Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops) is the
oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolisbordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is
the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. It is
believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu[1] (Cheops in Greek)
and constructed over a 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest
man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years, the longest period of time ever held for such a
record. Originally the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface;
what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the
structure can still be seen around the base. There have been varying scientific and alternative theories
about the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction hypotheses are based on
the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock
upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The so-called[2] Queen's Chamber and King's
Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in
Egypt known to contain both ascending and descending passages. The main part of the Giza complex is
a setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and
one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised
causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered to be one of the originalSeven Wonders of the
Ancient World. They were built in the ancient city-state of Babylon, near present-day Al Hillah, Babil,
in Iraq. They are sometimes called the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis (in reference to the
legendary Queen Semiramis).

The gardens were supposedly built by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BC. He is
reported to have constructed the gardens to please his homesick wife, Amytis of Media, who longed for
the trees and fragrant plants of her homeland Persia.[1] The gardens were destroyed by several
earthquakes after the second century BC.
The lush Hanging Gardens are extensively documented by Greek historianssuch as Strabo and Diodorus
Siculus. Through the ages, the location may have been confused with gardens that existed at Nimrud,
since tablets from there clearly show gardens. Writings on these tablets describe the possible use of
something similar to an Archimedes screw as a process of raising the water to the required height.
[2]
Nebuchadnezzar II also used massive slabs of stone, which was unheard of in Babylon, to prevent the
water from eroding the ground.

Statue of Zeus at Olympia

The seated statue, some 12 meters (43 feet) tall, occupied half of the width of the aisle of the temple built
to house it. "It seems that if Zeus were to stand up," the geographer Strabo noted early in the first century
BC, "he would unroof the temple."[2] The Zeus was a chryselephantine sculpture, made of ivory and gold-
plated bronze. No copy in marble or bronze has survived, though there are recognizable but approximate
versions on coins of nearby Elis and on Roman coins and engraved gems.[3] A very detailed description of
the sculpture and its throne was recorded by the traveler Pausanias, in the second century AD. The
sculpture was wreathed with shoots of olive worked in gold and seated on a magnificent throne of
cedarwood, inlaid with ivory, gold, ebony and precious stones. In Zeus' right hand there was a small
statue of crowned Nike, goddess of victory, also chryselephantine, and in his left hand, a sceptre inlaid
with gold, on which an eagle perched.[4] Plutarch, in his Life of the Roman general Aemilius Paulus,
records that the victor over Macedon, when he beheld the statue, “was moved to his soul, as if he had
seen the god in person,” while the first century AD Greek orator Dio Chrysostom declared that a single
glimpse of the statue would make a man forget all his earthly troubles.[5]

Temple of Artemis
The Temple of Artemis (Greek: Ἀρτεμίσιον, or Artemision), also known less precisely as Temple
of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to a goddess Greeks identified asArtemis that was completed, in
its most famous phase, around 550 BC at Ephesus (in present-day Turkey). Though the monument was
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only foundations and sculptural fragments of the temple
remain. There were previous temples on its site, where evidence of a sanctuary dates as early as
theBronze Age. The whole temple was made of marble except for the roof.

The temple antedated the Ionic immigration by many years. Callimachus, in his Hymn to Artemis,
attributed the origin of the temenos at Ephesus to the Amazons, whose worship he imagines already
centered upon an image. In the seventh century the old temple was destroyed by a flood. The
construction of the "new" temple, which was to become known as one of the wonders of the ancient
world, began around 550 BC. It was a 120-year project, initially designed and built by the
Cretan architect Chersiphron and his sonMetagenes, at the expense of Croesus of Lydia.

It was described by Antipater of Sidon, who compiled the list of the Seven Wonders:

I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the
Alpheus, and thehanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high
pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the
clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked
on aught so grand".[1]
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus or Tomb of Mausolus[1] (in Greek, Μαυσωλεῖον τῆς Ἁλικαρνασσοῦ)
was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus(present Bodrum, Turkey) for Mausolus,
a satrap in the Persian Empire, andArtemisia II of Caria, his wife and sister. The structure was designed
by the Greekarchitects Satyros and Pythis.[2][3] It stood approximately 45 m (148 ft) in height, and each of
the four sides was adorned with sculptural reliefs created by each one of four
Greek sculptors — Leochares, Bryaxis, Scopas of Paros and Timotheus.[4] The finished structure was
considered to be such an aesthetic triumph that Antipater of Sidon identified it as one of his Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World.

The word mausoleum has since come to be used generically for any grand tomb.
Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek god Helios, erected in the city ofRhodes on
the Greek island of Rhodes by Chares of Lindos between 292 and 280 BC. It is considered one of
the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Before its destruction, the Colossus of Rhodes stood over 30
meters (107 ft) high, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world.[1] Alexander the Great died at
the early age of 32 in 323 BC without having had time to put into place any plans for his succession.
Fighting broke out among his generals, the Diadochi, with four of them eventually dividing up much of his
empire in the Mediterranean area. During the fighting, Rhodes had sided with Ptolemy, and when Ptolemy
eventually took control ofEgypt, Rhodes and Ptolemaic Egypt formed an alliance which controlled much of
the trade in the eastern Mediterranean.

Antigonus I Monophthalmus was upset by this turn of events. In 305 BC he had his sonDemetrius
Poliorcetes, also a general, invade Rhodes with an army of 40,000; however, the city was well defended,
and Demetrius—whose name "Poliorcetes" signifies the "besieger of cities"—had to start construction of a
number of massive siege towers in order to gain access to the walls. The first was mounted on six ships,
but these capsized in a storm before they could be used. He tried again with a larger, land-based tower
named Helepolis, but the Rhodian defenders stopped this by flooding the land in front of the walls so that
the rolling tower could not move.

Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was a tower built between
280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt to guide sailors into the harbour at night.
With a height variously estimated at between 120–140 m (390–460 ft)[1], it was for many centuries among
the tallest man-made structures, and was one of theSeven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Pharos was a small island just off the coast of Alexandria, which was connected to the mainland by a
man-made causeway named the Heptastadion, which formed one side of the city's harbor. The tower
erected on the island guided mariners at night using fire and reflective mirrors, and acted as
a landmark by day. It was said that the light could be seen from up to 29 miles (47 km) away, and legends
claim that the light from Pharos could burn enemy ships before they reached shore.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to
protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups. Several
walls have been built since the 5th century BC that are referred to collectively as the Great Wall, which
has been rebuilt and maintained from the 5th century BC through the 16th century. One of the most
famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that
wall remains; the majority of the existing wall was built during the Ming Dynasty.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly
delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using
advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches,
stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) sections of actual wall,
359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills
and rivers.

Petra
Petra (Greek "πέτρα" (petra), meaning rock; Arabic: ‫البتراء‬, Al-Batrāʾ) is a historic andarchaeological city in
the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that has rock cut architecture and a water conduits system.
Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans,[3] it is a symbol of
Jordan as well as its most visited tourism attraction.[3]It lies on the slope of Mount Hor[4] in a basin among
the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from
the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced
by Swissexplorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in
a Newdigate Prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as "one of the
most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage."[5] Petra was chosen by the BBC as one of
"the 40 places you have to see before you die".[6]

Christ the Redeemer (statue)

Christ the Redeemer (Portuguese: O Cristo Redentor, formerly Portuguese: Christo redemptor) is
a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; considered the largestArt Deco statue in the world.
[1]
The statue is 39.6 metres (130 ft) tall, including its 9.5 meter (31 feet) pedestal, and 30 metres (98 ft)
wide. It weighs 635 tons (700 short tons), and is located at the peak of the 700 metres (2,300
ft) Corcovado mountain in theTijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. It is one of the tallest of its
kind in the world (The statue of Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is slightly taller). A symbol
of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil.[2] It is made of reinforced concrete
and soapstone, and was constructed between 1922 and 1931.[1][3][4]

Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Pikchu) – "Old Mountain", pronounced [ˈmɑtʃu ˈpixtʃu]) – is a pre-
Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level.[1][2] It is situated on a mountain ridge
above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and through
which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate
for the Inca emperorPachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", it is
perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.

The Incas started building the estate around AD 1400 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca
rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it
was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American
historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction and,
since it was not found and plundered by the Spanish after they conquered the Incas, it is important as a
cultural site.

Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCOWorld Heritage
Site in 1983.[2] In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a
worldwide Internet poll.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are
the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what
is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu. In September 2007, Peru and Yale
University reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Hiram Bingham had removed
from Machu Picchu in the early twentieth century.

Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza (pronounced /tʃiːˈtʃɛn iːˈtsɑː/;[1] from Yucatec Maya: Chi'ch'èen Ìitsha',[2] "at the mouth of
the well of the Itza") is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in
the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, present-day Mexico.

Chichen Itza was a major focal point in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classicthrough
the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period. The site exhibits a
multitude of architectural styles, from what is called “Mexicanized” and reminiscent of styles seen in
central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands. The presence of
central Mexican styles was once thought to have been representative of direct migration or even conquest
from central Mexico, but most contemporary interpretations view the presence of these non-Maya styles
more as the result of cultural diffusion.

The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site’s stewardship is maintained by
Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History,
INAH). The land under the monuments had been privately-owned until March 29, 2010, when it was
purchased by the state of Yucatan.[3]

Colosseum
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin:Amphitheatrum
Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city
of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works
of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD[1] under
the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus,[2] with further modifications being made
during Domitian's reign (81–96).[3] The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and
Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).

Capable of seating 50,000 spectators,[1][4][5] the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public
spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and
dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early
medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order,
a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by
devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of ImperialRome. It is
one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic
Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the
area around the Colosseum.[6]

The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.

Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal ( /ˈtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl/;[1] Hindi: ताज महल, Urdu: ‫" تاج محل‬crown of buildings",pronounced [ˈt̪aːdʒ
məˈɦəl]; also "the Taj"[2]) is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. It is one of the most recognizable
structures in the world. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz
Mahal. It is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol
of eternal love.

Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements
fromPersian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles.[3][4]

In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the
white domedmarble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an
integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653,
employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen.[5] The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a
board of architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan,
and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.[6][7] Lahauri[8] is generally considered to be the principal designer.[9]

Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops) is the
oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolisbordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is
the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. It is
believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu[1] (Cheops in Greek)
and constructed over a 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest
man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years, the longest period of time ever held for such a
record. Originally the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface;
what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the
structure can still be seen around the base. There have been varying scientific and alternative theories
about the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction hypotheses are based on
the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock
upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The so-called[2] Queen's Chamber and King's
Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in
Egypt known to contain both ascending and descending passages. The main part of the Giza complex is
a setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and
one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised
causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.