Pyramids of Giza
Every person, regardless of the level of education and social status, has heard about seven wonders of the world, representing the greatest monuments of human civilization since ancient times. Few remember the entire list, and almost all of them have not survived, however, in our time, attempts are being made to compile new, alternative lists of attractions that can compete with the ancient creations of human genius.
The first who tried to formulate human achievements in the form list of wonders of the worldwere the ancient authors of ancient Hellas, whose written heritage has survived to this day.
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Zeus statue in Olympia
The "father of history" Herodotus was the first to point out the architectural wonders that existed in his time. His work mentions three magnificent buildings on the Greek island of Samos - a mountain tunnel, the Temple of Hera and a dam.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Starting with Herodotus, the list of attractions grew, changed and supplemented by other Greek authors, until it was formulated in its final form as a list of seven points.
Historically and geographically 7 wonders of the ancient world are related to the territories conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC.
They were scattered throughout the Ecumene, from ancient Egypt to Babylon and ancient Greece.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
The most ancient wonder of the world, but ironically, the only one that has survived to this day is the main Egyptian landmark - The Pyramid of Cheopsincluded in the complex. In choosing the new seven wonders of the world, the pyramid was awarded the title of "Honorary Candidate".
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The second wonder of the world, semi-mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon, existed for 7 centuries, until they perished in the flood of the 1st century BC.
Third miracle, huge temple statue of Zeus at Olympiamade of ivory, precious woods and inlaid with gold, stood for 9 centuries, but burned down in a fire in the 5th century AD.
In the Turkish city of Selcuk, you can still see the ruins of the fourth wonder of the world, temple of Artemis, which at one time surpassed in size the huge temple of Jupiter in.
Statue of the Colossus of Rhodes
Halicarnassus mausoleum lasted longer than all other attractions of the ancient world (with the exception of the Pyramid of Cheops).
An amazing architectural monument proudly towered over the course of the 19th centuries, but the elements overpowered it too - the mausoleum was destroyed by an earthquake.
Lighthouse in Alexandria
The ruins of a colossal structure can now be seen in Turkish Bodrum.
The earthquakes also destroyed two other ancient monuments - a bronze statue of the Colossus of Rhodes (destroyed in the III century BC) and in Egypt (it was destroyed in the XIV century).
New seven wonders of the world
At the beginning of the 21st century, on July 7, 2007, on the day of the “three sevens”, in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, the new seven wonders of the world were named, each of which may well compete with the lost architectural treasures.
The project was organized by the non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC) at the initiative of the Swiss Bernard Weber. The selection of the new seven wonders of the world from the famous architectural structures of the world took place via SMS, telephone or the Internet. As part of the selection of attractions, about 100 million votes were adopted, but since the conditions did not prohibit voting several times, this list became questionable almost immediately after publication.
Nevertheless, at present it is the most famous of such ratings and therefore, along with it, it is the main reference point for tourists actively traveling around the world with
The great Wall of China
One of the undisputed leaders of the list - one of the largest and oldest architectural monuments in the world. Its total length is 8851.8 km, in one of the sections it passes near Beijing. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi-huangdi. The construction was attended by a fifth of the then population of the country, that is, about a million people.
Today, the wall is a symbol of China, both for the Chinese themselves and for foreigners. At the entrance to the restored part of the Wall, you can see the inscription made by Mao Tse Tung - "If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese."
Machu Picchu
The famous statue of Jesus Christ, with outstretched arms and gaze turned to the city, rises atop Corcovado's mountain. At the foot of the monument there is an observation deck, which offers amazing views of sandy beaches, a huge bowl, the bay and the Sugarloaf Peak, similar in shape to a lump of sugar.
White Temple Wat Rong Khun
Along with the main lists of wonders of the world, new, alternative lists exist and continue to be drawn up - by the author's and based on the results of polls.
statue of liberty in new york
As a modern alternative to the famous the Pyramid of Cheops the glass pyramid of Paris (France) was proposed.
The most striking among modern temple complexes is the Buddhist one opened in 1997 in Thailand. According to journalists, this temple is quite capable of overshadowing the ruins. temple of Artemis.Among other similar structures - built in 1604 in Amritsar (India), in (Japan) and sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain).
Temple complex Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Dubai "Garden of Miracles" (UAE), where on an area of \u200b\u200b72 thousand sq. m grows 45 million flowers, also (according to journalists) can compete with Hanging Gardens of Babylon... Also, royal botanicals meet the formal criteria. kew gardens (UK), Royal Park of Flowers Keukenhof (Netherlands) and gardens (France).
Compared to 137m Alexandria lighthouse lighthouses are capable of beauty these days Lindau (Germany) and lighthouse Cape Florida (USA). A lighthouse Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) almost catches up with Alexandria in height - 133 meters.
Acropolis in Athens
The statue of Zeus at Olympia, according to the logic of journalists, today it can outshine Golden buddha in (Thailand) - the world's largest golden statue of a deity. At the same time, it does not matter at all that Buddha is far from being as harsh and angry as Zeus the Thunderer.
And at Mausoleum at Halicarnassus there were followers in the modern world, this title was awarded to the mausoleum and Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow.
Alhambra palace and fortress
And finally a statue colossus of rhodes journalists compared it with a statue in (Brazil), which is comparable to an ancient structure not only in height, but also in its location by the sea.
At the same time, some of the new lists of wonders of our time are deliberately narrowed down to cover attractions by location or creation time.
Easter Island
So, for example, ratings were repeatedly compiled by country (in Russia, Portugal, Belgium and others) or exceptional objects of the underwater world were identified (cracks, reefs, islands and even underwater ruins).
In the final of the competition for the title of man-made new wonders of the world, there were also other no less worthy sights, and some of them, in the opinion of many people, are much more worthy to be in the final list of the "best".
Timbuktu
In particular, an obvious competition could be made by the American, superior in size and installed 40 years earlier. . It is also quite surprising that the final list of the seven wonders does not mention Cambodian - the largest religious building ever created by humans.
All these great monuments of human civilization were on the list of contenders, along with, Sydney Opera, in Spanish Granada, Eiffel tower, The Moscow Kremlin, , sculptures, moai, castle, Buddhist temple in and city.
Seven new wonders of nature
Iguazu Falls
komodo park
Seven new wonders of nature is a competition also organized by the Swiss non-profit organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC), which found seven of the most amazing natural places on Earth through a worldwide popular vote.
Project "Seven new wonders of nature" started at the end of 2007. Until 07.07.09, all candidates were nominated and pre-selected, among which there was a Russian natural pearl - lake baikal... The voting was completed by the mystical date - 11.11.11.
Among the main wonders of nature are the longest river in the world - Amazon and its jungle; the largest underground river in the Philippines.
There are many mysterious and mysterious places in the world. But only a few of them are recognized as true miracles, which were no longer equal on Earth! From this article you will find out which of the 7 wonders of the world have survived to this day, and which have sunk into oblivion forever. We present to your attention 7 wonders of the world - the list consists of the following items:
This exclusive complex is included in the list of 7 wonders of the world. The basis of the gardens of Semiramis was a monumental building in four tiers, erected in the form of a pyramid. Hanging green spaces combined with fountains and ponds have turned it into a true oasis. According to an old legend, these gardens were created for the wife of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II named Amitis.
It took a lot of water to keep the green miracle alive. The problem was solved at the expense of human resources, or rather, slave labor. The slaves rotated non-stop the wooden wheel to which the leather wineskins were tied. This wheel took water from the river (according to another version - from some underground sources). Water was pumped to the uppermost tier, and from there flowed down a complex system of numerous channels.
After the death of the ruler Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon for some time became the residence of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, the city began to gradually fall into desolation, the gardens of Semiramis were also left without proper care. After a while, a nearby river overflowed its banks, which led to the erosion of the building's foundation.
