Everyone knows that there were only seven wonders of the world in the world. Which of them have survived, and which have sunk into oblivion?

Six of the seven wonders of the world, unfortunately, have not been preserved. And only one thing remains to please the eyes of tourists. Moreover, the wonder of the world, which has survived to this day, is the most ancient. How old is he, where is he? We will definitely answer this question. But first, let's remember them all, and in order, starting with the youngest - built in the 3rd century BC.

Six wonders of the world that have not survived to this day

The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant (colossal), at that time, ancient statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios, erected on the island of Rhodes (in the Aegean Sea), in the city of the same name.

The statue was commissioned by the inhabitants of Rhodes from the sculptor Haresu. Initially, they planned that it would be ten times higher than human height, but subsequently increased the height of the project to 36 meters.

Construction began in 292 BC. and it lasted 12 years. The Colossus of Rhodes stood on a marble pedestal, had an iron frame and was lined with bronze plates, and the internal volume was filled with clay. At the same time, it is known that its construction took about 8 tons of iron and about 13 tons of bronze.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood for only about 55 years and was destroyed by an earthquake around 225 BC.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the third century BC in ancient egypt on the island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria. It was built from 5 to 20 years (here the data differ) during the reign of the king of Egypt, Ptolemy II. The approximate year of completion of construction is 283 BC. The name of the architect is known, he was Sostratus of Cnidus.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was made of marble (or faced) and had three levels:

• the lower level was rectangular and had living quarters
• the middle level was octagonal
• upper level - the cylinder in which the lighthouse fire burned

The lighthouse of Alexandria received another name in honor of the island on which it was built - the Pharos lighthouse. It was about 130 meters high, and its light was visible to ships, according to various sources, at a distance of 50 to 80 kilometers.

The lighthouse stood intact until 796 AD. This year a strong earthquake severely damaged it. It was restored, but not in full. It is known that in the 14th century its height was only 30 meters. And in the 15th century, Sultan Al-Ashrafom Saif al-Din Qait-bey built the Qait-Bey fortress on this site, which exists to this day.

The Mausoleum in Halicarnassus is the tombstone of Mausolus, the ruler of the Carian people. The ancient city of Halicarnassus, where the mausoleum was built, was located on the territory of modern Turkey (the city of Bodrum).

The construction of the mausoleum was ordered by the wife of Mausolus Artemisia III during the life of her husband. The Greek architects Satyr and Pytheas undertook the construction. Also, the well-known sculptors Briaxides, Leohar, Skopas and Timofeos were involved in the work.

The mausoleum was built for eight years from 359 to 351 BC. Mausolus did not wait for the completion of construction and died in 353.

The resulting structure was 45 meters high, the first level was decorated with 36 columns and many statues, a pyramid towered above it, on top of which there was a marble quadriga - a two-wheeled chariot with four horses harnessed to it.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus stood for 19 centuries and the ball was destroyed by a strong earthquake in the 13th century.

For reference: the word “mausoleum” comes from the name Mausolus.

The Olympic Games, in honor of the god of thunder and lightning - Zeus, were held in ancient greece from 776 BC. They enjoyed great popularity. And now, after 300 years, the Greeks decided to build a temple in honor of their main god and patron of the Olympic Games. In 470 BC, they began to collect donations for its construction.

When funds were raised, the construction of the temple began, which lasted ten years between 466 and 456 BC. The temple of Zeus turned out to be truly grandiose: a marble roof measuring 27 by 64 meters was supported by 34 limestone columns. Each column was 10.6 meters high and over 2 meters in diameter. And the total area of ​​the building was 1728 square meters.

The temple was built. After some time, the question arose of creating a statue worthy of the god Zeus. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias undertook its creation. To do this, he needed a gigantic workshop equal in area to the temple itself, which was built 80 meters from it.

The opening of the statue of Zeus at Olympia took place in 435 BC. e. It was made in the technique of chrysalephantine sculpture: the wooden frame was pasted over with ivory plates, and the cape, the scepter with an eagle in the left hand, the statue of the goddess Nike in the right hand, and the olive wreath on the head were covered with gold. And with all this, Zeus sits on a golden throne. Information about the height of the statue varies: together with the pedestal, it was 12-17 meters.

