The Seven Wonders of the World are the oldest monuments of architecture, which are rightfully considered the greatest creations of human hands. The number 7 was chosen for a reason. It belonged to Apollo and was a symbol of completeness, 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, generals, etc., or outstanding architectural monuments.
The first mention of the Wonders of the World occurs precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander the Great had already passed through Europe. The wide distribution of Greek culture in the territories that are part of the states that the great commander conquered ensured loud fame for individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the "selection" of miracles occurred gradually. Some names have been replaced by others, and today the list of the most magnificent works of art and architecture includes:
Briefly about everything
Historians and scientists believe that the first attraction is the most ancient - Pyramids of Egypt. A distinctive feature of this Wonder of the World is that only it has survived to this day in almost its original form. The construction of the Pyramids of Giza dates back to approximately 1983 BC, and the largest building of the complex is the tomb of Cheops.
The rest of the Wonders of the World were not so lucky, and only the ruins of some of them have survived to this day. For instance, hanging gardens Semiramis, which were created in the VI century BC, were destroyed by floods in the II century. But even the dilapidated remains of this majestic structure are breathtaking.
Statue of Zeus from Olympia, created around 435 BC. by the famous ancient sculptor Phidias, burned down almost a thousand years later in Constantinople. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was erected in 550 BC, but after two centuries it was also destroyed by a strong fire.
Halicarnassus Mausoleum created by the architect Pytheas in 351 BC. In 1494, earthquakes were noted in southwestern Turkey, after which only the foundations and architectural fragments of the structure were preserved. Concerning Colossus of Rhodes, built at the beginning of the III century BC. Greeks, it fell as a result of a series of strong tremors somewhere between 224 and 225 BC.
Alexandrian lighthouse, built in the III century BC. at the direction of the ruling Ptolemaic dynasty, is the pinnacle of engineering and technical thought of that time. The structure lasted until 1480, providing reliable lighting for coastal waters. In the 15th century, the lighthouse was partially destroyed by an earthquake.
One can talk endlessly about each of the Seven Wonders of the World. Every student knows about them. Ancient epics and ancient legends are associated with them. Each of them is covered with a shadow of mystery and suspense. But one thing can be said with all confidence - these are the most significant monuments of civilization of all that mankind has managed to create.
Beautiful creations of nature and mankind in different centuries were considered the most amazing. But another era has come and today "I and the World" will show you the wonders of the world of our time.
At the beginning of the 21st century, they decided to update the list of the seven wonders of the world. To do this, almost 100 million people around the world voted for the wonderful creations of the planet. And in 2007, the results of a survey were announced, where the modern beauties of the Earth were presented.
How many and what curiosities have survived to this day? Let's start in order.
Colosseum (Italy)
Of all the buildings of that time, the Colosseum is the most grandiose and almost preserved to this day. Here, for the amusement of the citizens of Rome, hundreds of gladiator slaves fought and died, as well as many exotic animals.
The amphitheater is 57 meters high and 527 meters in circumference. A huge canopy was attached at the top, and everything inside was covered with marble. 36 elevators were raised manually by slaves, each with 10 people.
After 8 years, when the amphitheater was completed, a holiday was held in the arena that lasted as long as 100 days, and thousands of animals and hundreds of gladiators were killed in the arena. The entrance was free, so everyone could see the bloody spectacles, especially there were many women. Fights always began at dawn and ended when the last rays of the sun touched the horizon. And on holidays, everything went on for several days.
Great Wall (China)
The wall stretches across northern China for 8,851.9 km. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e., where more than 1,000,000 people took part. Construction lasted 10 years, but there were too many problems: there were no roads, enough water and food for the builders, epidemics raged. As a result, the local population rebelled against further construction and the ruling dynasty.
The next government that came to power continued construction. But this exhausted the people and the treasury, and the wall itself did not provide the protection that the authorities had hoped for. Enemies could easily penetrate weakly fortified places, or simply bribe the guards.
Ancient city in Peru
Machu Picchu - old lost city Inca", built high in the mountains. This city - one of the world's wonders - was built in the 15th century at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level. The architecture of stone buildings harmoniously blended into the beauty of mountain landscapes.
Astronomical structures were invented in the city, allowing you to observe the heavenly bodies - this is a water mirror 0.92 by 0.62 m, a gnomon monolith and a temple resembling an observatory.
Fruits and vegetables, medicinal plants, coca (cocaine) were grown here. And higher in the mountains there were pastures of domestic animals and useful metals were mined here.
During the entire existence of the city, the Spaniards and other conquerors never managed to reach it. After the collapse of the Inca Empire, the inhabitants left the city and for 400 years it was in ruins.
Nabataean city
The ruins of ancient Petra were located at the intersection of the trade routes of the Red and mediterranean seas. More than 800 sights could be admired in the city. The structure was considered an artificial oasis, built among rocks and sand, and consists almost entirely of stone buildings.
