few remember the entire list, and almost all of them have not been preserved, however, in our time, attempts are being made to compile new, alternative lists of attractions that can compete with the ancient creations of human genius.

The first who tried to formulate human achievements in the form list of wonders of the world, were the ancient authors of ancient Hellas, whose written heritage has survived to this day.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Zeus statue in Olympia

"Father of history" Herodotus was the first to point to architectural marvels that existed in his time. His work mentions three majestic buildings on Greek island Samos - mountain tunnel, temple of Hera and dam.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Starting with Herodotus, the list of sights grew, changed and supplemented by other Greek authors, until it was formulated in its final form as a list of seven points.

Historically and geographically 7 Wonders of the Ancient World are related to the territories conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC.

They were scattered over all the territories of the Oikumene - from ancient egypt to Babylon and ancient Greece.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The most ancient wonder of the world, but ironically the only one that has survived to this day is the main Egyptian attraction - The Pyramid of Cheops included in the complex. When choosing the new seven wonders of the world, the pyramid was awarded the title of "Honorary Candidate".

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Second wonder of the world, semi-mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon, existed for 7 centuries, until they died in a flood of the 1st century BC.

Third miracle, huge Temple statue of Zeus at Olympia, made of ivory, precious woods and inlaid with gold, stood for 9 centuries, but burned down in a fire in the 5th century AD.

V Turkish city Selcuk to this day you can see the ruins of the fourth wonder of the world, Temple of Artemis in, which at one time exceeded the size of Jupiter's huge temple.

Statue of the Colossus of Rhodes

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus lasted longer than all other attractions of the ancient world (with the exception of the Pyramid of Cheops).

Amazing architectural monument proudly stood for 19 centuries, but the elements overcame him too - the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake.

Lighthouse in Alexandria

The ruins of a colossal structure can currently be seen in Bodrum, Turkey.

Earthquakes also destroyed two other ancient monuments - a bronze statue of the Colossus of Rhodes(destroyed in the III century BC) and in Egypt (was destroyed in the XIV century).

New seven wonders of the world

At the beginning of the 21st century, on July 7, 2007, on the day of the "three sevens", in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, new seven wonders of the world were named, each of which may well compete with the lost architectural treasures.

The project was organized by the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC) at the initiative of the Swiss Bernard Weber. The selection of new seven wonders of the world from the famous architectural structures of the world took place via SMS, telephone or the Internet. As part of the selection of attractions, about 100 million votes were accepted, but since the conditions did not prohibit voting several times, this list became questionable almost immediately after publication.

However, at present it is the most famous of these ratings and therefore, along with it, it is the main reference point for tourists actively traveling around the world with

The great Wall of China

One of the undisputed leaders of the list is one of the largest and oldest architectural monuments in the world. Its total length is 8851.8 km, in one of the sections it runs near Beijing. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. One fifth of the then population of the country, i.e., about a million people, took part in the construction.

Today, the wall is a symbol of China, both for the Chinese themselves and for foreigners. At the entrance to the restored part of the Wall, you can see the inscription made by Mao Tse Tung - "If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese."

Machu Picchu

The famous statue of Jesus Christ, with outstretched arms and eyes on the city, rises on top of Corcovado's mountain. At the foot of the monument is installed observation deck with amazing views of sandy beaches, a huge bowl, a bay and a peak Sugarloaf, similar in shape to a lump of sugar.

White Temple Wat Rong Khun

Along with the main lists of wonders of the world, there are and continue to be compiled new, alternative lists - author's and based on the results of surveys.

statue of liberty in new york

As a modern alternative to the famous the Pyramid of Cheops the glass pyramid of the Parisian (France) was proposed.

The most striking among modern temple complexes is the Buddhist one opened in 1997 in Thailand. This temple, according to journalists, is quite capable of overshadowing the ruins Temple of Artemis in Among other similar structures - built in 1604 in Amritsar (India), in (Japan) and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain).

Angkor Wat temple complex, Cambodia

Dubai "Garden of Miracles"(UAE), where on an area of 72 thousand square meters. m grow 45 million flowers, also (according to journalists) can compete with Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The royal botanical kew gardens(Great Britain), royal park colors Keukenhof(Netherlands) and gardens (France).

Compare with 137 meters Lighthouse of Alexandria in beauty today, lighthouses are capable of Lindau(Germany) and lighthouse "Cape Florida"(USA). And the lighthouse Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) almost catches up with Alexandria in height - 133 meters.

Acropolis in Athens

Statue of Zeus at Olympia according to the logic of journalists, today it can outshine golden buddha in (Thailand) - the world's largest golden statue of a deity. At the same time, it does not matter at all that the Buddha is far from being as severe and angry as Zeus the Thunderer.

And at Mausoleum at Halicarnassus there were followers in the modern world, this title was awarded to the mausoleum and Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin in Moscow.

Palace and fortress of the Alhambra

And finally the statue colossus of Rhodes journalists compared it with a statue in (Brazil), which is comparable to an ancient building not only in height, but also in its location by the sea.

At the same time, some new lists of wonders of our time are deliberately narrowed down to cover attractions by location or time of creation.

Easter Island

So, for example, ratings were repeatedly compiled by country (in Russia, Portugal, Belgium and others) or exceptional objects were identified underwater world(cracks, reefs, islands and even underwater ruins).

In the finals of the competition for the title of man-made new wonders of the world, other no less worthy sights also turned out to be, and some of them, according to many people, are much more worthy of being on the final list of the “most-most”.

Timbuktu

In particular, the obvious competition could be made by the superior in size and established 40 years earlier by the American . It is also quite surprising that the final list of the seven wonders does not mention Cambodia - the largest religious building ever created by people.

All these great monuments of human civilization were on the list of contenders, along with, Sydney Opera, in Spanish Granada, eiffel tower , Moscow Kremlin,, moai sculptures on the castle, a Buddhist temple in and the city.

Seven new wonders of nature

Iguazu Falls

Komodo park

Seven new wonders of nature is a competition also organized by the Swiss non-profit organization New open world” (NOWC), which, through a worldwide popular vote, found seven of the most amazing natural places on the ground.

