What is the main sign of the 7 wonders of the world. Modern seven wonders of the world

Egyptian pyramids at El Giza

EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS, the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. The largest of them - the pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin in El Giza in ancient times were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The erection of the pyramid, in which the Greeks and Romans already saw a monument to the unprecedented pride of kings and cruelty, which doomed the entire people of Egypt to senseless construction, was the most important cult act and was supposed to express, apparently, the mystical identity of the country and its ruler. The population of the country worked on the construction of the tomb in a free from se agricultural work part of the year. A number of texts testify to the attention and care that the kings themselves (albeit of a later time) paid to the construction of their tomb and its builders. It is also known about the special cult honors that turned out to be the pyramid itself.

The pyramids of Egypt served as tombs for their dead kings. In the center of the ritual complex of the building are the Egyptian pyramids, according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, they had magical powers, in which the mummified pharaoh could achieve eternal life. The first step that led to the creation of the Egyptian Pyramids complex was the Pyramid of Djoser, built shortly after Egypt became a unified land (around 3000 BC). The pyramids of Egypt became known mainly due to the Pyramid of Cheops, located in Giza, which was discovered centuries later. The Egyptian pyramids were distinguished by unique technological features, and it is still not entirely clear how they were built. The true evolution in which the Egyptian pyramids developed can be traced from the most ancient prehistoric tombs to the splendor of the Giza plateau. The pyramids were built on the left - the western bank of the Nile (the West is the kingdom of the dead) and towered over the entire city of the dead - countless tombs, pyramids, temples. The largest of the three is the pyramid of Cheops (architect Hemiun, 27th century BC). Its height was originally 147 m, and the length of the side of the base was 232 m. For its construction, it took 2 million 300 thousand huge stone blocks, the average weight of which is 2.5 tons. The slabs were not fastened with mortar, only an extremely precise fit holds them. In ancient times, the pyramids were lined with polished white limestone slabs, their tops were covered with copper slabs that sparkled in the sun (only the pyramid of Cheops preserved the limestone sheathing, the Arabs used the coating of other pyramids in the construction of the White Mosque in Cairo). Near the pyramid of Khafre rises one of the largest statues of antiquity and our time - a figure carved from the rock of a lying sphinx with portrait features of Pharaoh Khafre himself. The great pyramids were surrounded by a number of small tombs for the wives of the pharaohs and their entourage. Such complexes necessarily included the sanctuaries of Upper and Lower Egypt, large courtyards for the celebration of heb-su, mortuary temples, the ministers of which were supposed to support the cult of the deceased king. The space around the pyramid, surrounded by steles, was connected by a long covered passage to the temple on the banks of the Nile, where the body of the pharaoh was met and funeral ceremonies began. All pyramids are precisely oriented to the cardinal points, which indicates a high level of astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, the calculation of the angles of inclination of the faces is absolutely impeccable. In the pyramid of Cheops, the angle of inclination is such that the height of the pyramid is equal to the radius of an imaginary circle in which the base of the pyramid is inscribed. A remarkable engineering find of ancient architects and builders was the construction of five unloading chambers in the thickness of the masonry above the burial chamber, with the help of which it was possible to remove and evenly distribute the colossal load on its floors. In addition to the chambers in the pyramid, there are other voids - corridors, passages and galleries, the entrances to which were carefully walled up and disguised. Nevertheless, the burials in the pyramids were plundered, apparently quite soon after the burial of the pharaohs. The thieves knew all the traps well, so they were most likely connected either with the builders or with the priests who carried out the burials. The buildings in El Giza, with their grandeur and apparent uselessness, amazed the imagination already in antiquity, which is best conveyed by the Arabic proverb: "Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time is afraid of the pyramids."

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

HANGING GARDENS OF SEMIRAMIS, gardens in the palace of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), which he ordered to be laid out for his beloved wife, the Median princess; traditionally ranked among the Seven Wonders of the World. The first mention of wonderful gardens was preserved in the "History" of Herodotus, who probably visited Babylon and left us the most complete description of it. Perhaps, with an eye to the "father of history", the hanging gardens in the Hellenistic era were placed on the list of the greatest and most famous structures.

