The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC.
The great marble temple served as both a marketplace and a religious
institution to pay homage to the Greek goddess Artemis (or Diana The
Roman goddess), of hunting, wild nature, fertility and childbirth.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was simply the most beautiful
structure on earth, decorated with bronze statues sculpted by the
most skilled artists. Statuettes of Artemis made of gold and ivory.
the building was made of marble, The 127 columns were 60 feet high and
ornately carved and decorated facade overlooking a spacious
courtyard.
Marble steps surrounding the building platform led to the high
terrace which was approximately 260 feet by 430 feet. The temple housed
many works of art, including four ancient bronze statues of Amazons
sculpted by the finest artists and adorned with golden pillars and
silver statuettes, and was decorated with paintings.
The Temple of Artemis was in the ancient city of Ephesus near the modern
town of Selcuk, about 50 km south of Izmir in Turkey.
It was sponsored by the Lydian king Croesus, designed by the Greek
architect Chersiphron.
The Temple of Artemis was as much a sanctuary visited tourists, artisans,
and kings who would buy earrings, bracelets, necklaces, artifacts from
Persia and India. The merchants would honor Artemis by sharing their
profits with her.
And bring honor to the ancient city of Ephesus.
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus took 12 years to make and was finished in 282 B.C..
The Colossus of Rhodes was the sun god, Helios, inscribed To you, O
Sun. The Colossus stood about 110 feet high and was financed by sale
of military equipment left behind after the failed assault by the
Antigonids of Macedonia in 305 B.C.. The outer bronze skin was on
a base was made of white marble, and the feet and ankle of the statue
were reinforced iron and stone.
The Colossus stood at the harbor entrance, in front of the Mandraki
harbor, but to one side, not straddling its entrance as is often thought.
On the small island of Rhodes were three city-states; Ialysos, Kamiros,
and Lindos. who united to form one territory, with a unified capital of
Rhodes. in 408 B.C..
The Colossus of Rhodes was a symbol of unity of the people who lived on
the Mediterranean island of Rhodes. The city thrived commercially and had
strong economic ties with Egypt.
The higher parts required an earth ramp to be built around the statue,
and later removed.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was on the east bank of the River
Euphrates, about 50 km south of Baghdad, Iraq.
The Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar to please his lover who had been
raised in Media and had a strong passion for mountain scenery.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon go back to the Babylonian king Hammurabi
(as in the code of Hammurabi) started the dynasty that brought the
Mesopotamian civilization to its glory and did parts of the gardens.
Nebuchadnezzar II in 604 to 562 B.C. is usually credited for building the
Hanging Gardens.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was completed around 350 B.C.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was rectangular, about 120 feet by 100
feet and 140 feet high, with a stepped podium foundation decorated with
statues. a pyramid roof toped with a 20 foot chariot pulled by four horses
and decorated with statues.
Supported by 60 foot columns, on a 38 foot and 22 foot base, all with
decorations and statues carved most realistically and the best quality
marble, of people, lions, horses, and other animals that adorned all the
different levels.
The central burial chamber and the sarcophagus was white alabaster
decorated with gold.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was in the city of Bodrum (also called
Halicarnassus) on the Aegean Sea, in south-west Turkey.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was King Maussollos in Lucian's burial
place as the "Dialogues of the Dead", a gigantic monument such as no other
dead person has.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was conceived by his wife and sister
Artemisia, and the construction was started during king Mausollos'
lifetime.
From 377 to 353 B.C., king Mausollos of Caria reigned and moved
his capital to Halicarnassus. The construction of Mausoleum at
Halicarnassus became a mater of civil pride and unity.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was started by Ptolemy Soter about 290 B.C.,
but finished after his death by his son Ptolemy Philadelphus.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the tallest building on Earth, total
height about 384 feet. For centuries, the Pharos Lighthouse was used to
mark the harbor, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the
day. The mirror could be seen more than 35 miles off-shore.
It had three stages: The lower square, 183 feet high, a cylindrical core
(used to lift the fuel for the fire) ; the middle octagonal with a side
length of 60 feet and a height of 90 feet; and the third circular 24 feet
high.
In ancient times there was a white marble cover and statue of Poseidon on
the summit. Legend says the mirror was also used burn enemy ships before
they could reach the shore.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on the ancient island of Pharos,
(legend says, it was also called Pharaoh's Island and connected to
the mainland by a dike - the Heptastadion. Now part of the city of
Alexandria in Egypt.
The Lighthouse of Pharos' architect was Sostratus, who designed it at the
Library of Alexandria and dedicated to the Pahaoh Ptolemy Soter and his
wife Berenice (Who by the way are ancestors of Cleopatra VII.)
The Lighthouse of Alexandria would ensured a safe return of sailors, to
the Great Double Harbor of Alexandria, because of dangerous sailing
conditions and flat coastline in this major trade region.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria had the mirror reflected sunlight during the
day while fire was used during the night.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the
Fourth Dynasty about 2560 B.C.
the Great pyramid was originally 481 feet high but lost 30 feet of its top
and remained the tallest structure on Earth until the nineteenth century.
Each side is exactly oriented north, south, east, and west, and
exactly square each side being 751 feet long, the sides
exactly 51 degrees and 51 minutes.
It was covered with smooth stones and made of about 2 million blocks of
stone, each weighing over two tons.
The Great Pyramid of Giza location is At the city of Giza, a necropolis of
ancient Memphis, and today part of Greater Cairo, Egypt.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was to serve as a tomb for The Egyptian pharaoh
Khufu (the Fourth Dynasty) in accordance to Ancient Egyptian beliefs.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was a tradition of pyramid mastaba or "platform"
covering the royal tomb, and may have also been Astronomic observatories,
places of cult worship as temples.
The north face, has the pyramid's entrance and there is a number of
corridors and galleries that lead to the King's burial chamber located at
the heart of the pyramid.
The King's sarcophagus and interior walls are made of red granite and
oriented in accordance with the compass directions, and fits precisely
within only 1 centimeter. The massive interior stones fit so well, a card
won't fit between them.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was built around 450 B.C.
Possibly to honor the Olympic games.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia's size is what made the statue of Zeus so
wonderful. and the idea that the king of gods is capable of unroofing the
huge temple if he stood up.
The base of the statue was about 20 feet wide and 3 feet high. The the
statue itself was 40 feet high.
Zeus' body and throne were decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony,
and ivory. On his head is a wreath of olive sprays, his hands holds a
figure of Victory and a scepter both made from ivory and gold. sandals and
robe. are made of gold, and ornately carved. with animals and with lilies.
sphinxes and winged figures of Victory. Greek gods and mythical figures
also adorned the scene: Apollo, Artemis, and Niobe's children.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was at the ancient town of Olympia, on the
west coast of modern Greece, about 150 km west of Athens
The temple of Zeus was designed by the architect Libon and was built
around 450 B.C.
The magnificent temple of Zeus Under the growing power of ancient Greece
This is the statue of the god in whose honor the Ancient Olympic games were
held and gave its very name to the Olympics.
The Athenian sculptor Pheidias used scaffolding around 440 B.C. to perform
the "sacred" task, of building a majestic statue suitable for Zeus, the
King of the Gods.
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