Man-made modern wonders of the world. Man-made wonders of the world. Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt

The “7 Wonders of Russia” project was launched in 2008 with the goal of finding all the wonders of vast Russia and identifying the best of the wonders. The competition, which took place in three stages, was organized by the Izvestia newspaper, the Rossiya TV channel and the Mayak radio station. Voting was carried out via SMS and the Internet. As a result, 7 truly wonderful places that the whole country is proud of, unique in their kind all over the world, made it to the finals. We will tell you more about each of the miracles..

The competition took place in three stages. The first stage involved accepting options and voting on them. As a result, 49 miracles were selected from 7 federal districts of Russia (7 miracles from each federal district). Then the second stage took place, as a result of which 14 finalists of the competition were selected. As a result, from May 1 to June 10, a super final was held, in which 7 wonders of Russia were chosen by secret ballot. On June 12, 2008, Russia Day, the winners of the competition were announced on Red Square.


The winners of the “Seven Wonders of Russia” competition were:

Lake Baikal
The most wonderful of all wonders, the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal. Baikal - lake tectonic origin in the southern part Eastern Siberia, deepest lake planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. For more than half of the year the lake is frozen. The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea. Baikal ranks first among the seven wonders of Russia. Read more here - Lake Baikal




St. Basil's Cathedral (Pokrovsky Cathedral) in Moscow
St. Basil's Cathedral (Pokrovsky Cathedral) is one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. For many inhabitants of planet Earth, it is a symbol of Moscow. This is why the Intercession Cathedral is one of the finalists and winners of the “7 Wonders of Russia” competition

Weathering pillars on the Man-Pupu-ner plateau
Weathering pillars (remnants) on the Man-Pupu-Ner plateau are business card Ural. Once upon a time, the Weathering Pillars were objects of Mansi cult. Due to the mysterious origin of these pillars local population- Mansi, Komi and Russians - created various legends about their appearance. Currently, the Weathering Pillars are recognized as one of the seven wonders of Russia.


Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus
Once upon a time Elbrus was active volcano, and is now listed in the group of the largest extinct volcanoes on the planet. The height of Elbrus is 5642 meters. Few volcanic mountains of the globe exceed Elbrus in height. Only the extinct volcano Aconcagua (6960 m) and the active fire-breathing Mount Llullaillaco (6723 m), located in South America, exceed Elbrus by a little more than one kilometer. The largest volcano in Africa, Kilimanjaro, is almost equal to Elbrus, surpassing it only by 253 meters, the same can be said about largest volcano North America Orizaba (5700 m), superior to Elbrus by 58 meters. Among the mountains of Asia, Elbrus is the highest volcanic peak, next to it, Mount Damavand is inferior to Elbrus in height by 38 meters. There is no doubt that Elbrus can rightfully be considered one of the seven wonders of Russia


This article is just a brief overview of the seven wonders of Russia. In order to learn more about each of the finalists of the competition, I recommend that you follow the links in the article. You will learn a lot of interesting things and have a pleasant time :) Thank you for your attention


The classic list of the Seven Wonders of the World has been known to us since our school days, when we studied Ancient History. Only the pyramids of Egypt have survived to our times, which can be seen by anyone who visits this country. The Pyramid of Cheops at Giza is the only surviving wonder of the world. Other miracles - Colossus of Rhodes, hanging gardens Semiramis, Alexandria Lighthouse– collapsed over the centuries, some due to fires and earthquakes, others due to floods.

The classic list of wonders of the world includes:

  1. Pyramid of Cheops (burial place of the Pharaoh of Egypt) - created by the Egyptians in 2540 BC. e. ;
  2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Babylon - created by the Babylonians in 605 BC. e. ;
  3. Statue of Zeus at Olympia - created by the Greeks in 435 BC. e.;
  4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (built in honor of the goddess Artemis in Turkey) - created by the Greeks and Persians in 550 BC. e.;
  5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus - created by the Carians, Greeks and Persians in 351 BC. e.;
  6. The Colossus of Rhodes was established by the Greeks between 292 and 280. BC e.;
  7. Lighthouse of Alexandria - built in the 4th century BC. e. by the Greeks a lighthouse, and named in honor of Alexander the Great.

