7 wonders of the world what they are. A brief history of the seven ancient wonders of the world (8 photos)

Boris RUDENKO.

Pyramids of Egypt.

Gardens of Babylon (Hanging Gardens of Babylon).

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

Statue of Olympian Zeus.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

The Colossus of Rhodes.

Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse.

When someone, seeing something that struck him, habitually says: “This is the eighth wonder of the world!”, The people around understand perfectly well: in the sense that it is wonderful and amazing. That is, it is clear to everyone: the previous seven are real miracles, which means that the eighth is no worse.

But ask anyone and everyone to name these seven previous ones. In nine out of ten cases (or maybe ninety-nine out of a hundred), he will think for a while, and then he will say something like this: “Well, the pyramid of Cheops ... and then I don’t remember.” Don't remember, sorry. It is a shame not to know at all, because there are things in world culture that every intelligent person, starting from the age of 12-13 or even earlier, is simply obliged to know.

To begin with, we list the wonders of the world.

1. Egyptian pyramids.

2. Gardens of Babylon (hanging gardens of Babylon).

3. Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

4. Statue of Olympian Zeus.

5. Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

6. Colossus of Rhodes.

7. Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse.

But why exactly seven, and not ten or five, or something else?

From antiquity, a special attitude to certain numbers came to us. The number 7 is one of them. Someone says that 7 is the number of days of the change of phases of the lunar month (quarter, half, full and new moon - and all together 28). Others argue that 7 is the number of planets visible in the sky (Mercury, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, Venus plus the Sun and Moon). Still others are convinced that everything is much simpler, since almost every terrestrial mammal has 7 cervical vertebrae, which ancient people knew well hundreds of thousands of years ago, who had to share the food they got among members of their tribe.

Who was the author of the idea to call these seven creations of human hands the wonders of the world is also not exactly known (although there are several assumptions on this subject), but since the 4th century AD, no one has tried to argue with him. We won't do it either. So the first miracle

Pyramids of Egypt

The pyramids are the only miracle of the cherished seven that has survived to this day. It is also the most ancient: the age of the three great pyramids that the Greeks admired and we continue to marvel at - the pharaohs Cheops, Khafre and Mykerin - is about five thousand years. These colossal structures are not yet subject to the influence of time. The largest - the pyramid of Cheops - 147 meters high is made up of 2,300,000 blocks of limestone, each of them weighing about two tons.

The pyramids served as tombs for the kings of Egypt and were built long before their death for decades. How this happened exactly is unknown. Some historians say that the builders were disenfranchised slaves, others say that Egyptian peasants worked on the construction of the pyramids for feeding, replacing each other every three months. Until now, it is also unknown exactly how the giant blocks were dragged up as the pyramid grew. At that time, the builders did not have any equipment, except for blocks and levers. One of the researchers even suggested that they dragged blocks along special sand mounds - and if this was true, then the total amount of work done increases enormously ... Be that as it may, the work is gigantic and surprisingly accurate: the blocks are stacked so that between the blade of a knife will not fit in the neighboring ones. From the point of view of modern man, the pyramids are meaningless, but majestic, beautiful and perfect. Therefore, even today they invariably amaze everyone who sees them.

Gardens of Babylon (Hanging Gardens of Babylon)

The legend says that the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled in the 6th century BC, decided to give his beloved wife Amitis, who was born in the green expanses of Media (an ancient state in the west of modern Iran), an oasis - an exact copy of her homeland.

According to another legend, Queen Semiramis built the gardens and named them after her. The gardens were located on a wide four-tiered tower. The tiers were covered with a thick layer of fertile soil, in which outlandish plants were planted, not only flowers, but also tall palm trees, and trees of various species. To water these gardens, hundreds of slaves pumped water from the Euphrates.

Three hundred years later, the great conqueror Alexander the Great was so delighted with the beauty of the gardens that he decided to make Babylon the capital of his state. But years and centuries passed, the city fell into decay, floods destroyed buildings from poorly baked clay, and beautiful hanging gardens crumbled to dust.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

The ancient Greek city of Ephesus on the peninsula of Asia Minor (the territory of modern Turkey), its inhabitants dedicated to the goddess Artemis. In the 6th century BC, they decided to build a majestic temple for their patroness - Artemision, surpassing in beauty all known sanctuaries. The construction was entrusted to the architect Khersifron, who created the project and got down to business. The task turned out to be so huge and complex that Khersifron did not live to see the completion of the work. The case was continued by his son Metagen, but he also failed to complete it. The construction was completed by the architects Peonit and Demetrius. In total, as the story goes, the construction took 120 years. And yet a beautiful temple - a gigantic structure with an area of ​​​​more than 6000 square meters, surrounded by two rows of huge columns carved from marble 18 meters high - was built. Alas, he stood for no more than a hundred years. In 356 BC, a resident of Ephesus, Herostratus, set fire to the temple, thus deciding to perpetuate his name.

The Ephesians did not accept the loss. Having collected money, they restored the temple to its former splendor, turning it not only into the sanctuary of Artemis, whose 15-meter statue was installed in the main hall, but also into a collection of works of art by prominent artists of that time. In fact, the Temple of Artemis became the most famous museum of antiquity, having existed in this capacity for more than 600 years.

In 263 AD, the Gothic tribes captured Ephesus and sacked the temple. During the Byzantine period, its marble lining was dismantled to be used as a building material, and river sediments buried the remains of the foundation, and only in the 19th century did English archaeologists rediscover traces of the once great structure at a depth of six meters.

Statue of Olympian Zeus

5th century BC. The city of Olympia was considered sacred throughout ancient Greece. Temples and sanctuaries of the gods were located here, it was here that the Olympic Games began to be held. The main shrine of Olympia was the temple of the supreme god Zeus with a statue by the great sculptor Phidias.

The height of the god sitting on the throne reached 17 meters. The base of the statue was carved from wood, then skillfully carved ivory plates and chased gold were applied to it. There is a legend that when Phidias finished his work, he approached the statue and asked: “Well, Zeus, are you satisfied?” At that moment, a thunderclap sounded, and a crack ran across the marble floor in front of the throne.

Centuries flowed. Frequent earthquakes in Greece destroyed most of the temples of Olympia, but the statue of Zeus survived many of them. The Byzantine emperors transported her with all the precautions to Constantinople, although the religion of the pagan gods had already been replaced by Christianity and the images of the former idols were not honored. In the 5th century AD, a fire destroyed the palace of Emperor Theodosius, where the statue was located. The wooden colossus became prey to the fire. But according to the surviving evidence of those times, drawings and records, scientists were able to find out what the creation of Phidias looked like, which had existed for almost a millennium.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Not only the Egyptian pharaohs took care of their tombs in advance. King Mausolus, the ruler of the city of Halicarnassus in Asia Minor, known in history only for his greed, decided to do the same. He ordered the construction of a mausoleum, which was supposed to simultaneously become a temple, where Mausolus would be given divine honors. Mausolus invited the best architects, and around 360 BC, construction began. Mausolus himself did not live to see its completion; the construction of the mausoleum was continued by his widow, Queen Artemisia. But she did not manage to see the mausoleum built. The tomb was completely completed only under the grandson of Mausolus. It was a large rectangular building 66 meters wide, 77 meters long and 46 meters high. Marble columns and statues, steps lined with white marble, rising to the hall for sacrifices in honor of the king ... Historians and writers of antiquity unanimously described the tomb of Mausolus as an unusually beautiful building.

The mausoleum stood for about 1800 years, although it was badly damaged by frequent earthquakes. The miracle of the world was finally destroyed not by the forces of nature, but by the crusaders who captured the coast of Asia Minor in the 15th century. Today, only plates with antique bas-reliefs and fragments of statues stored in the British Museum, where they were transported from excavations, remind of the great creation of the ancient sculptors.

The Colossus of Rhodes

In 305 BC, the island (and city) of Rhodes set out to capture the commander Demetrius. No matter how hard he tried, he didn't succeed. In honor of the victory, the Rhodians decided to erect a giant statue of the god Helios, who was considered the patron saint of the island.

The project was unique in that it was decided to make the statue out of bronze. The technology of bronze casting that existed until then could not boast of masterpieces. But the Rhodes sculptor Hares managed to do the incredible. He cast in parts, and then assembled a giant 35 meters high, the fame of which instantly (with the speed of movement of sailing and rowing ships) spread throughout the Mediterranean.

