The Seven Wonders of the World was a list created by the Ancient Greeks, comprising the most prominent buildings at the time. The original list was created over two millennia ago. Sadly, of that list, only one Wonder remains: The Great Pyramid of Giza. The initial list featured the following long-lost Wonders:
1. The Great Pyramid of Giza
The largest of the Seven Ancient Wonders, the Pyramid was completed in approximately 2560 BC. It still stands in Egypt today – a must for the Bucket List!
2. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Standing at over 40 feet tall, the statue depicted Zeus on a cedar throne. The gold and ivory – embellished statue was created by Phidius, a Greek sculptor, in about 435 BC. The fate of the statue is unknown: it was lost or destroyed at some point during the 5th Century
3. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Built in Bodrum, Turkey, the tomb of Mausolus was built in about 350 BC. It was destroyed by a number of earthquakes between 1100 and 1400 AD.
4. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
This temple was built and rebuilt several times, so the age of the original temple is unknown. It is known that construction of the third temple started in 323 BC, and that it was destroyed in 268 AD by the Goths.
5. The Colossus of Rhodes
100-foot-high statue of the Greek sun god, Helios.
The Colossus was built in Rhodes in 280 BC and destroyed in an earthquake in 226 BC.
6. The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Standing at 400 feet tall, the lighthouse was the world’s tallest building for hundreds of years. It was built in roughly 280 BC and damaged by earthquakes. In 1480, the ruins of the lighthouse were used to build the Citadel of Qaitbay, on Pharos Island.
7. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The most mysterious entry on the Ancient Wonders list, the gardens may have been built by either King Nebuchadnezzar II or King Sennacherib in the first Century BC. Or they may be mythical – it is up to you to decide!
The Original Seven Wonders may not be within your reach, but take a look at the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
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