Project "Seven New Wonders of Nature" launched at the end of 2007. Until 07.07.09, nomination and preliminary selection of all candidates took place, among which was the Russian natural pearl - Lake Baikal. Voting was completed by the mystical date - 11/11/11.

Among the main wonders of nature included the longest river in the world - Amazon and its jungle; the largest underground river- in the Philippines.

The architectural structures of the past are considered wonders of architectural thought and architecture. These include the Colosseum, the Tower of Babel, the Ishtar Gate and dozens of other buildings of the past millennia. But there are buildings that are highlighted in the group "7 wonders of the world." Read about in our article. The choice of the number 7 is not accidental, since it was considered sacred.

7 wonders of the world of the ancient world: a list

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

The pyramids of Giza are the oldest of. They were built approximately 4300-4600 years ago. The highest of them is the pyramid of Cheops, which for a long time was tallest building on the planet.

Everyone else (which is Alexandrian lighthouse, Colossus of Rhodes, Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, hanging gardens Semiramis, the statue of Zeus at Olympia and) were built between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC.

Most were destroyed within the first thousand years. But the lighthouse of Alexandria and the mausoleum were destroyed only in the 15th century. You can read more about .

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Causes of Destruction

The reason for the destruction of three of the 6 wonders (colossus, lighthouse and mausoleum) were earthquakes. Two more burned down (the statue of Zeus and the temple of Artemis), and the gardens of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon were destroyed by the Persians.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: List Evolution

The first list of miracles was created by Herodotus and included 3 miracles of the island of Samos. They are no longer mentioned in the new lists. Later it expanded and changed. So, the Tower of Babel was excluded from it.

Today, the list of wonders of the world has been revised, expanded. Also in 2007, an alternative list of "7 modern wonders light, which includes:

Chinese Wall

There are other variations of it, more complete and lists of wonders by country.
You can also read about other interesting wonders ancient architecture both European and other civilizations. I especially recommend reading about the Great Wall of China.

In all ages, people have been proud and carefully guarded the achievements of their civilizations. The memory of these achievements has reached our days, becoming the property of the world. The Seven Wonders of the World is a classic list of outstanding human creations.

An interesting fact is that it was well known even before our era. In ancient schools, children were taught various sciences, and knowledge of the 7 wonders of the world was mandatory.

In this article, we will provide you not only with a list of 7 wonders of the world, but also make short description each of them.

List of 7 wonders of the world

Well, now a photo and description of the masterpieces of antiquity, which we call nothing more than seven wonders of the world.

1 wonder of the world - Pyramid of Cheops

The exact date of construction of this grandiose structure is unknown. However, scholars suggest that this is around 2600 BC.

The initial height of the pyramid of Cheops was 146 meters (that's like 5 nine-story houses), while now it is approximately 138 m. The angle of the walls is from 51 ° to 53 °. The average weight of the blocks from which the pyramid is built is 2.5 tons, although some blocks reach 80 tons.

No cement or other binder was used in the construction. stone blocks the first wonder of the world just stacked on top of each other. The surface of the pyramid was lined with limestone slabs. To date, the coating is almost completely destroyed.

Inside the pyramid there are three chambers: underground, "Queen's Chamber" and "Pharaoh's Chamber". There was only one entrance to this structure, and it was located at a height of 15 meters from the ground. But in 820 another, artificial entrance to the pyramid of Cheops was made.

The purpose of this stunning building is still unknown. Previously, it was believed that the pyramids played the role of tombs for the pharaohs. However, such a simplified view of such a majestic and complex structure has not been taken seriously for a long time.

There are also suggestions that the pyramid of Cheops was an ancient space observatory, or was a powerful energy generator.

2 wonder of the world - Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the second wonder of the world. This amazing building was built in 605 BC, but already in 562 BC. it collapsed due to floods.

Despite the fact that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are named after the Assyrian queen Semiramis (800 BC), Nebuchadnezzar II built them in honor of his wife Amitis.

But the hanging gardens were included in the list of 7 wonders of the world with the name of Semiramis.

The structure consisted of four floors. All of them were equipped with cool rooms for royal walks. Columns 25 m high supported each tier.

The terraces were covered with special lead leaves and filled with asphalt so that the water for watering the plants would not seep through. From above, all this was sprinkled with earth of such thickness that trees could freely grow there. One can only imagine how much weight the columns of the lower tier withstood.

Water for irrigation was pumped up from the Euphrates River using a cunning system. Slaves constantly turned the wheel to supply water, as the majestic building with stunning gardens required a lot of moisture.

To see the place where the 2nd wonder of the world was located - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, you will have to go to Iraq, since the ruins of ancient Babylon were found there.

3 wonder of the world - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

By the name of the 3 wonders of the world - the statue of Zeus, it is easy to guess to whom this architectural masterpiece was dedicated. The fact is that the Greeks built a temple to the pagan god Zeus in 465 BC, but the statue of Zeus, which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, appeared there only 30 years later.

The statue of Zeus itself was made of ivory and reached a height of 17 meters (like a five-story house). At the base of the monument was a square slab, 6 m wide and 1 m high.

The effect produced on the Greeks by the third of the wonders of the world was amazing. The fact is that the ratio of the sizes of the temple itself and the statue of Zeus inside it were such that it seemed as if Zeus would now rise and break through the roof of the temple, because otherwise he would simply not be able to straighten up.

The statue of Zeus stood at Olympia for about 800 years. At the beginning of the 5th century AD, the temple was destroyed, and the statue, in order to preserve cultural heritage was transported to Constantinople. In 425 she died in a fire.

4 wonder of the world - Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

V ancient Greek city Ephesus in 560 BC The temple of Artemis of Ephesus was erected, which later became one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The height of the temple was 18 m, width - 52 m, length - 105 m. The roof was supported by 127 columns.

Some of the best masters of antiquity worked on the creation of this architectural masterpiece. The statue of Artemis itself was made of gold and ivory.

The temple had not only a religious significance, but was also a cultural and economic center.