Unfortunately, the Colossus did not last long. After 56 years, a devastating earthquake almost destroyed the city. The gigantic statue also collapsed and shattered. Its fragments lay on the ground for about a thousand years, until the Arabs who captured Rhodes sold them as a bronze scrap to a merchant who sailed to the island.

Exactly what the bronze sculpture looked like is not known for sure. There are many assumptions. Now on the island of Rhodes, tourists are offered a lot of options for images. In principle, each of them looks impressive.

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros)

The lighthouse on the island of Pharos, which opened the entrance to the port of the city of Alexandria founded by Alexander the Great (modern Egypt), was built in 280 BC. A stone tower 120 meters high was erected in just five years, although for its construction it was necessary to make a peninsula out of the island: a dam was poured between Pharos and the “mainland”, along which building materials were delivered.

The lighthouse not only showed the way to ships. At the same time, it was also a fortress, which housed a considerable garrison, supplies of water and food. Ancient engineers installed a system of magnifying mirrors on the tower, with the help of which observers detected enemy ships long before they appeared within the port. But this watchtower was also beautiful, which is why it was included in the list of wonders.

The successive empires and states, the dilapidated and the lighthouse, went down in history. It was finally destroyed in the XIV century AD. Unfortunately, in this case, we can only guess how this wonder of the world looked like. In addition to verbal descriptions of contemporaries, no other evidence has been preserved.

Other wonders

In those distant times, the Earth seemed unthinkably huge. Each civilization considered itself the only one in the world. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew nothing about the great civilizations of China, India, Japan. And neither one nor the other imagined that there was a huge continent on the planet, later called America ...

Recently, a global vote was held via the Internet to determine the new "seven wonders" that have survived to this day. About 100 million Internet users took part in the voting. Here's what they decided:

1. Great Wall of China.

2. The city of Machu Picchu in Peru.

3. The city of Petra in Jordan.

4. The city of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

5. Roman Colosseum.

6. Statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro.

7. The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal in India.

Well! Each of these creations is worthy of admiration for their creators and deserves a separate description, therefore, they should be discussed separately.

It would be interesting to know what will be included in the next "seven wonders" of our time in five hundred years. Atomic bomb? First satellite? A computer? Internet? Suez and Panama Canals? Bulk islands in the ocean from ordinary household waste?

Or something else, the idea of ​​which is only ripening in the brain of a new genius?

Long ago, sages and travelers made a list of 7 wonders of the world, the list included the most beautiful and most majestic buildings in their view of the whole world.

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After that, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list was named 7 wonders of the world.

Add to list seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous monuments of art of the Ancient World. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity, they were called miracles.

The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC, is considered the author of the classic version of the list. e.

1. Egyptian pyramids

They top the list of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only wonders of the world that have survived to this day.

These stone structures have become the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids refers to the II-III millennium BC.

During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the pyramid of Cheops. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and by now the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly inferior to it in size.

The Hanging Gardens were built in 600 BC. by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. It is believed that this was done to entertain his wife, who longed for the greenery of her homeland in dusty Babylon. The Hanging Gardens were a four-tiered pyramid, outwardly resembling a flowering hill. The lower tier is an irregular quadrangle, the smallest side of which was 34 m, the largest - 42 m. The tiers were supported by columns, the height of which reached 25 m. Each tier was covered with a layer of fertile soil on which various plants could be planted.

Although the wife of the Babylonian king was called Amitas, the name of the Hanging Gardens is traditionally associated with the name of the legendary Assyrian ruler Semiramis.

The famous statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, was created by the great sculptor and architect Phidias. It was intended for the temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, the city where the Olympic Games were held. The frame of the statue was made of wood, on which ivory plates imitating naked skin were pasted. Hair, beard, wreath, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and eyes were made of precious stones. In his right hand, Zeus held Nike, the goddess of victory, also made of ivory and gold.

In 393, the Roman emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where after some time it died in a fire.

4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

In 550 BC, in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, the construction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis was completed. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved its detailed description. In 356 BC a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned it in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt church. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m, and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Inside the temple were installed statues of its builders - Praxiteles and Skopas.

At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.

This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located on the territory of modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named after him as a mausoleum. The tomb of Mausolus is a brick building lined with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m, and the height was 46 m.

This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the knights of St. John dismantled its remains for the construction of a fortress.

In the III century BC, this giant statue was installed on the Greek island of Rhodes. Work on it lasted about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its manufacture.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 56 years. As a result of what happened in 222 BC. earthquake, he broke at the knees and fell. This is where the expression "colossus with feet of clay" comes from. In 977 A.D. e. what was left of the statue was sold to merchants. According to the chronicles, the wreckage was enough to load 900 camels with them. As one of the Colossi of Rhodes, it was first mentioned by the ancient Greek author Philo of Byzantium.

7.

Around 280 BC, on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria, the construction of the world's first lighthouse was completed. This work took about 20 years. The height of the lighthouse of Alexandria was 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. At the top of the lighthouse, a fire burned constantly, the light from which was directed into the sea with the help of polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.

In the 12th century A.D. e. The bay of Alexandria was no longer used due to silt filling, and the Pharos lighthouse lost its significance. In the XIV century, it was damaged by an earthquake, and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.

by Daria Nessel | Dec 15, 2016

The Pyramid of Cheops

Neither he nor his wife lived to see the completion of construction. Architects and sculptors completed the work they had begun on their own initiative so that people could admire this masterpiece of architecture.

For 1700 years, the crypt of Mausolus in Halicarnassus stood until an earthquake destroyed the three-tiered 50-meter walls, decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures.

Four marble horses at a gallop, with the royal couple, crowned this tombstone, called the mausoleum. Since then, all such structures are called mausoleums.

From 270 to 220 BC on the coast of the island of Rhodes stood, amazing in its size, the monument of the sun god Helios in the form of a young man with a torch in his raised hand. Delightful from the outside, in fact, mainly consisted of a construction mixture, its power was only a mirage, which was soon dispelled.

The statue of the radiant handsome man collapsed, unable to withstand the vibrations of the earth's surface, and lay for 900 years, until the iron and bronze were sent for remelting, leaving no mention of the place where it was located.

The 32 m clay-filled giant is the progenitor of the colossi that later appeared, such as the Statue of Liberty in the USA. There is a project of a virtual incarnation of the Colossus of Rhodes.

Alexandrian lighthouse

The signal tower on the island of Pharos at the entrance to the harbor was erected in 280 BC. for five years and served for almost 1000 years, showing the right way to sailors and reliably protecting the capital of Egypt from attacks from the sea.

The design proposed by the architect Sostratus was implemented so successfully that in the future it was decided to build all coastal lighthouses according to its model.

The giant bonfire, which burned day and night on the third level, was visible at sea for almost 100 km, thanks to mirror reflectors made of polished bronze plates, first used here.

Strong seismic shocks destroyed the building, leaving only the ruins on which another fortress was built.

In 2015, the Egyptian authorities decided to restore the lighthouse of Alexandria.

Some of the disappeared ancient wonders of the world have been reconstructed as mini-copies in the miniature park in Istanbul: the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnak.

It is better to see in reality once than to hear (read) a million times in order to understand and appreciate these beautiful works of art.

The 7 wonders of the world of the ancient world are the results of human genius, covered with a veil of mystery and legends, created many centuries ago and almost all sunk into the abyss without a trace.

Why exactly 7 wonders of the world? Were there so few of them? In fact, this list should be much longer, but since ancient times, the seven has been revered as a magical, divine number in which providence manifests its will.

Maybe that's why so many colors of the rainbow, notes, days in the week are known. From there come expressions: behind seven seals, seven circles of hell, in the seventh heaven ...

In those distant times, the Greeks annually determined the list of curiosities, making a kind of lottery out of this, because there was plenty to choose from. So far, the ancient Greek poet Antipater of Sidon, in his famous poem about the 7 wonders of the world, did not name the objects that he considered worthy of this title.

I'm an Image Caption ready-to-use.

Later it became fashionable and ancient historians, poets and writers began to repeat it. Seven ancient wonders of the world were erected within 2500 years before the birth of Christ. The geography of their location is the Mediterranean region: the territory of modern Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Turkey. This unprecedented surge of creative energy and talent took place here, leaving a bright mark on world culture.

The Pyramid of Cheops

The largest of all existing pyramids in the Giza Valley, dating from 2540-2560 BC, 146 m high (currently 138 m), with a base of just over five hectares. This is the memorial complex of Pharaoh Cheops and the only one of the 7 wonders of the world of the ancient world that has survived to this day.

A stone monolith completely filled with heavy, over 2 tons in weight, hewn limestone blocks with three granite burial chambers inside. Today you can hear many hypotheses about the purpose of the rooms and new ones are constantly put forward.

More than 5 million tons - this is the weight. For twenty years, 4,000 builders laid out in a geometrically correct form during a period when the wheel was not known in Egypt.

Looted in antiquity, the tomb of Khufu keeps the secret of its creation, continuing to attract the attention of scientists and archaeologists.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Babylonian miracle, built by order of Nebuchadnezzar in 3000 BC. for his wife, the daughter of the king of Medes, so that she could dispel the longing for her native land.

Four platforms, placed in tiers on powerful supports, were like a mountain hill, planted with rare trees and bushes. It was an oasis of silence and coolness in the sultry and noisy Babylon.

The name of Semiramis, a legendary woman who lived several centuries earlier, was connected by human rumor with this unique creation, forming beautiful fairy tales. Amitis, for whose sake birds sang and streams murmured, is forever forgotten by history.

Statue of Olympian Zeus

In Olympia from the 7th century BC. popular competitions of athletes were held. The formidable head of Olympus was the patron of athletes participating in competitions and citizens of the policy. He was feared and respected, so a palace was built for him, suitable for such a powerful protector.

The marble temple was the largest ever dedicated to deities. An impressive statue of the god of thunder made of ivory and gold, created by the sculptor Phidias, stood on a throne in the center of the building.
The optical effect, due to which the figure of the Thunderer seemed to be shining in the twilight of the room, amazed those present.

For almost a millennium, the Olympians brought gifts to, until Emperor Theodosius II ordered the temple of the supreme pagan god to be burned to strengthen the formation of the Christian religion.

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is reproduced in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The inhabitants of Ephesus in the 5th century BC. in honor of their patroness, Artemis, always a young goddess of the hunt, they erected a magnificent temple. They labored for almost a hundred years, experiencing serious difficulties with the foundation, located on unsteady, swampy soil.

A lover of glory, Herostratus, after fifteen years, burned the pride of the Ephesians, wishing in this way to become famous. Since then, his name has become proverbial, so that he managed to achieve his goal.

Everyone knows that there were only seven wonders of the world in the world. Which of them have survived, and which have sunk into oblivion?

Six of the seven wonders of the world, unfortunately, have not been preserved. And only one thing remains to please the eyes of tourists. Moreover, the wonder of the world, which has survived to this day, is the most ancient. How old is he, where is he? We will definitely answer this question. But first, let's remember them all, and in order, starting with the youngest - built in the 3rd century BC.

Six wonders of the world that have not survived to this day

The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant (colossal), at that time, ancient statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios, erected on the island of Rhodes (in the Aegean Sea), in the city of the same name.

The statue was commissioned by the inhabitants of Rhodes from the sculptor Haresu. Initially, they planned that it would be ten times higher than human height, but subsequently increased the height of the project to 36 meters.

Construction began in 292 BC. and it lasted 12 years. The Colossus of Rhodes stood on a marble pedestal, had an iron frame and was lined with bronze plates, and the internal volume was filled with clay. At the same time, it is known that its construction took about 8 tons of iron and about 13 tons of bronze.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood for only about 55 years and was destroyed by an earthquake around 225 BC.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the third century BC in ancient Egypt on the island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria. It was built from 5 to 20 years (here the data differ) during the reign of the king of Egypt, Ptolemy II. The approximate year of completion of construction is 283 BC. The name of the architect is known, he was Sostratus of Cnidus.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was made of marble (or faced) and had three levels:

• the lower level was rectangular and had living quarters
• the middle level was octagonal
• upper level - the cylinder in which the lighthouse fire burned

The lighthouse of Alexandria received another name in honor of the island on which it was built - the Pharos lighthouse. It was about 130 meters high, and its light was visible to ships, according to various sources, at a distance of 50 to 80 kilometers.

The lighthouse stood intact until 796 AD. This year a strong earthquake severely damaged it. It was restored, but not in full. It is known that in the 14th century its height was only 30 meters. And in the 15th century, Sultan Al-Ashrafom Saif al-Din Qait-bey built the Qait-Bey fortress on this site, which exists to this day.

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is the tombstone of Mausolus, the ruler of the Carian people. The ancient city of Halicarnassus, where the mausoleum was built, was located on the territory of modern Turkey (the city of Bodrum).

The construction of the mausoleum was ordered by the wife of Mausolus Artemisia III during the life of her husband. The Greek architects Satyr and Pytheas undertook the construction. Also, the well-known sculptors Briaxides, Leohar, Skopas and Timofeos were involved in the work.

The mausoleum was built for eight years from 359 to 351 BC. Mausolus did not wait for the completion of construction and died in 353.

The resulting structure was 45 meters high, the first level was decorated with 36 columns and many statues, a pyramid towered above it, on top of which there was a marble quadriga - a two-wheeled chariot with four horses harnessed to it.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus stood for 19 centuries and the ball was destroyed by a strong earthquake in the 13th century.

For reference: the word “mausoleum” comes from the name Mausolus.

The Olympic Games, in honor of the god of thunder and lightning - Zeus, were held in ancient Greece from 776 BC. They enjoyed great popularity. And now, after 300 years, the Greeks decided to build a temple in honor of their main god and patron of the Olympic Games. In 470 BC, they began to collect donations for its construction.

When funds were raised, the construction of the temple began, which lasted ten years between 466 and 456 BC. The temple of Zeus turned out to be truly grandiose: a marble roof measuring 27 by 64 meters was supported by 34 limestone columns. Each column was 10.6 meters high and over 2 meters in diameter. And the total area of ​​the building was 1728 square meters.

The temple was built. After some time, the question arose of creating a statue worthy of the god Zeus. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias undertook its creation. To do this, he needed a gigantic workshop equal in area to the temple itself, which was built 80 meters from it.

The opening of the statue of Zeus at Olympia took place in 435 BC. e. It was made in the technique of chrysalephantine sculpture: the wooden frame was pasted over with ivory plates, and the cape, the scepter with an eagle in the left hand, the statue of the goddess Nike in the right hand, and the olive wreath on the head were covered with gold. And with all this, Zeus sits on a golden throne. Information about the height of the statue varies: together with the pedestal, it was 12-17 meters.

The statue has existed for over 800 years. The last written evidence of it dates back to 363. And in the 11th century, the historian Georgy Kedrin claimed that in the 5th century the statue was still intact. She could be transferred to Constantinople, where she burned down during a fire in 476. According to another version, she was not transported anywhere, and she died along with the temple in a fire in 425.

The temple of Artemis of Ephesus, as you might guess, was located in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, not far from the modern city of Selçuk (the extreme west of Turkey). The temple was erected in honor of Artemis, the goddess of hunting and fertility, and the patroness of all life on Earth.

Funds for the construction of the temple were donated by the Lydian king Croesus, and the project was developed by the architect Khersifron. He erected the walls and colonnade of the temple. Without waiting for the completion of construction Hersifron died. The construction was continued by his son Metagenes, and the architects Paeonius and Demetrius completed the construction of the temple.

The Temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC. And in 356 BC. e it was destroyed by fire, which, according to legend, a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus. Thus, Herostratus simply wanted to become famous and achieved his goal.

By 323 BC, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus had been completely restored by the architect Alexander Deinocrates. And the funds for this were allocated by Alexander the Great. The temple turned out to be exactly the same as its previous version, except that it was raised to a higher stepped base. The roof was supported by 127 columns standing in eight rows and having a height of 18 meters. The length of the temple was 105 meters, and the width was 52. Inside the temple was decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs and paintings.

The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus successfully existed for several centuries, before it was sacked by the Goths in 263 AD. And at the end of the 4th century, it was closed and destroyed by Christians, in connection with the prohibition of paganism.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the most controversial wonder of the world. It is not known for certain if they even existed. Moreover, if they existed, then not at the time when Queen Semiramis lived.

The legend is as follows: the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II entered into a military alliance with Cyaxares, the king of Media, and in order to secure the alliance, he married the daughter of Cyaxares, whose name was Amitis (Amanis). Amitis moved in with her husband in Babylon (the ruins of Babylon are located on the outskirts of the modern city of El Hill in Iraq), which was a dusty and dry desert city.

Amitis missed her mountainous and green homeland - Mussels. And to extinguish this boredom, Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the construction of green hanging gardens. They were supposedly created in 605 BC.

And Semiramis, the legendary queen of Assyria, the wife of King Nin, lived two centuries earlier. So the “hanging gardens of Babylon” would be more correct to call the “hanging gardens of Amitis”. As for the term “hanging garden”, it implies a garden that is located on the roof, gallery or special stone supports. Plants in it grow on a bulk soil layer.

According to the legends, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon existed until the first century AD.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and highest wonder of the world. And besides, the only one that has survived to this day. And that means the most durable. It is located on the Giza plateau at the base of the Nile Delta, not far from Cairo, in Egypt.

Although about 4500 years have passed since the construction, we know (how reliable this knowledge is is a question) who was its architect. He was the nephew of Cheops - Hemiun. Presumably, the construction was completed somewhere around 2540 BC and took about 20 years.

It is impossible to say for certain the exact date of the start of the construction of the pyramid of Chiops. Different methods of its determination gave different results, which fit into the following period: 2850 - 2560 BC. At the same time, Egypt celebrates the official date for the start of construction: August 23, 2560 BC. e.

The pyramid of Cheops is made of blocks of granite and limestone (mainly limestone). Now it has a stepped appearance, but originally it was lined with white limestone (the so-called Jura marble) and had sloping slopes. Somewhere this lining has been preserved. The slopes of the pyramid shone peach in the sun, and the top was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidion.

The height of the pyramid is 135.5 meters (originally - 146.6 meters). The sides of the base are approximately 230 meters long. The base area is about 53,000 square meters. And the average weight of one stone block is 2.5 tons. At the same time, the heaviest block weighs 35 tons. In total, there are about 2.3 million blocks in the pyramid. The total weight of the pyramid is 6.5 million tons.

For more than 3,000 years, the pyramid of Cheops was the highest human creation, and in 1311, Lincoln Cathedral was built in England, the spire of which already towered 160 meters. True, in 1549 the spire collapsed. Now the height of the cathedral does not exceed 83 meters.

As for the purpose of the pyramid of Cheops, it is not known for certain. It is logical to assume that it is the tomb of the pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), but no mummies were found in it.

The eighth wonder of the world

Officially, the eighth wonder of the world does not exist. This term is used to call some of the grandiose structures of mankind that could claim the title of a wonder of the world, but ... but there are only seven wonders of the world and this list cannot be expanded.

Album "From Wonders of the World to Wonders of Russia"

Description: This material will be useful for teachers. It is intended for students in grades 5 and 6. The material presents useful and interesting information that can be used in history lessons and in extracurricular activities.
Seven Wonders of the World- these are the oldest architectural monuments, 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:
1. Pyramids of Giza
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3. Olympian statue of Zeus
4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
5. Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
6. Colossus of Rhodes
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria

Pyramids of Giza
One of the most ancient and, nevertheless, the brightest Wonders of the World are the Great Pyramids located in Giza (Egypt). The complex of Gisaean buildings is the greatest architectural monument ever created by man. In total, more than a hundred pyramidal structures were found on the territory of Egypt, but most of them did not stand the test of time.

The Pyramid of Cheops
The largest of the Giza complex, the Cheops pyramid is the largest building structure in the world. Its base is a square with a side of as much as 227.5 meters. It is assumed that the original height of the structure was 146 meters, but several of the upper stones were destroyed, and today the pyramid is 9 meters lower.
Engineering studies have shown that the largest architectural monument of Giza consists of 2.3 million stone blocks, each of which weighs at least 2.5 tons. The total volume of the building is 2.34 million cubic meters. The faces of the pyramid are deployed to the cardinal points, and the entrance inside is from the north.
A distinctive feature of the structure is that every single building block is so well fitted to each other that even now, after several thousand years, it is impossible to stick even the thinnest blade between them. In addition, the researchers found that the mortar with which the structural elements were fastened was superior in strength to any modern material.
The purpose of the pyramids
There are no inscriptions, drawings and decorations in the pyramid of Cheops. Inside the building there are three chambers, in the center of one of which there is a granite sarcophagus. At first it was assumed that the building was a tomb. Long-term studies have either confirmed or refuted this assumption.
But neither the remains of the pharaoh, nor any utensils or things that, according to the tradition of that time, were buried with the deceased, were found. True, there is a high probability that the pyramid was simply plundered. However, some details in the hypothesis about the purpose of the structure do not agree with the version about the tomb.
However, let's leave historians and archaeologists questions about the origin and purpose of building such an amazing complex of buildings, the entrance to which is protected by the Great Sphinx - the largest monolithic sculpture on the planet. For us, the Pyramids of Giza, with which many legends are associated, remain one of the most striking and unusual examples of the height of engineering.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the second largest Wonder of the World. Unfortunately, this amazing architectural structure did not survive to this day, but the memory of it still survived.
The attraction is located not far from Baghdad, and today its stone ruins can impress a simple tourist except for their scale. However, history testifies that the structure was one of the most beautiful creations of mankind.

Amazing gift for wife
The gardens were discovered by Robert Koldewey, who in 1989 was excavating near Al Hill. In the course of archaeological research, an extensive network of trenches was discovered, and in their cuts the scientist immediately recognized the legendary architectural monument.
The facts show that the Hanging Gardens were built at the behest of Nebuchadnezzar II, whose reign falls on the 6th century BC. The best engineers, mathematicians and inventors of Mesopotamia worked day and night to satisfy the request of the king to create a gift for his wife Amitis.
The latter was of Median origin, and those lands, as you know, were filled with the aromas of flowering gardens and green hills. In stuffy Babylon, the queen had a hard time, she yearned for her native land. That is why the ruler decided to lay out an unusual park that would at least slightly remind his wife of his home.
Controversy over the Babylonian Miracle
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon have been described by many ancient historians. But there are still some doubts about the reality of this piece of engineering art. For example, Herodotus, who traveled around Mesopotamia sometime in the 5th century BC, did not say a word about this structure. Although, apparently, it was the most majestic and beautiful in Babylon.
Even the chronicles of the city itself do not mention the Gardens. However, Berossus, a Chaldean priest who worked on chronicles at the end of the 4th century BC. very clearly and clearly marked the building in his works. There is even an opinion that all historians, including modern scientists, relied on his descriptions, and they are too much embellished with the author's conjectures and judgments.
Some even believe that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon have been confused with similar parks that were created in Nineveh, located on the east coast of the Tiber. But the basis of the irrigation system of this monument was the design of Archimedean screws, which was invented in the 2nd century BC, while the construction of the Gardens dates back to the 6th century.
However, perhaps the Babylonians already had an idea about the special thread of such a screw, although they called the device differently. And be that as it may, the mystery of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still excites the minds of scientists, archaeologists and historians.

Zeus statue in Olympia
The statue of Zeus in Olympia is the third wonder of the world, whose history began long before its creation - in 776 BC. Then for the first time in the temple, which was built in honor of the father of the gods, the participants of the next Olympic Games arrived.
Representatives of Asia Minor, Syria and Sicily, Egypt and, of course, Great Hellas were present at the opening of the greatest event in history. The first sanctuary of Zeus was built 150 km from Athens. But over time, the Games gained more and more political weight, so the rulers of Greece decided to build a new Temple.