Gardens in Babylon

Curiously, however, one of the world's most impressive sights is not even mentioned by Herodotus: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. They indicate that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years, starting from 605 BC. There is a less credible alternative story that the gardens were built by the Assyrian queen Semiramis during her five-year reign beginning in 810 BC. This was the peak of the city's power and influence, when King Nebuchadnezzar built an amazing array of temples, streets, palaces and walls, which included the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. According to legend, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built to surprise and please Nebuchadnezzar's wife, Amitis. Amitis, the daughter of the king of Media, married Nebuchadnezzar to create an alliance between the nations. She came from a green, sunny country, and the sun-dried terrain of Mesopotamia seemed depressing to her. The king decided to recreate his homeland by creating artificial mountains with gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon got their name not because they hung like a cable or rope. The name comes from an inaccurate translation of the Greek word, which means not only "hanging", but "overhanging", as is the case with a terrace or balcony. Already in the time of Herodotus, the construction of hanging gardens was attributed to the legendary conqueror of all Asia - the Assyrian queen Shamurmat (in Greek pronunciation - Semiramis). The gardens were located on a wide four-tiered tower. The terrace platforms were built of stone slabs covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Next came the laying of two rows of bricks fastened with plaster and lead slabs, which did not let water into the lower floors of the garden. All this complex structure was covered with a thick layer of fertile earth, which made it possible to plant the largest trees here. The tiers rose in ledges, connected by wide staircases with slabs of pink and white. Every day, thousands of slaves pumped water from deep wells to the top into numerous canals, from where it flowed down to the lower terraces. The murmur of water, the shade and coolness among the trees (taken from distant Media) seemed like a miracle. At the base, the structure rested on columns and vaulted ceilings. It was in these halls of the palace in the lower tier of the garden that Alexander the Great, the conqueror of Babylon and Asia, died. After the desolation of Babylon (Alexander's heirs no longer returned to this capital of their great predecessor), the flood destroyed the walls of the palace, the water softened the poorly baked clay, the terraces settled, the vaults and supporting columns collapsed. The only trace of the once grandiose monument of engineering at the present time is the network of intersecting trenches discovered thanks to the excavations of Robert Koldewey in 1898 near the Iraqi city of Hille (90 km from Baghdad), in the sections of which traces of dilapidated masonry are still visible.

Statue of Olympian Zeus

STATUE OF OLYMPIC ZEUS, the famous statue of the king of the gods and people by the great Greek sculptor Phidias; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue was placed in the cult center of the Olympic sanctuary - the temple of Zeus, in the sacred grove of Altise. To the question of the artist Panen, how Phidias planned to present the supreme god, the master replied: “... So, as Zeus is represented by Homer in the following verses of the Iliad: Rivers, and as a sign of black Zeus waves his eyebrows: Quickly, fragrant hair rose up at Kronid Okrest immortal head; and the multi-hilled Olympus shook.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The statue was made by Phidias in the chrysoelephantine technique: the exposed parts of the body were lined with ivory plates, the robes were cast in gold, and the base of the sculpture was wooden. The height of the statue reached approx. 17 m high. If the god "rose", his height would far exceed the height of the temple itself. Travelers who saw Zeus at Olympia call the combination of authority and mercy, wisdom and kindness in his face amazing. In his hand, the Thunderer held a statue of Nike (a symbol of victory). The richest throne of Zeus was also made of gold and ivory. The back, armrests and foot were decorated with ivory reliefs, golden images of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. The lower walls of the throne were covered with drawings of Panen, his legs - images of dancing Nik. Zeus's feet, shod in golden sandals, rested on a bench decorated with golden lions. In front of the pedestal of the statue, the floor was paved with dark blue Eleusinian stone, a basin carved into it for olive oil was supposed to save the ivory from drying out. The light that penetrated the doors of the dark temple, reflected from the smooth surface of the liquid in the pool, fell on the golden clothes of Zeus and illuminated his head; it seemed to those who entered that the radiance emanated from the very face of the deity. Possibly at the end of the 4th c. the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople and installed at the capital's hippodrome, where it died during one of the fires.

Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

MAUSOLEUM IN HALICARNASS, the tomb of King Mausolus of Caria (died 353 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The building originally combined the eastern step pyramid and the Greek Ionic peripter (architects Satyr and Pytheas). Like other Greek monuments from among the Seven Wonders of the World, the mausoleum was famous not only for the grandeur of its architecture, but also for its collection of sculptures - the base of the pyramid, on which the Greek-type temple and another pyramid rested, were decorated with reliefs with scenes of Amazonomachy by the most famous sculptors of the 4th century. BC e. - Leochar, Skopas, Briaxis and Timothy.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