All the photographs presented below with the wonders of the world are either models of what the majestic structures used to look like, or what remains of them at the present time. It's a pity that they couldn't withstand natural disasters.

Some time later, cultural figures began to add additional attractions to this list, “miracles” that still surprise and inspire. So, at the end of the 1st century, the Roman poet Martial added only the rebuilt Colosseum to the list. After a while, in the 6th century, Christian theologian Gregory of Tours added Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple to the list.

Different sources mention different combinations of wonders of the world, for example, English and French writers and historians equated the Alexandria Catacombs, the Leaning Tower in Pisa, the Porcelain Tower in Nanjing, and the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul as wonders of the world.

New list of wonders of the world

In 2007, a UN organization organized a vote to approve a new list of modern wonders of the world. They voted by phone, Internet and SMS messages. And this is the final list:

Colosseum in Italy;
Great Wall of China;
Machu Picchu – ancient city Incas in Peru;
Taj Mahal in India is a magnificent mausoleum-mosque in India;
Petra is an ancient city, the capital of the Nabatean kingdom, located in modern Jordan;
Christ the Redeemer statue flying over Rio de Janeiro in Brazil;
pyramids of Giza in Egypt;
Chichen Itza in Mexico, an ancient city of the Mayan civilization.

All of them have been preserved from ancient times, except for the statue of Christ the Redeemer, which was finally built in 1931 of the last century and has since become a symbol of Brazil and one of its largest cities - Rio de Janeiro.

How to see them?

The new list of wonders has been officially approved by the UN, and now everyone who travels to the country can see them. None excursion route will not avoid visiting these attractions. They try to carefully preserve them for future generations, but also use them for modern needs.

For example, the Colosseum is known for its excellent acoustics. Famous singers and musicians from all over the world often perform there, and operas are staged in the open air.

The Taj Mahal is also open to tourists, but this is the tomb of the padishah’s beloved wife, so people only inspect it and admire the beauty of its architectural forms and interior paintings.

Be in China and not visit Great Wall is considered simply indecent. There are many excursions to it, but you cannot climb it: it is a huge obstacle course and walking on it is dangerous. That's why everyone takes pictures near her plots in the most picturesque places.

The Pyramids of Giza can be viewed from the outside and inside, and nearby you can see the grandiose statues of ancient sphinxes.

Excursions to the ancient cities of Machu Picchu, Petra and Chichen Itza are extremely interesting, but physically difficult - you will have to walk for a long time through the ruins. However, tourist holidays in these countries are well organized, and you will not regret if you spend a day or two visiting these magnificent places.

Chichen Itza - ancient Mayan city

Why exactly 7 wonders of the world, and not 10 or 15?

As you have probably already noticed, people used to have a special attitude towards the magical number seven. Everyone knows that there are 7 holes on the human head - 2 eyes, 2 nostrils, 2 ears and a mouth. When a person sees seven objects at the same time, he can immediately count them with his eyes, without even thinking, however, if there are more of them, he will have to count them in his mind.

Thus, due to seemingly such primitive conclusions, people began to strive to reduce the number of something to seven. For example, highlight 7 days in a week, seven colors in a rainbow, 7 tones in a sound series, and so on.

It is not at all surprising that the ancient Greeks identified the Seven Wonders of the World, because the number 7 was the sacred number of Apollo, the god who patronized art.

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 people remember the entire list, and almost all of them have not survived, however, even 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

Statue of Zeus at Olympia

"Father of History" Herodotus was the first to point out architectural wonders that existed in his time. His work mentions three majestic buildings on greek island Samos - mountain tunnel, temple of Hera and dam.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Beginning with Herodotus, the list of attractions grew, changed and was 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 all territories of the Ecumene - from ancient egypt to Babylon and ancient Greece.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The most ancient wonder of the world, but ironically the only one that has survived to this day is the main Egyptian attraction - Pyramid of Cheops, included in the complex. When selecting 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.

The 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 was larger in size huge temple Jupiter in .

Statue of the Colossus of Rhodes

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

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 the 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 3rd century BC) and in Egypt (destroyed in the 14th 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”, new seven wonders of the world were named in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, each of which may well compete with lost architectural treasures.