Temple of Zeus
Construction lasted over 15 years, and in 456 BC. the world saw one of the most monumental and beautiful Houses of Zeus. The project was developed by the famous ancient architect - Lebon, whose creation had all the features of the famous Greek sanctuaries, but surpassed them in scope.
The Temple building was erected on a high rectangular platform. The roof was supported by 13 majestic columns about 10 m high and at least 2 m in diameter, and there were as many as 34 of them.
Creation of Phidias
The government of Hellas invited Phidias, a famous sculptor, to Athens, who managed to create something excellent - a statue of Zeus. The news of this work of art instantly spread throughout the ancient world, and the masterpiece took its place in the list of Wonders of the World.
The creation of the statue dates back to around 440 BC. The sculpture of the father of the gods was created mainly from the finest ivory. According to the description of eyewitnesses who managed to catch the statue in "good health", it had a very impressive size.
Its height was at least 15 m, the structure contained about 200 kg of gold, the modern monetary equivalent of which exceeds 8 million dollars. The opening of the statue of Olympian Zeus falls on 435 BC.
The fate of the statue of Zeus
Historical sources claim that in the second half of the 4th century AD. The temple of Zeus was closed by the Roman emperor Theodosius, who was a Christian and disliked the pagan beliefs of the Greeks.
In 363 the statue was moved to Constantinople. Although some facts indicate that this architectural monument did not survive the looting and destruction of the Temple, which took place at the end of the 5th century.
In 1875, the remains of the Temple of Zeus were found, and in 1950, archaeologists discovered the workshop of Phidias. Careful studies of the place where the architectural monument was found made it possible to recreate both the Temple itself and the statue of Olympian Zeus.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Ancient Greek Ephesus knew a period of unprecedented prosperity. Founded in the XII century BC, the city was the largest center of trade and radiated wealth and prosperity. Artemis patronized him. She, as is known, was the goddess of fertility and the patroness of animals, the protector of women in childbirth and hunters. Honoring her sacredly, the townspeople decided to build a majestic temple in honor of Artemis, which, moreover, was to significantly increase the income of the city.

Building a shrine
In the VI century BC. Harsiphron, the most famous architect, arrived in Ephesus. It was he who came up with the idea of ​​building a building of marble. According to his plan, the temple should have been encircled by two rows of impressive columns. At the same time, the master, apparently, had an outstanding engineering mind, since the project is the most complex and at the same time original of all that were being developed at that time. Since the city was rich and could afford the construction of such a large and expensive building.
But there was one obstacle - a deposit has not yet been found that can satisfy the appetites of the project. But soon, due to chance, a sufficient amount of stone was found, and the temple was successfully built. Monolithic marble columns deserve a special place in the construction of the building. They were transported here straight from the quarries located ten kilometers from the construction site. The foundation of the temple is the highest aerobatics of engineering.
The building was built on a swampy area, since the sad memory of the earthquakes that hit Hellas was still alive. A huge pit was dug on the site of the future building, which the builders filled with charcoal and wool. This, plus the rather unorthodox foundation of the Temple, should have been a guarantee that the building would withstand tremors of any power.
In the main hall of the Temple, an amazingly beautiful statue of the goddess Artemis was installed, the height of which was about 15 meters. It was very expensive, because quite often it was inlaid with precious stones and gold. Outstanding Greek artists and sculptors took part in the decoration of the building. Rumors about the beautiful shrine quickly spread throughout the ancient world, and subsequently the Temple of Artemis became one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The Fate of the Temple
It should be noted that Harsiphron did not have time to complete the construction. But the work was continued by his son, and after that by the architects Peonit and Demetrius. And so, around 450 BC. the world saw the unsurpassed Temple of Artemis. They say that if it survived to this day, it could outshine any of the currently existing masterpieces of architectural art. But, unfortunately, in 356 BC. Herostratus, obsessed with the idea of ​​becoming famous at any cost, set the building on fire.
The building was almost completely destroyed, of course, with the exception of those structural elements that were made of marble. After that, the Temple of Artemis was revived several times and again ceased to exist. But in 263 B.C. it was last sacked by the Goths. Finally, the “marble” health of the building was broken by swampy soil, as well as the Kaistra River flowing nearby. And it took scientists from all over the world several decades to restore the original appearance of the building.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus
Halicarnassus Mausoleum is the same age as the second Temple of Artemis. The same people who restored the shrine after the fire set by Herostratus took part in its construction. The building is a ziggurat, that is, at the same time a tomb, a sanctuary, and a monument. It should be noted that the name "mausoleum" comes from the name of the imperious and cruel ruler of Caria - Mausolus.

Start of construction
Despite the fact that already in the IV century BC. the state was a colony of the Persian Empire, Mausolus ruled imperiously and stubbornly, trying not to bend under imperial pressure. His position was so strong, and his connections so wide, that even after the suppression of the uprisings he had raised, he managed to remain on the throne. During the reign of the energetic and ambitious king, Helicarnassus became the capital of Caria.
At the same time, the construction of the tomb, which later entered the list of the seven most famous sights of the ancient world, was started long before the death of the ruler - approximately in 353 BC. The project of the Mausoleum was developed by Greek architects - Satyr and Pytheas. The sculptors Timothy, Leohar, Skopas and Briaxides were hired to decorate the building. In total, hundreds of talented craftsmen took part in the construction, whose names, unfortunately, have not been preserved in history.
R luxurious tomb for the king
The tomb was an impressive architectural complex with its own courtyard. A stone platform was installed in the center of the latter. A wide staircase led to the top, guarded by stone lions. Inside the building was decorated with bas-reliefs depicting scenes from ancient Greek legends and tales. The outer walls of the Mausoleum were covered with statues of gods and goddesses, and in the corners of the structure, huge guards-warriors carved from stone served.
The ziggurat was crowned with a marble chariot driven by four massive horses. The statues of the drivers depicted Mausolus himself and his sister-wife Artemisia. The height of this sculpture was about 6 meters, and the pyramidal roof of the tomb was supported by 36 7-meter monolithic columns.
The fate of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
When the ruler of Caria died, the construction of the Mausoleum had not yet been completed, and the decoration of the premises was completed only in 350 BC. The tomb survived both the conquest of Halicarnassus by the Macedonian and the attack of pirates at the beginning of the 1st millennium. But at the beginning of the 15th century, the Maltese visited Asia Minor, who finally destroyed the building, taking marble and stone slabs for the construction of the fortress of St. Peter, which was located on the very spot where the palace of Mausolus and Artemisia stood. By the end of the 16th century, only one foundation remained from the Mausoleum.
The excavations of the tomb of Mausolus, led by Christian Jeppesen, were completed only in 1966-1977. Based on the found bas-reliefs, statues and other elements of the furnishings and construction, the appearance of the Mausoleum was restored. His design served as the basis for the construction of City Hall in Los Angeles, the Indiana Warriors Memorial, St. George's Church in London and many other architectural monuments of our time.

The Colossus of Rhodes
Rhodes was a major economic center of the ancient world. Located on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor, it often acted as a tasty morsel for the rulers of neighboring powers. So, in 357 BC. the famous king Mavlos became the new ruler of the city, and after 17 years the city fell into the possession of the Persian Empire. In 322 BC. Rhodes was conquered by Alexander the Great, but after his death civil strife began between the heirs of the great commander, and one of them - Antigonus - sent his son Demetrius to capture and destroy the rebellious city.

It should be noted that the long siege was not successful, and the commander was forced to retreat. On the shore of the island, his warriors abandoned a huge siege tower, which was a real engineering miracle of that time, and the enterprising people immediately decided to sell it. With the proceeds, it was decided to build a statue of Helios, the patron saint of Rhodes, in order to praise the sun god for having saved the city from the invaders.
The construction of the statue began around 304 BC. The creation of the Colossus was entrusted to Chares, a student of the famous ancient sculptor Lysippus. It was proposed to portray Helios standing, and in his left hand he had to hold a veil falling to the very ground, and with his right to cover his eyes from the sun. Despite the fact that such a pose did not correspond to some of the canons of sculpture of that time, the master understood that the huge statue would not stay on its feet if the Colossus pointed into the distance with his hand.
Three massive stone pillars served as the basis for a 36-meter statue. They were fastened with iron beams at the level of the shoulders of the Colossus, which was supposed to provide him with stability. Construction continued for 12 years, after which the world saw the greatest statue, the head of which was decorated with a radiant crown.
Death of the Colossus
Literally half a century later, the strongest earthquakes shook the island, and the legs of the Colossus of Rhodes broke. The statue of the god fell into the sea and lay off the coast for about 1000 years. The defeated giant was overgrown with legends, but in 977 AD. they decided to dismantle it, melt it down and sell it. The chronicles preserved data that it took 900 camels to transport the bronze with which the statue was decorated.
Modern interpretations of the great statue
The Colossus of Rhodes was included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. Currently, even some measures are being taken to restore the huge statue. According to some reports, the cost of a modern sculpture of Helios will be about 200 million euros. However, the idea of ​​creating monumental sculptures following the example of the Colossus of Rhodes was used much earlier - a statue of a woman holding a huge torch was installed in New York Bay. This monument is better known to the world as the Statue of Liberty, but its creation was based on the image of the Rhodes masterpiece.