In 377 BC, the city of Halicarnassus was the capital of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in this year that the ruler of this land died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Mausolus continued the expansion of the territory begun by his father, reaching the southwestern part of Asia Minor. Mausolus, with his queen, ruled Halicarnassus and the surrounding territories for 24 years. Mausolus, although he was a local resident, spoke excellent Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government. Then, in 353 BC. Mausolus died, leaving his queen alone, who was also his sister (It was the local custom for rulers to marry their own sister), heartbroken. As a tribute to him, she decided to build the most magnificent Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which became his tomb. Soon the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus became a famous building, and now the name of Mausolus is associated with all the majestic tombs, since it was from his name that the word "mausoleum" appeared. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was so beautiful and unique that it became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The almost untouched mausoleum stood for approx. 1800 years in the middle of a deserted city until the 15th century, when it was dismantled by the crusaders, who reinforced it with plates of their stronghold on the Aegean Sea - the castle of St. Petra (modern Bodrum in Turkey). It was within the walls of the fortress and the surrounding houses that in 1857 the English archaeologist C. T. Newton discovered relief slabs from the basement of the tomb (now in the British Museum in London and the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul), the statues of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia (who continued after death king, the construction of their common tomb) and a colossal chariot that crowned the entire structure.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus.

ARTEMIS EPHESUS TEMPLE (Artemision), one of the most famous and revered pilgrimage centers of the ancient world; Since the Hellenistic era, it has traditionally been included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus today is the remains of columns and meager fragments lying on the ground, and this is all that remains of the seventh wonder of the world. According to Strabo, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus was destroyed at least seven times, and rebuilt the same number of times. Archaeological finds testify to at least four restorations of this temple, dating back to the 7th century BC. Chersiphon and Metagenes erected a two-winged temple in the 6th century BC. and, according to Herostratus, it was burned - the next majestic structure, built entirely of marble, appeared in 334 BC, and was completed in 250 BC. The temple of Artemis of Ephesus was admired even by Alexander the Great, who paid for the continuation of the work. Skopas and Praxiteles also worked there, and Chirocrates was responsible for the design. The Hellenistic temple was built on a podium, which was reached by a 13-step staircase. A double colonnade surrounded the outer and inner space (105 x 55 m). The relief columns were the work of Scopas, and Praxiteles worked on the design of the altar. Unfortunately, as we have already said, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus has not been preserved. The oldest traces of the veneration of Artemis near the place of her birth date back to pre-Greek times; a giant temple of the goddess was built in the 6th century. BC e. architect Hersiphron of Knossos. During one of the sieges, the inhabitants of Ephesus stretched a rope from the temple to the city, thereby turning it into an inviolable sanctuary. The glory of Artemision was so great that people from all over the Greek ecumene placed their savings in it. The student of Socrates, the famous historian Xenophon, who transferred a large amount of money to the goddess for safekeeping before going to Persia (described in Anabasis), on his return he built a small temple on them as a token of gratitude to Artemis - an exact copy of Ephesus - in the town of Skillunt in Elis. July 21, 356 BC e. the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, the main shrine of the Greeks of Asia Minor, was burned by Herostratus - a sacrilege was committed that shook the entire Hellenic world. Subsequently, a legend arose that Artemision burned down on the day when the future conqueror of Asia, Alexander the Great, was born. When Alexander approached the city after 25 years, he wished to restore the temple in all its splendor. The architect Alexandra Deinocrates, who supervised the work, retained his previous plan, only raised the building to a higher stepped base. The whole building was striking in its splendor and scale unusual for Greek architecture. The temple occupied a huge area - 110 x 55 m, the height of the Corinthian columns (there were 127 of them), a double row surrounding the structure, was also grandiose - about 18 m. ; the roof of Artemision was covered with marble tiles. One of the sights of the building were 36 columns, decorated at the base with reliefs almost in human height. The great Greek masters took part in the decoration of such a revered place: Praxiteles sculpted reliefs for the altar in the sanctuary fence, the reliefs of the columns were made by Skopas, Apelles placed his paintings in the temple; the art gallery of Artemision was as famous as the collection of paintings in the Athenian propylaea. The sanctuary also flourished under the Romans, sources report rich gifts to the temple of silver and gold statues and the construction of a portico along the road from the city to the sanctuary (about 200 m). The Acts of the Apostles mentions the indignation caused in the city by the preaching of the Apostle Paul, which interfered with the trade in silver models of the temple of the goddess, the manufacture of which was the most profitable craft here. In 263, the Goths who broke into Asia Minor, having heard about the innumerable riches of the city and Artemision, plundered the sanctuary; the next blow was the prohibition of pagan cults in the Roman Empire in 391 under Theodosius I the Great. It is known, however, that the cult of Artemis continued to go here for another two centuries, until this place was finally abandoned after an earthquake. In 1869, as a result of excavations begun by the English archaeologist J. T. Wood in a swamp at the supposed site of the sanctuary, the base plate of the structure was discovered and numerous offerings to the temple were found. The famous reliefs of the columns of Artemision are currently in the British Museum (London).

Faros lighthouse.

