Seven wonders of the worldA summary of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The list was first compiled by touristic guides in ancient Greece.
In Gizeh, Egypt. Built by Cheops. Existed from -2500 until now.
Cheops' pyramid.
In Babylon, Babylonia. Built by Nebukadnesar II. Existed from -600, maybe until the beginning of the common era. Possibly destroyed in an earthquake.
The hanging gardens of Babylon, an engraving from the sixteenth century (in the background even the tower of Babel is depicted).
In Ephesus, Persian Empire. Built by Croesus. Existed from -550, but burned down in -356, was rebuilt in -323, destroyed by the Goths in 262 but rebuilt, and destroyed in 401.
The site of the temple of Artemis. Note the stork nesting on top of the column.
In Olympia, Greece. Built by Phidias. Existed since -435. Was possibly destroyed in a fire in the fifth century of the common era.
The statue of Zeus. Sixteenth century engraving.
In Halicarnassus, Persian Empire. Built by Mausollus. Existed since -353. Numerous earthquakes in the Middle Ages destroyed it to ruins, and the stones that were left of it were used in 1494 to build a castle.
A scale model of the mausoleum of Mausollos, in Istanbul.
In Rhodes, Greece. Built by Chares of Lindos. Existed from -280 tot -224, when an earthquake made the more that 34 metres high statue fall down. The remnants lay in the city for eight centuries.
The Colossus of Rhodes.
In Pharos (near Alexandria), Egypt. Built by Sostratus of Cnidos. Existed from -279 (according to wikipedia it was built between 285 and 247) until the destruction by earthquakes in 1303, 1323 and 1375. In 1480 the ruins were used to build a castle.
The lighthouse of Alexandria.