Alexandrian lighthouse
The history of the seventh Wonder of the World - the Lighthouse of Alexandria - is associated with the foundation in 332 BC. Alexandria, a city that was named after the great Roman general Alexander the Great. It should be noted that during his career the conqueror founded about 17 cities with similar names, but only the Egyptian project managed to survive to this day.

Foundation of the city to the glory of the great commander
Macedonian selected the site for the founding of Egyptian Alexandria very carefully. He did not like the idea of ​​a location in the Nile Delta, and so the decision was made to set up the first construction sites 20 miles south, near the swampy Lake Mareotis. Alexandria was supposed to have two large harbors - one intended for merchant ships coming from the Mediterranean Sea, and the second for ships sailing along the Nile.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter, the new ruler of Egypt. During this period, Alexandria developed into a thriving trading port. In 290 BC. Ptolemy ordered the construction of a huge lighthouse on the island of Pharos, which would light the way for ships going to the harbor of the city at night and in bad weather.
Construction of a lighthouse on the island of Pharos
The construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria dates back to the 4th century BC, but the system of signal lights itself appeared only in the 1st century BC. The creator of this masterpiece of engineering and architectural art is Sostratus, a resident of Cnidia. The work continued for a little over 20 years, and as a result, the Lighthouse of Alexandria became the world's first building of this type and the tallest building in the ancient world, not counting, of course, the Giza pyramids.
The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was approximately 450-600 feet. At the same time, the building was absolutely unlike any of the architectural monuments available at that time. The building was a three-tiered tower, the walls of which were made of marble slabs fastened with lead mortar. The most complete description of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was compiled by Abu el-Andalussi - the famous Arab traveler - in 1166. He noted that in addition to performing purely practical functions, the lighthouse served as a very noticeable attraction.
The fate of the great lighthouse
The Pharos Lighthouse has been illuminating the way for sailors for over 1500 years. But strong tremors in 365, 956 and 1303 A.D. the building was badly damaged, and the most powerful earthquake of 1326 finally destroyed one of the greatest architectural structures in the world. In 1994, the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered by archaeologists, and subsequently the image of the structure was more or less successfully restored using computer modeling.

New 7 wonders of the world

The classic list of 7 wonders of the world appeared in the 3rd century BC. It included the greatest architectural, historical and cultural monuments of the ancient world. But the years passed, and more and more curiosities appeared in the world, which today can also be considered with all rights as the Wonders of the World, that is, the most outstanding creations of man.
And so 2001 was marked by the beginning of the New Open World Corporation project. Its main purpose was to select modern Wonders of the World, worthy of forever going down in history. So, the winners of the competition on July 7, 2007 were:
1. Great Wall of China
2. Taj Mahal
3. Colosseum
4. Machu Picchu
5. Petra
6. Chichen Itza
7. Statue of Christ the Redeemer

The great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest structures that has survived to this day, which, in its grandeur and grandeur, has no analogues even in the modern world. Its history goes back to the 5th century BC, a time that was marked by the collapse of the Zhou state.
In its place, many small kingdoms were formed, which immediately began a bloody internecine struggle with each other for the legacy of a great empire. It was during this period of the "warring kingdoms" that the first foundation pits were dug and earthen ramparts were erected in order to strengthen the borders from aggressive neighbors.

Start of construction
And in 221 BC. the ruler of one of the kingdoms - Qin - the great Shi Huangdi managed to pacify the long-term blood feud. He was proclaimed the first Chinese emperor and during the 11 years of his reign he created a state with an effective system of administration and justice. It was he who came up with the idea to connect the defensive structures that already existed in the north of the empire with a single wall.
And by order of the ruler, his army, consisting of 300,000 soldiers, as well as about a million prisoners and slaves, began to build fortress walls. The Great Wall of China was built using a wide variety of building technologies. To protect the still unfinished fortifications in the area of ​​​​the construction site, numerous garrisons vigilantly served.
Followers of Shi Huangdi
After the death of Shi Huangdi, the work was continued by his successors - the emperors of the Han dynasty, who not only monitored the maintenance of the structure in proper order, but also lengthened the wall. The last important stage in the construction of the Great Wall of China falls on the reign of the imperial Ming dynasty, in 1368-1644.
From the middle of the 17th century, the need for a building disappeared, and time and natural factors immediately took up its stone sides. But, fortunately, most of the Wall has survived to this day. Moreover, the Chinese government once invested huge sums in its reconstruction.
New Wonder of the World
Already during the reign of the Ming Dynasty, fortifications stretched from the Shanhaiguan fortress, located on the shores of the Bohaiwan Strait, to Jiayuguan itself in the northwest of Gansu Province. Today, the length of the wall is 8,851.8 kilometers in total, which is an absolute and most likely unbeatable record in construction.
In 1962, the Great Wall of China took pride of place in the list of national monuments of China, and in 1987 it was accepted into the general UNESCO World Heritage List. It should be noted that this is the only structure that can be seen from Earth orbit without the use of any optical instruments. And in July 2007, the Wall entered the list of New Wonders of the World, as one of the most impressive buildings in the history of mankind.

Mausoleum Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is not in vain called the architectural gem of India. You will not find a more majestic and magnificent building in the whole country. This mausoleum embodies the memory of the tender love of the Muslim ruler Shah Jahan for his wife, a fabulously beautiful woman named Mumtaz Mahal. The future king of the Great Moghuls was still a young prince, when at the beginning of the 17th century he married a nineteen-year-old beauty. The newlyweds dearly loved each other and, despite the fact that the king had a huge harem, he simply did not pay attention to other women.

History of construction
Beloved wife gave birth to Shah Jahan six daughters and eight sons, but numerous births broke the woman's health, so when the fourteenth child was born, she died. The grief of the king was so great that he wished to take his own life. But responsibility for the state and other reasons kept the ruler in this world. Literally before the eyes of his retinue, he turned gray, and soon a two-year mourning was declared throughout the state, during which there was no place for holidays, dances, music and fun.
"Indian gem"
Somewhat later, a grandiose mausoleum was erected in the capital of the Mughal Empire - Agra. The construction of the Taj Mahal lasted over 20 years. More than 20 thousand people worked at the construction site, including the best Persian, Turkish, Samarkand and, of course, Indian architects and architects. The project was completed in 1653, and since then this amazing building has attracted millions of explorers and travelers.
Inside the Taj Mahal there are two tombs - the shah and his wife. But in fact, the burial is underground. The mausoleum is a five-domed building 74 meters high. It is located on a platform with 4 minarets, which are tilted away from the tomb, and adjoins the amazingly beautiful garden with an abundance of fountains and a pool. The walls of the Taj Mahal were made of translucent polished marble, which was brought to the construction site from a unique deposit 300 km from Agra.
The greatest monument of architecture
The great mausoleum has survived to this day. It is one of the most majestic and beautiful buildings on the planet. Every day it is visited by tens of thousands of tourists, due to which the “Indian pearl” replenishes the state treasury with considerable funds. Throughout the year, the Taj Mahal receives about 5 million visitors. In order to preserve the architectural monument, traffic in the Taj Mahal area was prohibited.
Not so long ago, cracks were discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. Scientists believe that the destruction of the building is associated with the shallowing of the Jumna, a river flowing in its immediate vicinity. But, nevertheless, the Taj Mahal remains one of the most unusual and majestic structures in the world. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in July 2007 took pride of place among the New Wonders of the World.

Coliseum
The Colosseum is one of the most majestic amphitheaters ever built by man. This famous ancient Roman monument still stands among the modern buildings of the Italian capital to this day. For a very long time, the Colosseum played a very important cultural role in the lives of the citizens and guests of Rome. A huge number of people gathered in its stands, who longed for one thing - bright and exciting spectacles. It was here that gladiator fights and animal persecution, sports competitions and naumachia took place.

