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Identifying the seven wonders of the ancient world

Of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, only one still remains to be seen. These structures which once dominated and captivated the eye of so many people in times gone are now remembered only in thought and writing. So let me pass the torch of information on to you, for you to pass on to others

1. Great Pyramid of Giza
Built in 2584BC, completed in 2561BC, the 455.2 ft tall building is thought to have been made by an estimated 100,000 workers, taking around 20 years. Situated on the border of Cairo, Egypt the pyramid is thought to have been a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Emperor Pharaoh Khufu and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Built around 600BC, by the then ruler of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar II, it is thought he created the gardens in order to please his wife, Amytis of Media, who was homesick and longed for trees and fragrant plants. The Gardens have been describes as reaching 22 metres high complete with machinery for circulating water. Unfortunately they were destroyed by an earthquake after the 1st century BC, and the exact location of the gardens has been lost to the annals of history

3. Statue Of Zeus at Olympia
Created by sculptor Phidas in 432BC, the seated statue stood 40 feet tall and occupied the entire width of the aisle of the temple built to house it. The statue depicted Zeus seated, in his right hand a figure of Victory, in his left his sceptre and an eagle perched on the sceptre. The main material used to create the Statue was gold, but parts of it were also jewel encrusted. The statue was damaged by fire in the 5th century, it was then moved to a palace in Constantinople where it survived until it was destroyed by fire in AD 462

4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Located about 50 km south from the modern city if Izmir in Turkey. The Temple of Artemis took 120 years to build and was started by Croesus of Lydia. Artemis, the goddess of hunting was one of many Greek gods and her statue was made of wood and kept decorated with jewellery. However, this wonder was destroyed on July 21 356BC in an act of arson committed by Herostratus, the story goes that Herostratus was obsessed with fame at whatever cost, which coined the phrase herostratic fame.

5. Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
This was a tomb built between 353 and 350 at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum, Turkey) and was built for Mausollos, a governor in the Persian Empire and, Artemisa II of Caira, his wife and sister. The structure


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Identifying the seven wonders of the ancient world

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Identifying the seven wonders of the ancient world

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