Seven Wonders of the World: Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Tower of Babel Write a message about one of the wonders of the world
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are an example of the exceptional popularity of inventions and structures. This is the best monument in history, dedicated to the creative thought of rulers, the unbridled imagination of architects and the craft of builders. The imagination of people over thousands of years has helped to recreate the missing elements of cultural heritage, which have received the general title “Seven Wonders of the World”. Legends about the creations of human hands that have disappeared from the face of the earth continue to excite the minds of new adventurers.
Seven Ancient Wonders of the World
It is easier to understand the significance of the list of outstanding monuments for the ancient world if we draw analogies with modern ratings of the most popular attractions and phenomena. The list of the Seven Wonders of the World can be considered the first and most famous travel booklet in history. But the meaning of this small list of the greatest monuments is much deeper. Unfortunately, the grandiose structures have not survived. Time, disasters, natural disasters and wars have not spared the seven wonders of the world, or rather, 6 out of 7.
The history of one of the most famous lists of attractions begins in the distant past of world civilization. Perhaps the idea of traveling and visiting monuments on the land of North Africa, Persia, Babylon and Ancient Greece arose from the great Alexander the Great, who conquered in the 4th century BC. e. a significant part of the known world at that time. The grandeur of the plan followed by the Cheops pyramid in Egypt did not escape the attention of the wise commander. Through the common efforts of travelers, conquerors, scientists, writers of antiquity and the Middle Ages, descriptions of the greatest monuments of antiquity were compiled. It is generally accepted that the ancient historian Herodotus worked on one of the first lists of world wonders 450 years before the advent of the new era. The author of the outstanding scientist and poet of ancient Greece, Philo of Byzantium, owns the manuscript “On the Seven Wonders of the World,” which appeared around 300 BC. e.
In Ancient Greece it was considered magical, so the number of attractions on the list remained unchanged for many centuries. The canonical seven wonders of the world are a list that came down to modern times in a poem by the ancient Greek writer Antipater of Sidon. He wrote about the luxury of tombs, beautiful temple complexes, colossal monuments and hanging gardens.
Great Pyramids
By the Middle Ages, when the now-famous classic list of “Seven Wonders of the World” was formed, the Egyptian pyramids built on the western bank of the Nile were preserved on the planet and were accessible for inspection. The oldest monuments date back to the period from 2700 to 2550 BC. e. Of the ten, three are especially striking in their size and the grandeur of the construction work carried out.
The good preservation of the structures, which have endured the drying heat of the day and the ringing cold of the night for several millennia, when in the desert, as local residents say, “the stones cry,” is worthy of admiration. Remarkable in engineering design and simple in form, the structures appeared thanks to the most precise measurements, which were unheard of difficult for their time. In addition to complex calculations, construction required extremely heavy stone blocks to be delivered from afar and raised to great heights.
Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt is considered the most famous wonder of the world. Pharaoh Khufu, who reigned from 2584-2561 BC. e., brought to life a grandiose plan for the construction of his necropolis on the Giza plateau. To create a pyramid and a fence around the structure, 13 hectares of land were allocated. is one of the earliest and most striking examples of the combination of human enthusiasm, imagination and engineering calculations. The construction of a necropolis can also be called the most labor-intensive historical project, given the lack of all the necessary tools and construction equipment in Ancient Egypt.
The Pyramid of Cheops is distinguished by its massiveness, abundance of internal halls, galleries, and chambers. In addition to this, for 3,800 years it topped the list of the tallest man-made structures in the world (146.7 m per year of construction). There are many interpretations and explanations related to the shape and purpose of the great pyramid. When the rays of the all-consuming tropical sun glide along the edges of the structure, the thought of the ancient ruler of Egypt, who, like these rays, wanted to go to the divine luminary after his death, becomes clear.
Babylon in Iraq
The beautiful gardens in the ancient city-state of Babylon were built by a great king around 605 BC. e. Researchers of ancient manuscripts claim that the ancient ruler approved the magnificent landscape project at the request of one of his beloved wives, who yearned for the trees and grasses of her native country. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the most mysterious of the wonders on the list. They are surrounded by myths and legends, the exact location of the structure has not been established, and the remains of the buildings have never been found.
Some scholars of the ancient world doubt the existence of such a luxurious ancient park on a hill located south of modern Baghdad. Maybe the gardens were generated by the imagination of storytellers? Historians find very little accurate information, facts, or documentary evidence in the chronicles of Babylon. But the ancient Greek poets claimed that the priests prepared the project for the hanging gardens and supervised their creation. described multi-level gardens 22 m high, equipped with machines for raising water from the nearby Euphrates River.
The Greek historian Strabo mentioned beautiful quadrangular gardens with arched vaults and stairs to lift people and water to the very top. Slaves planted trees and flowers on brick-fortified slopes of 400 m2, and a wonderful garden was protected by a roof on top. One can understand why contemporaries were fascinated by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. In Iraq, in the arid land of ancient Mesopotamia, it is very difficult to create large areas of well-maintained green spaces. In historical chronicles, the gardens are depicted as beautiful and luxurious. It was not easy to achieve such perfection; this territory has received little rainfall since ancient times. The gardens were destroyed by several earthquakes that occurred two centuries after the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.