The project was organized by the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC) on the initiative of the Swiss Bernard Weber. The selection of the new seven wonders of the world from the famous architectural structures of the world took place via SMS messages, telephone or Internet. About 100 million votes were taken as part of the selection of attractions, but since the conditions did not prohibit voting more than once, this list began to be questionable almost immediately after publication.

However, at present this is the most famous of such ratings and therefore, along with it, is the main guide for tourists actively traveling around the world with

Great Wall of China

One of the undisputed leaders of the list - one of the largest and ancient monuments architecture in the world. Its total length is 8851.8 km, in one of the sections it passes near Beijing. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. A 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 an inscription made by Mao Tse Tung - “If you have not visited the Great Chinese Wall, you are not a real Chinese."

Machu Picchu

The famous statue of Jesus Christ, with outstretched arms and gaze turned towards the city, stands on the top of Mount Corcovado in. At the foot of the monument there is observation deck, which offers amazing views of sandy beaches, huge bowl, bay and peak Sugarloaf, similar in outline to a piece of sugar.

White Temple Wat Rong Khun

Along with the main lists of wonders of the world, new, alternative lists exist and continue to be compiled - author’s and based on survey results.

Statue of Liberty in New York

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

The most striking among modern temple complexes is considered to be the Buddhist one opened in 1997 in Thailand. This temple, according to journalists, is quite capable of eclipsing the ruins Temple of Artemis in Other similar structures include one built in 1604 in Amritsar (India), in (Japan) and Church of the Holy Family in Barcelona (Spain).

Temple complex Angkor Wat, 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 records also fully comply with the formal criteria. Kew Gardens(UK), Royal Flower Park Keukenhof(Netherlands) and gardens (France).

Compare with 137-meter Alexandria lighthouse in terms of beauty these days, lighthouses in Lindau(Germany) and lighthouse "Cape Florida"(USA). And the lighthouse Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) almost catches up with Alexandrinsky in height - 133 meters.

Acropolis in Athens

Statue of Zeus at Olympia, according to the logic of journalists, today it may eclipse Golden Buddha in (Thailand) - the world's largest golden statue of a deity. At the same time, it does not matter at all that Buddha is not nearly as stern and angry as Zeus the Thunderer.

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

Alhambra Palace and Fortress

And finally the statue Colossus of Rhodes journalists compared it with a statue in (Brazil), which is comparable to the ancient structure 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 to cover sites by location or time of creation.

Easter Island

For example, ratings by country have been repeatedly compiled (in Russia, Portugal, Belgium and others) or exceptional objects have been identified underwater world(cracks, reefs, islands and even underwater ruins).

The finals of the competition for the title of man-made new wonders of the world also included other equally worthy attractions, and some of them, in the opinion of many people, are much more worthy of being on the final list of “the very best.”

Timbuktu

In particular, obvious competition could come from the American one, which is larger in size and installed 40 years earlier. . It is also quite surprising that the final list of seven wonders does not mention Cambodia - the largest religious building ever created by humans.

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 , castle , Buddhist temple in and 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 “Corporation of New Open World” (NOWC), which, with the help of a worldwide popular vote, found the seven most surprising natural places on Earth.

Project "Seven New Wonders of Nature" started at the end of 2007. Until 07/07/09, the nomination and preliminary selection of all candidates took place, among whom was the Russian natural pearl - Lake Baikal. Voting was completed by the mystical date - 11/11/11.

The main wonders of nature included the most long river peace - Amazon and its jungle; the largest underground river- in the Philippines.

Long ago, sages and travelers compiled a list of 7 wonders of the world; the list included the most beautiful and most majestic, in their opinion, buildings of the whole world.

The most majestic buildings of antiquity - the seven wonders of the world

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After this, in the 3rd century BC, thanks to the poem of Antipater from Sidon, 4 more wonders of the world were added to the list and so the list received the name 7 wonders of the world. Here is the list of 7 wonders of the world:

Pyramid of Cheops

This pyramid is the largest of all Egyptian pyramids and the most popular among the 7 wonders of the world. It was built in 2540 BC. e.