The beginning of the history of the Flavian Amphitheater
The Colosseum is located on the Caelius, Palatine and Esquiline hills, that is, where the pond of the Golden House of Nero used to be. Initially, the building was called the Flavian Amphitheater (in honor of its founders) of the famous imperial dynasty. Construction continued for 8 years, and around 80 AD. the world saw one of the most capacious arenas.
Like any other Roman building of this type, the Colosseum has the shape of an ellipse, in the center of which is the arena, and its stands are arranged in the form of concentric rings. The perimeter of the outer ellipse of the Roman arena is 524 m, the major and minor axes are 187.7 and 155.64 m long, and the height of the walls of the amphitheater approaches 50 m. The results of simple calculations show that the Colosseum could easily accommodate about 50 thousand people. spectators. It is the most grandiose arena in the world, not counting modern stadiums that can accommodate over 100 thousand people.
The fate of the world's greatest arena
The Colosseum was deservedly considered a symbol of Roman greatness. Philosophers said that while it stands, the Great Empire will stand. Back in 264, during the reign of Decius, the millennium of Rome was celebrated in the amphitheater. History testifies that during this era, about 40 wild horses, more than 30 elephants, 60 lions and many other wild animals were killed in the arena. In 405, gladiator fights were banned by Emperor Honorius, and the Colosseum removed the laurels of the greatest arena in the world.
Toward the end of the 13th century, the Roman amphitheater was turned into a quarry. At the same time, 23 estates for aristocratic families were built from it. In the XIV-XV centuries, the Italians built 6 churches from the dismantled parts of the Colosseum, and at the end of the XV century, the office of the Pope was built from the material of the Colosseum. In the middle of the 16th century, the architectural elements of the amphitheater served as the basis for some Roman bridges. In 1744, the Colosseum was lit up in honor of the early Christian martyrs, and a cross was installed in the center of the arena.
In July 2007, the amphitheater was accepted into the list of New Wonders of the World. Today it is the most famous historical and architectural monument of Rome, annually attracting tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world.

City of Machu Picchu
On the territory of modern Peru there is one old mountain peak, which the Indians called Machu Picchu. It is located at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level, offering amazingly beautiful views of the valley of the Urumamba River. It is here, at the foot of Mount Machu Picchu, that one of the oldest cities is located, which is often called the "city among the clouds."

The origin of the "city in the sky"
Archaeologists believe that this lost city of the Incas was created as the winter residence of the ruler of this ancient people - Pachacutec - literally a century before the Spaniards came here. In 1532, when brave conquistadors and adventurers obsessed with a thirst for gold invaded the Inca empire, every single one of the inhabitants of the city mysteriously disappeared.
Machu Picchu was one of the three houses of Pachacutec and along the way served as a shrine. The city had a very modest size and contained about 200 buildings. City buildings were built from high-quality processed stone blocks, fitted to each other so tightly that most of the buildings of Machu Picchu have survived to this day. The abandoned settlement was accidentally discovered only at the beginning of the 20th century by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. A few decades later, the legendary Inca trail was found leading through the Urumamba Valley straight to the city.
Attractions of the residence of the ruler of the Incas
The highlight of the ancient city are the vast terraces on which the Incas were engaged in agriculture. The "decorated room" found against the western wall of the main temple is a clear indication of how skilled these people were. The foundation of the room is made of two imposing stone blocks with carved three-dimensional peaks.
The Temple of the Three Windows is the most mysterious structure of Machu Picchu. According to Bingham's hypothesis, trapezoidal windows facing east were symbols of Pachacutec's ancestral home. But since the architectural style of the city belongs to the late Inca period, the reliability of this assumption raises certain doubts among archaeologists.
The new Wonder of the World Machu Picchu received UNESCO World Heritage status, after which it turned into a bustling center of mass tourism. About 2,000 travelers visited the city daily. But in order to preserve the city, UNESCO demanded that the number of visitors be reduced to 800 people a day. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was selected as a New Wonder of the World, and since February 2012, it has been excluded from the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger.

Rock City Petra
The ancient city of Petra is one of the most amazing monuments of architecture. It is carved in solid rock, and a huge number of secrets and omissions hovers around its origin. It is believed that the city was founded by the Nabataeans - nomadic tribes, who in the VI-IV centuries BC. managed to subdue the vast territory on which Jordan, Syria and Israel are located today.

Great city in the desert
Due to its favorable location at the crossroads of wide trade routes, Petra prospered and grew rich over the years. For many years it was a real salvation for merchants and travelers from the scorching sun. However, in the IV century BC. abandoned for reasons still unknown. Perhaps the inhabitants were driven out of the cool stone shade by the lack of water. But most likely the city was abandoned due to the loss of significance of its location in the very depths of the rocky Jordanian desert.
The city of Petra is carved into the red sandstone rock. Outwardly, the architectural elements that have survived to this day resemble Roman architecture. On the territory of the city, archaeologists managed to find many temples, palaces, tombs and even an ancient theater. The buildings of Petra were built over many centuries, so there is an incredible interweaving of echoes of the culture of different eras.
At various times, Edomites, Nabataeans, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs owned Petra, and in the 12th century BC. The city was taken over by the Crusaders. After the VI century AD. construction stopped, and gradually one of the most amazing settlements on the planet was empty. The first European who visited the famous city is the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt. It is thanks to him that a detailed description of the structure of Petra, as well as sketches of some of its attractions, has been preserved.
Main Attractions
The main city attraction is the Treasury - a huge building with a solid facade carved from the rock. The majestic colonnade with an amphitheater, crowning the kilometer-long canyon of the Siq, also arouses admiration. They are the legacy of Roman culture in the history of Petra. Also of note is the aqueduct that supplied water to the city. It was a complex system of terracotta pipes that collected moisture from all sources located within a radius of 25 km from the city.
Ed-Dair deserves special attention - a huge monastery carved right into the rock at the top of the highest cliff in the canyon. For some time it even served as a Christian church. While excavating the monastery, archaeologists discovered here the tomb of the Nabataean king. You can climb to it along a staircase carved in stone, consisting of 800 steps.
Center for mass tourism and the New Wonder of the World
Today, Petra is one of the busiest tourism centers in the world. Every year, about half a million people come here to see this amazing creation of human hands with their own eyes. In July 2007, Petra, a little earlier included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, became one of the New Wonders of the World.

City of Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, the sacred Mayan city, is located 75 miles east of Merida, the capital of the Yucatan. Archaeologists consider the ancient settlement, covering an area of ​​about 6 square miles, one of the world's greatest architectural monuments. Previously, several hundred structures were located here, but most of them have not survived to this day. The surviving buildings, of which there are about 30, are of great interest to archaeologists, scientists and researchers.

Ancient center of culture and religion
Archaeologists conditionally divide the remains of the city into two parts - the first contains buildings erected by the Mayans around the 6th-7th centuries AD, while the second is a monument of the culture of the Toltecs who lived in Yukotan in the 10th-11th centuries. Apparently, the population of Chichen Itza experienced a rather acute lack of water. This is evidenced by numerous cenotes - wells with steep smooth walls.
It was during the Mayan period, which is associated with an unprecedented flourishing of science and art, that the city acquired a high status of a cultural and religious center. A striking confirmation of this are the buildings erected in this period - the Deer House, the monastery and the church, Akab Dzib, the Pali House, the Temple with three lintels and the Red House. After the Mayan civilization declined, the reasons for which are still shrouded in a dense shadow of mysteries and secrets, cities like Chichen Itza were used for burials and some rituals.
City symbols
One of the most famous buildings preserved in Chichen Itza is the Pyramid of Kukulkan, which the locals often call El Castillo. The height of the structure is 23 m. On the day of the spring and autumn equinoxes in the afternoon, the sun illuminates the western balustrade of the main staircase so that an image of 7 isosceles triangles is formed, placed in a special order. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the figure created by the sun's rays most of all looks like a huge snake crawling towards its head. And to see this breathtaking sight, every year on March 20 and September 21, thousands of tourists gather here.
Another attraction - Huego de Pelota - is the largest playground ever created by the Maya. It should be noted that there are eight more such structures in the city, but the "Great Ball Game" is much larger than them - its length is 135 m. Particular attention is drawn to the paintings carved on the walls that enclose Huego de Pelota. They depict very cruel scenes, and scientists believe that they are directly related either to the practice of sacrifice, or to the illustration of the game, which serves as a substitute for bloody war.
The fate of the city
After 1194, Chichen Itza was completely empty, and there are numerous rumors and legends around what caused the departure of the inhabitants of the city. It should be noted that the tough policy of the Spaniards, who ruled America in the 11th century, involved the execution of Mayan clergy, as well as the destruction of ancient books and manuscripts. Therefore, no more or less plausible information about the mysterious history of this ancient civilization has come down to our days.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is installed on top of the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro. The monument is a symbol of the city and Brazil. Every year, millions of travelers and tourists come here to see with their own eyes the majestic statue of Christ, as if taking the whole modern world into his arms.