FAROS LIGHTHOUSE (Lighthouse of Alexandria), a lighthouse on the east coast of about. Pharos within the boundaries of Alexandria, the Hellenistic capital of Egypt; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The builder of this miracle of technology, the first and only colossal lighthouse in the entire Greek world, was Sostratus of Cnidus. On the marble wall of the building, Sostratus carved the inscription: "Sostratus, the son of Dexifan from Cnidus, dedicated to the gods-saviors for the sake of sailors." He covered this inscription with a thin layer of plaster with the glorification of King Ptolemy Soter written on it. Over time, the plaster that fell off revealed the true name of the builder and great engineer.

Alexandrian lighthouse

During the construction of the lighthouse, the most remarkable and ingenious inventions of the Alexandrian scientists were applied. The lower floor of the three-tier 120-meter tower had four faces facing north, east, west and south, eight faces of the second tier were oriented in the direction of the eight main winds. The third floor - a lantern crowned the dome with a statue of Poseidon about 7 m high. A complex system of metal mirrors intensified the light of the fire lit on the top of the structure and made it possible to observe the expanse of the sea; the lighthouse itself was also a well-fortified fortress with a large military garrison. Travelers who saw the lighthouse wrote about the cunningly arranged statues that adorned the lighthouse tower: one of them always pointed to the sun along its entire path and lowered its hand down when it set, the other beat every hour day and night, the third one could find out the direction wind. The amazing building stood until the 14th century, but even in its already badly destroyed form, its height was approx. 30 m. At present, only the base of the lighthouse has been preserved, entirely built into a medieval fortress (now the base of the Egyptian fleet).

The Colossus of Rhodes.

THE COLOSS OF RHODES, a gigantic statue of Helios by the sculptor Hares on the island. Rhodes; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was erected with the money received by Rhodes after the sale of the siege machines of Demetrius I Poliorket, who tried to capture this richest Greek island in 305 BC. e.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Travelers in New York Harbor can see a wonderful sight. Before them appears a huge statue of a woman in clothes, standing on a small island in the harbor, holding a book and a torch, rushing into the sky. The statue is almost one hundred and twenty feet from the feet to the crown. It is sometimes called the "Modern Colossus", but more often it is called the Statue of Liberty. The Colossus of Rhodes, which the Statue of Liberty so reminds us of, is an ancient creation of the ancients, located on the island of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue standing along the banks of the strait, one foot was on one side, the other on the second. According to the project, ships were supposed to float between the legs of the statue. Unfortunately, the Colossus of Rhodes turned out to be “weak in the legs”, because of the earthquake, his legs gave way, and the huge statue collapsed into the water. For a long time there were remains of his legs, which served as proof of his existence, but they have not survived to this day either. The Colossus of Rhodes today has become a symbol of a massive, but ill-conceived project at the base, which can easily collapse. Helios was not just a particularly revered deity on the island - he was its creator: having no place dedicated to him, the sun god carried the island on his hands from the depths of the sea. The statue of the god towered right at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes and was visible to swimmers already from the neighboring islands, the height of the statue was approx. 35 m, i.e., almost three times higher than the "Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg. At the base, the statue was made of clay with a metal frame, finished with bronze sheets on top. To work on the image of the god directly at the site of its installation, Chares used a cunning technique: with the gradual elevation of the sculpture, the earthen hill around it also rose; the hill was subsequently torn down, and the statue in its entirety was revealed to the astonished inhabitants of the island. It took 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron to make a grandiose monument (about 13 and about 8 tons, respectively). The colossus also gave rise to a kind of fashion for giant statues, on Rhodes already in the 2nd century. BC e. about a hundred colossal sculptures were installed. The creation of the bronze giant lasted approx. 12 years, but he stood, however, only 56 years. In 220 BC e. during the earthquake, the statue collapsed, unable to withstand the vibrations of the ground. As Strabo writes, "the statue lay on the ground, overthrown by an earthquake and broken at the knees." But even then the Colossus was surprising for its size; Pliny the Elder mentions that only a few could grasp the statue's thumb with both hands. The fragments of the Colossus lay on the ground for more than a thousand years, until they were finally sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977, to a merchant who, as one of the chronicles tells, loaded 900 camels with them. At present, it is not possible to fully reconstruct the appearance of the statue. Not so long ago, a couple of years ago, regular elections were held, where new 7 wonders of the world were determined.

Modern wonders of the world

The new list includes the following miracles:

The Great Wall of China - in our humble opinion, it should be included in all such lists where new wonders of the world are mentioned. The wall is a truly incredible object, on which a lot of funds, materials, and human lives have been spent. Striking in its size, the design is admired when we only think about the state of the art that existed then.