At one time, Petra was conquered by the Roman Empire, but after the fall of Rome, the city was forgotten for almost 2,000 years. And only at the beginning of the 19th century it was discovered by a Swiss traveler.
tomb in india
One of the most beautiful wonders of the world -. The architecture smoothly intertwines Persian, Islamic and Indian styles. Construction continued for 21 years, day and night. The temple was built in honor of the beloved wife of Emperor Mumtaz Mahal who died during childbirth.
To build the tomb, building material was brought to India from all over Asia, and more than 20,000 workers built the temple. The building rises up to 74 meters. At one time, English soldiers and officials plundered the Taj Mahal, picking out gems from the walls of the temple. At the end of the 19th century, the tomb was reconstructed and modified, and the garden was given an English look.
A beautiful snow-white mausoleum with five domes and four minarets seems to hover over an artificial pond, reflecting on the water surface.
Statue of Christ (Brazil)
The famous 38-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer. Lightning strikes it regularly and therefore there are always stones nearby for restoration.
Every year, almost 2,000,000 tourists visit the huge monument to see not only it, but also the picturesque picture that opens at the foot of the statue. You can get to the top by motorway or railway with a miniature train. Funds for the construction of the statue were collected "by the whole world" and the work lasted about 9 years.
In the initial version, the pedestal was supposed to have the shape of a globe of the earth, but then they settled on the statue of Christ with outstretched arms in the form of a cross.
Sacred Mayan City (Mexico)
Chichen Itza - holy city Maya peoples. People came to this place in the 4th century, and in the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs and turned into the most powerful city of that time. In the 12th century, the city began to decline and gradually collapse. But it is still unknown why the inhabitants left the great city.
Beautiful buildings have survived to this day: the Kukulkan pyramid, dedicated to the God of winds and rains, the “Temple of Time”, ball games grounds (it is believed that the losing team was beheaded), the temple of the Warriors, the observatory, the Sacred Cenote for sacrifices.
The beautiful creations of mankind still delight with their beauty and originality. Maybe in many years new list seven wonders of the world, but for now we admire the photo and read the description of these beautiful structures.
See also video:
Egyptian pyramids at El Giza
EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS, the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. The largest of them - the pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin in El Giza in ancient times were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The erection of the pyramid, in which the Greeks and Romans already saw a monument to the unprecedented pride of kings and cruelty, which doomed the entire people of Egypt to senseless construction, was the most important cult act and was supposed to express, apparently, the mystical identity of the country and its ruler. The population of the country worked on the construction of the tomb in a free from se agricultural work part of the year. A number of texts testify to the attention and care that the kings themselves (albeit of a later time) paid to the construction of their tomb and its builders. It is also known about the special cult honors that turned out to be the pyramid itself.
The pyramids of Egypt served as tombs for their dead kings. In the center of the ritual complex of the building are the Egyptian pyramids, according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, they had magical powers, in which the mummified pharaoh could reach eternal life. The first step that led to the creation of the Egyptian Pyramids complex was the Pyramid of Djoser, built shortly after Egypt became a unified land (around 3000 BC). The pyramids of Egypt became known mainly due to the Pyramid of Cheops, located in Giza, which was discovered centuries later. The Egyptian pyramids were distinguished by unique technological features, and it is still not entirely clear how they were built. The true evolution in which the Egyptian pyramids developed can be traced from the most ancient prehistoric tombs to the splendor of the Giza plateau. The pyramids were built on the left - western bank of the Nile (the West is the kingdom of the dead) and towered over everything city of the dead- countless tombs, pyramids, temples. The largest of the three is the pyramid of Cheops (architect Hemiun, 27th century BC). Its height was originally 147 m, and the length of the side of the base was 232 m. For its construction, it took 2 million 300 thousand huge stone blocks, the average weight of which is 2.5 tons. The slabs were not fastened with mortar, only an extremely precise fit holds them. In ancient times, the pyramids were lined with polished white limestone slabs, their tops were covered with copper slabs that sparkled in the sun (only the pyramid of Cheops preserved the limestone sheathing, the Arabs used the coating of other pyramids in the construction of the White Mosque in Cairo). Near the pyramid of Khafre rises one of the largest statues of antiquity and our time - a figure carved from the rock of a lying sphinx with portrait features of Pharaoh Khafre himself. The great pyramids were surrounded by a number of small tombs for the wives of the pharaohs and their entourage. Such complexes necessarily included the sanctuaries of Upper and Lower Egypt, large courtyards for the celebration of heb-su, mortuary temples, the ministers of which were supposed to support the cult of the deceased king. The space around the pyramid, surrounded by steles, was connected by a long covered passage to the temple on the banks of the Nile, where the body of the pharaoh was met and funeral ceremonies began. All pyramids are precisely oriented to the cardinal points, which indicates a high level of astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, the calculation of the angles of inclination of the faces is absolutely impeccable. In the pyramid of Cheops, the angle of inclination is such that the height of the pyramid is equal to the radius of an imaginary circle in which the base of the pyramid is inscribed. A remarkable engineering find of ancient architects and builders was a construction in the thickness of masonry above burial chamber five unloading chambers, with the help of which it was possible to remove and evenly distribute the enormous load on its floors. In addition to the chambers in the pyramid, there are other voids - corridors, passages and galleries, the entrances to which were carefully walled up and disguised. Nevertheless, the burials in the pyramids were plundered, apparently quite soon after the burial of the pharaohs. The thieves knew all the traps well, so they were most likely connected either with the builders or with the priests who carried out the burials. The buildings in El Giza, with their grandeur and apparent uselessness, amazed the imagination already in antiquity, which is best conveyed by the Arabic proverb: "Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time is afraid of the pyramids."