Who burned down the temple of Artemis of Ephesus?

In the summer of 356 BC. e. The temple of Artemis, which is one of the 7 wonders of the world, was burned by a resident of the city of Ephesus. The name of the arsonist of the temple is Herostratus.

You ask why Herostratus needed to destroy such a unique monument of architecture?

By his own admission, he did this in order to go down in history and perpetuate his name forever. Despite the fact that he was executed for this atrocity, the name of Herostratus has really come down to our days.

However, the great commander Alexander the Great restored the temple of Artemis of Ephesus in its former form, allocating colossal funds for this work.

In 263, the fourth wonder of the world was sacked and destroyed by the Goths.

The remains of the Temple of Artemis from Ephesus can be found in Turkey, in the city of Selcuk, Izmir province.

5 wonder of the world - Mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, appeared in 351 BC. The author of the idea is the king of Caria named Mausolus, together with his wife, Queen Artemisia.

Thus, they decided to perpetuate their name following the example of the Egyptian pharaohs. I must say that his idea was successful, since the fifth wonder of the world is still associated with his name.

The building of the mausoleum was three-tiered.

The first tier was a massive plinth, surrounded around the perimeter by statues of ancient Greek heroes. Inside, after the death of Mausolus and his wife, their tombs were to be placed.

The second floor was used as a temple for serving pagan cults. It had 36 columns that held the top, main part Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

The third tier looked like a pyramid, consisting of 24 steps. At the very top, the main value of the mausoleum was established: a majestic statue, which was a chariot with King Mausolus and his wife Artemisia.

It seems incredible, but in the Museum of Britain you can see the statues of both royal spouses, well preserved to this day.

The mausoleum in Halicarnassus, which became one of the seven wonders of the world, was destroyed in the 13th century due to a massive earthquake.

Turkish resort town Bodrum you can find the place where the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus once stood.

6 wonder of the world - Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes entered the classic list of the seven wonders of the world almost immediately after its creation in 280 BC.

But first, let's tell the background of the appearance of the sixth wonder of the world. Demetrius I almost immediately after the death of Alexander the Great attacked Rhodes, one of the largest port cities.

After holding the siege of the city for more than a year, for unknown reasons, he abandoned everything he had there and left with his army.

As a token of gratitude, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to sell the huge property that was in their hands and use the proceeds to build a monument to Helios, the god of the sun.

The main architect and sculptor of this masterpiece was Jerez. The original idea of the inhabitants of Rhodes was to build a statue that would be 10 times higher than the average height of a person, that is, 18 meters.

But then they decided to double the height, for which they allocated an even larger amount of money to Sherry. But they were not enough to continue construction. However, Jerez could no longer stop.

He borrowed colossal money from wealthy friends and relatives and continued to work tirelessly to create a monument that would later add to the seven wonders of the world.

Ultimately, after 12 years of titanic work, the world saw the 36-meter Colossus of Rhodes. It consisted of an iron frame trimmed with clay and faced with bronze. The Colossus was located right at the entrance to the harbor, and was visible from all nearby islands.

It is interesting to note that the fate of the sculptor Sherry himself was tragic. After completing his masterpiece, he was harassed by creditors. Ultimately, he committed suicide.

In general, 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were used to build the Colossus of Rhodes. However, 65 years after its appearance, around 225 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes collapsed into the sea, breaking at the knees. By the way, the expression "colossus with feet of clay" appeared just after that.

Eyewitnesses left information that only one finger of the statue was so thick that two adults could barely clasp it.

The height of the colossus was approximately 60 m (like an eighteen-story building). In the supine position, the Rhodes statue lay for almost 900 years. Then it was dismantled and sold by the Arabs, who had captured Rhodes by that time.

In the end, it should only be noted that there is no exact data on how the Colossus of Rhodes, included in the seven wonders of the world, actually looked.

7 wonder of the world - Lighthouse of Alexandria

The last, seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC. It is also called differently faros lighthouse.

The idea of creating this lighthouse was quite practical. The fact is that not far from Alexandria was the island of Pharos with an important bay. At that time it was of great importance for passing merchant ships.

Probably Sostratus of Cnidus ( main architector lighthouse) dreamed that his brainchild would enter the seven wonders of the world and glorify his name for centuries.

The project was implemented during the reign of the Egyptian Ptolemy II. The construction was given 20 years, but Sostratus completed the work in just 5.

An interesting fact is that when Sostratos was required to imprint the name of Ptolemy on the lighthouse of Alexandria, he acted very cunningly. First, he carved his name on a stone, and on top of the plaster he laid out the name of the ruler.

A few decades later, the plaster collapsed, and the name of the true master and author of the seventh wonder of the world appeared to the inhabitants.

The lighthouse of Alexandria consisted of three towers.

The lowest part was a technical floor, where workers and soldiers lived, and all inventory for the care of the lighthouse was stored.

The second part looked like an octagonal tower, around which there was a ramp. Fuel for the fire was supplied through it.

The topmost, the key tower of the lighthouse, was equipped with a complex system of mirrors, thanks to which the light from the fire was visible so far.

The total height of the Faros lighthouse was about 140 meters. At the very top was a statue of the god of the seas - Poseidon.

Mention should be made of the reviews of contemporaries who saw the Lighthouse of Alexandria in person. So some travelers talked about the amazing statues that were located on the lighthouse.

The first of them raised their hand with the sunrise, pointed to it throughout the day, and after sunset, the hand fell.

The second - 24 times a day made a sound with the last second of each elapsed hour.

The third indicated the direction of the wind.

Lighthouse of Alexandria illuminated at night water surface over a distance of over 60 km. During the day, a column of smoke rose from it, which also served as an important indicator for ships.

In 796, having stood for almost 1000 years, the seventh wonder of the world, the Pharos lighthouse, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. In the 15th century, the Sultan of Kait Bey founded a fortress on its foundation, which still exists.

An interesting fact is that in 2015, the Egyptian authorities approved a project to rebuild the lighthouse.

Well, here it is all seven wonders of the world. Of course, this list is different time was disputed by certain figures, but it is still considered a classic.