Pharaoh Cheops pyramid
This current geographic feature, which is also on the list of the 7 wonders of the world, is sometimes referred to as the Great Pyramid of Giza. It serves as the tomb of the Egyptian ruler Cheops (Khufu). The pyramid was erected near Giza, a suburb of Cairo. To create this miracle, it took the joint efforts of 100 thousand people. According to the calculations of archaeologists, the work continued for about twenty years.
Zeus statue in Olympia
In honor of the God-Thunderer, a truly monumental structure was erected. The Temple of Zeus was entirely built of marble, including even the roof. Along the perimeter of the sanctuary, there were 34 columns made of limestone. The walls of the temple were covered with picturesque bas-reliefs with images, as well as the exploits of Hercules.
But the list of 7 wonders of the world included not the temple complex, but the statue of Zeus. The ancient Greek sculptor Phidias worked on the realization of this masterpiece. The body of the god was created of ivory, and a great many rare gems and about 200 kg of gold without the slightest admixture of ligature were also used to decorate the statue. The eyes of the Thunderer seemed to be throwing lightning, and the head and shoulders shimmered with unearthly light.
According to legend, lightning struck the center of the marble floor of the temple. This was seen as an expression of approval from Zeus. A copper altar was erected at the site of the impact. The statue of Zeus was destroyed in a fire that occurred in the temple in 425. There is another version, according to which she was transported to Istanbul, where the figure of the Thunderer was burned down in 476.
The ancient city of Halicarnassus was famous for the residences of nobles, theaters and green gardens. But the list of 7 wonders of the world did not include these architectural beauties, but the tomb of the cruel ruler Mavsol. The mausoleum had 3 levels, the total height of the building was 46 meters. This man-made masterpiece combines several architectural trends.
Traditional columns, as well as statues of horsemen and lions were used to decorate the mausoleum. At the very top, there was a sculpture of King Mavsol, proudly seated in a chariot drawn by horses. The mausoleum stood for about 19 centuries, the cause of its destruction was a strong earthquake. An interesting fact - some fragments of the mausoleum were used to build the fortress of St. Peter.
Pharos lighthouse was built in the 3rd century BC, it is also included in the world famous list of the 7 wonders of the world. This facility was supposed to help seagoing vessels safely overcome coastal reefs and avoid shipwreck. During the day, the sailors were led by a column of smoke, and at night they could navigate by the tongues of flame.
The Alexandria lighthouse towered 120 meters above sea level, its signals could be seen at a distance of up to 48 km. The upper part of the structure was decorated with a statue of Isis-Faria, who was revered as the patroness of seafarers. To make the light flow as efficient as possible, the builders used an original curved mirror system.
The Pharos lighthouse, like many other objects from the list of 7 wonders of the world, was destroyed in a rather trivial way. It was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in the middle of the 14th century. Scientists discovered some fragments of the Alexandria lighthouse on the seabed during research in 1996.
The Colossus of Rhodes
This statue was made in honor of Helios (the sun god). It was assumed that the height of the figure would be 18 meters, but later it was decided to make it 36 \u200b\u200bmeters. The statue in the form of a youthful god was cast from bronze, it is located on a marble pedestal. Construction was carried out on a hill created by artificial means. Stones were placed inside the figure, which was done to increase the stability of the structure.
The sculptor Hares, who worked on the Colossus of Rhodes, made a mistake in determining the amount of materials needed. The master had to borrow a lot of money to be able to complete his masterpiece. Hares was completely ruined and surrounded by creditors, the sculptor committed suicide.
The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake in 222 or 226 BC. The statue broke at the knees, and its fragments continued to lie in place for about 1000 years. The fragments of the Colossus were sold by the Arabs, who captured Rhodes in 977. To remove the pieces of the sculpture, it was necessary to equip a caravan consisting of 900 camels.
By the way, have you ever wondered why there are only seven wonders of the world? In this case, we recommend that you read the article "" - and you will discover the secret meaning of this "lucky" number!
Each of us has heard of what once existed 7 wonders of the ancient world, however, not everyone can name them with certainty. The first mention of seven ancient wonders of the world are found in the works of the ancient scientist and philosopher Herodotus, which were written 5 thousand years before our era. In his notes, the scientist made attempts to classify the most magnificent architectural structures of that time, which amazed the imagination of his contemporaries. Herodotus not only compiled a list of the most outstanding engineering structures of antiquity, but also made a complete description of each of seven wonders of the ancient world... Unfortunately, his works have not survived to this day. They burned down in a fire in the Library of Alexandria, along with many other priceless manuscripts, so we can judge old seven wonders of the world only on the basis of scattered references in the surviving manuscripts of that time, as well as on the basis of fragments of the once magnificent structures found during archaeological excavations.
Of all wonders of the ancient world only the pyramid of Cheops has survived to this day. The huge tomb of the ruler of ancient Egypt, which survived the centuries with virtually no destruction, unequivocally speaks of the power that the pharaoh possessed.
The Colossus of Rhodes is rightfully considered the most magnificent sculptural structure of antiquity. The height of the bronze statue, the legs of which were located on the opposite sides of the strait, was, according to various sources, from 36 to 60 meters, but an insufficiently careful design calculation led to the fact that the Colossus collapsed in the first earthquake after 60 years of construction. The giant's legs that remained on the banks for a long time reminded of the former greatness of the structure, but they have not survived to this day.
Among the rest 7 ancient wonders of the world includes a statue of Zeus in ancient Greece, whose height was 17 meters, a 150-meter Alexandrian lighthouse on the island of Pharos, the Temple of Artemis in Asia Minor, as well as the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, which was erected by the wife of the Carian king Mausolus as his tomb. The mausoleum stood for over one and a half thousand years and collapsed during an earthquake in the 13th century. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were the most unusual structure of all 7 Wonders of the World. Old legends in all colors describe the four tiers of the pyramid, located on top of the columns, on which a layer of fertile soil was placed, and rare trees and beautiful flowers grew. The lowest tier was at 34 meters, the highest at 42 meters. Hundreds of slaves worked incessantly to provide the gardens with the required amount of water.
Since not one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, except for the pyramid of Cheops, has not survived to this day, their former greatness can only be judged by the records of contemporaries that have come down to us.
Time is fleeting. Civilizations are changing, leaving behind a grandiose architectural heritage. Unfortunately, everything is subject to destruction, especially what was built by human hands. That is why the ancient seven wonders of the world, the description of which is known to everyone culturally, for the most part have not survived to our time. They were replaced by others that still exist. Seven wonders of the world of our time were chosen long enough and scrupulously. The result of this work was seven grandiose architectural structures that became famous throughout the world.
Definition of the concept
What are the wonders of the world, and why did they receive such a proud name? Why were they singled out among all the monumental works of the ancient world and modern times? And they are so named due to the fact that they are above the category of time. These monuments of architectural thought are admired now in the same way as they were admired in antiquity. Legends are made about them.
Until recently, there were the ancient seven wonders of the world. The Pyramid of Cheops is the only one that has survived to this day. Others, such as the Hanging Gardens or the Lighthouse of Alexandria, did not survive. They are known only from manuscripts, essays by contemporaries and paintings recreated from descriptions.
How the new list was elected
Thus, it was necessary to choose the new seven wonders of the world. Architectural monuments passed a real competition (it was conducted by an independent organization "New Open World Corporation"). All modern means were involved, including voices received both via the Internet and via SMS. 90 million people around the world voted for the monument that they considered most worthy to bear such an honorable title. Thus, among several dozen applicants in 2007, seven wonders of the world of our time were selected. We will tell you more about each of them below. In the meantime, I would like to list those who were only a step away from the highest award. So, the final was attended by Red Square in Moscow, the Stonehenge building, the Eiffel Tower and the Acropolis in Greek Athens.