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
HANGING GARDENS OF SEMIRAMIS, gardens in the palace of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), which he ordered to be laid out for his beloved wife, the Median princess; traditionally ranked among the Seven Wonders of the World. The first mention of wonderful gardens was preserved in the "History" of Herodotus, who probably visited Babylon and left us the most complete description of it. Perhaps, with an eye to the "father of history", the hanging gardens in the Hellenistic era were placed on the list of the greatest and most famous structures.
Gardens in Babylon
Curiously, however, one of the world's most impressive sights is not even mentioned by Herodotus: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. They indicate that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years, starting from 605 BC. There is a less credible alternative story that the gardens were built by the Assyrian queen Semiramis during her five-year reign beginning in 810 BC. This was the peak of the city's power and influence, when King Nebuchadnezzar built an amazing array of temples, streets, palaces and walls, which included the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. According to legend, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built to surprise and please Nebuchadnezzar's wife, Amitis. Amitis, the daughter of the king of Media, married Nebuchadnezzar to create an alliance between the nations. She came from a green, sunny country, and the sun-dried terrain of Mesopotamia seemed depressing to her. The king decided to recreate his homeland by creating artificial mountains with gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon got their name not because they hung like a cable or rope. The name comes from an inaccurate translation of the Greek word, which means not only "hanging", but "overhanging", as is the case with a terrace or balcony. Already in the time of Herodotus, the construction of hanging gardens was attributed to the legendary conqueror of all Asia - the Assyrian queen Shamurmat (in Greek pronunciation - Semiramis). The gardens were located on a wide four-tiered tower. The terrace platforms were made up of stone slabs covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Next came the laying of two rows of bricks fastened with plaster and lead slabs, which did not let water into the lower floors of the garden. All this complex structure was covered with a thick layer of fertile earth, which made it possible to plant the largest trees here. The tiers rose in ledges, connected by wide stairs with slabs of pink and white flowers. Every day, thousands of slaves pumped water from deep wells to the top into numerous canals, from where it flowed down to the lower terraces. The murmur of water, the shade and coolness among the trees (taken from distant Media) seemed like a miracle. At the base, the structure rested on columns and vaulted ceilings. It was in these halls of the palace in the lower tier of the garden that Alexander the Great, the conqueror of Babylon and Asia, died. After the desolation of Babylon (Alexander's heirs no longer returned to this capital of their great predecessor), the flood destroyed the walls of the palace, the water softened the poorly baked clay, the terraces settled, the vaults and supporting columns collapsed. The only trace of the once grandiose monument of engineering at the present time is the network of intersecting trenches discovered thanks to the excavations of Robert Koldewey in 1898 near the Iraqi city of Hille (90 km from Baghdad), in the sections of which traces of dilapidated masonry are still visible.
Statue of Olympian Zeus
STATUE OF OLYMPIC ZEUS, the famous statue of the king of the gods and people by the great Greek sculptor Phidias; 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 sacred grove Altise. To the question of the artist Panen, how Phidias planned to present the supreme god, the master replied: “... So, as Zeus is represented by Homer in the following verses of the Iliad: Rivers, and as a sign of black Zeus waves his eyebrows: Quickly, fragrant hair rose up at Kronid Okrest immortal head; and the multi-hilled Olympus shook.
Zeus statue in Olympia
The statue was made by Phidias in the chrysoelephantine technique: the exposed parts of the body were lined with ivory plates, the robes were cast in gold, and the base of the sculpture was wooden. The height of the statue reached approx. 17 m high. If the god "rose", his height would far exceed the height of the temple itself. Travelers who saw Zeus at Olympia call the combination of authority and mercy, wisdom and kindness in his face amazing. In his hand, the Thunderer held a statue of Nike (a symbol of victory). The richest throne of Zeus was also made of gold and ivory. The back, armrests and foot were decorated with ivory reliefs, golden images of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. The lower walls of the throne were covered with drawings of Panen, his legs - images of dancing Nik. Zeus's feet, shod in golden sandals, rested on a bench decorated with golden lions. In front of the pedestal of the statue, the floor was paved with dark blue Eleusinian stone, a basin carved into it for olive oil was supposed to save the ivory from drying out. The light that penetrated the doors of the dark temple, reflected from the smooth surface of the liquid in the pool, fell on the golden clothes of Zeus and illuminated his head; it seemed to those who entered that the radiance emanated from the very face of the deity. Possibly at the end of the 4th c. the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople and installed at the capital's hippodrome, where it died during one of the fires.
Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.
MAUSOLEUM IN HALICARNASS, the tomb of King Mausolus of Caria (died 353 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The building originally combined the eastern step pyramid and the Greek Ionic peripter (architects Satyr and Pytheas). Like other Greek monuments from among the Seven Wonders of the World, the mausoleum was famous not only for the grandeur of its architecture, but also for its collection of sculptures - the base of the pyramid, on which the Greek-type temple and another pyramid rested, were decorated with reliefs with scenes of Amazonomachy by the most famous sculptors of the 4th century. BC e. - Leochar, Skopas, Briaxis and Timothy.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
In 377 BC, the city of Halicarnassus was the capital of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in this year that the ruler of this land died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Mausolus continued the expansion of the territory begun by his father, reaching the southwestern part of Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen, ruled Halicarnassus and the surrounding territories for 24 years. Mausolus, although he was a local resident, spoke excellent Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government. Then, in 353 BC. Mausolus died, leaving his queen alone, who was also his sister (It was the local custom for rulers to marry their own sister), heartbroken. As a tribute to him, she decided to build the most magnificent Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which became his tomb. Soon the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus became a well-known building, and now the name of Mausolus is associated with all the majestic tombs, since it was from his name that the word "mausoleum" appeared. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was so beautiful and unique that it became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The almost untouched mausoleum stood for approx. 1800 years in the middle of a deserted city until the 15th century, when it was dismantled by the crusaders, who reinforced it with plates of their stronghold on the Aegean Sea - the castle of St. Petra (modern Bodrum in Turkey). It was within the walls of the fortress and the surrounding houses that the English archaeologist C.T. Archaeological Museum in Istanbul), statues of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia (who continued to build their common tomb after the death of the king) and a colossal chariot that crowned the entire structure.
Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.
ARTEMIS EPHESUS TEMPLE (Artemision), one of the most famous and revered pilgrimage centers of the ancient world; Since the Hellenistic era, it has traditionally been included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus today is the remains of columns and meager fragments lying on the ground, and this is all that remains of the seventh wonder of the world. According to Strabo, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus was destroyed at least seven times, and rebuilt the same number of times. Archaeological finds testify to at least four restorations of this temple, dating back to the 7th century BC. Chersiphon and Metagenes erected a two-winged temple in the 6th century BC. and, according to Herostratus, it was burned - the next majestic structure, built entirely of marble, appeared in 334 BC, and was completed in 250 BC. The temple of Artemis of Ephesus was admired even by Alexander the Great, who paid for the continuation of the work. Skopas and Praxiteles also worked there, and Chirocrates was responsible for the design. The Hellenistic temple was built on a podium, which was reached by a 13-step staircase. A double colonnade surrounded the outer and inner space (105 x 55 m). The relief columns were the work of Scopas, and Praxiteles worked on the design of the altar. Unfortunately, as we have already said, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus has not been preserved. ancient footprints worship of Artemis near the place of her birth dates back to pre-Greek times; a giant temple of the goddess was built in the 6th century. BC e. architect Hersiphron of Knossos. During one of the sieges, the inhabitants of Ephesus stretched a rope from the temple to the city, thereby turning it into an inviolable sanctuary. The glory of Artemision was so great that people from all over the Greek ecumene placed their savings in it. The student of Socrates, the famous historian Xenophon, who transferred a large amount of money to the goddess for safekeeping before going to Persia (described in Anabasis), on his return he built a small temple on them as a token of gratitude to Artemis - an exact copy of Ephesus - in the town of Skillunt in Elis. July 21, 356 BC e. the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, the main shrine of the Greeks of Asia Minor, was burned by Herostratus - a sacrilege was committed that shook the entire Hellenic world. Subsequently, a legend arose that Artemision burned down on the day when the future conqueror of Asia, Alexander the Great, was born. When Alexander approached the city after 25 years, he wished to restore the temple in all its splendor. The architect Alexandra Deinocrates, who supervised the work, retained his previous plan, only raised the building to a higher stepped base. The whole building was striking in its splendor and scale unusual for Greek architecture. The temple occupied a huge area - 110 x 55 m, the height of the Corinthian columns (there were 127 of them), a double row surrounding the structure, was also grandiose - about 18 m; the roof of Artemision was covered with marble tiles. One of the sights of the building were 36 columns, decorated at the base with reliefs almost in human height. The great Greek masters took part in the decoration of such a revered place: Praxiteles sculpted reliefs for the altar in the sanctuary fence, the reliefs of the columns were made by Skopas, Apelles placed his paintings in the temple; Art Gallery Artemision was as famous as the collection of paintings in the Athenian propylaea. The sanctuary also flourished under the Romans, sources report rich gifts to the temple of silver and gold statues and the construction of a portico along the road from the city to the sanctuary (about 200 m). The Acts of the Apostles mentions the indignation caused in the city by the preaching of the Apostle Paul, which interfered with the trade in silver models of the temple of the goddess, the manufacture of which was the most profitable craft here. In 263, the Goths who broke into Asia Minor, having heard about the innumerable riches of the city and Artemision, plundered the sanctuary; the next blow was the prohibition of pagan cults in the Roman Empire in 391 under Theodosius I the Great. It is known, however, that the cult of Artemis continued to go here for another two centuries, until this place was finally abandoned after an earthquake. In 1869, as a result of excavations begun by the English archaeologist J. T. Wood in a swamp at the supposed site of the sanctuary, the base plate of the structure was discovered and numerous offerings to the temple were found. The famous reliefs of the columns of Artemision are currently in the British Museum (London).
