7 Wonders Of the World

People say that perfection is impossible, but as a perfectionist myself I believe you can always better yourself. So, for this month I’ll be attempting to improve my general knowledge and hopefully help you out too.
My first post will be about the 7 wonders of the world.

The Original Seven Wonders of the World

1) The Colossus of Rhodes
2) The Great Pyramid of Giza
3) The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
4) The Lighthouse of Alexandria
5) The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
6) The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
7) The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Currently only one wonder that is still standing is The Great Pyramid of Giza.

 1) The Colossus of Rhodes

• statue built on the Greek island of  Rhodes.
• statue of  Greek titan-god of the sun, Helios
• It only stood for 56 years until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.
• Build to celebrate their victory over ruler of Cyprus
• Allied with Egypt to prevent a mass invasion

2) The Great Pyramid of Giza

• Built as a tomb for the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu
• built with about 2.3 million stone blocks
• Was not built by slaves but rather paid employees
• It took 20 years to build
• Although the pyramid has been thoroughly analyzed it is unable to be built today. As we do not have the necessary technology to build it.

 3) The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• In ruins

• Built in Ancient City of Babylon, today known as  Iraq.
• There is no documentation in Babylonian sources that the gardens ever existed or no solid archaeological evidence that they existed. However several Ancient Romans and Greeks wrote about it.
• There are many theories on why it was built.
• King Nebuchadrezzar II (reigned c. 605– c.561 BC), it is said that he built the legendary gardens to console his wife Amytis  because she was homesick for the mountains and greenery of her homeland.

4) The Lighthouse of Alexandria

• Built in Egypt, Alexandria
• Was the first lighthouse in the world
• The lighthouse was damaged by several earthquakes and eventually became an abandoned ruin.
• aprox. 450 feet tall (138 meters)
  5) The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

• Bodrum, Turkey
• In 353 B.C. Mausolus died. His Queen, Artemisia (also his sister ) was so heart-broken that she wanted to create the most splendid tomb there ever was
• took 24 years to build
• Damaged by earthquake but ultimately destroyed by the Knights of St. John

6) The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

• Greece
• 12 yrs to build
• sculptor :  Phidias
• Zeus was ‘Father of gods and men’
• All the details of the statue today are taken from depictions on coins and ancient Greek descriptions.
• Unknown how it was destroyed

7) The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

• built to honor Artemis, one of three maiden goddesses of Olympus.
• Built in Turkey
• had to be rebuilt at least three times due to fire, flood and a mob that was determined to destroy it.
• However Each time it was rebuilt it became larger and even more beautiful and impressive.
• destroyed  in 262 by the Goths.
• The final time it was destroyed it was never rebuilt.
• “I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the temple at Ephesus rising to the clouds, all these other wonders were put in the shade”– Antipater of Sidon