It is noteworthy that the Giza pyramids were also finalists of the competition, but the Egyptian authorities refused to participate in it. Most likely, they do not consider it possible for these architectural monuments to be included in the new seven wonders of the world, because they already appear in the ancients.
the great Wall of China
There are many legends and beliefs about how they built. So, until now, many are convinced that the people who worked on its construction are buried right inside the structure - this is not the case. Although the fact that during the construction more than a million people died is true.
So, the construction of the Great Wall of China dates back to the III century BC. The emperors conceived its construction.The construction pursued many goals, the main ones of which were:
- protection of lands from nomadic tribes;
- the inadmissibility of assimilation of foreigners with the Chinese nation;
Thus, construction began, which dragged on for centuries. The rulers were replaced: some treated the building with disdain (the Manchurian Qing dynasty), others, on the contrary, watched the construction with great care.
It should be said that a significant part of the wall collapsed because it was not being properly monitored. Only the site near Beijing was lucky - for a long time it served as a kind of gateway to the capital. Nevertheless, at the end of the eighties of the XX century, large-scale restoration work began, and in 1997 the Wall entered the seven wonders of the world of our time.
Why did she receive such an honorary title? This is the longest architectural structure in the world: the total length is 8851.8 kilometers. How was the Great Wall of China built that they were able to reach such an unprecedented size? The process went on for millennia, systematically. However, it should be said that this is not a solid structure. There are gaps along the Wall. This is what allowed the great Genghis Khan in his time to conquer China and rule in it for 12 years. Every year tens of millions of tourists visit this wonder of the world of our time.
Rio: Christ statue
On the other side of the planet, in Rio de Janeiro, there is the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. It rises above the city, arms outstretched, as if embracing all residents and guests of the multimillion city.
The monument was built to commemorate the centenary of Brazil's independence. A truly picturesque place was chosen for its construction: Mount Corcovado, from which you can see the whole of Rio, with its "Sugarloaf" peak and famous beaches.
The whole country collected for the construction: the magazine "About Cruzeiro" announced a subscription, the funds from which went to the construction of the monument. The project was entrusted to Silva Costa, although other options had been proposed before it: thus, Christ's arms outstretched like a crucifix were offered by K. Oswald, the artist.
Brazil at that time was a poor, non-industrial country, therefore, it was impossible to implement such a large-scale project. France came to the rescue - it was there that the statue of Christ the Redeemer was made in detail. And then it was transported to Brazil. The parts were delivered to the place of construction by a small railroad, which is still functioning. Millions of tourists annually climb one of the most famous structures of our time.
Taj Mahal
In Indian Agra, on the banks of the Jamna, the greatest palace-mausoleum of the Taj Mahal is located. This is the tomb of the wife of the great descendant of Tamerlane, Shah-Jahan. The woman's name was Mumtaz-Mahal, she died in childbirth.
The Taj Mahal in India is the pinnacle of the Mughal architectural style. It included a synthesis of Indian, Persian and Arab art. The most famous element of the structure is a huge snow-white dome. The mausoleum itself is made of white marble. It is a five-domed palace, which houses the tombs of both the Shah himself and his wife. It is noteworthy that the four minarets located at the edges are slightly inclined - this protects the tombs from destruction in case of earthquakes, which are not uncommon in India. A park with picturesque fountains and a lake adjoins the mausoleum itself. Built by the Taj Mahal in 1653. 20 thousand builders have completed such a large-scale project in 22 years.
The mausoleum itself, thanks to the many visitors, brings considerable funds to the treasury of India.
Chichen Itza
The legendary Mayan city is located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This is not an ordinary city - it served as a capital, political and cult center. Chichen Itza was built in the 7th century AD. Most of the buildings belong to the Mayan culture, some of them were built by the Toltecs. At the end of the 12th century, there were no inhabitants left in Chichen Itza. One of the mysteries is connected with this, which has not yet been explained: either the Spaniards are responsible for everything, who destroyed the Maya during the invasion of Mexico, or everything happened naturally due to the decline in the economic situation of the capital.
Several architectural structures were found on the territory of the ancient city at different times. However, the most notable of them is the Chichen Itza pyramid. This is a kind of focus of the legendary Maya knowledge, their religious beliefs, the center of the cult. The 24-meter high has four edges, on which there are 9 steps. The stairs, located on each side of the pyramid, have 91 steps. If you add up their number, you get 364 plus one leading to a small temple that crowns the pyramid. It turns out 365 - the number of days in a year.
The balustrade along the edges of the stairs represents the body of a snake, whose head is at the base of the pyramid. B gives the impression that the snake is moving. And down in the fall, and up in the spring.
Ritual temples are located at the top of the pyramid and inside it. They were probably used for sacrifices.
Coliseum
The new seven wonders of the world of our time include European monuments. This is the famous Roman Colosseum. Its appearance is partly due to the despotic rule of Nero. He, having committed suicide, left behind a grand palace with a lake in the very center of Rome. Vespasian, who came to power, decided to erase the cruel Nero from the memory of the people forever. It was decided to give the luxurious palace to the imperial institutions, and to build a huge amphitheater on the site of the lake. And so the Colosseum appeared. Initially, after erection in 80, it was called the Flavian Amphitheater. The building received its modern name only in the 8th century, most likely because of its impressive size.
Initially, it was used to entertain the people with gladiator fights, baiting of animals, etc. It even celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Rome. However, in the Middle Ages, due to the invasion of barbarian tribes, the Colosseum was partially destroyed, in this process a powerful earthquake of the XIV century played an important role. After the grandiose structure is pulled apart brick by brick for construction needs.
Only in the 18th century, Pope Benedict XIV began to protect the Colosseum as an important architectural object. Now it is a symbol of Rome, which is visited by a great many tourists from all over the world.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a unique city in South America, located at an altitude of almost 2,500 thousand meters above sea level. The Spanish conquerors were unable to reach it, which is why the architecture of the ancient city remained intact.
Machu Picchu was discovered only at the very beginning of the 20th century by a professor at Yale University. It is noteworthy that very little is known about the city, they do not know anything about the number of the population, or about the purpose of the construction, etc. One thing is clear: Machu Picchu has a very clear structure and layout.
At the moment it is under protection. UNESCO has limited the number of daily visitors to 2,500.
Petra - the pearl of Jordan
A city in a rock - this is how one can characterize another wonder of the modern world, the Jordanian Petra. The path to the city lies through natural gorges, which are the city walls. In ancient times, Petra was of great importance - it lay on the trade route between Damascus and the Red Sea region, as well as Gaza and the Persian Gulf. The city lived by trade.
The inhabitants of Petra were able not only to skillfully work stone, but also to collect water. In fact, the city has become an artificial oasis in the middle of the desert.
The main attraction attracting tourists is Al-Khazneh. According to scientists, this is a temple-mausoleum. Many legends are associated with the construction. According to some, this is the place where the Pharaoh hid his wealth during the time of Moses, according to others, it is a storehouse of robbed robbers.
Tourists around the world know Petra and its main temple from the film about the adventures of Indiana Jones.
Album "From Wonders of the World to Wonders of Russia"
Description: this material will be useful for teachers. It is intended for students in grades 5 and 6. The material provides useful and interesting information that can be used in history lessons and in extracurricular activities.Seven wonders of the world - these are the oldest monuments of 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, military leaders, etc., or outstanding architectural monuments.