Monument construction
The history of the monument goes back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese navigators dubbed Corcovado Peak "Mountain of Temptation". In 1921 (a year before the anniversary of Brazil's independence), the well-known publication "O Cruzeiro" announced the collection of funds for the construction of the monument, as a result of which over 2 million flights were collected.
The Christ the Redeemer statue was designed by Carlos Oswald. In 1927, the first models of the monument were constructed, and Costa Hisses performed all the necessary calculations. Pedro Viana and Heitor Levy took part in the construction of the monument, as well as the sculptor Paul Landowski, who modeled and made the plaster head and arms of the statue.
A whole army of engineers and technicians worked on the creation of the sculpture. It was decided to replace the steel frame of the monument with reinforced concrete, and the outer layer of the monument was made of soapstone, specially imported to Rio de Janeiro from the Swedish Lymhamn deposit.
The construction lasted about 9 years, and in 1931 the world saw the majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer, which for a long time was not equal in scale all over the world. The height of the monument is 38 meters, and the weight of the entire structure, taking into account the base, exceeds 1100 tons. The arm span of the statue is approximately 23 meters, and the head and arms of Christ the Redeemer weigh about 54 tons.
The Majestic History of Christ the Redeemer Statue
In 1965, the monument was consecrated by Pope Paul VI, and in 1981, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the monument, John Paul II was present at the solemn feast. The statue of Christ the Redeemer was restored three times - in 1980, 1990 and 2010. In 1932 and 2000, the night lighting system of the statue was modernized, and today it stands out in a special way against the background of the starry sky at night.
It should be noted that the statue of Christ the Redeemer passed the strongest storm in July 2008, which destroyed several nearby neighborhoods of Rio. The monument was saved by the same soapstone, which acted as a dielectric and extinguished lightning discharges on the surface of the statue. To date, the monument is in excellent condition.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer took pride of place in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and on July 7, 2007, at the initiative of the New Open World Corporation, it was included in the list of New Wonders of the World.

7 wonders of Russia: the greatness and beauty of the country

Everyone knows the Seven Wonders of the World. Their history is studied by scientists all over the planet, many scientific works have been written about them, presentations, messages, reports, chapters in textbooks are devoted to them. Secrets and legends are associated with each of the unusual world heritage sites of Russia and UNESCO, there are many facts and unconfirmed information. On June 12, 2008, the world learned that the 7 Wonders of Russia were published - it was quite difficult to choose these objects from a huge number of ancient, mysterious, mystical and simply very beautiful places that abound in the corners of the country. The project, aimed at identifying the most beautiful places in Russia, was initiated by the Izvestia newspaper in collaboration with the Mayak radio station and the Rossiya TV channel in 2007. In 2008, as a result of a popular vote, the most iconic and amazing sights of the country were chosen - 7 Wonders of Russia.
The list of 7 wonders of Russia includes: 1. Pillars of weathering Man-Pupu-ner in the Komi Republic. 2. Elbrus peak in Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria. 3. Lake Baikal in Buryatia. 4. Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula. 5. Mamaev Kurgan, the monument "Motherland". 6. Monument of palace and park art "Peterhof", St. Petersburg. 7. St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow.
Of the seven wonders of the world in Russia, 4 belong to the class of natural objects, three - to architectural monuments and park art.

Lake Baikal, Buryatia
In Buryatia, where Lake Baikal is located, it is called Baigal Dalai or Baigal Nuur. The deepest lake in the world is of tectonic origin and is a UNESCO protected site. Included in the 7 Wonders of Russia, Baikal is often called the sea - its dimensions are really impressive: the width is from 24 to 80 km, the length is 632 km. The very shape of the majestic and very beautiful reservoir is also interesting - in the form of a crescent.

Interesting to know. The crystal clear waters of the "father of Baikal", a member of the Great Seven Wonders of Russia, are also unique - you can see every pebble at a depth of 40 meters, and the minimum amount of mineral salts allows you to use Baikal water as distilled water.
The name “Father Baikal” was given to the object of the 7 Wonders of Russia because of an ancient legend. Baikal had 336 sons and only one daughter, Angara. The sons constantly replenished Baikal with their waters, and the Angara gave its waters to the Yenisei, whom she fell in love with. Angered by Baikal, he cursed his daughter Angara by throwing the rock Shaman-stone at its source.

Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka Territory
The Valley of Geysers is hidden in one of the volcanic gorges of the Kronotsky Reserve, it can only be reached by helicopter. 250 kilometers on the way over the tundra, ridges, hills, taiga ravines and acid lakes - and a person finds himself in a different world filled with fountains of swirling vapors, light smells of sulfur and rain splashes shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. Walking along a walking path with wooden decks, you can observe 30 large geysers and many small springs, throwing jets of boiling water (+95 °C) up to tens of meters. Hot mud pots have also been preserved. Due to the well-heated soil, the slopes of the valley are overgrown with lush greenery of grasses and trees. The Geysernaya River flows along the bottom of the gorge, which never freezes.

Mamaev Kurgan and Motherland, Volgograd Region

During the Great Patriotic War, Mamaev Kurgan became the scene of bloody battles. The struggle for Mamaev Kurgan, marked on military topographic maps as "Height-102.0", lasted 135 days out of 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1959 - 1967, a memorial complex was erected on this site - "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad". On the hill, in a mass grave, 34,505 soldiers found eternal rest. 200 granite steps lead from the foot to the top of the mound (according to the number of days of the battle). The statue "Motherland is calling!" is installed here. It is a figure of a woman 87 meters high with a raised sword in her hands. This is one of the tallest monuments in the world. (For comparison: the height of the Statue of Liberty in the United States reaches only 46 meters). The figure of a woman-mother is an allegorical symbol of the Motherland, calling her sons to fight the enemy.

Peterhof, St. Petersburg

Founded in the 1710s by Emperor Peter I, Peterhof became a luxurious royal residence and a kind of triumphal monument, symbolizing Russia's successful access to the Baltic Sea. Palaces, alleys, graceful sculptures and greenhouses with outlandish plants are united in a single ensemble. But the main pride of Peterhof is its fountains. 176 fountains and 4 cascades operate without a single pump. Hydraulic engineer V. Tuvolkov created a unique fountain conduit: 20 km from here, springs flow from which water flows through canals and locks into pools due to the height difference, and from there it rushes through underground pipes to the fountains and cascades of Peterhof.

Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

Basil's Cathedral is the same symbol of Russia and Moscow as the Eiffel Tower is for Paris and France, the Statue of Liberty is for the USA and New York, or the Taj Mahal is for India and Agra. St. Basil's Cathedral was built by Ivan the Terrible in 1555-1561 as a sign of victory over the Kazan Khanate. In plan, the temple is an eight-pointed star: 8 churches symbolize 8 days falling on the days of decisive battles for Kazan. They are grouped around the 9th, central church, personifying the king's state idea of ​​united lands. The name of the cathedral was given by a chapel built in 1588 and consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed.

Weathering pillars, Komi

The top of the Man-Pupu-ner mountain is crowned with remains of bizarre shapes. These giant pillars, 30 to 42 meters high, were created over 200 million years under the influence of water and wind. According to legend, the pillars were giants who wanted to destroy the local people - the Mansi. But as soon as their leader-shaman saw the sacred mountain - Man-Pupu-ner, he threw his tambourine in horror, and his companions turned into stone idols.

Elbrus, Caucasus

On the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, there is a two-headed Elbrus - the highest point in Russia. The height of the western peak of Elbrus is 5642 m, and the eastern one is 5621 m. The mountain is famous for its glaciers that feed mountain rivers, mineral springs spread at the foot, and bewitching views. Few mountains of volcanic origin surpass Elbrus in height: for example, the highest peak in Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro - is only 253 meters higher than the "Russian miracle".
Synopsis of the lesson of the history of Russia in the 8th grade. Domestic policy of Alexander I