What were the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?
The Seven Wonders were the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Ancient Greek writers made lists of must-see sights around the Mediterranean, and by the Middle Ages these seven had become the classic list. Each was celebrated for its size, beauty or engineering.
Only the Great Pyramid of Giza still stands. Earthquakes destroyed the Colossus of Rhodes, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Lighthouse of Alexandria; the Temple of Artemis was burned and rebuilt before being destroyed; and the Statue of Zeus was probably lost in a fire. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Temple of Artemis were in present-day Türkiye.
The mystery of the Hanging Gardens
No archaeological evidence of the Hanging Gardens has ever been found in Babylon. Some historians think they never existed, while others suggest they were actually in Nineveh.
Did You Know?
In 2007, a global vote named the New Seven Wonders of the World, including the Great Wall of China, Petra, Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal.