Seven Wonders of the Ancient

World
Helja Vallikivi
Mustamäe College
Form: 8 - 9
 Seven Wonders
• Although most people know that a list exists of the Seven
Wonders, only a few can name them. The list of them was
originally compiled around the second century BC.The first
reference to the idea is found in HISTORY of Herodotus as
long as the 5th century BC. Decades later, Greek historians
wrote about the greatest monuments at the time. The final
list of the Seven Wonders was compiled during the Middle
Ages.
• Today, archaeological evidence reveals some of the
mysteries that surrounded the history of theWonders for
centuries.
The Pyramid of Giza
 The Pyramid of Giza
• It is the oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the
Seven Ancient Wonders
• The monument was built by the Egyption pharaoh
KHUFU around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb
when he dies
• The structure consists of approximately 2 million
blocks of stone, each weighing more than two tons
• The great pyramid is believed to have been built
over a 20 year period
The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon
 The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon
• They located on the east bank of the River
Euphrates in Iraq
• The gardens are called “hanging” because
they grew high in the air on built up terraces
• King Nebuchadnezzar II (6604-562 BC)
built them to please his queen
• They consisted of arched vaults which are
located on checkered cube-like foundations
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
 The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• This is the statue of the god inwhose honour
the Ancient Olympic games were held
• It was built around 450 BC
• It was struck by earthquake, landslides and
floods, it was damaged by fire in the fifth
century AD
• It was destroyed by a severe fire in 462 AD
The Temple of Artemis at
Ephesus
 The Temple of Artemis at
Ephesus
• It was the most beautiful structure on earth
• It was built in honour of the Greek goddess
of hunting, wild nature and fertility
• Its foundation dates back to the seventh
century BC
• It housed many works of art, including 4
ancient bronze statues
• In 401 AD the temple was torn down
The Mausoleum of
Halicarnassus
 The Mausoleum at
Halicarnassus
• Mausolus, the King of a part of Minor Asia
(reigned fron 377-353 BC)
• The tomb was built for him and completed
around 350 BC
• There were tens of life-size and even over
life-size statues of people, lions, horses and
other animals
• It remained standing there for over 1,500 y.
The Colossus of Rhodes
 The Colossus of Rhodes
• It was rather a symbol of unity of the people
wgo inhabited on the island of Rhodes in
Greece
• Yhis enormous statue of their sun god
Helios was finished in 282 BC
• It stood at the harbour entrance
• It was broken by a strong earthquake at
about 226 BC
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
 The Lighthouse of Alexandria
• It is the only one which had a practical use
• For sailors it ensured a safe return to the
Great harbour
• It was built about 280 BC
• It was a stone tower about 400 feet high
(117 m)
• It was the last of the seven Wonders to
• disappear (1323 or even later)
 Revision
• Name all the seven Wonders
• Which of them is still standing?
• Why are the Babylon gardens called
“hanging”=
• Which of them had a practical use?
• Which was the tallest building on Earth?
• What do you know about the Mausoleum of
• Halicarnassus?
 Revision (cont.)
• Do you know any theories concerning the
building of the pyramid Giza?
• How are the statue Zeus and the Ancient
Olympic games connected?
• The Colossus of Rhodes was not only a
gigantic statue: what kind of symbol was it?
• What do the Seven Wonders reflect for us?