The statue has existed for over 800 years. The last written evidence of it dates back to 363. And in the 11th century, the historian Georgy Kedrin claimed that in the 5th century the statue was still intact. She could be transferred to Constantinople, where she burned down during a fire in 476. According to another version, she was not transported anywhere, and she died along with the temple in a fire in 425.

The temple of Artemis of Ephesus, as you might guess, was located in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, not far from modern city Selcuk (westernmost Turkey). The temple was erected in honor of Artemis, the goddess of hunting and fertility, and the patroness of all life on Earth.

Funds for the construction of the temple were donated by the Lydian king Croesus, and the project was developed by the architect Khersifron. He erected the walls and colonnade of the temple. Without waiting for the completion of construction Hersifron died. The construction was continued by his son Metagenes, and the architects Paeonius and Demetrius completed the construction of the temple.

The Temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC. And in 356 BC. e it was destroyed by fire, which, according to legend, a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus. Thus, Herostratus simply wanted to become famous and achieved his goal.

By 323 BC, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus had been completely restored by the architect Alexander Deinocrates. And the funds for this were allocated by Alexander the Great. The temple turned out to be exactly the same as its previous version, except that it was raised to a higher stepped base. The roof was supported by 127 columns standing in eight rows and having a height of 18 meters. The length of the temple was 105 meters, and the width was 52. Inside the temple was decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs and paintings.

The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus successfully existed for several centuries, before it was sacked by the Goths in 263 AD. And at the end of the 4th century, it was closed and destroyed by Christians, in connection with the prohibition of paganism.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the most controversial wonder of the world. It is not known for certain if they even existed. Moreover, if they existed, then not at the time when Queen Semiramis lived.

The legend is as follows: the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II entered into a military alliance with Cyaxares, the king of Media, and in order to secure the alliance, he married the daughter of Cyaxares, whose name was Amitis (Amanis). Amitis moved to her husband in Babylon (the ruins of Babylon are located on the outskirts of the modern city of Al-Hilla in Iraq), which was a dusty and dry desert city.

Amitis missed her mountainous and green homeland - Mussels. And to extinguish this boredom, Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the construction of green hanging gardens. They were supposedly created in 605 BC.

And Semiramis, the legendary queen of Assyria, the wife of King Nin, lived two centuries earlier. So the “hanging gardens of Babylon” would be more correct to call the “hanging gardens of Amitis”. As for the term “hanging garden”, it implies a garden that is located on the roof, gallery or special stone supports. Plants in it grow on a bulk soil layer.

According to the legends, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon existed until the first century AD.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and highest wonder of the world. And besides, the only one that has survived to this day. And that means the most durable. It is located on the Giza plateau at the base of the Nile Delta, not far from Cairo, in Egypt.

Although about 4500 years have passed since the construction, we know (how reliable this knowledge is is a question) who was its architect. He was the nephew of Cheops - Hemiun. Presumably, the construction was completed somewhere around 2540 BC and took about 20 years.

It is impossible to say for certain the exact date of the start of the construction of the pyramid of Chiops. Different methods of its determination gave different results, which fit into the following period: 2850 - 2560 BC. At the same time, Egypt celebrates the official date for the start of construction: August 23, 2560 BC. e.

The pyramid of Cheops is made of blocks of granite and limestone (mainly limestone). Now it has a stepped appearance, but originally it was lined with white limestone (the so-called Jura marble) and had sloping slopes. Somewhere this lining has been preserved. The slopes of the pyramid shone peach in the sun, and the top was crowned with a gilded stone - a pyramidion.

The height of the pyramid is 135.5 meters (originally - 146.6 meters). The sides of the base are approximately 230 meters long. The base area is about 53,000 square meters. And the average weight of one stone block is 2.5 tons. At the same time, the heaviest block weighs 35 tons. In total, there are about 2.3 million blocks in the pyramid. The total weight of the pyramid is 6.5 million tons.