The height of this giant is approximately 138.75 m. The heaviest stone module of the pyramid weighs 15 tons. Imagine! The pyramid consists of 2.5 million blocks, which weigh 2.5 tons each.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

This wonder of the world also has one name - the Hanging Gardens of Amytis, that was the name of the wife of the king of Babylon. These gardens were created for her. The Babylonian ruler, Nebuchadnezzar II, having twice given the city to his enemy, decided to join forces with the king of Media. Having won the war, Nebuchadnezzar II and the ruler of Media divide the territory of Assyria.

To confirm the military alliance, Nebuchadnezzar II marries the daughter of the Median king, Amytis. Amitis, who was accustomed to green gardens, was not happy with the “dusty” Babylon and to console his wife, Nebuchadnezzar builds her these hanging gardens.

Third of the Seven Wonders of the World - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

This statue was made in the Temple of Zeus by the brilliant architect Phidias. The temple was built much earlier than the statue itself.

It took 10 years to build the temple alone, only this fact allows it to be included in the list of 7 wonders of the world! The sculpture of Zeus sits on a throne, holding a scepter with a falcon in his left hand, and in his right hand a sculpture of the goddess of victory - Nike.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

The temple was located in the old town of Ephesus and was built in the 6th century BC. e. In 356 BC. burned by Herostratus. This temple was built for Artemis because, according to legend, she had a special gift: she could cause the growth of all vegetation, took care of animals, blessed happiness in marriage and the birth of babies.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

This wonder of the world was built in the mid-4th century BC. e. by order of Mausolus's wife, Artemisia III.

Construction of the mausoleum began even before the death of Mausolus, for whom the monument was actually built. The wife of the Carian ruler called the most notorious architects of Greece, Satyr and Pytheas, and the most recognized architects of those times - Leochares, Skopas.

Colossus of Rhodes

This huge statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios was located in Rhodes. The statue was created by the majestic architect Hares. The height of the statue was 36 m and was made entirely of bronze. 13 tons of bronze and 12 years of work by the architect Hares were spent on the statue.

The seventh wonder of the world of the seven wonders of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria

The lighthouse would have been built in the 3rd century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The Alexandria Lighthouse was the very first lighthouse in history. This lighthouse stood for about a thousand years!

At the end of the 15th century, Sultan Qait Bey built a fortress on the site of the Alexandria Lighthouse, which still exists today.

That's the whole list of 7 wonders of the world or just wonders of the world.

In all centuries, people were proud and carefully protected the achievements of their civilizations. The memory of these achievements has survived to this day, becoming a worldwide property. The Seven Wonders of the World is a classic list of outstanding human creations.

An interesting fact is that it was well known even before our era. In ancient schools, children were taught various sciences, and knowledge of the 7 wonders of the world was mandatory.

In this article we will provide you not only with a list of 7 wonders of the world, but also brief description each of them.

List of 7 wonders of the world

Well, now photos and descriptions of the masterpieces of antiquity, which we call nothing less than seven wonders of the world.

1 wonder of the world - Pyramid of Cheops

The exact date of construction of this grandiose structure is unknown. However, scientists suggest that it is around 2600 BC.

The original height of the Cheops pyramid was 146 meters (that's like 5 nine-story buildings), while now it is approximately 138 m. The inclination angle of the walls is from 51° to 53°. The average weight of the blocks from which the pyramid is built is 2.5 tons, although some blocks reach 80 tons.

No cement or other binding substance was used in construction. The stone blocks of the first wonder of the world are simply stacked on top of each other. The surface of the pyramid was lined with limestone slabs. Today the coating is almost completely destroyed.

There are three chambers inside the pyramid: the underground, the Queen's Chamber and the Pharaoh's Chamber. There was only one entrance to this structure, and it was located at a height of 15 meters from the ground. But in 820 another, artificial entrance was made to the Cheops pyramid.

The purpose of this stunning building is still unknown. It was previously believed that the pyramids played the role of tombs for the pharaohs. However, such a simplified view of such a majestic and complex structure has not been taken seriously for a long time.

There are also suggestions that the Cheops pyramid was an ancient space observatory, or was a powerful energy generator.

2 wonder of the world - Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the 2nd wonder of the world. Built this amazing building in 605 BC, but already in 562 BC. it was destroyed due to flooding.