The first mentions of the Wonders of the World are found precisely in this era, when the victorious troops of Alexander the Great had already passed through Europe. The wide spread of Greek culture in the territories that are part of the states, which the great commander conquered, ensured loud fame for individual monuments and architectural structures. But it should be noted that the "selection" of miracles took place gradually. Some titles have been replaced by others, and today the list of the most magnificent works of art and architecture includes:
1. Pyramids of Giza
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3. Olympic statue of Zeus
4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
5. Halicarnassus mausoleum
6. Colossus of Rhodes
7. Alexandria lighthouse
Pyramids of Giza
One of the most ancient and, nevertheless, the brightest Wonders of the World is the Great Pyramids, located in Giza (Egypt). The complex of Gisea buildings is the greatest architectural monument ever created by man. In total, over a hundred pyramidal structures were found in Egypt, but most of them did not stand the test of time.
The Pyramid of Cheops
The largest of the Giza complex, the Cheops pyramid is the largest building structure in the world. Its base is a square with a side of as much as 227.5 meters. The original height of the structure is believed to have been 146 meters, but several of the upper stones were destroyed, and today the pyramid is 9 meters lower.
Engineering studies have shown that the largest Gisea architectural monument consists of 2.3 million stone blocks, each of which weighs at least 2.5 tons. The total volume of the building is 2.34 million cubic meters. The faces of the pyramid are deployed to the cardinal points, and the entrance to the inside is from the north.
A distinctive feature of the structure is that every single building block is so well fitted to each other that even now, after several thousand years, even the thinnest blade cannot be inserted between them. In addition, the researchers found that the mortar used to fasten the structural elements was superior in strength to any modern material.
The purpose of the pyramids
There are no inscriptions, drawings and decorations in the Cheops pyramid. There are three chambers inside the building, in the center of one of which there is a granite sarcophagus. Initially, it was assumed that the structure is a tomb. Long-term studies have either confirmed or refuted this assumption.
But neither the remains of the pharaoh, nor any utensils or things that, according to the tradition of that time, were buried with the deceased, were not found. True, there is a high probability that the pyramid was simply looted. However, some details in the hypothesis about the purpose of the structure do not agree with the version of the tomb.
However, let us leave to historians and archaeologists questions about the origin and purpose of the construction of such an amazing complex of buildings, the entrance to which is protected by the Great Sphinx - the largest monolithic sculpture on the planet. For you and me, the Pyramids of Giza, with which many legends are associated, remain one of the most striking and unusual examples of the height of the flight of engineering.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the second most important Wonder of the World. Unfortunately, this amazing architectural structure has not survived to this day, but the memory of it has survived.
The attraction is located not far from Baghdad, and today its stone ruins can impress a common tourist only with its scale. However, history shows that the structure was one of the most beautiful creations of mankind.
Amazing gift for spouse
The gardens were discovered by Robert Koldewey, who excavated near Al Hill in 1989. During archaeological research, an extensive network of trenches was discovered, and in their sections the scientist immediately recognized the legendary architectural monument.
Facts indicate that the Hanging Gardens were built at the behest of Nebuchadnezzar II, whose reign falls on the 6th century BC. The best engineers, mathematicians and inventors of Mesopotamia worked day and night to satisfy the king's request to create a gift for his wife Amitis.
The latter was of Median origin, and those lands, as you know, were filled with the aromas of flowering gardens and green hills. In stuffy Babylon, the queen had a hard time, she yearned for her native land. That is why the ruler decided to lay out an unusual park, which would at least a little remind his wife's home.
Controversy surrounding the Babylonian Miracle
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon have been described by many ancient historians. But there are still some doubts about the reality of this piece of engineering art. For example, Herodotus, who traveled to Mesopotamia somewhere in the 5th century BC, did not say a word about this structure. Although, apparently, it was the most majestic and beautiful in Babylon.
Even the annals of the city itself do not mention the Gardens. However, Berossus, a Chaldean priest who studied the annals at the end of the 4th century BC. very brightly and clearly marked the building in his works. There is even an opinion that all historians, including modern scientists, relied on his descriptions, and they are too much embellished with the author's speculations and judgments.
Some even believe that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were confused with similar parks that were created in Nineveh, located on the east coast of the Tiber. But the basis of the irrigation system of this monument was the construction of Archimedes' screws, which was invented in the II century BC, while the construction of the Gardens dates back to the VI century.
However, perhaps the Babylonians already had an idea of \u200b\u200bthe special thread of such a screw, although they called the device differently. And be that as it may, the mystery of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still excites the minds of scientists, archaeologists and historians.
Zeus statue in Olympia
The statue of Zeus at Olympia is the third most important Wonder of the World, whose history began long before its creation - in 776 BC. Then, for the first time, participants in the next Olympic Games arrived at the temple, which was built in honor of the father of the gods.
Representatives of Asia Minor, Syria and Sicily, Egypt and, of course, Great Hellas attended the opening of the greatest event in history. The first sanctuary of Zeus was built 150 km from Athens. But over time, the Games gained more and more political weight, so the rulers of Greece decided to build a new Temple.
Temple of Zeus
Construction lasted over 15 years, and in 456 BC. the world saw one of the most monumental and beautiful Houses of Zeus. The project was developed by the famous ancient architect - Le Bon, whose creation had all the features of the famous Greek sanctuaries, but surpassed them in scope.
The Temple building was erected on a high rectangular platform. The roof was supported by 13 majestic columns about 10 m high and at least 2 m in diameter, and there were as many as 34 of them.
Phidias' creation
The government of Greece invited Phidias to Athens, a famous sculptor who managed to create something excellent - a statue of Zeus. The news of this work of art instantly spread throughout the ancient world, and the masterpiece took its place in the list of Wonders of the World.
The creation of the statue dates back to around 440 BC. The sculpture of the father of the gods was created mainly from the finest ivory. According to the description of eyewitnesses who managed to find the statue in "good health", it had a very impressive size.
Its height was at least 15 m, the structure contained about 200 kg of gold, the modern monetary equivalent of which exceeds 8 million dollars. The discovery of the statue of Olympian Zeus falls on 435 BC.
The fate of the statue of Zeus
Historical sources claim that in the second half of the 4th century AD. The Temple of Zeus was closed by the Roman emperor Theodosius, who was a Christian and disliked the pagan beliefs of the Greeks.
In 363, the statue was transported to Constantinople. Although some facts indicate that this architectural monument did not survive the looting and destruction of the Temple, which took place at the end of the 5th century.
In 1875, the remains of the Temple of Zeus were found, and in 1950, archaeologists discovered the workshop of Phidias. Thorough studies of the place where the architectural monument was found made it possible to recreate both the Temple itself and the statue of Olympian Zeus.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Ancient Greek Ephesus experienced a period of unprecedented prosperity. Founded in the 12th century BC, the city was the largest trade center and radiated wealth and prosperity. Artemis patronized him. She, as you know, was the goddess of fertility and the patroness of animals, the guardian of women in labor and hunters. Respecting her sacredly, the townspeople decided to build a magnificent temple in honor of Artemis, which, moreover, was supposed to significantly increase the city's income.
Shrine construction
In the 6th century BC. Harsifron, the most famous architect, arrived in Ephesus. It was he who came up with the idea of \u200b\u200bbuilding a building from marble. According to his plan, the temple should have been encircled by two rows of imposing columns. At the same time, the master, apparently, had an outstanding engineering mind, since the project is the most complex and at the same time original of all that were developed at that time. Since the city was rich and could afford to build such a large and expensive building.
But there was one obstacle - no deposit had yet been found that could satisfy the project's appetites. But soon, thanks to chance, a sufficient amount of stone was found, and the temple was successfully built. Monolithic marble columns deserve a special place in the structure of the building. They were transported here straight from the quarries located ten kilometers from the construction site. The foundation of the temple is aerobatics of engineering.
The building was built on a swampy area, because the sad memory of the earthquakes that hit Hellas was still alive. A huge pit was dug at the site of the future structure, which the builders filled with charcoal and wool. This, plus the very unorthodox foundation of the Temple, was supposed to be a guarantee that the building would withstand tremors of any strength.
