The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World essays

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World essays For virtually 5,000 years man has been building inspiring and majestic wonders. It seems that one of man's greatest desires is to be remembered, and in doing so gives rise to these outstanding and beautiful structures, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, to be remembered for all time. The year was approximately 2560 B.C.; King Kufu and his trusted architect Imhotep, of Egypt, began construction on the Great Pyramid. Using over 100,000 slaves, they built a 450-foot-high, solid granite pyramid taking up thirteen acres of land in only twenty years. The outer layer was composed of highly polished, white limestone and was capped at the top in solid gold. In 465 B.C., Herodotus, a Greek historian, wrote: "as I came around the river bend, I was blinded by the brightness of the white limestone, and the golden caps took my breath away." Although it is nearly 2000 years older than any of the other six ancient wonders, the Great Pyramid of Giza alone withstood the test of time. It has been over 5,000 years since its completions, while no other wonder has lasted longer than 1,200 years. The majority of historians agree that the Great Pyramid of Giza is, perhaps, the most wondrous wonder of them all. Around 600 B.C., 150 years before Herodotus began traveling and writing the history of landmarks throughout the ancient world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were taking form. King Nebuchadnezzar II was building an outstanding, beautiful garden, to make his wife feel more at home. While passing by the Hanging Gardens, Herodotus stated: "Babylon surpasses in splendor any city in the known world". Although little has been written about the Hanging Gardens, some experts assume they were fictitious. Fifty short years later, Cherisphron and his son Metagenes completed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Considered by many, then and today, the most beautiful building ever made. An observer of the beautiful structure, Antipater of...