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In our time, it is customary to call the wonder of the world unique artistic and technical creations, which, with their level of performance, arouse the admiration of most specialists. But in fairness, this erroneous approach should be corrected - the wonders of the world include specific objects created by people in ancient times.

Below is a list of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World...

1. Pyramids of Cheops (Giza)

Pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu (in the Greek version of Cheops), or great pyramid- the greatest of Egyptian pyramids, the oldest of the seven wonders of the world of antiquity and the only one of them that has come down to our time. For over four thousand years, the pyramid has been the most big building in the world.

The pyramid of Cheops is located in the far suburbs of Cairo Giza. Nearby are two more pyramids of the pharaohs Khafre and Menkaure (Khafren and Mikerin), according to ancient historians, the sons and successors of Khufu. These are the three most great pyramids Egypt.

Following the ancient authors, most modern historians consider the pyramids to be the burial structures of the ancient Egyptian monarchs. Some scholars believe that they were astronomical observatories. There is no direct evidence that pharaohs were buried in the pyramids, but other versions of their purpose are less convincing.

Based on the ancient "royal lists", it is established that Cheops ruled around 2585-2566. BC. The construction of the "Sacred Height" lasted 20 years and ended after the death of Khufu, around 2560 BC.

Other versions of construction dates based on astronomical methods give dates from 2720 to 2577. BC. The radiocarbon method shows a spread of 170 years, from 2850 to 2680. BC.

There are also exotic opinions expressed by supporters of theories of visiting the Earth by aliens, the existence of ancient pra-civilizations, or adherents of occult currents. They determine the age of the pyramid of Cheops from 6-7 to tens of thousands of years.

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon)

The existence of one of the wonders of the world - many scientists question and argue that this is nothing more than a figment of the imagination of an ancient chronicler, the idea of \u200b\u200bwhich was picked up by his colleagues and began to diligently rewrite from chronicle to chronicle. They justify their statement by the fact that they most carefully describe the gardens of Babylon just by those who have not seen them in their eyes, while historians who have visited ancient Babylon are silent about the miracle erected there.

Archaeological excavations have shown that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still existed.

Naturally, they did not hang on ropes, but were a four-story building built in the shape of a pyramid with a huge amount of vegetation, and were part of palace building. This unique structure got its name due to a mistranslation of the Greek word “kremastos”, which actually means “hanging” (for example, from a terrace).

The unique gardens were erected by order of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II, who lived in the 7th century BC. BC. He built them specifically for his wife Amitis, daughter of Cyaxares, king of Media (it was with him that the Babylonian ruler made an alliance against a common enemy, Assyria, and won a final victory over this state).

Amitis, which grew up among the mountains of green and fertile Media, did not like dusty and noisy Babylon, located on a sandy plain. The Babylonian ruler was faced with a choice - to move the capital closer to his wife's homeland, or to make her stay in Babylon more comfortable. They decided to build hanging gardens that would remind the queen of her homeland. Where exactly they are, history is silent, and therefore there are several hypotheses:

The main version says that this wonder of the world is located near modern city Hilla, which is located on the Efrat River in the center of Iraq.
An alternative version, based on the re-deciphering of cuneiform tablets, claims that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are located in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria (located in the north of modern Iraq), which, after its fall, went to the Babylonian state.

The very idea of creating hanging gardens in the middle of a dry plain looked like fantastic at that time. This task turned out to be within the power of local architects and engineers of the ancient world - and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were later included in the list of seven wonders of the world, were built, became part of the palace and were located on its northeast side.

They say that the statue of Zeus at Olympia turned out to be so majestic that when Phidias, having created it, asked his creation: “Are you satisfied, Zeus?” thunder boomed, and the black marble floor at the feet of the god cracked. The Thunderer was pleased.

Despite the fact that only memories of one of the most majestic statues of this magnitude have come down to us, the mere description of the monument, which was in its way a real jewelry masterpiece, cannot but stagger the imagination. Both before and after the creation of the statue of Olympian Zeus, people did not create a monument of this magnitude - and it is not a fact that they will ever be created: this wonder of the world turned out to be too expensive in cost and huge in scale.

The uniqueness of this monument also lies in the fact that the statue of Olympian Zeus, the only one of all the wonders of the ancient world, was located on the territory of continental Europe, in the Greek city of Olympia, which is located on the Balkan Peninsula.

The statue of Zeus in Olympia was created for a long time: Phidias spent about ten years on it. When she appeared before the inhabitants and guests of Olympia in 435 BC, she was a real wonder of the world.

The exact dimensions of the statue have not yet been determined, but apparently, its height was from 12 to 17 meters. Zeus, naked to the waist, sat on a throne, his feet were on a bench, which was supported by two lions. The pedestal on which the throne was located was quite huge: its dimensions were 9.5 by 6.5 m. Ebony, gold, ivory and jewelry were used for its manufacture.

The throne itself was decorated with images of scenes from the life of the Greek celestials, the goddesses of victory danced on its legs, and the battles of the Greeks with the Amazons were depicted on the crossbars and, of course, the Olympic Games were not without (Panen was engaged in painting). The Thunderer was made from ebony, while his entire body was covered with ivory plates. top quality. The master selected the materials for his statue extremely meticulously.

There was a wreath on the head of the supreme god, and in one hand he held the golden Nike, the goddess of Victory, in the other - a scepter decorated with an eagle, symbolizing supreme power. The god's clothes were made of gold sheets (in total, about two hundred kilograms of gold were used to make the sculpture). The cloak of the Thunderer was decorated with images of representatives of the animal and plant world.

Nowadays, a marble copy of one of the wonders of the world can be seen in the Hermitage, where it was brought from Italy in 1861. Apparently, this statue of Zeus was created by a Roman author in the first century BC, and it was found during archaeological sites near Rome at the end of the 18th century. It is notable for the fact that today it is one of the largest ancient sculptures that are in the museums of the world - the height of the monument is 3.5 meters and weighs 16 tons.