Faros lighthouse.
FAROS LIGHTHOUSE (Lighthouse of Alexandria), lighthouse on east coast about. Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria, the Hellenistic capital of Egypt; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The builder of this miracle of technology, the first and only colossal lighthouse in the entire Greek world, was Sostratus of Cnidus. On the marble wall of the building, Sostratus carved the inscription: "Sostratus, the son of Dexifan from Cnidus, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of sailors." He covered this inscription with a thin layer of plaster with the glorification of King Ptolemy Soter written on it. Over time, the plaster that fell off revealed the true name of the builder and great engineer.
Alexandrian lighthouse
During the construction of the lighthouse, the most remarkable 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 faces of the second tier were oriented in the direction of the eight main winds. The third floor - a lantern crowned the dome with a statue of Poseidon about 7 m high. A complex system of metal mirrors intensified the light of the fire lit on the top of the structure and made it possible to observe the expanse of the sea; the lighthouse itself was also a well-fortified fortress with a large military garrison. Travelers who saw the lighthouse wrote about the cunningly arranged statues that adorned the lighthouse tower: one of them always pointed to the sun along its entire path and lowered its hand down when it set, the other beat every hour day and night, the third one could find out the direction wind. The amazing building stood until the 14th century, but even in its already badly destroyed form, its height was approx. 30 m. At present, only the base of the lighthouse has been preserved, entirely built into medieval fortress(now - the base of the Egyptian fleet).
The Colossus of Rhodes.
THE COLOSS OF RHODES, a gigantic statue of Helios by the sculptor Hares on the island. Rhodes; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was erected with the money received by Rhodes after the sale of the siege machines of Demetrius I Poliorcetes, 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 sight. Before them appears a huge statue of a woman in clothes, standing on a small island in the harbor, holding a book and a torch, rushing into the sky. The statue is almost one hundred and twenty feet from the feet to the crown. It is sometimes called the "Modern Colossus", but more often it is called the Statue of Liberty. The Colossus of Rhodes, which the Statue of Liberty so reminds us of, is an ancient creation of the ancients, located on the island of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue standing along the banks of the strait, one foot was on one side, the other on the second. According to the project, ships were supposed to float between the legs of the statue. Unfortunately, the Colossus of Rhodes turned out to be “weak in the legs”, because of the earthquake, his legs gave way, and the huge statue collapsed into the water. For a long time there were remains of his legs, which served as proof of his existence, but they have not survived to this day either. The Colossus of Rhodes today has become a symbol of a massive, but ill-conceived project at the base, which can easily collapse. Helios was not just a particularly revered deity on the island - he was its creator: having no place dedicated to him, the sun god carried the island on his hands from the depths of the sea. The statue of the god towered right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible to swimmers already from the neighboring islands, the height of the statue was approx. 35 m, i.e., almost three times higher than the "Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg. At the base, the statue was made of clay with a metal frame, finished with bronze sheets on top. To work on the image of the god directly at the site of its installation, Chares used a cunning technique: with the gradual elevation of the sculpture, the earthen hill around it also rose; the hill was subsequently torn down, and the statue in its entirety was revealed to the astonished inhabitants of the island. It took 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron to make a grandiose monument (about 13 and about 8 tons, respectively). The colossus also gave rise to a kind of fashion for giant statues, on Rhodes already in the 2nd century. BC e. about a hundred colossal sculptures were installed. The creation of the bronze giant lasted approx. 12 years, but he stood, however, only 56 years. In 220 BC e. during the earthquake, the statue collapsed, unable to withstand the vibrations of the ground. As Strabo writes, "the statue lay on the ground, overthrown by an earthquake and broken at the knees." But even then the Colossus was surprising for its size; Pliny the Elder mentions that only a few could grasp the statue's thumb with both hands. The fragments of the Colossus lay on the ground for more than a thousand years, until they were finally sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977, to a merchant who, as one of the chronicles tells, loaded 900 camels with them. At present, it is not possible to fully reconstruct the appearance of the statue. Not so long ago, a couple of years ago, regular elections were held, where new 7 wonders of the world were determined.