- Petra- this object was also rightfully included in the new 7 wonders of the world, since it is a whole city, completely carved into the rocks. The craftsmanship of the workers is surprising even by modern standards, and if we again remember that the city is several thousand years old, then we can say with confidence that this is a real miracle.

- Christ statue- known to us from the Brazilian TV series, a tall structure crowning a hill in Rio. Considering the new 7 wonders of the world, we believe that it would be possible to choose something else, more worthy, but this is only our personal opinion.

- Machu Picchu- an Indian city that has survived to this day, and is a monument to the ancient civilization of the Incas. The new wonders of the world put it in one place with the Chinese wall and the Egyptian pyramids, and we tend to agree with them - indeed, there is something to see here.

- Chichen Itza- these are buildings that have become a monument to another great civilization - the Maya. Here, ancient sculptures, buildings, inventions have been preserved, almost in perfect condition that have survived to this day. Even some pieces of furniture were found here. Our verdict - the modern wonders of the world must include this city.

- Roman Coliseum- a place where gladiator battles took place, soaked in blood and scary stories, the last breaths of people and animals. The new wonders of the world include the Colosseum, not just because of its beauty, but because of its history, participation in ancient works, stories and narratives.

- Taj Mahal- fanned with a romantic halo, the temple, built in memory of probably one of the most famous love stories in the world, it deserves to be included in the modern 8 wonders of the world solely because of its history.

- Pyramids of Egypt- they were included in the new 8 wonders of the world, because the Egyptians were offended by the fact that their "miracle" was not included in the list of the best. It was decided to respect the request, because the truth is, the design deserves admiration. Another new 8 wonders of the world A new selection of applicants for the list of "modern 8 wonders of the world" is currently being conducted. The fact is that the previous selection attracted a lot of attention, allowed to significantly increase knowledge about natural wonders, engineering and others. Therefore, today it is proposed to once again choose the new 8 wonders of the world - natural. The selection will take place in several stages, now 21 finalists are being determined.

Illustrated interpretation Seven Wonders of the World.

- The Great Wall of China, which is truly an incredible object, on which a huge amount of funds, materials, and human lives were spent.

The design, unprecedented in its size, is a delight when we can only think about the then state of the art. Unfortunately, it was not included in the list, due to its young age, but it truly inspires in scale no less than the pyramids of Chiops.

City of Petra

- The city of Petra - this object was also rightfully included in the new seven wonders of the world, as it is a large city, completely carved into the mountains.

The craftsmanship of the workers is amazing even by modern standards, and if we recall again that this city is several thousand years old, then we can say with determination that this is true magic.

Sculpture of Christ

- The sculpture of Christ - popular to us from Brazilian television series, the highest structure crowning the elevation in Rio. The height of the statue is 38m, the pedestal is 8m, the weight of the statue is 1145 tons, the arm span is 30m.

Machu Picchu

– Machu Picchu is an Indian city that has survived to this day, and is a monument of the old Inca civilization. The new seven wonders of the world put it in the same place with the Chinese wall and the Egyptian pyramids, there is something to see.

Pyramid of Chichen Itza

- Chichen Itza - these pyramids, which have become a monument to the second majestic civilization - the Maya. Here are preserved the oldest statues, buildings, inventions, in fact, in perfect condition, which have survived to this day. Even separate pieces of furniture were found here.

Roman Coliseum

- The Roman Colosseum is a place where gladiator fights took place, soaked in blood and terrible stories, the last breaths of people and animals. The new wonders of the world include the Colosseum, not only because of its beauty, but because of the history, deeds in ancient works, narratives and stories.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal, adorned with a romantic nimbus, built to commemorate one of the world's most popular love stories, is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles of architecture.

Egyptian pyramids

- The Egyptian pyramids - they were included in the new eight wonders of the world, as the Egyptians were offended by the fact that their miracle was not included in the list of the best. It was decided to respect the request, as the design deserves admiration.

At the initiative of Bernard Weber, a project to renovate the seven ancient wonders of the world began with the help of the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation. More than 100 million people cast their votes through a poll, internet and telephone, after which the final list of the new seven wonders of the world was approved. The voting results were announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Petra in Jordan

200 km south of the Jordanian capital, deep in the sandy mountains near the valley of Wadi Musa (“Valley of Moses”), the ruins of ancient Petra are hidden. It is believed that the temples and palaces of Petra were carved into the rocks 2000 years before the birth of Christ by the ancient Arab nomadic tribe of the Nabataeans. The city was built for about 500 years and turned into a major trading center.

Petra was located at the crossroads of important trade routes between the Red and Mediterranean Seas. There are over 800 attractions in Petra. Temples and crypts, Roman colonnades and an amphitheater for 3000 seats, palaces of nobles, baths and canals - all this is carved out of stone.