In the main hall of the Temple, an amazingly beautiful statue of the goddess Artemis was installed, the height of which was about 15 meters. She was very expensive, because she was often inlaid with precious stones and gold. Prominent Greek painters and sculptors took part in the decoration of the building. Rumors of a beautiful shrine quickly spread throughout the ancient world, and subsequently the Temple of Artemis became one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The fate of the Temple
It should be noted that Harsifron did not manage to complete the construction. But the business was continued by his son, and after - the architects Peonit and Demetrius. And so in about 450 BC. the world saw the unsurpassed Temple of Artemis. They say that if it had survived to this day, it could overshadow any of the existing masterpieces of architectural art. But, unfortunately, in 356 BC. Herostratus, obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200bbecoming famous at any cost, started a fire in the building.
The building was almost completely destroyed, of course, with the exception of those structural elements that were made of marble. After that, the Temple of Artemis was revived several times and again ceased to exist. But in 263 BC. it was last plundered by the Goths. Finally, the "marble" health of the building was broken by the swampy soil, as well as the nearby Kaistra River. And it took scientists from all over the world several decades to restore the original appearance of the building.
mausoleum in Halicarnassus
The Halicarnassus Mausoleum is the same age as the second Temple of Artemis. The same people took part in its construction, who restored the shrine after the fire started by Herostratus. The building is a ziggurat, that is, both a tomb, and a sanctuary, and a monument. It should be noted that the name "mausoleum" comes from the name of the imperious and cruel ruler of Caria - Mavsol.
Start of construction
Despite the fact that already in the IV century BC. the state was a colony of the Persian Empire, Mavsol ruled imperiously and stubbornly, trying not to bend under imperial pressure. His position was so strong, and his ties so wide, that even after the suppression of the uprisings he raised, he managed to remain on the throne. During the reign of the energetic and ambitious king, Helikarnassus became the capital of Caria.
At the same time, the construction of the tomb, which was later included in the list of the seven most famous sights of the ancient world, was begun long before the death of the ruler - approximately in 353 BC. The Mausoleum project was developed by Greek architects - Satyr and Pytheas. The sculptors Timofey, Leohar, Skopas and Briaxides were hired to decorate the building. In total, hundreds of the most talented craftsmen took part in the construction, whose names, unfortunately, have not been preserved in history.
R magnificent tomb for the king
The tomb was an imposing architectural complex with its own courtyard. A stone platform was installed in the center of the latter. A wide staircase led to the top, guarded by stone lions. The inside of the building was decorated with bas-reliefs depicting scenes from ancient Greek legends and tales. The outer walls of the Mausoleum were covered with statues of gods and goddesses, and in the corners of the structure huge guard-warriors, carved out of stone, carried their service.
The ziggurat was crowned with a marble chariot driven by four massive horses. The statues of the drivers depicted Mavsol himself and his sister-wife Artemisia. The height of this sculpture was about 6 meters, and the pyramidal roof of the tomb was supported by 36 7-meter monolithic columns.
The fate of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
When the ruler of Caria died, the construction of the Mausoleum had not yet been completed, and the finishing of the premises was completed only in 350 BC. The tomb survived both the conquest of Halicarnassus by Macedon and the attack of pirates at the beginning of the 1st millennium. But at the beginning of the 15th century, the Maltese visited Asia Minor, who finally destroyed the building, taking marble and stone slabs for the construction of the fortress of St. Peter, which was located on the very spot where the palace of Mavsol and Artemisia stood. By the end of the 16th century, only one foundation remained from the Mausoleum.
Excavations of the tomb of Mavsol, led by Christian Jeppesen, were completed only in 1966-1977. Based on the found bas-reliefs, statues and other elements of the furnishings and construction, the appearance of the Mausoleum was restored. His project served as the basis for the construction of the City Hall in Los Angeles, the Warriors Memorial in Indiana, St. George's Church in London and many other architectural monuments of our time.
The Colossus of Rhodes
Rhodes was a major economic center of the ancient world. Located on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor, it often served as a tidbit for the rulers of neighboring powers. So, in 357 BC. the famous king Mavlos became the new ruler of the city, and after 17 years the city fell into the possession of the Persian Empire. In 322 BC. Rhodes was conquered by Alexander the Great, but after his death, civil strife broke out between the heirs of the great commander, and one of them - Antigonus - sent his son Demetrius to capture and destroy the rebellious city.
It should be noted that the long siege did not bring success, and the commander was forced to retreat. On the coast of the island, his soldiers threw a huge siege tower, which was a real engineering miracle of that time, and the enterprising ones immediately decided to sell it. With the proceeds, it was decided to build a statue of Helios, the patron saint of Rhodes, in order to praise the sun god for having rid the city of invaders.
Construction of the statue began around 304 BC. The creation of the Colossus was entrusted to Hares, a student of the famous ancient sculptor Lysippos. It was proposed to depict Helios standing, and in his left hand he had to hold a veil falling down to the ground, and with his right he had to cover his eyes from the sun. Despite the fact that such a pose did not correspond to some of the canons of sculpture of that time, the master understood that the huge statue would not stay on its feet if the Colossus pointed with his hand into the distance.
Three massive stone pillars formed the basis of a 36-meter statue. They were held together by iron beams at the height of the Colossus's shoulders, which should have provided him with stability. Construction lasted for 12 years, after which the world saw the greatest statue, whose head was decorated with a radiant crown.
Death of the Colossus
Literally half a century later, the island was shaken by the strongest earthquakes, and the legs of the Colossus of Rhodes broke. The statue of the god fell into the sea and lay off the coast for about 1000 years. The defeated giant was overgrown with legends, but in 977 A.D. they decided to disassemble it, melt it down and sell it. The chronicles preserve data that 900 camels were needed to transport the bronze, which was used to decorate the statue.
Modern interpretations of the great statue
The Colossus of Rhodes was included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. Currently, even some measures are being taken to restore the huge statue. According to some data, the cost of a modern sculpture of Helios will be about 200 million euros. However, the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating monumental sculptures following the example of the Colossus of Rhodes was used much earlier - in the New York Bay there is a statue of a woman holding a huge torch in her hands. This monument is better known to the world as the Statue of Liberty, but its creation was based on the image of a Rhodes masterpiece.
Alexandrian lighthouse
The history of the seventh Wonder of the World - the Lighthouse of Alexandria - is connected with the foundation in 332 BC. Alexandria, a city that was named after the great Roman commander Alexander the Great. It should be noted that throughout his career, the conqueror founded about 17 cities with similar names, but only the Egyptian project managed to survive to this day.
Foundation of the city in honor of the great commander
The Macedonian chose the site for the founding of Egyptian Alexandria very carefully. He did not like the idea of \u200b\u200ba location in the Nile Delta and so the decision was made to set up the first construction sites 20 miles south, near the marshy Lake Mareotis. Alexandria was supposed to have two large harbors - one for merchant ships coming from the Mediterranean Sea, and the other for ships sailing along the Nile.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. the city came under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter - the new ruler of Egypt. During this period, Alexandria developed into a thriving commercial port. In 290 BC. Ptolemy ordered to build a huge lighthouse on the island of Pharos, which would illuminate the way for ships sailing in the harbor of the city at night and in bad weather.
Pharos lighthouse construction
The construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse dates back to the 4th century BC, but the system of signal lights itself appeared only in the 1st century BC. The creator of this masterpiece of engineering and architectural art is Sostratus, a resident of Cnidia. The work lasted a little over 20 years, and as a result, the Lighthouse of Alexandria became the first building of this type in the world and the tallest building in the ancient world, not counting, of course, the Gisea pyramids.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was approximately 450-600 feet high. At the same time, the building was absolutely unlike any of the architectural monuments available at that time. The building was a three-tiered tower, the walls of which were made of marble slabs, fastened with lead mortar. The most complete description of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was compiled by Abu el-Andalussi - the famous Arab traveler - in 1166. He noted that in addition to performing purely practical functions, the lighthouse served as a very noticeable landmark.