Modern wonders of the world
The new list includes the following miracles:
Great Chinese Wall- in our humble opinion, it should be included in all such lists, which affect the new wonders of the world. The wall is a truly incredible object, on which a lot of funds, materials, and human lives have been spent. Striking in its size, the design is admired when we only think about the state of the art that existed then.
- Petra- this object was also rightfully included in the new 7 wonders of the world, since it represents whole city entirely carved into the rocks. The craftsmanship of the workers is surprising even by modern standards, and if we again remember that the city is several thousand years old, then we can say with confidence that this is a real miracle.
- Christ statue- known to us from the Brazilian TV series, high construction crowning a hill in Rio. Considering the new 7 wonders of the world, we believe that it would be possible to choose something else, more worthy, but this is only our personal opinion.
- Machu Picchu- an Indian city that has survived to this day, and is a monument ancient civilization Incas. New wonders of the world put it in the same place with the Chinese wall and Egyptian pyramids, and we tend to agree with them - indeed, there is something to see here.
- Chichen Itza- these are buildings that have become a monument to another great civilization - the Maya. Here, ancient sculptures, buildings, inventions have been preserved, almost in perfect condition that have survived to this day. Even some pieces of furniture were found here. Our verdict - modern wonders lights must include this city.
- Roman Coliseum- a place where gladiator battles took place, soaked in blood and scary stories, the last breaths of people and animals. The new wonders of the world include the Colosseum, not just because of its beauty, but because of its history, participation in ancient works, stories and narratives.
- Taj Mahal- fanned with a romantic halo, the temple, built in memory, probably, of one of the most famous stories love in the world, it deserves to be included in the modern 8 wonders of the world solely because of its history.
- Pyramids of Egypt- they were included in the new 8 wonders of the world, because the Egyptians were offended by the fact that their "miracle" was not included in the list of the best. It was decided to respect the request, because the truth is, the design deserves admiration. Another new 8 wonders of the world A new selection of applicants for the list of "modern 8 wonders of the world" is currently being conducted. The fact is that the previous selection attracted a lot of attention, made it possible to significantly increase knowledge about natural wonders, engineering and others. Therefore, today it is proposed to once again choose the new 8 wonders of the world - natural. The selection will take place in several stages, now 21 finalists are being determined.
Illustrated interpretation Seven Wonders of the World.
The New Seven Wonders of the World is a project aimed at finding the modern seven wonders of the world. It 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. The result was announced on July 7, 2007.
The Colosseum or the Flavian Amphitheater is an amphitheater, an architectural monument of Ancient Rome, the most famous and one of the most grandiose structures. ancient world that have survived to our time. It is located in Rome, in a hollow between the Esquiline, Palatine and Caelievsky hills.
IN ancient rome many historical monuments have been preserved, but the most unusual of them is the Colosseum, in which people doomed to death fought desperately and died for the entertainment of the free citizens of Rome. It became the largest and most famous of all Roman amphitheatres, and one of the greatest masterpieces of Roman engineering and architecture that has survived to this day. The grandiose Colosseum amazed everyone who first came to the capital of the empire. This is a symbol of Rome and its centuries-old history, the largest and most beautiful stadium of the ancient world.
The amphitheater is a Roman invention. It consisted of an elliptical arena, surrounded by rows of rows of seated stands, on which, without putting themselves at risk, a large audience could watch spectacular bloody spectacles. Here, gladiator fights were held and wild exotic animals were paraded, so that later, in front of the eyes of a bewitched crowd, they would pit them against each other in a deadly fight.
Rome, even before the construction of the Colosseum, had several amphitheaters, but after a grand fire in 64 AD. e. a new building was needed. The Roman emperor Vespasian, who ruled from 69 AD. e., wanting to further spread the bloody sport of gladiators, ordered to start in 72 AD. e. the construction of an amphitheater, which was to bear the name of the new imperial dynasty and surpass all previous ones with unprecedented size and beauty. The amphitheater was originally called Flavian (Amphiteatrum Flavium).
It was erected at the bottom of an artificial reservoir dug under Vespasian's predecessor, Emperor Nero, for his famous luxurious Golden House. Such a choice of location was very beneficial not only from a 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 scope than Nero, but this was construction for public needs, and not at all to satisfy the personal whims of the emperor.
In circumference, the Colosseum reaches 527 meters, it has the shape of an ellipse with diagonals of 188 and 156 meters. The height of the undamaged part is 57 meters. Four floors of the building could accommodate 80 thousand people. A giant canopy was attached to the columns of the upper tier, protecting the audience from the scorching sun. Inside the building was lined with marble, and on the facade - with travertine (a porous rock that was widely used in ancient times as a building material), the plates of which were fastened with iron brackets. Numerous underground passages began under the sand-covered wooden floor of the arena. During performances, decorations, animals, gladiators and their weapons were raised along these passages with the help of special mechanisms. The audience was separated from the arena by a metal grill. It was possible to get inside the building through one of the 80 arches of the first tier.