Chichen Itza in Mexico

The ancient Mayan city - Chichen Itza, located in Mexico in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula. The name of the ancient city of Chichen Itza is translated as "The well of the Itza tribe." The city was founded in the 7th century AD. e. as the religious center of the Maya, and by the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs, who came to the Yucatan from central Mexico, and by the 11th century it became the capital of the Toltec kingdom. In 1178, the Indian ruler Hunak Keel destroyed the Mayan sanctuary, turning it into a miserable heap of ruins. The city fell into decay and became depopulated.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil

The giant statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowning the 710-meter-high Corcovado mountain, has been rightfully considered a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil as a whole for 80 years. The statue of Christ with outstretched arms rises above the city of 10 million, as if blessing and embracing it. The statue reaches 38 meters in height and weighs 1145 tons. At the foot of the monument there is an observation deck, which offers amazing views of the sandy beaches, the huge bowl of the Maracana Stadium, Guanabara Bay and Sugar Loaf Peak, similar in shape to a piece of sugar.

Roman Colosseum in Italy

The Colosseum - one of the most monumental monuments of the Roman era - is a symbol of Italy to the same extent as the Eiffel Tower for France or the Kremlin for Russia. The amphitheater was built in 8 years - the construction was started by Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed in 80 by his son Titus. The walls of the Colosseum were erected from large blocks of travertine, fastened together with steel brackets with a total weight of about 300 tons. The opening of the Colosseum was marked by 100 days of entertainment events. During this time, several thousand warriors and 5 thousand predatory animals brought from Africa died in gladiatorial tournaments.

The great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a chain of defensive structures stretching across northern China from the Liaodong Gulf of the Yellow Sea to the sands of the Gobi Desert. The length of the Chinese wall in a straight line, from edge to edge, is 2450 km, and if we take into account all the bends and branches, then, according to various estimates, it turns out from 6000 to 8850 km. Construction, begun in 210 BC, continued with short interruptions until the end of the Ming dynasty, that is, until the 1640s. The average height of the wall reached 7.8 meters, and its width allowed five infantrymen to march in a row or five horse riders to gallop in a line.

Machu Picchu in Peru

The ruins of Machu Picchu - the "lost city of the Incas" - are hidden in the thickets of the jungle high in the Peruvian Andes and are surrounded on three sides by the stormy mountain river Urubamba. The city was built as a sanctuary in 1438 by the ninth ruler of the Inca Empire - Pachacutec Yupanqui. For more than 400 years, only legends circulated about the existence of the city, and only 100 years ago (1911), the Inca stronghold again “resurrected from oblivion” thanks to the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. The city prospered, at an altitude of 3000 meters its inhabitants grew maize, potatoes and other vegetables. Right in the rocks, the Incas cut down terraces, covered them with earth from the Urubamba river valley and erected massive retaining walls that protected the beds from the sun, wind and sand drifts. Around 1532, the inhabitants of Machu Picchu left the city for unknown reasons, leaving beautiful architectural creations to their descendants.

Taj Mahal in India

Facts and legends are closely intertwined in the history of the white marble masterpiece, but most historians agree that the tomb was built in the 1630s. by order of the Mughal emperor - Shah Jahan in memory of the untimely deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. Construction continued for 22 long years. More than 20,000 people participated in it, among them builders from all over the empire, craftsmen from

Pyramids of Giza

Every person, regardless of the level of education and social status, has heard about seven wonders of the world, representing the greatest monuments of human civilization since ancient times. Few remember the entire list, and almost all of them have not been preserved, however, in our time, attempts are being made to compile new, alternative lists of attractions that can compete with the ancient creations of human genius.

The first who tried to formulate human achievements in the form list of wonders of the world, were the ancient authors of ancient Hellas, whose written heritage has survived to this day.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Zeus statue in Olympia

The "father of history" Herodotus was the first to point out the architectural marvels that existed in his time. His work mentions three majestic buildings on the Greek island of Samos - a mountain tunnel, a temple of Hera and a dam.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Starting with Herodotus, the list of sights grew, changed and supplemented by other Greek authors, until it was formulated in its final form as a list of seven points.

Historically and geographically 7 Wonders of the Ancient World are related to the territories conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC.

They were scattered throughout the Oikoumene - from ancient Egypt to Babylon and ancient Greece.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

The most ancient wonder of the world, but ironically the only one that has survived to this day is the main Egyptian attraction - The Pyramid of Cheops included in the complex. When choosing the new seven wonders of the world, the pyramid was awarded the title of "Honorary Candidate".

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Second wonder of the world, semi-mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon, existed for 7 centuries, until they died in a flood of the 1st century BC.