For more than 3,000 years, the pyramid of Cheops was the highest human creation, and in 1311, Lincoln Cathedral was built in England, the spire of which already towered 160 meters. True, in 1549 the spire collapsed. Now the height of the cathedral does not exceed 83 meters.

As for the purpose of the pyramid of Cheops, it is not known for certain. It is logical to assume that it is the tomb of the pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), but no mummies were found in it.

The eighth wonder of the world

Officially, the eighth wonder of the world does not exist. This term is used to call some of the grandiose structures of mankind that could claim the title of a wonder of the world, but ... but there are only seven wonders of the world and this list cannot be expanded.

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

Initially, in the 5th century BC. There were only 3 wonders of the world on the list. After that, 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 was named 7 wonders of the world.

Add to list seven ancient wonders of the world includes the most famous monuments art of the ancient world. For their beauty, uniqueness and technical complexity, they were called miracles.

The list has changed over time, but the number of miracles included in it has remained unchanged. According to some versions, the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Philo of Byzantium, who lived in the 3rd century BC, is considered the author of the classic version of the list. e.

1. Egyptian pyramids

They top the list of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, which is not surprising, since they are the only wonders of the world that have survived to this day.

These stone structures have become the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. They served as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs and were supposed to provide eternal housing for the immortal spirit of the rulers. The period of construction of the pyramids refers to the II-III millennium BC.

During this time, more than a hundred of these structures were built. The largest of them is the pyramid of Cheops. Its original height was 146.6 m, and the length of the side face was 230.33 m. However, time and earthquakes have somewhat changed its appearance, and by now the height of this majestic structure reaches only 138.8 m, and the length of the side face is ~ 225 m The rest of the Egyptian pyramids are significantly inferior to it in size.

The Hanging Gardens were built in 600 BC. by order of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. It is believed that this was done to entertain his wife, who longed for the greenery of her homeland in dusty Babylon. The Hanging Gardens were a four-tiered pyramid, outwardly resembling a flowering hill. The lower tier is an irregular quadrilateral, the smallest side of which was 34 m, the largest - 42 m. The tiers were supported by columns, the height of which reached 25 m. Each tier was covered with a layer of fertile soil on which various plants could be planted.

Although the wife of the Babylonian king was called Amitas, the name of the Hanging Gardens is traditionally associated with the name of the legendary Assyrian ruler Semiramis.

The famous statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, was created by the great sculptor and architect Phidias. It was intended for the temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, the city where the Olympic Games were held. The frame of the statue was made of wood, on which ivory plates imitating naked skin were pasted. Hair, beard, wreath, clothes and shoes were made of gold, and eyes were made of precious stones. In his right hand, Zeus held Nike, the goddess of victory, also made of ivory and gold.

In 393, the Roman emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games as a pagan event. At the beginning of the 5th century, the statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople, where after some time it died in a fire.

4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

In 550 BC, in the city of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor, the construction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis was completed. It was a large white stone building, but history has not preserved it. detailed description. In 356 BC a resident of Ephesus named Herostratus burned it in order to glorify his name. However, by the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. e. A new one was built on the site of the burnt church. The second temple of Artemis was larger than the previous one. Its width was 51 m, and its length was 105 m. The roof of the temple was supported by 127 18-meter columns installed in 8 rows. Inside the temple were installed statues of its builders - Praxiteles and Skopas.

At the end of the 4th century AD, the temple was closed by order of the Roman emperor Theodosius I, and then partially dismantled for new buildings.

This tomb was built in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. in the city of Halicarnassus, located on the territory of modern Turkey. It became a tomb for King Mausolus, the ruler of one of the regions of Asia Minor, and was named after him as a mausoleum. The tomb of Mausolus is a brick building lined with white marble. The Roman writer and historian Pliny the Elder claimed that the length of this structure was 60 m, and the height was 46 m.

This mausoleum existed for almost two thousand years and was finally destroyed only in the 16th century, when the knights of St. John dismantled its remains for the construction of a fortress.

In the III century BC, this giant statue was installed on Greek island Rhodes. Work on it lasted about 20 years. The result was a clay statue with a metal frame, trimmed with bronze sheets and depicting the sun god Helios. The height of this colossus, standing on a white marble pedestal, almost reached 36 m. About 13 tons of bronze and 8 tons of iron were spent on its manufacture.

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 56 years. As a result of what happened in 222 BC. earthquake, he broke at the knees and fell. This is where the expression "colossus with feet of clay" comes from. In 977 A.D. e. what was left of the statue was sold to merchants. According to the chronicles, the wreckage was enough to load 900 camels with them. As one of the Colossi of Rhodes, it was first mentioned by the ancient Greek author Philo of Byzantium.

7.

Around 280 BC, on the small Mediterranean island of Pharos, located near the port of Alexandria, the construction of the world's first lighthouse was completed. This work took about 20 years. Height Lighthouse of Alexandria was 135 m, and the light from it was visible at a distance exceeding 60 km. At the top of the lighthouse, a fire burned constantly, the light from which was directed into the sea with the help of polished bronze plates. During the day, a column of smoke served as a guide for sailors.

In the 12th century A.D. e. The bay of Alexandria was no longer used due to silt filling, and the Pharos lighthouse lost its significance. In the XIV century, it was damaged by an earthquake, and then dismantled by Muslims to build a fortress.

Beautiful creations of nature and mankind in different centuries were considered the most amazing. But another era has come and today "I and the World" will show you the wonders of the world of our time.

At the beginning of the 21st century, they decided to update the list of the seven wonders of the world. To do this, almost 100 million people around the world voted for the wonderful creations of the planet. And in 2007, the results of a survey were announced, where the modern beauties of the Earth were presented.

How many and what curiosities have survived to this day? Let's start in order.

Colosseum (Italy)

Of all the buildings of that time, the Colosseum is the most grandiose and almost preserved to this day. Here, for the amusement of the citizens of Rome, hundreds of gladiator slaves fought and died, as well as many exotic animals.

The amphitheater is 57 meters high and 527 meters in circumference. A huge canopy was attached at the top, and everything inside was covered with marble. 36 elevators were raised manually by slaves, each with 10 people.

After 8 years, when the amphitheater was completed, a holiday was held in the arena that lasted as long as 100 days, and thousands of animals and hundreds of gladiators were killed in the arena. The entrance was free, so everyone could see the bloody spectacles, especially there were many women. Fights always began at dawn and ended when the last rays of the sun touched the horizon. And on holidays, everything went on for several days.

Great Wall (China)

The wall stretches across northern China for 8,851.9 km. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e., where more than 1,000,000 people took part. Construction lasted 10 years, but there were too many problems: there were no roads, enough water and food for the builders, epidemics raged. As a result, the local population rebelled against further construction and the ruling dynasty.

The next government that came to power continued construction. But this exhausted the people and the treasury, and the wall itself did not provide the protection that the authorities had hoped for. Enemies could easily penetrate weakly fortified places, or simply bribe the guards.

Ancient city in Peru

Machu Picchu - old lost city Inca", built high in the mountains. This city - one of the world's wonders - was built in the 15th century at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level. The architecture of stone buildings harmoniously blended into the beauty of mountain landscapes.

Astronomical structures were invented in the city, allowing you to observe the heavenly bodies - this is a water mirror 0.92 by 0.62 m, a gnomon monolith and a temple resembling an observatory.

Fruits and vegetables, medicinal plants, coca (cocaine) were grown here. And higher in the mountains there were pastures of domestic animals and useful metals were mined here.

During the entire existence of the city, the Spaniards and other conquerors never managed to reach it. After the collapse of the Inca Empire, the inhabitants left the city and for 400 years it was in ruins.

Nabataean city

Ruins ancient Petra located at the crossroads of the trade routes of the Red and mediterranean seas. More than 800 sights could be admired in the city. The structure was considered an artificial oasis, built among rocks and sand, and consists almost entirely of stone buildings.

At one time, Petra was conquered by the Roman Empire, but after the fall of Rome, the city was forgotten for almost 2,000 years. And only at the beginning of the 19th century it was discovered by a Swiss traveler.

tomb in india

One of the most beautiful wonders of the world -. The architecture smoothly intertwines Persian, Islamic and Indian styles. Construction continued for 21 years, day and night. The temple was built in honor of the beloved wife of Emperor Mumtaz Mahal who died during childbirth.

To build the tomb, building material was brought to India from all over Asia, and more than 20,000 workers built the temple. The building rises up to 74 meters. At one time, English soldiers and officials plundered the Taj Mahal, picking out precious stones from the walls of the temple. At the end of the 19th century, the tomb was reconstructed and modified, and the garden was given an English look.

A beautiful snow-white mausoleum with five domes and four minarets seems to hover over an artificial pond, reflecting on the water surface.

Statue of Christ (Brazil)

The famous 38-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer. Lightning strikes it regularly and therefore there are always stones nearby for restoration.

Every year, almost 2,000,000 tourists visit the huge monument to see not only it, but also the picturesque picture that opens at the foot of the statue. You can get to the top by motorway or railway with a miniature train. Funds for the construction of the statue were collected "by the whole world" and the work lasted about 9 years.

In the initial version, the pedestal was supposed to have the shape of a globe of the earth, but then they settled on the statue of Christ with outstretched arms in the form of a cross.

Sacred Mayan City (Mexico)

Chichen Itza - holy city Maya peoples. People came to this place in the 4th century, and in the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs and turned into the most powerful city of that time. In the 12th century, the city began to decline and gradually collapse. But it is still unknown why the inhabitants left the great city.

Beautiful buildings have survived to this day: the Kukulkan pyramid, dedicated to the God of winds and rains, the “Temple of Time”, ball games grounds (it is believed that the losing team was beheaded), the temple of the Warriors, the observatory, the Sacred Cenote for sacrifices.

The beautiful creations of mankind still delight with their beauty and originality. Maybe in many years there will be a new list of the seven wonders of the world, but for now we admire the photo and read the description of these beautiful structures.

See also video:

The seven wonders of the world are ancient monuments architecture, which are rightfully considered the greatest creations of human hands. The number 7 was chosen for a reason. It belonged to Apollo and was a symbol of completeness, completeness and perfection. At the same time, the traditional genre of Hellenistic poetry was the glorification of the list of the most famous cultural figures - poets, philosophers, kings, generals, etc., or outstanding architectural monuments.

The first mention of the Wonders of the World occurs precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander the Great had already passed through Europe. The wide distribution of Greek culture in the territories that are part of the states that the great commander conquered ensured loud fame for individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the "selection" of miracles occurred gradually. Some names have been replaced by others, and today the list of the most magnificent works of art and architecture includes:

Briefly about everything

Historians and scientists believe that the first attraction is the most ancient - Egyptian pyramids . A distinctive feature of this Wonder of the World is that only it has survived to this day in almost its original form. The construction of the Pyramids of Giza dates back to approximately 1983 BC, and the largest building of the complex is the tomb of Cheops.

The rest of the Wonders of the World were not so lucky, and only the ruins of some of them have survived to this day. For example, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were created in the VI century BC, were destroyed by floods in the II century. But even the dilapidated remains of this majestic structure are breathtaking.

Statue of Zeus from Olympia, created around 435 BC. by the famous ancient sculptor Phidias, burned down almost a thousand years later in Constantinople. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was erected in 550 BC, but after two centuries it was also destroyed by a strong fire.

Halicarnassus Mausoleum created by the architect Pytheas in 351 BC. In 1494, earthquakes were noted in southwestern Turkey, after which only the foundations and architectural fragments of the structure were preserved. Concerning Colossus of Rhodes, built at the beginning of the III century BC. Greeks, it fell as a result of a series of strong tremors somewhere between 224 and 225 BC.

Alexandrian lighthouse, built in the III century BC. at the direction of the ruling Ptolemaic dynasty, is the pinnacle of engineering and technical thought of that time. The structure lasted until 1480, providing reliable lighting for coastal waters. In the 15th century, the lighthouse was partially destroyed by an earthquake.

