Seven Wonders Time: 30 Minutes Level: Beginner
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Lesson Five: Seven Wonders Time: 30 minutes Level: Beginner Intro The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were architectural feats recorded by ancient historians, writers and scholars in the western world - the list is limited geographically to the mediterranean, the centre of ancient western civilization. The only remaining wonder in the present day is the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is also the oldest. The rest have all been destroyed by weather, war or nature. Today we’re going to learn a little bit about each one: The Great Pyramid of Giza The pyramids are, in many ways, the most famous ancient wonder of the world. Whether that’s attributed to their mystery, incredible feat of construction, or their sole survival (out of all of the ancient wonders) into the modern era, all marvel at their magnificence. The Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed around 2589-2566 B.C. during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu. It stood about 147 meters tall and its base was approximately 230 meters in length. The second pyramid was created for Khufu’s son, Pharaoh Khafre, in 2558-2532 B.C. Within the pyramid’s complex at Giza was the largest statue in the world at that time, known as the Great Sphinx (a man’s head on a lion’s body), standing 240 feet long and 66 feet tall. The last pyramid was built around 2532-2503 B.C. for Khafre’s son, Pharaoh Menkaure. It was the shortest of the three pyramids in this ancient wonder, standing at only 216 feet tall. It took over 2.3 million blocks of limestone, 100,000 men, and 20 years to construct the greatest architectural achievement in the ancient world. www.cooneyclassics.org 1 Hanging Gardens of Babylon The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are perhaps the most interesting of the seven wonders of the ancient world, because nobody is completely sure if or where they existed. The gardens were said to have been composed of several floors, rising 75 feet above the Euphrates river. An innovative irrigation system drew water from the river up to the highest levels of the gardens, which featured a waterfall, marble pillars, staircases and terraces, trees and a diverse collection of botanical plants. All surviving historical accounts of the gardens are second hand, and written hundreds of years after the assumed destruction of the gardens. Through many generations of oral history, the common belief was that the ancient structure was built by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon for his wife, who missed the lush mountains of her home. Temple of Artemis The Temple of Artemis is believed to have been created in the Bronze age, but was completely demolished by the early AD 400s. It is occasionally referred to as The Temple of Diana (Artemis’ Roman equivalent). It was the first Greek temple built of marble, measuring 115 meters long, 46 meters wide and 40 meters high. The ancient wonder was constructed in Ephesus, modern-day Turkey, which was an area prone to flooding. Around the 7th century BC, a massive flood ruined the temple. The Temple of Artemis was completely rebuilt by ancient architect, Cherisphron, during the 550s BC. In 356 BC, Herostratus, a man seeking fame through arson, set fire to the wooden interior beams of the temple. The temple was once again destroyed, until it was repaired by the Christians in Ephesus. However, the Christians eventually abandoned the temple. The temple slowly decayed until the only surviving remnants were a few pillars. Although not proven by historians, it is a common belief that some of these pillars were incorporated into the creation of the Hagia Sophia. www.cooneyclassics.org 2 The ancient temple was largely forgotten until the 1860’s, when a British archaeologist rediscovered the remains buried in Turkey. Today, a pillar marks the site where the great temple once stood. Statue of Zeus at Olympia The Statue of Zeus at Olympia is (was) one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; a list of must-see monuments and architectural feats compiled by various authors from 100 B.C. onwards, limited to the Mediterranean and Middle East (which would at the time have comprised the entire known world to the authors). This wonder, a 40 foot tall statue of Zeus in his temple at Olympia, Greece, was created in the 430’s B.C. under the supervision and direction of Greek sculptor, Phidias. The statue of Zeus is believed to have been made entirely out of gold and ivory. It was larger than the remarkable sculpting of Athena within the Parthenon. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a major site of attraction for pilgrims throughout Europe and the Mediterranean looking to worship Zeus. The wonder was depicted in many ancient Roman and Greek works of art, giving credibility to its existence. Unfortunately, after almost one thousand years of existence, the statue of Zeus was destroyed. A fire broke out, and due to the wooden base, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia perished in the fifth century A.D. Today, the temple lies in ruins. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a giant, elaborate tomb built in Halicarnassus, (present day Bodrum, Turkey) for King Mausolus, ruler of Caria (377–353 BC). The word “mausoleum,” which is now used to refer to any above-ground tomb, comes from this monument. One of the last surviving seven wonders of the ancient world, the mausoleum stood for over 1500 years - from its erection in approximately 350BC, until its destruction by successive earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries AD. At its prime, it stood 148 feet high and was www.cooneyclassics.org 3 adorned with colossal statues, sculptures and reliefs depicting gods, goddesses, animals and battle scenes. Colossus of Rhodes After a failed conquest by the Cypriots, people from a neighboring Greek island, the inhabitants of Rhodes built a memorial to their patron god, Helios. The project began as a way to honor Helios with a bronze statue, however, as the project progressed, the statue became bigger and bigger, and slowly became one of the greatest architectural achievements of the ancient world. The construction of the Colossus of Rhodes, the statue dedicated to Helios, was started in 292 B.C. by Chares, the Greek sculptor. The ancient wonder consisted of bronze and iron from old war materials on the island of Rhodes. The finished memorial stood at 157 feet, watching over the Mandraki Harbor. It stood over the harbor for over 50 years, until a horrible earthquake occurred in 226 B.C. The Colossus of Rhodes snapped at its knees and fell onto the shore of the harbor. Even with the statue’s partial destruction, countless people came to witness its architectural magnificence. It was left as it had fallen for about 800 years. The people of Rhodes had considered rebuilding the statue, but they feared that the earthquake was an omen. They assumed that the statue had offended Helios in some way, and if they were to rebuild it, more destruction would be caused. Lighthouse at Alexandria The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as Pharos of Alexandria, was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. It was constructed in the 3rd century B.C. under the reigns of Ptolemy I and Ptolemy II. The lighthouse took 12 years to build from start to finish. It was constructed mainly out of limestone, similar to the material used to create the pyramids over 20 centuries earlier. To put www.cooneyclassics.org 4 that in perspective, when the lighthouse was built, the pyramids were as old as the lighthouse is to us now. When the Lighthouse of Alexandria was constructed, it was one of the tallest buildings in the world standing at 330 feet, 25 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was eventually destroyed around the 14th century, after being heavily damaged by three separate earthquakes over four centuries. The ruins of the ancient wonder can still be found in the harbor of Alexandria, alongside the ruins of Cleopatra’s palace. Activity If you could visit one of these ancient wonders, which one would you choose and why? Share with the group. www.cooneyclassics.org 5 .