The sculpture was acquired at the beginning of the 19th century by one of the Italian collectors, Marquis D. Campana.

She did not stay with him for long, because after a while he went bankrupt, his property was confiscated and sold at auction. Before the auction, the director of the Hermitage managed to persuade the Italian authorities to give him the opportunity to purchase some items before the sale, so the best exhibits from the collection of the ruined marquis, including the statue of the Thunderer, ended up in the Hermitage.

4. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (Ephesus)

According to the ancient Greek belief, Artemis was the goddess of hunting and fertility, the patroness of all life on earth. She looked after the animals in the forest, herds of domestic animals, plants. Artemis ensured a happy marriage and assisted in childbirth.

In honor of Artemis in Ephesus, a temple was built on the site of the former sanctuary of the Carian goddess, also responsible for fertility. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was so large that it immediately entered the list of the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world. The financing of the construction was covered by the Lydian king Croesus, the construction work was led by the architect from Knossos Harsiphron. Under him, they managed to erect walls and columns. After his death, the post of chief architect was taken over by his son Metagen. The last stage of construction was led by Paeonite and Demetrius.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was completed in 550 BC. Front local residents a delightful spectacle unfolded, the like of which had never been built here. And although at present it is impossible to recreate the former decoration of the temple, one can be sure that the best masters of their time, employed here at work, could not blunder. The very statue of the culprit of the construction was made of ivory and gold.

It was possible to recreate the image of the former majestic temple of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus only after archaeological excavations were carried out. The temple measured 105 by 51 meters. The roof of the building was supported by 127 columns, each 18 meters high. According to legend, each column was donated by one of the 127 Greek rulers.

In addition to religious services, financial and business life was in full swing in the temple. It was the center of Ephesus, independent of the authorities, subordinate to the local college of priests.

In 356 BC, when the famous Alexander the Great was born, the temple of Artemis was burned down by the Ephesian resident Herostratus. The motive of this feat is to remain in history in the memory of posterity. The arsonist after the capture was waiting for the death penalty. In addition to it, it was also decided to eradicate the name of this person from history. But what is forbidden sits even more firmly in the memory of people, and the name of Herostratus is now a household name.

By the 3rd century BC, the wonder of the world, the temple of Artemis in Greece, was restored at the initiative of the aforementioned Alexander the Great, but with the advent of the Goths, it is again destroyed. Later, with the ban on pagan cults, the Byzantine authorities closed the temple. Then they begin to gradually disassemble into building materials, as a result of which the temple goes into oblivion. In its place was erected Christian church, but the fate of destruction also awaited her.

On October 31, 1869, the English archaeologist Wood manages to find the location of the former temple of Artemis in Turkey, and excavations begin. Now in its place stands one column restored from the wreckage. Despite this, the place still attracts thousands of tourists.

5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Fast forward to ancient city Halicarnassus. It was the capital of Caria and, as is due to the capital of the state, was famous for its beauty and grandeur. Temples, theaters, palaces, gardens, fountains, a living harbor guaranteed honor and respect for the city. But special attention here was occupied by the tomb of King Mausolus, one of the seven wonders of the world in the ancient world. So, the wonder of the world mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

King Mausolus ruling Caria in the 4th century BC (377-353 years), according to the experience of the Egyptian pharaohs, he began the construction of his tomb during his lifetime. It was supposed to be a unique building. Located in the center of the city, among palaces and temples, it symbolizes the power and wealth of the king. And to worship the late king, it must combine both the tomb and the temple. The best architects and sculptors were allocated for the construction - Pythius, Satyr, Leohar, Skopas, Briaxides, Timothy. After the death of the king, his wife, Queen Artemisia, approached the construction of an eternal monument to the great husband even more intensively.

The building was completed in 350 BC. Its appearance combined several architectural styles of that time at once. There were three levels in the mausoleum with a total height of 46 meters. The first tier was a massive plinth made of bricks lined with marble. Further on it towered a temple with 36 columns. The columns supported the roof in the form of a pyramid with 24 steps. At the top of the roof was a sculpture of King Mausolus and Artemisia in a chariot drawn by 4 horses. Around the building were statues of horsemen and lions. The beauty of the structure was fascinating, it is no coincidence that the mausoleum in Halicarnassus quickly entered the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world.

The tomb of Mausolus and his wife was located in the lower tier. To worship the king, an upper room was built with columns and a statue of Mausolus. The statue has survived to this day, and fully reflects the image of the despot king. The sculptor in the facial features subtly conveyed the character of Mausolus - evil, cruel, capable of getting everything he needs. No wonder he was a very rich man. Next to the statue of Mausolus was a statue of Queen Artemisia. The sculptor embellished her, filed in a stately, soft image. The famous sculptor of that time Skopas worked on it. Both of these statues are now considered among the finest in Greek culture from the 4th century BC. Separately, it is worth mentioning the upper part of the base of the mausoleum. The sculptors decorated it with scenes from the Greek epic - the battle with the Amazons, hunting, the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs.

Mausoleum - a word that came from the name of King Mausolus, is now a household word among all peoples.

After 18 centuries, the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake. Later, its ruins were used to build the castle of St. Peter by the Knights of St. John. When the Turks arrived, the castle became the fortress of Budrun, currently called Bodrum. Excavations here were carried out in 1857. Relief slabs, statues of Mausolus and Artemisia, a statue of a chariot were found. They are currently on display at the British Museum.

6. Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes)

The Colossus of Rhodes is a huge statue that has become one of the seven Wonders of the World. The grateful inhabitants of the island of Rhodes decided to build it in honor of the sun god Helios, who helped them withstand the unequal struggle against the invaders. Siege beautiful island lasted almost a year and the probability of victory was negligible, but the patron helped the islanders win. For this, Helios was immortalized in the guise of a huge statue. For the people of Rhodes, the statue represented independence and freedom, just like the Statue of Liberty in New York for Americans.

The island of Rhodes had a favorable geographical position, its inhabitants freely traded with many countries, which ensured the wealth of the city as a whole and each citizen individually. From the moment of foundation to the III century. BC. Rhodes was alternately ruled by the famous king Mausolus, the Persian rulers and Alexander the Great. None of them oppressed the city and did not prevent it from developing. However, after the death of Alexander the Great, his heirs began to divide the inherited lands in a bloody struggle.