It was solemnly consecrated in 80 AD. e. already the heir of Vespasian, Emperor Titus. On this occasion, they arranged a holiday that lasted exactly 100 days. During that period of time, 5 thousand predators brought from North Africa and hundreds of gladiators were killed in the arena of the Colosseum. But even then, despite the official opening, the construction was not yet fully completed. The last, upper tribune for spectators was completed only under the successor of Titus, Emperor Domitian.
A distinctive feature of this structure is a large number of tiers. Its architecture shows how ingenious it is - you can simply streamline and direct the movement of countless crowds of people. A complex system of flights of stairs and walkways ensured unhindered and easy access to the stands to seating. Four main entrances made it possible to make a quick pass to the arena, and through 80 arches in just 10 minutes it was possible to reach the numbered visual places. Often the audience spent several days here in a row, so they brought food from home with them. All this indicates a high engineering and architectural level of construction. But it should also be noted that there were no toilets with all the ensuing circumstances.
Seats in the Colosseum were distributed according to the social status of the spectators. The lower ones were intended for representatives of the upper strata of society - government officials, priests, vestals. Commoners sat on the upper tiers. The imperial box - a podium with a spacious terrace - was located right next to the arena. The rows closest to it were reserved for wealthy patricians and honored guests. The amphitheater was divided into sectors, each of which had a serial number.
The name of the architect who designed the amphitheater is unknown, but it is assumed that he was Rabirius, who later became the author of the palace of Domitian. Outside, the amphitheater is entirely covered with travertine and has four tiers. The three lower ones represent arched arches running along the entire profile, cut by pilasters and semi-columns in the canonical sequence: on the first tier - Doric, on the second - Ionic, and on the third - Corinthian. The fourth, upper tier, completed a little later, is a solid wall, dissected by Corinthian pilasters and cut through with small windows. On the crowning cornice, holes are still preserved, where supports were inserted to stretch a bright awning that protected spectators from the heat. Each arched span of the first tier had an entrance to the seats for spectators: 76 of these entrances were numbered (Roman numerals can still be seen on the arches); four main entrances were intended: one for the imperial retinue, another for the vestals, the third for judges and the last for honored guests.
The Colosseum had 36 elevators operated manually by slaves. Each elevator could lift up to 10 slaves. They also carried wild animals. In 523 a.d. e., after long popular protests, a decree was passed in Rome prohibiting the killing of predators. In this ancient stadium, the display of gladiator fights continued until the 5th century AD. e.
In the center of the Roman Colosseum was an arena surrounded by archers, who guarded the audience from the attack of predators. A terrace was built around the arena, where the imperial box and the boxes of prominent senators, judges and popes were located. The remaining visual places were divided into three tiers. The lower tier - noble nobles and wealthy merchants, the second - for the free citizens of Rome of the middle class, the last - for the common people. The top rows were filled with slaves operating the elevators. And even higher than the slaves were the sailors of the imperial navy Classis Miseniensis. What were they doing there? They operated a huge linen canvas that covered the Colosseum from above in such a way that the arena remained always open. For this, a complex structure was built here, consisting of 240 pillars, supporting a giant matter. And since the sailors were excellent masters in the management of sails, they were the ones responsible for this sector. Under the arena there were special passages that were used for performances, as well as cages with wild animals. The creators of the Colosseum designed a complex system of passages and lifts, through which angry animals released from their cages in the dungeon fell directly into the arena. There were 2 special exits in the Colosseum: the exit of life and the exit of death. Victors or pardoned gladiators went out into one, and the dead were carried out through the other.
Entrance to the Colosseum was free. Many emperors cared about the entertainment of their people, so they could be more easily kept under control. For the same purpose, flour for baking bread was distributed free of charge before entering the stadium. Among the spectators there were many women who were ardent fans of these bloody spectacles.
Gladiator fights began at dawn and ended at dusk, and some festive performances continued for several days. The performance usually opened with a performance of festively dressed gladiators, under their feet there was a wooden flooring sprinkled with sand to absorb blood.
The first number of the program was cripples and clowns: these also fought, but not seriously and without blood. Sometimes women also appeared - competed in archery. And only then came the turn of gladiators and animals. First, trained animals performed, and then wild animals were released into the arena, which were set against each other or against armed people. The love of the Romans for such spectacles led to the mass extermination of animals. But much more cruel were the fights of the gladiators who fought not for life, but for death. They were recruited from slaves, convicted criminals or prisoners of war. The main weapon of the gladiators was a short double-edged sword - the gladius. When the mortally wounded fighters fell, a man dressed as Charon (the character of Greek mythology - the carrier of the dead to the afterlife) entered the arena. The body was taken out, the bloody stain was sprinkled with sand, and the place of the deceased gladiator was taken by the next. The one who was seriously injured could lie on the floor and ask the audience for mercy. If the crowd thought he fought valiantly, they chanted "Mitte!" ("Release him!"). But if the fighter failed to win the sympathy of the public, the inexorable "Ingula!" ("Kill him!"). In the Colosseum, the almighty Caesar did not contradict the desires of his subjects: at the request of "Mitte!" he raised his thumb up, giving the gladiator life, and sometimes freedom, while after the cries of "ingula!" put his finger down, sentencing the fighter to death.
