The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:

The conquests of Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 B.C.) in the fourth century B.C. fostered the spread of Greek culture to the lands around the eastern Mediterranean and much of the Middle East, ushering in what is today referred to as the Hellenistic Period (323-31 B.C.). Hellenistic sightseers compiled guidebooks with outstanding monuments in those parts of the world, including Persia, Egypt, and Babylon. Seven sites were usually emphasized since that number was considered magical, perfect, and complete. Not all wonders lists from ancient times agreed, but six sites consistently appeared (the Walls of Babylon sometimes substituted for the Lighthouse of Alexandria). The “classic” Seven Wonders most often cited are listed below.

1. The Great Pyramid of Egypt
The oldest of the Seven Wonders, the Great Pyramid, is the only one that remains largely intact. Commissioned by the Pharaoh Khufu (r. ca. 2589-2566 B.C.), it is the largest of the three pyramids at Giza. It served as the ruler’s tomb and was built over a period of about 20 years, concluding around 2560 B.C. The pyramid is estimated to have been 146.5 m tall when completed and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years (until the 14th century A.D.). Most of the original limestone casing stones that formed the outer smooth surface of the pyramid are gone. Today, the pyramid’s height is about 139 m.

2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
This is the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders for which a definitive location has never been established. No surviving Babylonian texts mention the Gardens, nor have any archeological remains been discovered in today’s Iraq. According to tradition, the gardens were a remarkable feat of engineering, with an ascending series of mud-brick-tiered gardens containing a variety of trees, shrubs, and vines that, when viewed from below, resembled a leafy green mountain. The Gardens are frequently attributed to the Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562 B.C.), who may have had them built for his Median wife, Queen Amytis, because she missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland.

3. The Temple of Artemis (Artemision) at Ephesus
This Greek temple at Ephesus (3 km southwest of Selcuk in present-day western Turkey) was dedicated to the goddess Artemis and was completely rebuilt twice: once after a 7th century B.C. flood and then after a 356 B.C. act of arson. In its final form, it was judged to be one of the Seven Wonders and survived for 600 years. The building was composed entirely of marble, with massive dimensions reported to be 130 m by 69 m, and included 127 columns, each about 18 m tall. The temple was damaged in a Gothic raid in A.D. 268, and Christians finally closed it in the early-to-mid 5^th century. The structure was dismantled in succeeding centuries, and today almost nothing of the temple remains.

4. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Constructed in about 350 B.C., the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was located on the site of the present-day city of Bodrum in southwestern Turkey. It was the tomb of Mausolus, a Persian ruler, and his wife -- the term "mausoleum" is derived from his name. The structure stood about 45 m high and took about 20 years to complete. A series of earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries A.D. devastated the structure, which was the last of the original Seven Wonders to be destroyed.

5. The Colossus of Rhodes
This statue of the Greek sun god Helios, constructed at the entrance to Rhodes' harbor to celebrate the city's successful repulse of a siege, was made of iron tie bars to which brass or bronze plates were attached to form a skin. Contemporary descriptions list its height at about 70 cubits, or 33 m – approximately the same height as the Statue of Liberty (34 m) – which would make it the tallest statue in the ancient world. Completed in about 280 B.C., the monument stood for only about 54 years until it toppled in an earthquake in 226 B.C. The remains lay on the ground for over 800 years before finally being sold for scrap.

6. The Lighthouse (Pharos) of Alexandria
Completed around 275 B.C., the lighthouse stood on Pharos Island at the entrance to the Egyptian port city of Alexandria for about 1,600 years. Three earthquakes severely damaged it between A.D. 956 and 1323, when it was deactivated. The shape of the structure appeared on a number of ancient coins: a solid square base, which made up about half the height, supported an octagonal middle section and a cylindrical top. The height of the structure is thought to have been between 100 m (328 ft) and 140 m (459 ft). A mirror at its apex reflected sunlight during the day, and a fire burned at night.

7. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia in Greece
The giant seated statue of the king of the Greek gods in the sanctuary of Olympia was completed by the Greek sculptor Phidias in about 435 B.C. Roughly 13 m (43 ft) tall, it was constructed of ivory plates and gold panels on a wooden framework, and the god’s throne was ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold, and precious stones. With the rise of Christianity, the sanctuary at Olympia fell into disuse; the details of the statue’s final destruction are unknown.

note: The Lighthouse of Alexandria may have been the last of the wonders to be completed (ca. 275 B.C.), and the Colossus of Rhodes was the first to be destroyed in about 226 B.C., so the Seven Wonders existed at the same time for only about 50 years in the middle of the third century B.C.

The New Seven Wonders of the World:

A private initiative to come up with a new list of seven of the world’s wonders sprang up early in the new millennium. Worldwide balloting -- via internet or telephone -- included a list of 200 existing monuments. Over 100 million votes were reportedly cast over a period of several years, and the final list below was announced on 7 July 2007 (7-7-2007). The seven are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

1. Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico
This archeological site includes the impressive remains of a large pre-Columbian Mayan city that flourished around A.D. 600-1100. Among the structures at the site are the massive Temple of the Warriors complex, an observatory (El Caracol), the Great Ball Court, and the Sacred Cenote (sinkhole) where offerings were made. The most famous building is the step-pyramid known as the Temple of Kukulcan that dominates the center of the site and serves as the symbol of Chichen Itza. The pyramidal structure is 24 m (79 ft) high; the crowning temple adds another 6 m (20 ft). Located in the dense jungles of Yucatan, it is one of the most visited tourist sites in Mexico.

2. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
The Roman Emperor Vespasian began construction on the Colosseum in A.D. 72, and his son Titus completed it in A.D. 80, with Domitian (A.D. 81-96) making further modifications. The three emperors make up the Flavian Dynasty, and the structure is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater. It is estimated to have seated about 65 thousand spectators and was most famously used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. Earthquakes and thieves destroyed much of the original structure, but it remains an iconic symbol of Rome. The Colosseum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

3. Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Built between 1922 and 1931, the 30-m (98-ft) sculpture is reputed to be the largest Art Deco statue in the world. Its pedestal provides another 8 m (26 ft) in height, and the arms stretch out to 28 m (92 ft). Built of reinforced concrete and soapstone, the statue has become a cultural icon of both Rio and Brazil.

4. Great Wall, China
The name refers to a series of fortification systems that stretched across China's northern historical borders and served as protection against nomadic peoples. An archeological survey revealed that the wall and its associated branches measure 21,196 km (13,171 mi). The earliest of the walls date to the 7th century B.C.; stretches began to be linked in the 3rd century B.C., and successive dynasties added to or maintained sections of the walls. The best-known and best-preserved parts of the wall were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Great Wall is acknowledged as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.

5. Machu Picchu, Cuzco Region, Peru
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, situated on a 2,430 m (7,972 ft) Andean mountain ridge, is now thought to have been erected as an estate for the Inca Emperor Pachacuti (r. 1438-1471) and may have also served as a religious sanctuary. Built between about 1450 and 1460, it was abandoned a century later, at the time of the Spanish conquest. It was built in the classic Inca style, using polished, fitted, dry-stone walls, and was home to about 750 people, mostly support staff to the nobility. The religious monuments include the Intiwatana, a carved ritual stone that was a kind of sundial and is referred to as “The Hitching Post of the Sun,” the Torreon or Temple of the Sun, and the Intimachay, a sacred cave.

6. Petra, Ma’an, Jordan
Petra is believed to have been established in the 4th century B.C. as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, an entity that grew wealthy as the nexus of trade routes in the southern Levant. The Roman Empire annexed it in A.D. 106. The city is famous for its carved-rock architecture and water conduit system, which allowed the Nabataeans to create an artificial oasis. The city may have had a population of 20,000 at its peak in the first century A.D.

7. Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
This ivory-white mausoleum was commissioned in 1632 by Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) as the final resting place for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The building also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The Taj Mahal is the centerpiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex that includes a guest house, a mosque, and formal gardens. The project was completed in 1653.

note: The Great Pyramid of Egypt, the only surviving wonder of the ancient seven, received honorary status on the New Seven Wonders list.

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