Wonders Of The World: Ancient

Colossus of Rhodes

Bronze statue of the Greek god Helios erected c 280 BC, and standing 35 m (110 ft) high. It was felled by an earthquake in 226 BC, with the bronze scrap removed in 654.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Multi-levelled gardens reaching 22 metres (75 feet) high, adjoining Nebuchadnezzar's palace 60 miles south of Baghdad. It was destroyed by an earthquake sometime after the 1st century BC.

Pharos of Alexandria

A lighthouse erected c 270 BC. Standing at between 115 and 135 metres (383 - 440 ft) tall, it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries. It was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 1303-1480.

Great Pyramid of Gizeh (Giza)

Built 2584-2561 BC near Cairo as the tomb of fourth dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu. It is the last of the 7 ancient wonders to be left standing.

Statue of Zeus

Marble statue, built by Phidias c 435 BC, in the plains of Elis, Olympia. The statue occupied the whole width of the aisle of the temple that was built to house it, and was 12 metres (40 feet) tall. It was destroyed in the 5th-6th centuries AD, possibly by fire or earthquake.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Ionic temple built c 550 BC. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis, it took 120 years to build. Herostratus burned it down in an attempt to achieve lasting fame. It was then rebuilt by Alexander the Great only to be destroyed again by the Goths in AD 262.

Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus

Built by the widowed Queen Artemisia c 350 BC, it stood approximately 45 metres (135 feet) tall with each of the four sides adorned with sculptural reliefs. It was Damaged by an earthquake and eventually disassembled by European Crusaders by AD 1494.