Capturing the imagination of poets, philosophers and historians, the original list of wonders was compiled in the second century . To read about the first four wonders, click here.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The brain child of the wife and sister of King Mausollos of Caria (to the west of what is now Turkey), it was built as a tomb for the King and construction probably started in his lifetime, although it wasn’t completed until three years after his death in 350 BC.
The mausoleum was surrounded by many life sized statues of animals and people and topped by a statue of a chariot pulled by horses. The sarcophagus, which was placed in the centre, was made of white alabaster and decorated with gold leaf.
The structure stood for 16 centuries before the area was invaded in the early 15th century by the Knights of St John of Malta who used the stones of the mausoleum to fortify a castle they had built. By 1522, the structure was almost completely destroyed.
The Colossus of Rhodes
Built to celebrate and honour the Sun God Helios, the colossus lasted the shortest time of all the seven wonders but was included because “even lying on the ground, it is a marvel" (Pliny the Elder).
At one time thought to straddle the entrance of the Mandraki harbour, the colossus is thought to have stood over 100ft and to have taken over 12 years to construct, being completed in 282 BC.
In 226 BC, an earthquake hit Rhodes which damaged the structure at the knee, causing it to fall and shatter. The statue stayed in ruins until the Arab invasion of AD 654, when the pieces were collected up and sold.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Located on the island of Pharos, which is now within the city of Alexandria in Egypt, the lighthouse was only wonder to have served a practical purpose. Completed around 300 BC, the lighthouse was also the last of the six destroyed wonders to disappear, in 1480.
When it was first built, a mirror was used to deflect the suns rays during the day and fire was used at night. The mirror was said to have amazed and astounded the scientists of the time and there was a story that it was used to burn up enemy ships during times of war.
The building stood at over 300 ft tall and was the tallest building on Earth at that time. When Alexandria experienced an earthquake in AD 956, the lighthouse was only slightly damaged. Centuries later however, in 1303 and 1323, two more earthquakes caused more significant damage making entry impossible.
The lighthouse finally came to an end in 1480, when Egyptian Sultan Qaitbay, built a fort upon the site, using the fallen stone.
Archaeological expeditions continue to shed new light and provide us with evidence of the existence of these amazing buildings. It seems the achievements of our ancestors will continue to astound us.
Sources:
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Peter A Clayton& Martin Price (Routledge; 1 edition 1990)
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Dr. Paul Jordan (Longman 2002)
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