Despite the fact that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are named after the Assyrian queen Semiramis (800 BC), Nebuchadnezzar II built them in honor of his wife Amytis.

But the Hanging Gardens were included in the list of 7 wonders of the world with the name of Semiramis.

The structure consisted of four floors. All of them were equipped with cool rooms for royal walks. Columns 25 m high supported each tier.

The terraces were covered with special lead leaves and filled with asphalt to prevent water for watering the plants from leaking out. On top of all this was sprinkled with earth of such thickness that trees could grow there freely. One can only imagine how much weight the columns of the lower tier could bear.


Water for irrigation was pumped up from the Euphrates River using a cunning system. The slaves constantly turned the wheel to supply water, since the majestic building with stunning gardens required a lot of moisture.

To see the place where the 2nd wonder of the world was located - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, you will have to go to Iraq, since the ruins of ancient Babylon were found there.

3rd wonder of the world - Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Based on the name of the 3rd wonder of the world - the statue of Zeus, it is not difficult to guess to whom this architectural masterpiece was dedicated. The fact is that the Greeks built a temple to the pagan god Zeus in 465 BC, but the statue of Zeus, which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world, appeared there only 30 years later.

The statue of Zeus itself was made of ivory and reached a height of 17 meters (like a five-story building). At the base of the monument there was a square slab, 6 m wide and 1 m high.

The effect produced on the Greeks by the third of the wonders of the world was stunning. The fact is that the ratio of the sizes of the temple itself and the statue of Zeus inside it was such that it seemed as if Zeus would now rise and break through the roof of the temple, since otherwise he would simply not be able to straighten up.


The statue of Zeus stood in Olympia for about 800 years. At the beginning of the 5th century AD, the temple was destroyed, and the statue was preserved cultural heritage was transported to Constantinople. In 425 she died in a fire.

4th wonder of the world - Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

IN ancient greek city Ephesus in 560 BC The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus was built, which later became one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The height of the temple was 18 m, width – 52 m, length – 105 m. The roof was supported by 127 columns.

On creating this architectural masterpiece some of the best masters of antiquity worked. The statue of Artemis itself was made of gold and ivory.

The temple had not just religious significance, but was also a cultural and economic center.

Who burned the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus?

In the summer of 356 BC. e. The Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the world, was burned by a resident of the city of Ephesus. The name of the temple arsonist is Herostratus.

You may ask why Herostratus needed to destroy such a unique architectural monument?

By his own admission, he did this in order to go down in history and perpetuate his name forever. Despite the fact that he was executed for this crime, the name of Herostratus has indeed survived to this day.


However, the great commander Alexander the Great restored the temple of Artemis of Ephesus to its previous form, allocating colossal funds for this matter.

In 263, the fourth wonder of the world was plundered and destroyed by the Goths.

The remains of the Temple of Artemis from Ephesus can be found in Turkey, in the city of Selcuk, Izmir province.

5th wonder of the world - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The Halicarnassus Mausoleum, included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, appeared in 351 BC. The author of the idea is the king of Caria named Mausolus together with his wife, Queen Artemisia.

Thus, they decided to perpetuate their name following the example of the Egyptian pharaohs. It must be said that his idea was successful, since the fifth wonder of the world is still associated with his name.

The mausoleum building was three-tiered.

The first tier was a massive base, surrounded around the perimeter by statues of ancient Greek heroes. Inside, after the death of Mausolus and his wife, their tombs were to be placed.

The second floor was used as a temple to serve pagan cults. There were 36 columns on it that supported the upper, main part of the Halicarnassus mausoleum.

The third tier looked like a pyramid consisting of 24 steps. At the very top, the main value of the mausoleum was installed: a majestic statue representing a chariot with King Mausolus and his wife Artemisia.


It seems incredible, but in the British Museum you can see statues of both royal spouses that have been well preserved to this day.

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, which became one of the seven wonders of the world, was destroyed in the 13th century due to a large-scale earthquake.

In Turkish resort town In Bodrum you can find the site where the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus once stood.

6th wonder of the world - Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes entered the classic list of the Seven Wonders of the World almost immediately after its creation in 280 BC.

But first, let's tell the background story of the appearance of the sixth wonder of the world. Almost immediately after the death of Alexander the Great, Demetrius I attacked Rhodes, one of the largest port cities.

Having held the siege of the city for more than a year, for unknown reasons he abandoned everything he had there and left with his army.

As a token of gratitude, the residents of Rhodes decided to sell the huge property that was in their hands and use the proceeds to build a monument to Helios, the sun god.

The main architect and sculptor of this masterpiece was Jerez. The original idea of ​​the inhabitants of Rhodes was to build a statue that would be 10 times taller than the average human height, that is, 18 meters.

But then they decided to double the height, for which they allocated an even larger amount of money to Jerez. But they were not enough to continue construction. However, Jerez could no longer stop.

He borrowed enormous amounts of money from wealthy friends and relatives and continued to work tirelessly to create a monument that would later join the Seven Wonders of the World.

Ultimately, after 12 years of titanic work, the world saw the 36-meter Colossus of Rhodes. It consisted of an iron frame, finished with clay, and was lined with bronze. The Colossus was located right at the entrance to the harbor, and was visible from all the nearby islands.

It is interesting to note that the fate of the sculptor Jerez himself was tragic. After completing his masterpiece, he was persecuted by creditors. Ultimately, he committed suicide.

In total, 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were used to build the Colossus of Rhodes. However, 65 years after its appearance, around 225 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes fell into the sea, breaking at the knees. By the way, the expression “colossus with feet of clay” appeared precisely after this.


Eyewitnesses left information that the finger of the statue alone was so thick that two adults could barely grasp it.

The height of the colossus was approximately 60 m (like an eighteen-story building). In a supine position rhodes statue lasted almost 900 years. Then it was dismantled and sold by the Arabs, who by that time had captured Rhodes.

In the end, it should only be noted that there is no exact data about what the Colossus of Rhodes, included in the seven wonders of the world, actually looked like.

7th wonder of the world - Lighthouse of Alexandria

The last, seventh wonder of the world is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC. It is also called differently Faros lighthouse.

The idea of ​​​​creating this lighthouse was quite practical. The fact is that not far from Alexandria there was the island of Pharos with an important bay. At that time it was of great importance for passing merchant ships.

Probably Sostratus of Cnidus ( chief architect lighthouse) dreamed that his brainchild would be included in the seven wonders of the world and glorify his name for centuries.

The project was implemented during the reign of the Egyptian Ptolemy II. 20 years were allotted for construction, but Sostratus completed the work in just 5.

An interesting fact is that when Sostratus was asked to imprint the name of Ptolemy on the Alexandria lighthouse, he acted very cunningly. First, he carved his name on the stone, and on top of the plaster he laid out the name of the ruler.

A few decades later, the plaster collapsed, and the residents saw the name of the true master and author of the seventh wonder of the world.

The Alexandria Lighthouse consisted of three towers.

The lowest part was a technical floor, where workers and soldiers lived, and all equipment for maintaining the lighthouse was stored.

The second part looked like an octagonal tower, around which there was a ramp. Fuel for the fire was supplied through it.

The topmost, key tower of the lighthouse was equipped with a complex system of mirrors, thanks to which the light from the fire was visible so far.

The total height of the Faros lighthouse was about 140 meters. At the very top of the head there was a statue of the god of the seas - Poseidon.


It is worth mentioning the reviews of contemporaries who saw the Alexandria Lighthouse in person. So some travelers talked about the amazing statues that were located at the lighthouse.

The first of them raised her hand at sunrise, pointed at it throughout the day, and after sunset the hand dropped.

The second - 24 times a day made a sound with last second every hour that passes.

The third indicated the direction of the wind.

The Alexandria lighthouse illuminated at night water surface over a distance of over 60 km. During the day, a column of smoke rose from it, which also served as an important indicator for ships.

In 796, after standing for almost 1000 years, the seventh wonder of the world, the Faros lighthouse, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. In the 15th century, Sultan Qait Bey founded a fortress on its foundation, which still exists today.

An interesting fact is that in 2015, the Egyptian authorities approved a project to rebuild the lighthouse.

Well, here we go all seven wonders of the world. Of course, this list was disputed at various times by certain figures, but it is still considered classic.

Subscribe to. Develop with us!