The fate of the great lighthouse
The Pharos Lighthouse has illuminated the way for sailors for over 1,500 years. But strong tremors in 365, 956 and 1303 AD. severely damaged the building, and the most powerful earthquake in 1326 finally destroyed one of the greatest architectural structures in the world. In 1994, the remains of the Alexandria Lighthouse were discovered by archaeologists, and later the image of the structure was more or less successfully restored using computer modeling.
New 7 wonders of the world
The classic list of 7 wonders of the world appeared in the 3rd century BC. It included the greatest architectural, historical and cultural monuments of the ancient world. But the years passed, and more and more curiosities appeared in the world, which today can also be considered the Wonders of the World, that is, the most outstanding creations of man.
And now 2001 was marked by the beginning of the New Open World Corporation project. Its main purpose was the selection of modern Wonders of the World, worthy to go down in history forever. So, the winners of the competition on July 7, 2007 were:
1. Great Wall of China
2. Taj Mahal
3. Colosseum
4. Machu Picchu
5. Petra
6. Chichen Itza
7. Statue of Christ the Redeemer
The great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest structures preserved to this day, which in its grandeur and grandeur has no analogues even in the modern world. Its history goes back to the 5th century BC, the time that was marked by the collapse of the Zhou state.
In its place, many small kingdoms were formed, which immediately began a bloody internecine struggle with each other for the legacy of the great empire. It was during this period of "warring kingdoms" that the first pits were dug and earthen ramparts were erected in order to strengthen the borders from aggressive neighbors.
Start of construction
And so in 221 BC. the ruler of one of the kingdoms - Qin - the great Shi Huandi managed to pacify the long-term blood feud. He was proclaimed the first Chinese emperor and in 11 years of his reign created a state with an effective system of government and justice. It was he who came up with the idea to connect the defensive structures already existing in the north of the empire with a single wall.
And by order of the sovereign, his army, consisting of 300,000 soldiers, as well as about a million prisoners and slaves, began to build the fortress walls. The Great Wall of China was built using a wide variety of building technologies. Numerous garrisons were vigilantly serving to protect the still unfinished fortifications in the area of \u200b\u200bthe construction site.
Successors of the Shi Huangdi case
After the death of Shi Huangdi, the work was continued by his successors - the emperors of the Han dynasty, who not only monitored the maintenance of the structure in proper order, but also lengthened the wall. The last important stage in the construction of the Great Wall of China falls on the era of the imperial Ming dynasty, in 1368-1644.
Since the middle of the 17th century, the need for the building has disappeared, and time and natural factors immediately took up its stone sides. But, fortunately, most of the Wall has survived to this day. Moreover, the Chinese government at one time invested huge sums in its reconstruction.
New Wonder of the World
Already during the reign of the Ming dynasty, fortifications stretched from the Shanhaiguan fortress, located on the shores of the Bohaiwan Strait, to Jiayuguan itself in the north-west of Gansu province. Today the length of the wall is a total of 8,851.8 kilometers, which is an absolute and most likely unbeatable record in construction.
In 1962, the Great Wall of China took an honorable place in the list of national monuments of China, and in 1987 it was admitted to the general list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It should be noted that this is the only structure that can be seen from near-earth orbit without the use of any optical instruments. And in July 2007, the Wall was included in the list of New Wonders of the World, as one of the most impressive buildings in the history of mankind.
Mausoleum Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is not for nothing called the architectural pearl of India. You will not find a more magnificent and magnificent building in the whole country. This mausoleum embodies the memory of the tender love of the Muslim ruler Shah Jahan for his wife, a fabulously beautiful woman named Mumtaz Mahal. The future king of the Great Mughals was still a young prince, when at the beginning of the 17th century he married a nineteen-year-old beauty. The newlyweds loved each other dearly and, despite the fact that the king had a huge harem, he simply did not pay attention to other women.
Construction background
The beloved wife gave birth to six daughters and eight sons to Shah Jahan, but numerous childbirth broke the woman's health, therefore, when the fourteenth child was born, she was gone. The king's grief was so great that he wanted to commit suicide. But responsibility for the state and other reasons kept the ruler in this world. Literally before the eyes of his retinue, he turned gray, and soon a two-year mourning was declared throughout the country, during which there was no place for holidays, dancing, music and fun.
"Indian pearl"
A little later in the capital of the Mughal Empire - Agra - a grandiose mausoleum was erected. Construction of the Taj Mahal took over 20 years. More than 20 thousand people worked on the construction site, including the best Persian, Turkish, Samarkand and, of course, Indian architects and architects. The project was completed in 1653 and since then this amazing structure has attracted millions of researchers and travelers.
Inside the Taj Mahal there are two tombs - the shah and his wife. But in reality, the burial is underground. The mausoleum is a five-domed building 74 meters high. It is located on a platform with 4 minarets, which are tilted away from the tomb, and adjoins the construction of an amazingly beautiful garden with an abundance of fountains and a swimming pool. The walls of the Taj Mahal were lined with translucent polished marble, which was brought to the construction site from a unique deposit 300 km from Agra.
The greatest monument of architecture
The great mausoleum has survived to this day. It is one of the most magnificent and beautiful structures on the planet. Tens of thousands of tourists visit it every day, due to which the "Indian pearl" replenishes the state treasury with considerable funds. Throughout the year, the Taj Mahal receives about 5 million visitors. In order to preserve the architectural monument, traffic in the Taj Mahal area was prohibited.
Cracks were recently discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. Scientists believe that the destruction of the building is associated with the shallowing of the Jamna, the river flowing in the immediate vicinity of it. But, nevertheless, the Taj Mahal remains one of the most unusual and magnificent structures in the world. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in July 2007 took pride of place among the New Wonders of the World.
Coliseum
The Colosseum is one of the most magnificent amphitheaters ever built by man. This famous ancient Roman monument to this day rises in the middle of the modern buildings of the Italian capital. For a very long time, the Colosseum played a very important cultural role in the life of the townspeople and guests of Rome. A huge number of people gathered in its stands, who longed for one thing - bright and exciting spectacles. It was here that gladiatorial fights and animal baiting, sporting events and nahumachies took place.
The beginning of the history of the Flavian Amphitheater
The Colosseum is located on the Tselievsky, Palatine and Esquiline hills, that is, where the pond of the Golden House of Nero used to be. Initially, the building was called the Flavian Amphitheater (in honor of its founders) of the famous imperial dynasty. Construction lasted for 8 years, and around 80 AD. the world saw one of the most spacious arenas.
Like any other Roman building of this type, the Colosseum has the shape of an ellipse, in the center of which is an arena, and its stands are arranged in the form of concentric rings. The perimeter of the outer ellipse of the Roman arena is 524 m, the major and minor axes have a length of 187.7 and 155.64 m, and the height of the walls of the amphitheater is approaching 50 m.The results of simple calculations show that the Colosseum could easily accommodate about 50 thousand square meters. spectators. It is the most ambitious arena in the world, apart from modern stadiums that can accommodate over 100 thousand people.
The fate of the world's greatest arena
The Colosseum was deservedly considered a symbol of Roman greatness. Philosophers said that as long as it stands, the Great Empire will also stand. Back in 264, during the reign of Decius, the millennium of Rome was celebrated in the amphitheater. History testifies that during this era about 40 wild horses, more than 30 elephants, 60 lions and many other wild animals were killed in the arena. In 405, gladiatorial fights were banned by Emperor Honorius, and the Colosseum removed the laurels of the greatest arena in the world.
Towards the end of the 13th century, the Roman amphitheater was turned into a quarry. At the same time, 23 estates for aristocratic families were built from it. In the 14th-15th centuries, the Italians erected 6 churches from the disassembled parts of the Colosseum, and at the end of the 15th century, the office of the Pope was built from the materials of the Colosseum. In the middle of the 16th century, the architectural elements of the amphitheater served as the basis for some of the Roman bridges. In 1744, the Colosseum was lit in honor of the early Christian martyrs, and a cross was installed in the center of the arena.
In July 2007, the amphitheater was admitted to the list of New Wonders of the World. Today it is the most famous historical and architectural monument in Rome, attracting tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year.
Machu Picchu city
On the territory of modern Peru there is one old mountain peak, which the Indians called Machu Picchu. It is located at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level, offering an amazing view of the valley of the Urumamba River. It is here, at the foot of the Machu Picchu mountain, that one of the most ancient cities is located, which is often called the "city among the clouds".
The origin of the "city in the sky"
Archaeologists believe that this lost Inca city was created as the winter residence of the ruler of this ancient people - Pachacuteca - literally a century before the Spaniards came here. In 1532, when the brave conquistadors and adventurers obsessed with the thirst for gold invaded the Inca empire, every one of the inhabitants of the city mysteriously disappeared.
Machu Picchu was one of the three houses of Pachacuteca and at the same time served as a shrine. The city was very modest in size and contained about 200 buildings. The city buildings were built of well-worked stone blocks, fitted together so tightly that most of the buildings of Machu Picchu have survived to this day. The abandoned settlement was accidentally discovered only at the beginning of the 20th century by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. A few decades later, the legendary Inca trail was found, leading through the valley of Urumamba straight to the city.
Attractions of the residence of the Inca ruler
The zest of the ancient city is the extensive terraces on which the Incas were engaged in agriculture. The "Decorated Room" found at the western wall of the main temple is a clear indication of how skillful these people were. The foundation of the room is made of two imposing stone blocks with three-dimensional hewn tops.
The Temple of Three Windows is the most mysterious structure of Machu Picchu. According to Bingham's hypothesis, the trapezoidal windows facing east were symbols of the ancestral home of Pachacuteca. But since the architectural style of the city belongs to the late Inca period, the reliability of this assumption raises certain doubts among archaeologists.
New Wonder of the World Machu Picchu received UNESCO World Heritage status, after which it turned into a vibrant center of mass tourism. The city was visited by about 2000 travelers every day. But in order to preserve the city, UNESCO demanded to reduce the number of visitors to 800 people a day. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was selected for the list of New Wonders of the World, and since February 2012 it has been excluded from the list of World Heritage sites in danger of destruction.
Rocky City Petra
The ancient city of Petra is one of the most amazing architectural monuments. It is carved in solid rock, and a huge amount of secrets and omissions hover around its origin. It is believed that the city was founded by the Nabateans - nomadic tribes who in the VI-IV centuries BC. managed to subjugate the huge territory on which Jordan, Syria and Israel are located today.
Great city in the desert
Due to its advantageous location at the crossroads of wide trade routes, Petra prospered and grew rich over the years. For many years it was a real salvation for merchants and travelers from the scorching sun. However, in the 4th century BC. for unknown reasons, it was abandoned. Perhaps the inhabitants were driven out of the cool stone shade by the lack of water. But most likely the city was abandoned due to the loss of significance of its location in the very depths of the rocky Jordanian desert.
The city of Petra is carved into a red sandstone rock. Externally, the architectural elements that have survived to our time resemble Roman architecture. On the territory of the city, archaeologists managed to find many temples, palaces, tombs and even an ancient theater. The buildings of Petra were built over many centuries, so there is an incredible interweaving of echoes of the culture of different eras.
At various times, Petra was ruled by the Edomites, Nabateans, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, and in the XII century BC. the city was captured by the crusaders. After the 6th century A.D. construction stopped, and gradually one of the most amazing settlements on the planet became empty. The first European to visit the famous city is the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt. It is thanks to him that a detailed description of the structure of Petra has been preserved, as well as sketches of some of its attractions.
Main attractions
The main city attraction is the Treasury - a huge building with a solid facade carved out of the rock. The majestic colonnade with an amphitheater crowning the kilometer-long Siq canyon is also admirable. They are the legacy of Roman culture in the history of Petra. Also noteworthy is the aqueduct that supplied water to the city. It was a complex system of terracotta pipes that collected moisture from all sources located within a radius of 25 km from the city.
Ad-Dair deserves special attention - a huge monastery, carved right into the rock at the top of the highest cliff in the canyon. For some time he even served as a Christian church. Excavations of the monastery, archaeologists have discovered here the tomb of the Nabatean king. You can climb to it via a staircase carved in stone, consisting of 800 steps.
Mass Tourism Center and the New Wonder of the World
Today Petra is one of the busiest tourism centers in the world. Every year, about half a million people come here who want to see this amazing creation of human hands with their own eyes. In July 2007, Petra, a little earlier included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, became one of the New Wonders of the World.
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, the sacred city of the Maya, is located 75 miles east of Merida, the capital of Yucatan. Archaeologists consider the ancient settlement, covering an area of \u200b\u200babout 6 square miles, one of the world's greatest architectural monuments. Previously, there were several hundred buildings here, but most of them have not survived to our time. The surviving buildings, of which there are about 30, are of great interest to archaeologists, scientists and researchers.
Ancient center of culture and religion
The remains of the city are conventionally divided by archaeologists into two parts - the first contains buildings erected by the Mayans around the 6th-7th centuries AD, the second is a cultural monument of the Toltecs who lived on Yukotan in the 10th-11th centuries. Apparently, the population of Chichen Itza experienced a rather acute shortage of water. This is evidenced by numerous cenotes - wells with steep smooth walls.
It was during the Mayan period, which is associated with an unprecedented flourishing of science and art, that the city acquired a high status of a cultural and religious center. A vivid confirmation of this is the buildings erected in this period - the House of the Deer, the monastery and the church, Aqab Dzib, the Pali House, the Temple with three lintels and the Red House. After the Mayan civilization fell into decay, the reasons for which are still shrouded in a dense shadow of mysteries and secrets, cities like Chichen Itza were used for burials and performing some rituals.
City symbols
One of the most famous buildings that have survived in Chichen Itza is the pyramid of Kukulkan, often referred to by the locals as El Castillo. The height of the structure is 23 m. On the afternoon of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the sun illuminates the western balustrade of the main staircase in such a way that the image of 7 isosceles triangles, placed in a special order, is formed. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the figure created by the sun's rays most of all looks like a huge snake crawling towards its head. Thousands of tourists come here annually on March 20 and September 21 to see this spectacular spectacle.
Another attraction, Huego de Pelota, is the largest Mayan playground ever. It should be noted that there are eight other such structures in the city, but the Large Ball Field is much larger than them in size - its length is 135 meters. Particular attention is drawn to the paintings carved on the walls that enclose Huego de Pelota. They depict very violent scenes, and scholars believe that they are directly related either to the practice of sacrifice, or to the illustration of the game, which serves as a substitute for bloody war.
City fate
After 1194, Chichen Itza was completely deserted, and numerous rumors and legends circulate around what caused the departure of the city's inhabitants. It should be noted that the tough policy of the Spaniards, who ruled America in the 11th century, involved the execution of Mayan clergy, as well as the destruction of ancient books and manuscripts. Therefore, no more or less plausible information about the mysterious history of this ancient civilization has not reached our days.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is installed on the top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. The monument is a symbol of the city and Brazil. Every year millions of travelers and tourists come here to see with their own eyes the majestic statue of Christ, as if taking the whole modern world into his arms.
Construction of the monument
The history of the monument goes back to the 16th century, when Portuguese sailors dubbed the peak of Corcovado “the mountain of temptation”. In 1921 (a year before the anniversary of Brazil's independence) the well-known publication O Cruzeiro announced a fundraiser for the construction of the monument, resulting in over 2 million flights.
