By Raza Mehdi
Jan 19, 2023
The largest of the three famous Pyramids at Giza and the only remaining Wonder, the Great Pyramid stood as the tallest human-made structure on earth for nearly 4,000 years. Erected around 2560 B.C.E, the Great Pyramid is the final resting tomb of the fourth-century pharaoh Khufu.
Great Pyramid of Giza
Image: Pexels
It was built in the ancient city of Babylon around 600 B.C.E. by king Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled Babylonia from 605–562 B.C.E. It was a marvel of agricultural engineering with an array of exotic flowers, foliage, fruits and waterfalls but was destroyed by earthquakes around 200 BC.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Image: Creative Commons
The giant seated Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece, was about 12.4 m tall and erected by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 435 B.C.E. in the Temple of Zeus. The sculpture was crusted in gold, precious gems, ivory, and ebony. Unfortunately, it is unknown how the temple and the statue of Zeus were destroyed.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Image: Creative Commons
The Greek Temple of Artemis was dedicated to an ancient, local form of the goddess, Artemis. Located in Ephesus (Western Turkey), it was the first temple to be made entirely of marble, towering around 115 m. In 356 BC, the temple was burned down in a vainglorious act of arson by a madman, Herostratus.
Temple of Artemis
Image: Creative Commons
Designed in 50 B.C.E. by the Greek architects Satyros and Pythis, the mausoleum was 43 meters high and was adorned with intricate carvings and precious works of art. The monument was the tomb of Mausolus, ruler of Caria. Despite standing for centuries, a series of earthquakes destroyed it completely.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Image: Creative Commons
The 33-meter bronze statue of the Greek sun god Helios was erected at the harbour of ancient Rhodes between 292 and 280 B.C.E. to commemorate their victory over the invading army of Demetrius in 304 B.C.E. But after standing for only 56 years, an earthquake destroyed the statue in 224 B.C.E.
Colossus of Rhodes
Image: Creative Commons
Constructed on Pharos, an island in Alexandria of ancient Egypt, this lighthouse was considered a technical genius that served as the model for all future lighthouses. It stood 107 meters tall and was built between 285 and 247 B.C.E. Surviving for almost 1,500 years, earthquakes damaged it entirely by 1480 C.E.
Pharos of Alexandria
Image: Creative Commons