The original seven wonders of the ancient world weren’t chosen by international consensus. They came about after the historians of ancient Greece began traveling around the borders of their classical empire and noted what monuments caught their eye—sort of like a travel guide for their fellow Greeks.
The Great Pyramid at Giza, Egypt
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Great Pyramid at Giza Egypt
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Great Pyramid at Giza Egypt
The Great Pyramid at Giza is both the oldes ancient wonder and the only one still standing today. It was built as a mausoleum for the pharaoh Khufu around 2650 BC and for over 4,000 years remained the world’s tallest structure.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Iraq
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Iraq
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Iraq
According to legend, 6th-century Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had a colossal maze of waterfalls and dense vegetation planted across his palace for a wife, who missed her lush homeland. Archaeologists still debate the garden’s existence.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece
Built around 450 BC and 40 feet tall, the seated figure of Greece’s Olympic deity was the country’s most revered piece of art. Zeus was so impressive that games’ visitors routinely wept at its sight and the Roman emperor Caligula tried to steal it.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Turkey
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Turkey
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Turkey
Even the ancient historians who saw and compiled the list of wonders couldn’t believe the immense beauty of the marble Temple of Artemis, built in 550 BC by a local king. It was set ablaze a few centuries later by a man seeking fame.
The Colossus of Rhodes, Greece
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Colossus of Rhodes, Greece
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Colossus of Rhodes, Greece
This statue of the God Helios presided for just 60 years over the harbor entrance on Rhodes, but that was long enough to create a legend. People came to see its 100 feet of ruins for years after it was felled by an earthquake in 226 BC.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt
Both practical and beautiful, the 400-foot lighthouse at the mouth of Alexandria of Egypt harbor started guiding sailors home around 250 BC. A fire made the lighthouse glow at night and a mirror reflected sun rays during the day, some say up to 35 miles away.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Turkey
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Turkey
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World - The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Turkey
Built for a king of little note, this glorified headstone made the list for its incredible marble and gold details, reportedly awe-inspiring to any who saw it. The 4th-century BC monument was eventually dismantled and its stones used in other local building.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:55 am
BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS-THANKS-gframesch.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:20 am
hi goood it it
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:15 am
Thanks for the valuable infomration but there is a mistake which is your statement that the location of the Lighthouse of Alexadnria is in Greece!! There are more than 20 cities in the world named Alexandria, and some people claim they are even more…but the most famous of them all is the Alexandria of Egypt, a Mediterranean City in the North of EGYPT where the lighthouse was there and after being destroyed by an earthquake its ruins is still laying under the sea on the cost of Alexandria !!
A prompt correction to this mistake will be highly appreciated !