Third miracle, huge Temple statue of Zeus at Olympia, made of ivory, precious woods and inlaid with gold, stood for 9 centuries, but burned down in a fire in the 5th century AD.

In the Turkish city of Selcuk, you can still see the ruins of the fourth wonder of the world, Temple of Artemis in, which at one time exceeded the size of Jupiter's huge temple.

Statue of the Colossus of Rhodes

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus lasted longer than all other attractions of the ancient world (with the exception of the Pyramid of Cheops).

An amazing architectural monument stood proudly for 19 centuries, but the elements overcame it too - the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake.

Lighthouse in Alexandria

The ruins of a colossal structure can currently be seen in Bodrum, Turkey.

Earthquakes also destroyed two other ancient monuments - a bronze statue of the Colossus of Rhodes(destroyed in the III century BC) and in Egypt (was destroyed in the XIV century).

New seven wonders of the world

At the beginning of the 21st century, on July 7, 2007, on the day of the "three sevens", in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, new seven wonders of the world were named, each of which may well compete with the lost architectural treasures.

The project was organized by the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC) at the initiative of the Swiss Bernard Weber. The selection of new seven wonders of the world from the famous architectural structures of the world took place via SMS, telephone or the Internet. As part of the selection of attractions, about 100 million votes were accepted, but since the conditions did not prohibit voting several times, this list became questionable almost immediately after publication.

However, at present it is the most famous of these ratings and therefore, along with it, it is the main reference point for tourists actively traveling around the world with

The great Wall of China

One of the undisputed leaders of the list is one of the largest and oldest architectural monuments in the world. Its total length is 8851.8 km, in one of the sections it runs near Beijing. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. One fifth of the then population of the country, i.e., about a million people, took part in the construction.

Today, the wall is a symbol of China, both for the Chinese themselves and for foreigners. At the entrance to the restored part of the Wall, you can see the inscription made by Mao Tse Tung - "If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese."

Machu Picchu

The famous statue of Jesus Christ, with outstretched arms and eyes on the city, rises on top of Corcovado's mountain. At the foot of the monument there is an observation deck, which offers amazing views of the sandy beaches, a huge bowl, the bay and the Sugarloaf Peak, similar in shape to a piece of sugar.

White Temple Wat Rong Khun

Along with the main lists of wonders of the world, there are and continue to be compiled new, alternative lists - author's and based on the results of surveys.

statue of liberty in new york

As a modern alternative to the famous the Pyramid of Cheops the glass pyramid of the Parisian (France) was proposed.

The most striking among modern temple complexes is the Buddhist one opened in 1997 in Thailand. This temple, according to journalists, is quite capable of overshadowing the ruins Temple of Artemis in Among other similar structures - built in 1604 in Amritsar (India), in (Japan) and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain).

Angkor Wat temple complex, Cambodia

Dubai "Garden of Miracles"(UAE), where on an area of ​​72 thousand square meters. m grow 45 million flowers, also (according to journalists) can compete with Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The royal botanical kew gardens(Great Britain), Royal Park of Flowers Keukenhof(Netherlands) and gardens (France).

Compare with 137 meters Lighthouse of Alexandria in beauty today, lighthouses are capable of Lindau(Germany) and lighthouse "Cape Florida"(USA). And the lighthouse Jeddah(Saudi Arabia) almost catches up with Alexandria in height - 133 meters.

Acropolis in Athens

Statue of Zeus at Olympia according to the logic of journalists, today it can outshine golden buddha in (Thailand) - the world's largest golden statue of a deity. At the same time, it does not matter at all that the Buddha is far from being as severe and angry as Zeus the Thunderer.

And at Mausoleum at Halicarnassus there were followers in the modern world, this title was awarded to the mausoleum and Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin in Moscow.

Palace and fortress of the Alhambra

And finally the statue colossus of Rhodes journalists compared it with a statue in (Brazil), which is comparable to an ancient building not only in height, but also in its location by the sea.

At the same time, some new lists of wonders of our time are deliberately narrowed down to cover attractions by location or time of creation.

Easter Island

So, for example, ratings by country were repeatedly compiled (in Russia, Portugal, Belgium and others) or exceptional objects of the underwater world were determined (cracks, reefs, islands and even underwater ruins).

In the finals of the competition for the title of man-made new wonders of the world, other no less worthy sights also turned out to be, and some of them, according to many people, are much more worthy of being on the final list of the “most-most”.

Timbuktu

In particular, the obvious competition could be made by the superior in size and established 40 years earlier by the American . It is also quite surprising that the final list of the seven wonders does not mention Cambodia - the largest religious building ever created by people.