The island of Rhodes went to Ptolemy, but another heir (Antigon) considered this unfair and sent his son to destroy the city. This would help to equal the power of Ptolemy. Demetrius, son of Antigonus, gathered a huge army that outnumbered the islanders. Only impregnable walls prevented the soldiers from immediately entering the capital and destroying it. Enemies used siege towers - huge wooden catapults that were installed on ships. The inhabitants of Rhodes managed to detain the enemies before the arrival of Ptolemy's army and defend their homeland.

Having sold the siege engines and the surviving ships of the invaders, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build a huge statue of the god Helios, their patron. Until now, any statues were called colossi, but after the Colossus of Rhodes, only the largest of them began to be called that way.

The construction of the Colossus began in 302 BC. and finished only after 12 years (according to other sources after 20 years). They installed a statue on an artificial embankment that blocked the entrance to the harbor. Behind this hill, for a long time, individual parts of the sculpture were hidden from prying eyes. The mound with the statue turned into a kind of gate to the city. Some poets have described the Colossus as standing on two hills. The ships were supposed to sail between the legs of Helios. However, this version is considered doubtful. The stability of such a sculpture would be too small, and big ships would not be able to moor in the port.

The statue has not survived to this day, but numerous descriptions of contemporaries testify that the Colossus stood on one of the banks, and not at all in the form of an arch, as the artists depict it. In the giant's hand was a bowl of blazing fire. At the base there were three pillars that served as a support. Two of them the builders inlaid with bronze details to disguise at the feet of Helios. The third pillar was in the place where the cloak or part of the sheet of the majestic Colossus fell.

The residents wanted the statue to point into the distance, but the sculptor understood that this would reduce the stability of the structure, so the statue seemed to cover its eyes from the sun with its palm. The torso and main elements were made from sheets of iron and bronze. They were fixed on support poles. The space inside was filled with large stones and clay to increase stability. The free space was covered with earth so that the workers could move freely on the surface and fix the following parts. In total, the manufacture of the Colossus required 8 tons of iron and 13 tons of bronze. The resulting statue reached a height of 34 m.

The statue of the Colossus of Rhodes was so huge that it could be seen from ships sailing in the distance. According to the descriptions of contemporaries, she was a tall young man with a radiant crown on his head. One hand of the young man covered his eyes, and the other picked up the falling robe.

Another poet - Philo - described the Colossus differently. He claimed that the statue was on a marble pedestal and struck by the size of the feet. Each of them was itself the size of a small statue. On the outstretched hand was a working torch. It was lit at night to light the way for sailors.

Scientists are still trying to find out where the Colossus of Rhodes is located or where exactly it was installed. At the end of the 20th century, huge boulders were discovered off the coast of the island of Rhodes, which resembled fragments of a statue in shape. However, the theory that these are elements of an ancient sculpture has not been confirmed. But the researcher Ursula Vedder suggested that the Colossus did not stand near the coast at all, but on the hill of Monte Smith. The ruins of the temple of Helios are preserved here, and its foundation has a suitable platform on which the Colossus could rise.

7. Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos)

Only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world had a practical purpose - the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It performed several functions at once: it allowed the ships to approach the harbor without any problems, and the observation post, located at the top of the unique structure, made it possible to monitor the expanses of water and notice the enemy in time.

The locals claimed that the light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria burned enemy ships even before they approached the coast, and if they managed to approach the coast, the statue of Poseidon, located on the dome of an amazing design, emitted a piercing warning cry.

The height of the old lighthouse was 140 meters - much higher than the surrounding buildings. In ancient times, buildings did not exceed three floors, and against their background, the Faros lighthouse seemed huge. Moreover, at the time of completion of construction, it turned out to be the most tall building the ancient world and remained so for an extremely long time.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built on east coast small island of Pharos, located near Alexandria - the main seaport Egypt, built by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. It is also known in history as the Pharos lighthouse.

The great commander chose the place for the construction of the city very carefully: he initially planned to build a port in this region, which would be an important trade center.

It was extremely important that it be located at the intersection of both water and land routes of three parts of the world - Africa, Europe and Asia. For the same reason, it was necessary to build at least two harbors here: one for ships arriving from mediterranean sea, and the other - for those who sailed along the Nile.

Therefore, Alexandria was not built in the Nile Delta, but a little to the side, twenty miles to the south. When choosing a place for the city, Alexander took into account the location of future harbors, while paying special attention to their strengthening and protection: it was very important to do everything so that the Nile waters did not clog them with sand and silt (a dam connecting the continent was subsequently built specifically for this). with an island).

After the death of Alexander the Great (who, according to legend, was born on the day of the destruction of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus), after some time the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - and as a result of skillful management, it turned into a successful and prosperous port city, and the construction of one of the seven wonders of the world significantly increased his wealth.

The lighthouse of Alexandria made it possible for ships to sail into the port without problems, successfully bypassing pitfalls, shallows and other obstacles in the bay. Due to this, after the construction of one of the seven wonders, the volume of light trade increased dramatically.

The lighthouse also served as an additional reference point for sailors: the landscape of the Egyptian coast is quite diverse - mostly lowlands and plains alone. Therefore, signal lights in front of the entrance to the harbor were most welcome.

A lower structure would have successfully coped with this role, so the engineers assigned another important function to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - the role of an observation post: enemies usually attacked from the sea, since the desert protected the country well from the land side.

It was also necessary to install such an observation post on the lighthouse because there were no natural hills near the city where this could be done.

The lighthouse of Alexandria served from 283 BC. until the 15th century, when a fortress was erected instead. Thus, he survived more than one dynasty of Egyptian rulers, saw Roman legionnaires. This did not particularly affect his fate: no matter who ruled Alexandria, everyone made sure that the unique structure stood for as long as possible - they restored the parts of the building that had collapsed due to frequent earthquakes, updated the facade, which was negatively affected by wind and salty sea water.

