The Great Pyramid of Giza (also referenced as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) (الهرم الأكبر بالجيزة) or known by it’s ancient name, Khufu’s Horizon is the largest pyramid of the three bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt (or Giza Necropolis). The Fourth-Dynasty King, Sneferu, was the first person to introduce the design of a pyramid. The Great Pyramid is the oldest standing ancient structure till date. It is known to be located on the Giza plateau near Cairo, the capital city of Egypt. The Pyramid was built during the 23 year reign of King Khufu (2589 BCE – 2566 BCE) and it mainly served as the designated tomb for the Fourth Dynasty, the Pharaoh Khufu. Khufu’s vizier, Hemiunu, was believed by some to be the architect of the Great Pyramid. The pyramid was built with limestone and granite. It was known to be the tallest structure ever built until 1899 CE, when the Eiffel Tower was created. Standing at around 146.7m (481 ft or 280 Egyptian Royal Cubits) and having an average base length of 230m (755 ft or 440 Egyptian Royal Cubits, it contains over 2.3 million stones, weighing nearly 3 tonnes each. It is the last preserved ancient heritage site in the world.
The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue that was erected on the island of Rhodes, in Greece, representing the Greek sun-god Helios. It was mainly built to celebrate the victory of Rhodes over the Macedonian Ruler, Demetrius Poliorcetes, who had unsuccessfully besieged Rhodes in 305 BCE. It is thought to have been built around 280 BCE, designed by renowned Greek sculptor Chares of Lindos. Legend has that people of Rhodes had sold the items left behind by the Macedonians in order to gain a bankroll to build the statue. ‘Kolossos (κολοσσος)’ literally translates to ‘large statue’. According to most information that has been retrieved, the Colossus stood at around 33 m (108 ft) without the 15 m (50 ft) pedestal. Construction of the statue began in 292 BC, the base of the statue was mainly made of marble, where the feet and the ankles were anchored. The framework of the body was made of iron which was later plated with bronze. The exact location of the Colossus is unknown till date, but accounts place him at around Mandraki Port, Rhodes, Greece. The statue stood for just 54 years until its destruction caused by an earthquake in 226 BCE.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Western Peloponnese, Greece) was a giant seated male figure which was constructed in the Temple of Zeus at around 435 BCE. The shrine was created to represent the God of sky and thunder and the King of the Greek Gods, Zeus. Although there were many different statues of Zeus built around Greece, the statue in Olympia was somewhat rather remarkable. It was designed by a person named Libon and made by Greek sculptor Phidias. Phidias was famous for his sculpting, after he successfully built the statue of the Goddess of Athena in Athens. Olympia was home to the Olympic Games and one of the most religious places Greece. The Temple of Zeus was built to accommodate a replica of Zeus in order that the town was under full protection. The construction of the 13 metre (42 ft) statue first began in 466 BCE, it was based on a wooden framework which was then covered with ivory and gold panels. Zeus sat on a cedar wood throne which was decorated with ornamental items, gold, ivory, ebony, and precious stones. The Statue of Zeus stood for around 897-910 years. Some say that it was destroyed in a fire when it was brought to Constantinople, Rome in 475 CE while others think that a fire erupted in the Temple in 462 CE.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, also known as the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis, were an ascending series of elevated gardens containing a wide variety of many different plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs, bearing a resemblance to a large green mountain. It was a remarkable engineering achievement. The Hanging Gardens were built in the city of Babylon (Hillah, Iraq), on or near the east bank of the River Euphrates, which was part of ancient Mesopotamia. It is believed that the gardens were built during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (ruled between 605-562 BCE), for his Median wife, Queen Ametys because she felt homesick and missed the verdant and mountainous environment and the greenery around her. The exact date of the construction is unknown, it is believed to have been built in around 600 BCE. The original builder of the gardens is still unknown, but was ordered to be built by King Nebuchadnezzar II. It is thought to have been built with materials such as stone, no other evidence has been found. Many also question the fact that the Hanging Gardens actually existed. Excavations in Southern Iraq have found remains of the palace of the king, vaults, and wells (irrigation?) but no such clear evidence has been found that is linked to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Some even believe that the Hanging Gardens were not built in Babylon, but instead in the ancient city of Nineveh (near Mosul, Northern Iraq). It is still unknown on how the Gardens were destroyed. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon may be a myth, but are definitely a mystery.
The Temple of Artemis, Artemision, or Artemesium (Ἀρτεμίσιον) at Ephesus (near Selcuk, Turkey), also known as the Temple of Diana was a Greek temple built to honour the Greek Goddess of wilderness, the moon and childbirth, Artemis. The temple was first constructed in 550 BCE and was designed by Chersiphron, an architect from Crete, he worked along with his son, Metagenes. The construction was funded financially by Croesus, of Lydia and took approximately 10 years to build. It was the first the Greek temple to be built entirely of marble and was one of the largest Greek temples ever built. It spanned about 115 metres (377 ft) in length and had a width of approximately 55 metres (180 ft). It was built with 127 columns, each 18 metres (60 ft) high. The Temple of Artemis housed many wonderful pieces of artwork The temple had been rebuilt three times, it was first set ablaze on the 21st of July 356 BCE (curiously, that was the same day that Alexander the Great was born) by Herostratus, who had nothing against the temple or Artemis, but saw it as a path to fame. The temple had been reconstructed 33 years later, but it was destroyed again in 262 CE by invading Goths. The remains were later used as foundations for other structures.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria was a lighthouse built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. It was built on the island of Pharos near the port city of Alexandria, Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great, who died in 323 BCE. Construction of the lighthouse began in around 285 BCE and was completed in the 240s BCE. The exact date of the construction and completion is unknown till date. It was believed to have been designed by Ptolemy I, and built by Sostratus of Cnidus. It stands between 120-137 metres tall (394-449 ft) and was built on 30 x 30 metre (98×98 ft) square platform. The lighthouse was built with a foundation of light-coloured stone and molten lead to create walls that could withstand the crashing waves. It is thought to have costed around 800 Talents ($3 million USD). The main function of the lighthouse was to guide ships to the port city of Alexandria. During daytime, sunlight was reflected on mirrors, while at nighttime, a large fire was lit, it was said that it could be seen from over 100 miles. Some legends state that the lighthouse was used to set fire to enemy attacking ships. The lighthouse had been struck by three earthquakes between 956 CE and 1323 CE, eventually it was completely destroyed in the 1323 CE earthquake. It was the third longest surviving ancient wonder.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Halikarnassos, also known as the Tomb of Mausolus (Μαυσωλεῖον τῆς Ἁλικαρνασσοῦ), was a tomb built in the Greek city of Halicarnassus (Bodrum, Turkey), Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor, and Asian Turkey which was part of the Achaemenid Empire. Construction of the ‘over-ground’ tomb first began in 353 BCE and was completed in between 351-350 BCE. The monument was built as a tomb of the back-then current (between 377-353 BCE) ruler of Caria, Mausolus. It is believed that the tomb was designed by Mausolus, before his death, and that his wife/sister Artemesia had continued the project after his death. The Mausoleum was also architected by two other famous Greeks, Satyros and Pythius of Priene was thought to have been built mostly of marble. The Mausoleum had a height of approximately 45 metres (148 ft or 98 cubits) and had a base perimeter of around 125 metres (411 ft). The tomb was surrounded by 36 columns and was known for its majestic beauty, decorated with statues, ornaments, and a horseback carriage while it overlooked the harbour as it was situated on a hill. The tomb remained relatively intact for around 1845 years, until the roof was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1494 CE. Only remains are left today.