The project of the statue of Christ the Redeemer was developed by Carlos Oswald. In 1927, the first models of the monument were constructed, and all the necessary calculations were performed by Costa Hisses. Pedro Viana and Heitor Levi took part in the construction of the monument, as well as the sculptor Paul Landowski, who modeled and made the plaster head and arms of the statue.
A whole army of engineers and technicians worked on the creation of the sculpture. It was decided to replace the steel frame of the monument with reinforced concrete, and the outer layer of the monument was made of soapstone specially imported to Rio de Janeiro from the Swedish Lymhamn mine.
The construction lasted about 9 years, and in 1931 the world saw a majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer, which for a long time had no equal in scale in the whole world. The height of the monument is 38 meters, and the weight of the entire structure, taking into account the base, exceeds 1100 tons. The statue has a span of about 23 meters, and the head and arms of Christ the Redeemer weigh about 54 tons.
The majestic history of the statue of Christ the Redeemer
In 1965, the monument was consecrated by Pope Paul VI, and in 1981, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the monument, John Paul II was present at the solemn holiday. The statue of Christ the Redeemer was restored three times - in 1980, 1990 and 2010. In 1932 and 2000, the statue's night lighting system was modernized, and today it stands out in a special way against the background of the starry sky at night.
It should be noted that the statue of Christ the Redeemer passed a violent storm in July 2008, which destroyed several nearby neighborhoods of Rio. The monument was saved by the same soapstone, which acted as a dielectric and extinguished the lightning strikes on the surface of the statue. Today the monument is in excellent condition.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer took an honorable place in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and on July 7, 2007, at the initiative of the New Open World Corporation, it was included in the list of New Wonders of the World.
7 wonders of Russia: the greatness and beauty of the country
Everyone knows the Seven Wonders of the World. Their history is studied by scientists from all over the planet, many scientific works have been written about them, presentations, messages, reports, chapters in textbooks are devoted to them. Secrets and legends are associated with each of the unusual World Heritage sites of Russia and UNESCO, there are many facts and unconfirmed information. On June 12, 2008, the world learned that the 7 Wonders of Russia had been made public - it was quite difficult to choose these objects from a huge number of ancient, mysterious, mystical and simply very beautiful places that abound in the corners of the country. The project, aimed at identifying the most beautiful places in Russia, was initiated by the Izvestia newspaper in collaboration with the Mayak radio station and the Rossiya TV channel in 2007. In 2008, as a result of a popular vote, the most iconic and amazing sights of the country - 7 Wonders of Russia - were selected.
The list of 7 wonders of Russia includes: 1. Pillars of weathering of Man-Pupu-ner in the Komi Republic. 2. Peak Elbrus in Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria. 3. Lake Baikal in Buryatia. 4. Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula. 5. Mamaev Kurgan, Motherland monument. 6. Monument of palace and park art "Peterhof", St. Petersburg. 7. Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, Moscow.
Of the seven wonders of the world in Russia, 4 belong to the class of natural objects, three - to architectural monuments and park art.
Lake Baikal, Buryatia
In Buryatia, where Lake Baikal is located, it is called Baigal Dalai or Baigal Nuur. The deepest lake in the world is of tectonic origin and is a UNESCO protected site. Baikal, which is one of the 7 Wonders of Russia, is often called the sea - its dimensions are really impressive: the width is from 24 to 80 km, the length is 632 km. The very form of the majestic and very beautiful reservoir - in the form of a crescent - is also interesting.
Interesting to know. The crystal purity of the waters of "Father Baikal", a member of the Great Seven of Wonders of Russia, is also unique - it is possible to see each pebble at a depth of 40 meters, and the minimum amount of mineral salts allows using Baikal water as distilled water.
The name "Father Baikal" was given to the object of the 7 Wonders of Russia because of an ancient legend. Baikal had 336 sons and only one daughter - Angara. Sons constantly replenished Baikal with their waters, and Angara gave its waters to the Yenisei, whom she fell in love with. Angry Baikal cursed daughter Angara, throwing the Shaman-stone into its source.
Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka Territory
The Valley of Geysers is hidden in one of the volcanic gorges of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and can only be reached by helicopter. 250 kilometers on the way over the tundra, ridges, hills, taiga gullies and acid lakes - and a person finds himself in another world, filled with fountains of swirling vapors, light smells of sulfur and rain spray, iridescent with all the colors of the rainbow. Walking along a hiking trail with wooden decks, you can observe 30 large geysers and many small springs throwing jets of boiling water tens of meters upward (+95 ° C). Hot mud pots have also survived. Due to the well-heated soil, the slopes of the valley are overgrown with lush greenery of grasses and trees. The Geysernaya River flows along the bottom of the gorge, which never freezes.
Mamaev Kurgan and Motherland, Volgograd Region
During the Great Patriotic War, Mamayev Kurgan became the arena of bloody battles. The struggle for the Mamayev Kurgan, designated on military topographic maps as "Height-102.0", lasted 135 days out of 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1959 - 1967, a memorial complex was erected on this site - "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad". On a hill, in a mass grave, 34,505 soldiers found eternal peace. 200 granite steps lead from the foot to the top of the mound (according to the number of days of the battle). There is a statue "The Motherland Calls!" She is a figure of a woman 87 meters high with a raised sword in her hands. This is one of the tallest monuments in the world. (For comparison: the height of the Statue of Liberty in the United States is only 46 meters). The figure of a woman-mother is an allegorical symbol of the Motherland, which calls on her sons to fight the enemy.
Peterhof, St. Petersburg
Founded in the 1710s by Emperor Peter I, Peterhof became a luxurious royal residence and a kind of triumphal monument symbolizing Russia's successful access to the Baltic Sea. In a single ensemble, palaces, alleys, graceful sculptures and greenhouses with outlandish plants are combined. But the main pride of Peterhof is its fountains. 176 fountains and 4 cascades operate without a single pump. Hydraulic engineer V. Tuvolkov created a unique fountain water conduit: 20 km from here there are springs, from which water, due to the elevation difference, flows through canals and sluices into the pools, and from there rushes through underground pipes to the fountains and cascades of Peterhof.
St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow
St. Basil's Cathedral is the same symbol of Russia and Moscow, as the Eiffel Tower is for Paris and France, the Statue of Liberty is for the USA and New York, or the Taj Mahal is for India and Agra. St. Basil's Cathedral was built by Ivan the Terrible in 1555 - 1561 as a sign of victory over the Kazan Khanate. In plan, the temple is an eight-pointed star: 8 churches symbolize 8 days falling on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan. They are grouped around the 9th, central church, which embodies the king's state idea of \u200b\u200ba united land. The name of the cathedral was given by the chapel, added in 1588 and consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed.
Weathering pillars, Komi
The top of the Man-Pupu-ner mountain is crowned with outliers of bizarre shapes. These giant pillars ranging in height from 30 to 42 meters were created over 200 million years under the influence of water and wind. According to legend, the pillars were giants who wanted to destroy the local people - the Mansi. But as soon as their leader-shaman saw the sacred mountain - Man-Pupu-ner, he threw his tambourine in horror, and his companions turned into stone idols.
Elbrus, Caucasus
On the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia is the two-headed Elbrus - the highest point of Russia. The height of the western summit of Elbrus is 5642 m, and the eastern one is 5621 m. The mountain is famous for its glaciers feeding mountain rivers, mineral springs stretching at the foot, and mesmerizing views. Few mountains of volcanic origin exceed Elbrus in height: for example, the highest peak in Africa - Kilimanjaro Volcano - is only 253 meters higher than the "Russian miracle".
Synopsis of the history of Russia lesson in grade 8. Domestic policy of Alexander I