Time has done its job: the lighthouse stopped working in 365, when one of the strongest earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea caused a tsunami that flooded part of the city, and the death toll of the Egyptians, according to chroniclers, exceeded 50 thousand inhabitants.

After this event, the lighthouse significantly decreased in size, but stood still for quite a long time - until the XIV century, until the next strongest earthquake wiped it off the face of the earth (a hundred years later, Sultan Kait Bey erected a fortress on its foundation, which can be seen and these days). After that, the pyramids at Giza remained the only ancient wonder of the world that has survived to this day.

In the mid 90s. the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered at the bottom of the bay with the help of a satellite, and after some time, scientists, using computer modeling, were able to more or less restore the image of a unique structure.

Seven wonders of the world, photos and descriptions of unique architectural structures show the greatness of ancient history.

The ancient era, with its greatest cultural and historical monuments, laid the foundation for the outstanding creations of mankind, which continue the legacy with new discoveries and genuine miracles.

What are the wonders of the world, how many of them exist, what they are, why the word “miracle” is used in relation to them, what significance these objects have for world history and culture - we will try to answer these questions, as well as give a definition , a brief description and provide photographs of those that exist in the 21st century.

Since the time of Ancient Hellas, it has been customary to call a wonder of the world an ancient work of architecture and art, which has no equal in beauty, majestic size, precious decoration and originality.

There were 7 such miracles in the ancient world. Who has not heard about the Eighth Wonder of the World? Probably everything. Can you name him? List them, and you will be convinced that there are only seven of them in our time. Not a single list or table in the textbook contains it. And all because the 8 wonder of the world does not officially exist - this is just an expression designed to evaluate something truly amazing and grandiose, or ... to emphasize the extraordinary curiosity of some phenomenon or incident.

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7 wonders of the world - list

So what's on the list:

- the age is about 4.5 thousand years, daily crowds of tourists visit this sight of Egypt.
- an amazing and unusual gift made by a husband for his beloved wife. Beautiful, green gardens full of exotic plants, birds and animals have grown up among dusty Babylon.
Zeus statue in Olympia- only this miracle was located on the territory of mainland Europe. The Olympic Games have already been held for 300 years, and only then the construction of the majestic and main temple began.
Temple of Artemis of Ephesus- a beautiful building, burned for the sake of "glorification" of the name.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus- has stood in its place for a long time - nineteen centuries.
The Colossus of Rhodes- a huge statue of the sun god worshiped by the people.
Alexandrian lighthouse- not just a lighthouse, but a fortress city, on top of which a fire burned day and night. They brought firewood on mullahs along a winding road inside the building.

Detailed Description of the Seven Wonders

The Pyramid of Cheops

The first wonder of the world is the pyramid of Cheops. The ancient heritage of Egypt is located in the northwestern part of Cairo. The location points to 4 parts of the world and shows the unique accuracy of the structure. The greatest Egyptian wonder of the world was erected for 20 years. About a million slaves were used for its construction, the work of which continued even after the death of Pharaoh Cheops.

The area of the base of the pyramid reaches 53,000 square meters. m, and the height at the end of construction reached 147 m. You can get inside to the tomb of the pharaoh only through one entrance, which is located above the ground at a level of 15.5 m.

It is worth noting: Caliph Abdullah Al-Mamun decided to disturb the chambers of the pharaoh, who made a tunnel into the pyramid with the intention of profit, and as a result did not find any treasures.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The second wonder of the world is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They present a chic gift from Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian ruler, for his beloved wife. Subsequently, the wealth and splendor of the city was destroyed by a flood. Structures and buildings where gardens grew are washed out and broken under the influence of a powerful water flow.

Landmark misleads contemporaries about its location. Many archaeologists have made repeated attempts to find traces of the most ancient phenomenon.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The third wonder of the world - the majestic Zeus was a masterpiece of jewelers. The author is the great master of that time - Phidias. The wonders of the world described on Wikipedia say that the author spent about 10 years creating his creation. Until now, the dimensions of the statue have not been precisely determined, it is believed that the approximate height was 12-18 m.

The pedestal for the throne was impressive in size; fragments from the Olympic Games and the life of the gods served as its decoration. On it sat a thunderer naked to the waist, supported at his feet by two lions. On the body is a golden cloak with images of animals and plants. There is a wreath on his head, the Thunderer holds a scepter in one hand, and a golden statue of the goddess of Victory in the other.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

The fourth wonder of the world is the temple of Artemis of Ephesus. The ancient pilgrimage center is located in Turkey. It was built by the Amazons, who were considered the founders of the city. Soon the city was burned by Herostratus. In the 6th century, the project of new construction under the leadership of Khersifron provided for white marble columns.

Its construction lasted 120 years and took place according to the same project, with a preliminary collection Money and jewels of the townspeople.

Good to know: on the day of the temple fire, Alexander III the Great was born, and the phrase "Gerostrat's glory" turned into a symbol of a bad deed.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The fifth wonder of the world is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The ruler Mausolus built his tomb under personal supervision. The three-level mausoleum towered 46 meters. The lower level was lined with marble. It contained the tomb of the king. The next level featured a colonnade supporting the roof, creating a pyramidal shape.

The top was personified by the figures of King Mausolus with Artemisia, who are in a chariot with 4 horses.

The Colossus of Rhodes

The sixth wonder of the world is the Colossus of Rhodes. The islanders of Rhodes erected a monument to their patron Helios in gratitude for the victory against the invaders. The monument is the personification of freedom and independence of the inhabitants of the island. The statue has been under construction for 12 years. According to numerous descriptions of contemporaries, the Colossus was located on an embankment, which was a kind of gate to the city. In one hand the young man held the blazing fire of Helios.

The height of the statue reached 36 m. The retaining pillars of the structure's structure proved to be unreliable and after only 65 years collapsed as a result of an earthquake. The statue of the colossus of Rhodes is a wonder of the world that lasted less than all the others.

It is worth noting: fragile structures later became known as the term "Colossus with feet of clay."