All these great monuments of human civilization were on the list of contenders, along with, Sydney Opera, in Spanish Granada, eiffel tower, Moscow Kremlin,, moai sculptures on the castle, a Buddhist temple in and the city.

Seven new wonders of nature

Iguazu Falls

Komodo park

Seven new wonders of nature is a competition also organized by the Swiss non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC), which, through a worldwide popular vote, has found seven of the most amazing natural places on Earth.

Project "Seven New Wonders of Nature" launched at the end of 2007. Until 07.07.09, nomination and preliminary selection of all candidates took place, among which was the Russian natural pearl - Lake Baikal. Voting was completed by the mystical date - 11/11/11.

Among the main wonders of nature included the longest river in the world - Amazon and its jungle; the largest underground river is in the Philippines.

The only one of the 7 wonders of the world of the Ancient World that has survived to this day is the Great Pyramid of Giza - the Pyramid of Cheops. In the suburbs of the capital of Egypt, Cairo, this ancient monument was designed and built as the tomb of the most famous pharaoh Cheops (Khufu) and is recognized as the tallest building of its time. It's hard to believe, but the height of this miracle of art is almost 147 meters (imagine five nine-story buildings stacked on top of each other). Initially, the pyramid occupied an area larger than seven football fields, and the length of one of the sides of its base was over 230 meters.

The construction of the Great Pyramid, according to the official version of Egyptologists, was completed in 2540 BC. It took the combined efforts of 100,000 people to create this truly extraordinary miracle. According to the calculations of archaeologists, the work lasted about 20 years.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

It is generally accepted that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which, according to one of the many versions, were built around 600 BC by order of the Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, the Median princess Amitis. In the future, the daughter of King Cyaxares began to be called the name of the Assyrian queen.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was a four-story building resembling a pyramid in shape, the tiers of which, held by powerful columns, were both balconies and terraces. Hanging unique plants, combined with fountains and ponds, turned the Babylonian structure into a real oasis.

To supply the gardens with water, a special irrigation system was designed: hundreds of slaves turned wheels with buckets for days on end. When Babylon fell into decay, there was no one to irrigate, the unique flora of the hanging gardens perished. Finished the job - finally destroyed the palace - frequent earthquakes. Babylon disappeared from the face of the earth, and with it the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the most beautiful monuments of antiquity, disappeared into oblivion.

Zeus statue in Olympia

In the 5th century BC, the sports and religious center of ancient Greece was Olympia, where the god Zeus was most revered. It was to him, the head of the ancient Greek Pantheon, that the Olympians unanimously decided to build a majestic temple. To implement the plan, the Athenian sculptor Phidias, known for his sculptures, was invited to Olympia. The task before the master was not easy: to create a structure that surpasses all his previous creations in its monumentality. Phidias gave the go-ahead. Work has begun.

It took the sculptor and his apprentices ten years for the Ancient World to see this wonder of the world. The temple was entirely made of marble. Columns made of limestone were installed along its perimeter. On the walls of the temple there were picturesque bas-reliefs depicting Zeus and the twelve labors of Hercules.

The thunder god himself, called "the embodiment of male beauty", was made of ivory and reached a height of 13 meters. He sat majestically on a throne carved from ebony and covered with chased gold plates, and almost touched the ceiling of the temple.

The masterpiece of Phidias did not go unnoticed. For many years, writers and philosophers admired him, referring the statue of Olympian Zeus to the best creations of mankind. But in 476 there was a fire during which this wonder of the world was lost.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The initiator and "sponsor" of the latest version of Artemision, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, was. The construction of this wonder of the world, which began in 323 BC, from limestone and marble, continued for many years. The "highlight" of the temple, its main distinguishing feature, was 127 giant columns installed in nine rows. The interior decoration of Artemision was fascinating. Everything was here: marvelous statues made by the best architects of that time, and beautiful paintings by famous artists. And in the center of this splendor stood a statue of the goddess Artemis - the patroness of love relationships and the family hearth.

Artemision, rebuilt by Alexander, lasted six centuries. It was robbed and destroyed by the Goths, flooded by numerous floods. Today, the existence of this wonder of the world is evidenced by only one single column, restored from the wreckage.

mausoleum in Halicarnassus

Ancient Halicarnassus, in which the "father of history" Herodotus was born, was known for its architectural beauties. White marble temples built in honor of Ares and Aphrodite, Salmakin's fountain, theaters and palaces attracted foreign guests to the city. But the real "pearl" of Halicarnassus, a wonder of the world, was the tomb of the despotic king, which he began to build during his lifetime.

Pytheas and Satyros, the best architects of that time, worked on the tomb, which consisted of three tiers and reached a height of 46 meters. Decorating the building - creating marble figures of gods, animals and horsemen - was entrusted to Leohar and Skopas.