There are many beautiful places on our planet. From the Great Wall of China to the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro our planet is filled with sights to see. Some of these wonderful locations even find themselves on a list known as the Wonders of the World. There are Seven Wonders of the World and each for its own right. The current list is not the same as the original list due to individual wonders being destroyed for whatever reason, but I wanted to discuss the original Seven Wonders of the World with you today.
This list is believed to have originated in the 5th century BC. The Greek historian Herodotus began to compile this list but it was later revised in the Middle Ages. The revised list did, however, include the original seven wonders that Herodotus had originally discussed. Sadly, the majority of these original seven wonders have been since destroyed.
Hanging Garden of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were seventy-five foot high, multilevel gardens which we are not even sure ever existed. These gardens were supposedly built circa 600 BC by a man named King Nebuchadnezzar II. He was said to have built these gardens for his wife. But in the 1st century BC, near Baghdad, an earthquake struck, thus destroying these gardens.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
This is a 40-foot statue of Zeus. The Greek sculptor Phidias created the statue. The giant statue was constructed in about 435 to 450 BC and was created for the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The statue was found in Western Greece. Again, like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, it no longer exists, as it is said to have been destroyed by a fire in the 5th century.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is actually a series of temples. They can be seen in what is now known as Turkey, and they were originally constructed to honor the Greek goddess Artemis. The first of the series was built around 550 BC. Before the construction of the next temple could be completed the first one was destroyed by fire. However, it was quickly reconstructed with 127 marble columns. Then, in AD 262, the Goths destroyed that temple. You can still see some pieces of the original temple at the British Museum.
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
This is a 135-foot tall tomb. The tomb is white and was built in 350 BC. It was originally intended as burial place for Mausolus, a king in the Persian Empire. The mausoleum was damaged by an earthquake and was eventually disassembled around the 15th century.
Colossus of Rhodes
The Greeks are responsible for this next wonder and it took them nearly a decade to construct. By the time of its completion it was over 100-foot tall and was a statue of the Greek god Helios. Not sixty years after it was build an earthquake destroyed the statue. The Greeks never did rebuild the statue.
Lighthouse of Alexandria
Hellenistic Egyptians built this lighthouse on a small island near Alexandria known as Pharos. The lighthouse was built in 270 BC. It stood at nearly 400 feet. At its time it was among the tallest structures on earth. However, like most on this list, it was later destroyed by earthquake in the 14th century.
Great Pyramid of Giza
Finally we get to a wonder that still exists today. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built circa 2550 BC and was intended to be the tomb for the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. The base of this pyramid is thirteen square acres and has a height of 481 feet. Today, however, it only stands 450 foot high as it has lost height over the years. This pyramid took over 2.3 million blocks of stone to construct.
These are what are known as the original Seven Wonders of the World. Only one of these still exists today, but they all have stories that will live on forever. The list is always changing and the current list includes the Great Wall of China, Roman Colosseum, and the Taj Mahal. There is also a list of natural wonders of the world that includes things such as the Grand Canyon and the Aurora Borealis. Our planet is always changing and I can imagine this list will again change over time. I have only seen a couple of these wonders but you can find a handful more on my bucket list. These are all things that make our planet beautiful.