The use of wild animals in the arena has become so diverse and complex that specially trained people - bestiaries - have been attracted to perform numbers with them. Spectacles with animals were especially fond of the Roman mob. The higher nobility preferred gladiator fights. Bestiaries were trained in a special school. They had their own traditions, their own form and their own professional jargon. During the magnificent celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the Colosseum in 80 AD. e. about 5 thousand lions, hippos, elephants, zebras were killed by gladiators. A huge number of animals died in 248, during the festivities in honor of the 1000th anniversary of Rome.
Bloody gladiator fights were banned only in 404 AD. e. In 523 a.d. er., after long popular protests, a decree was passed in Rome prohibiting the killing of predators.
The invasions of the barbarians led the Flavian Amphitheater to desolation and marked the beginning of its destruction. From the 11th century until 1132, it served as a fortress for noble Roman families who competed with each other for influence and power over fellow citizens, especially for the families of Frangipani and Annibaldi. The latter, however, were forced to cede the Colosseum to Emperor Henry VII, who presented it to the Roman Senate and people. Back in 1332, the local aristocracy organized bullfights here, but from that time on, the systematic destruction of the Colosseum began. They began to look at it as a source of obtaining building material, and not only stones that had fallen off, but also those stones deliberately broken out of it, began to go to new structures. So, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Pope Paul II took material from it to build the so-called Venetian palace, Cardinal Riario - the Palace of the Chancellery, Paul III - the Palazzo Farnese. However, a significant part of the amphitheater survived, although the building as a whole remained disfigured. Sixtus V intended to use it to set up a cloth factory, and Clement IX actually turned the Colosseum into a saltpeter factory.
Pulling away the stone that threatened to completely destroy ancient monument, stopped only in the middle of the 18th century by Pope Benedict XIV, who installed a cross on the building, and around it a number of altars in memory of the tortures, the procession to Golgotha and the death of the Savior on the cross, and consecrated it as a place of martyrdom of many Christians. This cross and altars were only removed from the Colosseum in 1874. The popes who followed Benedict XIV, especially Pius VII and Leo XII, continued to take care of the safety of the surviving parts of the building and reinforced with buttresses the places of the walls that threatened to fall, and Pius IX corrected some of the internal stairs in it.
The current view of the amphitheater is almost a triumph of minimalism: a strict ellipse, three tiers made in three orders, of a precisely calculated arch shape. Initially, a statue was attached to each arch, and a giant opening between the walls was covered with a canvas using a special mechanism.
The primacy of compiling a list of the 7 seven wonders of the world of the Ancient World is attributed to Antipater of Sidon, who sang them for centuries in his poem:
I saw your walls, Babylon, on which it is spacious
And chariots; I saw Zeus at Olympia,
The Miracle of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Helios
And the pyramids are the work of many and hard works;
I know Mausolus a huge tomb. But I just saw
I am the chamber of Artemis, who raised the roof to the clouds,
Everything else faded before him; outside of Olympus
The sun sees no beauty equal to it anywhere.
IN different times with the construction of new buildings, they tried to change the list of 7 wonders of the world of antiquity, but in the final version, only the lighthouse of Alexandria appeared from the new ones, which overshadowed the grandeur of the walls of Babylon.
Some include all the pyramids of Egypt, some of the great pyramids of Giza, but for the most part, only the largest of them, the pyramid of Cheops, is perceived as a miracle. The pyramid is also considered the oldest miracle on the list - its construction is estimated at about 2000 BC. Despite its old age, this is the only building of the 7 old wonders of the world that has survived to this day.
Created by order of the king of the desert Babylon Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, these gardens were supposed to console and remind her of her distant homeland. The name of Semiramis, the Assyrian queen, appeared here by mistake, but, nevertheless, was firmly entrenched in history.
The statue was created for a temple in a large religious center Ancient Greece- Olympia. Giant Zeus sculptor Phidias struck local residents so much so that they decided that Zeus himself personally posed for the master.
In the ancient large port city of Ephesus, the goddess of fertility Artemis was especially revered. In honor of her, a huge and majestic temple was created here, which was included in the list of 7 ancient wonders of the world.
The rich king Mausolus wished to erect a mausoleum-temple in Halicarnassus, incomparable to anything in beauty. The best masters of that time worked on the construction. The work was completed only after the death of Mausolus, but this did not prevent him from going down in history forever.
In honor of the great victory, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build a huge statue of the god Helios. The plan was carried out, but this miracle did not last long, and was soon destroyed by an earthquake.
To navigate ships up close major port Alexandria, it was decided to build the largest lighthouse at that time. The building immediately overshadowed the walls of Babylon and took its place in the list of the seven wonders of the world of antiquity.