One can talk endlessly about each of the Seven Wonders of the World. Every student knows about them. Ancient epics and ancient legends are associated with them. Each of them is covered with a shadow of mystery and suspense. But one thing can be said with all confidence - these are the most significant monuments of civilization of all that mankind has managed to create.

The concept of “Seven Wonders of the World”, familiar to our ears, was born in antiquity, more than 2 thousand years ago. Since then, it has been uniting the famous creations of ancient architecture.

Let's remember what is included in these "miracles". After all, to this day they practically did not survive.

Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt

The only exception is the pyramid of Cheops. She is already 4.5 thousand years old, but she still impresses with her grandeur. Construction was carried out for 20 years, and tens of thousands of Egyptians and slaves participated in it. Another hundred thousand were busy bringing blocks. Construction was completed around 2560 BC.

They make up a pyramid - as it is estimated today - 2.5 million blocks. The most amazing thing is that they are not held together by cement or other binder. They are held together by a tight fit. Now the top of the pyramid of Cheops is destroyed. Before its height was 147 meters.

"Hanging Gardens" of Babylon in Iraq

The next miracle is the "hanging gardens" of Babylon. Their purpose was to please the beauty, the wife of King Nebuchadnezzar P
The gardens rose in four tiers. From a distance it seemed that they were rising above the ground. In fact, it was very difficult to build structures in which, like in huge pots, not only flowers and shrubs, but also trees would grow. Both stones and lead plates were used. It was also necessary to bring and pour here a sufficiently large layer of fertile land.
It is not surprising that in arid Babylon, such an oasis seemed like a real miracle.

Statue of Zeus in Greece

In Greece there was a third "miracle" - a statue of Zeus. In the 5th c. BC. a temple was built here in honor of the most important Greek god. Naturally, inside the temple was his statue. The 20-meter Zeus sat on the throne, overwhelming the believers with his splendor. It was not just a sculpture. The wooden body was covered with ivory. The robe of the god, of course, shone with gold.

Temple of Artemis in Turkey

Where the current Turkey lies, in the era of antiquity there was a temple of Artemis. It was built in the 6th century. BC. by order of King Croesus. The greatness and power of the goddess was to emphasize her statue. Ivory was the basis for the manufacture. As well as 127 tall columns, as if supporting a huge structure.
The temple was burned down in 356 BC. But forever remained in the memory of people.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Turkey

The next "miracle" was again in Turkey. This is the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. It became the tomb for Mausolus, the ruler of Caria, who lived in the 4th century BC. This structure, although inferior in height to the pyramid of Cheops, still reached a considerable height - 46 m. ​​It was framed by columns, and crowned with a statue of a chariot.

Colossus of Rhodes in Greece

The sixth "miracle" can be called the statue of the sun god - Helios. Its other name is the Colossus of Rhodes. This statue stood in Greece in the 3rd century BC. So the Greeks decided to thank their beloved god. They believed that it was Helios who helped them survive the fight against the invaders, survive the siege. In the hand of the young god was a torch, as if illuminating the way for ships sailing to the port of Rhodes and leaving it. Six and a half decades later, the statue was destroyed by an earthquake.

At the moment, they want to restore the statue to attract tourists.

By the way, in the famous series "Game of Thrones" there is a similar sculpture

Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt

The world also lost the seventh "miracle" as a result of the trembling of the soil. This is the lighthouse of Alexandria, which in the 3rd century BC. was in Egypt, on the island of Pharos. For that time it was a huge tower. According to historians, its height reached 120 m. But even more surprising was the way in which the lighthouse sent light to the ships. At its top, the attendants kept the fire burning, and mirrors made of metal in a special way directed the light into the distance.

Sailors who were 60 km from the port saw a distant spark in the night. It was a fire burning at the top of the lighthouse. The most difficult thing was to deliver enough firewood for the fire. For this purpose, carts and mules were used. They climbed up the spiral staircase.

