The Seven Wonders of the World!! Many knew its existence, but few can name it. Today, I will take your through the list and allow you to vote for your own Seven Wonders of the World.
Firstly, when we mention about Seven Wonders of the World, we usually meant Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, for because only one out of the seven wonders remains. Others are like mythical stories from the word of mouth.
A historian (Herodotus) and a scholar (Callimachus of Cyrene) decide to make a lists of "seven wonders" but their writings have not survived, except as references. The final list of the Seven Wonders was compiled during the Middle Ages. The list comprised the seven most impressive monuments of the Ancient World, some of which barely survived to the Middle Ages.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Fruits and flowers, waterfalls, gardens hanging from the palace terraces, exotic animals, paradise in the Middle East. It is said to be located on the east bank of the River Euphrates, about 50 km south of Baghdad, Iraq.
Built by Nebuchadnezzar II, around 600 BC, to please his wife, Amyitis of Media, who longed for the trees and beautiful plants of her homeland.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
It is more than a place of worshipping, the white marble temple was one the most beautiful structure on earth. Built in honour of the Greek goddess of hunting and wild nature, Artemis, the temple was located in the ancient city of Ephesus near the modern town of Selcuk, about 50 km south of Izmir, Turkey.
It also housed many works of art, including four ancient bronze statues of Amazons sculpted by the finest artists at the time. It was in the end burnt by man who an attempt to immortalize his name.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
This is the statue of the god in whose honour the Ancient Olympic Games were held.. At the time of the games, wars stopped, and athletes came from Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily to celebrate the Olympics and to worship their king of gods, Zeus.
It was located on the land that gave its very name to the Olympics, Olympia, on the west coast of modern Greece, about 150 km west of Athens. The sculpture was made by ivory and accented with gold plating and seated on a magnificent throne of cedarwood, inlaid with ivory, gold, ebony, and precious stones. But unfortunately, it never survive a severe fire in AD 462.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is the burial place of an ancient king of the Persian Empire, Maussollos, his wife, Artemisia II of Caria, and his sister. It was situated in the city of Halicarnassus on the Aegean Sea, in south-west Turkey.
Decorated with gold and surrounded by Ionic columns, the tomb also adorned a statue of a chariot pulled by four horses on the top and statues of people, lions, horses, and other animals. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was in the end disassembled and used for the fortifying of a massive crusader castle by invaders in 1494.
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes was not only a gigantic statue of Greek god, Helios. It was rather a symbol of unity of the people who inhabited that beautiful Mediterranean island. It stood at the entrance of the harbour of the Mediterranean island of Rhodes in Greece for 56 years, before it was destroyed by a bad earthquake.
Skin of the statues is bronze and its base was made of white marble. The structure was gradually erected as the bronze form was fortified with an iron and stone framework.
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, a architectural elegance with a practical use. For sailors, it ensured a safe return to the Great Harbour. For architects, it was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most. It was located on the ancient island of Pharos, now a promontory within the city of Alexandria in Egypt.
For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was used to mark the harbour, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. Knowledge of its location and appearance remains inaccurate, and it too, never survive till the present day.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
The oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders, The Great Pyramid of Giza. The final resting place for Fourth dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, the Great Pyramid still stood strongly at the city of Giza, a necropolis of ancient Memphis, and today part of Greater Cairo, Egypt.
The structure consists of approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing more than two tons. On the north face, is the pyramid's entrance. A number of corridors, galleries, and escape shafts either lead to the King's burial chamber, or were intended to serve other functions. The King's chamber is located at the heart of the pyramid, only accessible through the Great Gallery and an ascending corridor.
After a long history lesson, here is the interesting part. The world needs a new set of the seven wonders, you believe it or not, you can vote yours. The New 7 Wonders of the World will be announced during the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 07.07.07!! As effect of this post, you only have only 82 days to vote! HURRY UP!! Next time you can proudly tell your kids, "I VOTED THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD"
Vote here: http://www.new7wonders.com
Zhiwei