Alexandrian lighthouse

The seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The tower got its name from the city of the same name, located near the island of Pharos. The lighthouse performed its immediate role, illuminating the path of ships that got lost to the shore at night. The designer of the gigantic structure of 140 meters was Sostratus of Knidos.

Consisting of several tiers, the lighthouse served as housing for sailors and port workers. At the top of the octagonal tower was a source of light - a large fire. The unique creation served until the 15th century, when an earthquake completely destroyed it.

Note: the second name of the lighthouse is Zeus the Savior.

Who first described the 7 wonders of the world

The founder of the work "On the Seven Wonders of the World" was Philo of Byzantium. His short essay on 12 pages consists of eyewitness accounts of unique buildings.

Philo of Byzantium did not see any of the miracles described with his own eyes, and wrote about them according to the stories of others.

Information about the life and work of the great engineer and poet consists of small facts that are famous for their great discoveries. The wonders of the world were described by many talented authors: Herodotus, Strabo, Pausanias, Sequester, Cassiodorus and others. However, they did not have a single idea and uniquely defined unique monuments.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The well-known wonders of the world that have entered our lives are the wonders of the ancient world. Why are there not five or six wonders of the world ... namely 7?

"7" is a number associated with the sacred god Apollo, signifying completeness and perfection in the view of the ancient civilization.

Compiles a list of venerable rulers of the ancient age. Based on their significance, grandiose monuments of that time were created.

Each monument from the list is the embodiment of architectural art. From the beginning of the Hellenic era, writings about unique monuments were distributed on papyri by Greek authors. They were widely studied at school and were a teaching aid.

How many wonders of the world have survived to this day

Only one pyramid of Cheops has been completely preserved to our time. The Egyptian miracle of antiquity still keeps the secrets of the great ancestors. V this moment this is the largest architectural construction of stone, reaching 137 m. During its existence, it decreased by almost 10 m.

Architectural sights that are of interest to many researchers in the world and make up the wonders of the world of the ancient world, have been partially preserved or in the form of a copy:

The lighthouse of Alexandria was destroyed by an earthquake and could not be restored. To date, only the fortress has survived.
A copy of Zeus is exhibited in the Hermitage. This is the tallest antique sculpture of our time with a height of 3.5 m.
Having existed for 19 centuries, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus was destroyed by an earthquake. The tombs of Artemisia and Mausolus are in the British Museum.
During 18 years of excavations, only the German historian Robert Koldewey managed to discover the gardens of Babylon. Buildings of Ancient Babylon and structures surrounding gardens have been found.

Seven wonders of the world of our time

On July 7, 2007, a list of 7 wonders of the world of our time was compiled. We will give a description and present a photo of each object that is included in the list, which is called the list world heritage UNESCO.

the great Wall of China

The construction of the greatest defensive structure began in the 3rd century BC, and now it still harbors many legends. During the construction, the main goals were pursued: protecting the territory from the Mongol invasion and creating a guarantee for the protection of one state from another. Inappropriate attention to the great structure gradually destroyed it in some places. Since the end of the twentieth century, a large-scale restoration of architecture began.

1997 was marked by the inclusion in the status of a miracle modern world. The architectural structure stretches for almost 9 thousand km, has a height of 6 to 10 meters.

Do you know that: the construction of the wall resulted in tens of thousands of deaths due to hard labor and epidemics.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer

The famous symbol of the Brazilian people is located at the very top of Mount Corcovado. Towering over the city with outstretched arms, Christ the Redeemer, with his 38-meter height, seems to embrace all the inhabitants of the metropolis, and at the same time greets guests from afar.

The construction of the monument is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of independence. Funds for the construction were collected by all the inhabitants of the country. The detailed production of the statue took place in France.

Taj Mahal

The pinnacle of the Mongolian architectural style is a snow-white palace located on the banks of the Jumna. Construction was carried out for two decades, it was built by the middle of the 17th century.

The mausoleum contains the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, a descendant of Tamerlane. The presence of four minarets along the edges of the palace helps protect the tombs from tremors and destruction.

Coliseum

The largest amphitheater of the ancient era can accommodate more than 50 thousand people. The beginning of construction during the Flavian dynasty lasted 8 years. In the 8th century, due to its impressive size, it began to be called.

At the beginning of its existence, gladiators practiced their art in the arena of the amphitheater. After the looting by the barbarians and the earthquake of the 14th century, the Colosseum was literally pulled apart brick by brick. Only since the 18th century, the building has been taken under protection as an important architectural mega-object.

Machu Picchu

So called the city in the sky, which is located at an altitude of about 2500 m above the sea. Previously, it was the residence of the emperor. The almost untouched ancient city architecture did not suffer from the attacks of the Spanish conquerors.

The clear structure of the city delights with its architectural design. However, little is known about the urban population and the city.

Petra

Jordanian Petra is a city in the rock, located above the sea at a level of 900 meters. The road to it is laid through a natural gorge, which acts as city walls.

The surviving ruins of houses built with the traditional stone method stretch for kilometers. Ad-Deir is a 45-meter monastery carved into the rock. The main attraction - the El-Khazneh mausoleum - still keeps the legend of countless treasures. Previously, the city served as a trade route, connecting Damascus and the Red Sea regions.

Note: adventure film by Indiana Jones filmed in Petra.

Chichen Itza

Mexico is famous for the legendary city called, reminiscent of the consonance of legumes, loved by the way the locals. Chichen Itza - the Mayan civilization, has a 24-meter pyramid Temple of Kukulkan, which has 365 steps.

How many days in a year, so many steps. The natural well located is Sacred Cenote. Its depth is "deadly" - 50 m. Previously, it served for the ritual of sacrifice. It is known that living people were dumped into the cenote. Now tourists swim in it.

The change of civilizations leaves behind a grandiose heritage of architecture, which has partially been preserved to this day. To the question - how many wonders of the world are in the world and which ones, now you can definitely answer. The emergence of new miracles is evidence that there are still many mysterious places to study and recognize their significance for all mankind.

We bring to your attention an interesting film about the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world: