A virtual tour of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
-- Can you name the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World?
Don't panic if you can't. With modern monuments, the
Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages, and the world's Seven Natural Wonders
in the mix, very few people can sort out these astounding ancient
architectural feats. What makes it even harder is that only one still
exists.
Inspired by mythology, religion and art, ancient
civilizations undertook these seven imposing projects from about 2700
B.C. to about 270 B.C. Only one, the Egyptian Pyramids at Giza, has
survived. Fires, earthquakes, conquests and the ravages of time have led
to the others' demise.
The ancient Greeks and Romans are said to have initiated
the original "Seven Wonders" list, perhaps as an early travel guide of
sorts.
Over time, the inventory was added to and culled, then
finally "completed" during the Middle Ages. Classical writers later
disagreed on the final list, but the following seven works of art and
architecture were among those most commonly included.
Unfortunately, relatively few drawings or sketches exist
of the wonders that vanished, so archaeologists have relied on ancient
tales and literary works to get an idea of their appearance and history.
Click on any icon
on the map above to begin your virtual tour, or click below:
Pyramids of Egypt |
Pharos of Alexandria |
Hanging Gardens of Babylon|
The Temple of Artemis |
Statue of Zeus |
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus |
The Colossus of Rhodes
~from CNN.com |