In the series "Game of Thrones" they also beat their own version of the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Even now, after thousands of years, we respect these creations of the hands of ancient masters. What can we say about how their contemporaries perceived them! Indeed, they were miracles, you can’t say better.

New "Seven Wonders of the World" of the modern world.

Since almost all of these incomparable creations have been lost, the Swiss Bernard Weber proposed to implement the New Seven Wonders of the World project. The results were announced on July 7, 2007. Magic number "7".

Great Wall of China in China

Of course, the Great Chinese Wall, which at one time protected the state from nomads. The wall was also supposed to unite the empire that had just formed, to help its peoples unite.
Construction lasted for many years, in the most difficult conditions, when there were no roads, there were not enough necessary materials. But the result is great. There is no other such architectural structure on our planet. The wall stretches for 8851.8 km. Every year over 40 million tourists come to see this miracle.

Amphitheater Colosseum in Italy

The largest amphitheater, the Colosseum, which has survived from the time of ancient rome, and now constituting one of the main attractions of Italy. The name "Colosseum" also comes from the word "colossus". To the Romans, the amphitheater seemed truly huge. After all, then the buildings reached a height of 8-10 m. Against their background, the Colosseum looked majestic. Once upon a time, thousands of guests flocked here to watch the famous gladiator fights.

The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru

On the territory of the present state of Peru is ancient city Inca Machu Picchu. Its location is unique - on the tops of the mountains, in the heart of the inaccessible Andes. Despite all the achievements of science, the secrets of Machu Picchu have not yet been fully unraveled. It is also called the "city among the clouds" and is associated with the name of the ruler of Pachacutec. The residence of the ruler, located at an altitude of 2450 m, was unattainable for enemies. And for those who were on earth, it seemed that it was fitting for the ruler to live next door to the gods. Most likely, the city was built in the 15th century. Even today you can go there along the path of ancient pilgrims, you just need to tune in to the fact that the hike will take several days.
But you will see a majestic spectacle - Mountain peaks and ancient city. Beauties of llamas also graze here.

Ancient city - Petra in Jordan

Another ancient city - Petra - is located in present-day Jordan. The peculiarity of this city is that it is carved out of stone. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to build it here in the Siq Canyon. Bare stones, sheer cliffs, narrow gorges - such a panorama opens up to the eyes of tourists. But even here people lived and fought with enemies. Truly, a person is able to inhabit any place!

Taj Mahal Temple in India

Compared to this ascetic haven of ancient people, the Taj Mahal temple in India seems to be a symbol of beauty and harmony. There is probably no better creation in Indian architecture. This temple is a mausoleum. It was built by order of Emperor Shah Jahan. His beloved wife died unexpectedly during childbirth, and the inconsolable husband decided to perpetuate her memory in this way - by erecting a most beautiful temple. Today there is not a tourist coming to India who would not like to see the Taj Mahal. This temple is located in the city of Agra.

Statue of Christ in Brazil

The sixth of the new wonders of the world was the statue of Christ in Brazil. On Mount Corcovado, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the merciful Lord spread His hands over the people. This is Christ the Redeemer. It is symbolic that when thunderstorms rage here, lightning often hits the statue. After all, she is the high point around. The height of this figure is 38 m, and it weighs more than 1145 tons. After a lightning strike, it is necessary to eliminate the damage caused to the reinforced concrete sculpture. Since they could not create such a huge figure in Brazil, they made the sculpture in France. Delivered it to Brazil in parts.

The seventh miracle was another ancient city of Chichen Itza. It belonged to the Maya Indians, and is located in Mexico. It was here that the Mayans gathered for prayers, and here, as nowhere else, they felt the presence of God. And today people feel awe, approaching the pyramids that were built by representatives ancient civilization. The most famous is the temple of El Castillo in honor of the god Kukulkan
All these sights, which have only recently received the proud status of "New Wonders of the World", have long become the true treasures of our cultural heritage. The flow of tourists does not dry out, eager to see these marvelous places with their own eyes. And it is gratifying that the “baton” of the ancient “miracles” was taken over by no less remarkable, but accessible for viewing, “new miracles”.