Coffee History
Relax, drink some coffee and learn about history!
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
1. The Great Pyramid of Egypt
The Great Pyramid is located in Giza, Egypt. It was built for the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and was mad of mostly limestone. A major problem during ancient times were robbers, and the builders constantly tried to fix this problem, but the robbers were very persistent.
The Great Pyramid is still around! The above picture is from 2005. It's obvious that it is a really large structure!
2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens were located in the city state of Babylon which is now modern Iraq. The Hanging Gardens were royal gardens made of mud brick waterproofed with lead. Sadly, the gardens were destroyed in an earthquake. The Hanging Gardens did not hang in the sense of being suspended, but rather it was an inexact translation which was closer to overhanging as in a balcony or something of the sort.
3. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
It was located in Peloponnesus which is in modern Greece. It was a shrine to the Greek god Zeus, it was made of ivory and gold-plated plates on a wooden frame. It was destroyed in a fire. The original Olympic Games were held at the statue of Zeus.
4. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
It was located in Ephesus which is modern Turkey. It was a temple to the goddess of Artemis, it was made mostly of marble. It was destroyed by goths.
5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
It was located in Halicarnassus which is now modern day Bodrum, Turkey. It was the tomb for the city king, Mausolus, out of white marble. It was damaged by earthquakes and was finally destroyed by crusaders. Mausolus' wife, Artemisia, built Mausolus the most beautiful tomb when he died. It was so beautiful and unique that it became one of the seven wonders.
Fun Fact:
The structure became so famous that Mausolus' name is now associated with all stately tombs through the word Mausoleum.
6. The Colossus of Rhodes
It was located in Island of Rhodes which is now modern day Greece. It was to commemorate war victory and was made of bronze plates attached to iron framework. It was destroyed by an earthquake. The Statue of Liberty that France gave to America and symbolizes freedom, is often compared to the Colossus.
7. The Great Lighthouse at Alexandria
It was located in Alexandria, Egypt. It was to guide ships to Alexandria's harbor, it was made of stone faced with white marble blocks with lead mortar. It was destroyed by an earthquake. The designer, Sostratus, carved this: "Sostratus son of Dexiphanes of Knidos on behalf of all mariners to the savior gods" into the foundation and then plastered over it after Ptolemy II refused his request to do so. In the plaster Ptolemy II's name was carved, but as years went by the plaster chipped away to show Sostratus' inscription.