Zeus statue in Olympia
Built around 430 BC, it did not last long. e. a temple for which the sculptor Phidias created a statue of Zeus. In Olympia, Greece, a religious building dedicated to the supreme god took 10 years to build using donations from the population. The sanctuary was built from marble and reinforced with a massive colonnade made from local shell rock. The outer surfaces of the walls were decorated with bas-reliefs on which the sculptors recreated the myths about the 12 labors of Hercules - the mythical hero, the son of the supreme deity. The temple could be entered by passing through huge bronze doors.
A significant part of the cult room was occupied by a statue of Zeus. In Olympia, Greece, the ancient Olympic Games were dedicated to this deity. The sculpture was not created simultaneously with the construction of the temple, but over time it became the most grandiose and most magnificent part of the temple complex. The statue of Zeus by Phidias rested on a wide pedestal, its height together with the base was approximately 15 m. The Supreme God of Olympus sat on a throne, his cape was gilded, and ivory was used for decoration.
Fear for the safety of the statue forced the Greeks to transport it to Constantinople, but a fire destroyed the wonderful creation. Although the monument has not survived, it remains on the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue of Zeus is depicted in paintings; there are models of it that accurately convey the depth of the sculptor’s intention, glorifying the ancient deity. In our time, one can only imagine the true greatness of this monument, the attitude of the Greeks towards God, whom they tirelessly praised in their temples and dwellings.
Wonder of the World at Ephesus
The temple, dedicated to the Greek goddess of hunting and wildlife, was completed by 550 BC. e. The Ephesian miracle is often considered one of the most famous “long-term construction projects”: its construction took approximately 120 years. Contemporaries might not have known that the religious building would be included in the list of “Seven Wonders of the World.” The Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus was a beautiful marble building. The builders decorated it with slender columns and covered it with a wooden roof, on which they laid tiles. In this amazing building, contemporaries were amazed by the harmonious combination of interior decoration with the exterior design of the entire building.
The temple, built of magnificent marble, was a favorite structure among the list of wonders of Antipater of Sidon, the compiler of this famous list. Herostratus, a young Greek, burned the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (in Turkey). This event took place in the summer of 356 BC. e. The barbaric act was caused by a great desire to become famous throughout the centuries, to achieve fame. Outraged townspeople sentenced Herostratus to death and banned the mention of his name. The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus began to be gradually restored under the Turkish rulers, but the ancient shrine was again destroyed, this time by the Goths. The newly restored structure was finally demolished in 401 by an angry crowd of religious fanatics led by the Archbishop of Constantinople.
Colossus of Rhodes
One of the most recognizable ancient wonders is the Colossus of Rhodes in Greece. This grandiose monument owes its appearance to the ancient city-states that existed 2 centuries before the beginning of the new era. The population and rulers of Rhodes decided to perpetuate the memory of the victorious fight against One-Eyed Antigone and celebrate the lifting of the siege. The war machines were melted down into a giant statue of the patron saint of Rhodes - the god Helios - 30 m high.
It is not known exactly when construction began; ancient authors give different dates in the sources. The ancient historian Pliny wrote several centuries later that the Colossus took 12 years to build. Greek sculptors received the task of casting a bronze statue of Helios, the god of the Sun. The gigantic monument was erected on the cape, reinforced with a system of stone blocks and iron rods.
The list of “Seven Wonders of the World” lost one attraction after a strong Colossus could not resist the power of tremors and was destroyed just 56 years after its triumphant appearance in the Bay of Rhodes. The Delphic Oracle immediately commented on the fall of the statue. An ancient psychic said that the inhabitants of Rhodes angered the god Helios. The ruler of Egypt offered his help in restoring the monument, but he was refused.
Magnificent tomb at Halicarnassus
The giant white tomb was erected for the repose of the governor of one of the provinces of Persia - Mausolus - on the orders of his wife, who lived in Halicarnassus. This is the territory of the modern resort of Bodrum on the Aegean coast. The mausoleum at Halicarnassus in Turkey was erected by Greek sculptors. The structure was tall and ornate inside and out. The tomb was crowned by a pyramid of 36 columns. Mavsol's wife spared no expense on the construction of an above-ground grave; her ashes were also supposed to be in a magnificent mausoleum.
The ancient world appreciated the luxury of the tomb at Halicarnassus. The architectural grandeur of the structure and its aesthetic merits amazed not only Greek scientists and poets, but also the commander Antipater. There is a mention in historical chronicles that it was he who proposed to consider the structure one of the wonders of the world. In the 15th century, the tomb in Halicarnassus collapsed after another earthquake, and the stones were used for buildings in Bodrum. Now, when we talk about colossal funeral expenses, we remember King Mausolus, who became an example of ostentatious wealth and luxury.
Lighthouse on Faros
The lighthouse of Alexandria on the island of Pharos was one of the tallest among the ancient structures, and its base reached almost 400 m in length. It was the first lighthouse in history, during the construction of which many innovative technologies known at that time were used. The Greek architect Sostratus created the project by order of the ruler Ptolemy II in 304 BC. e. A warning system about the danger of entering Alexandria Bay past the island of Pharos in the Mediterranean Sea was created in stages over more than 20 years. The lighthouse was supposed to warn about the underwater reefs of Pharos, on which it was built.
The design consisted of three oblong marble towers, their total height could be from 120 to 140 m. The last part was a cylinder, with a fire burning at its top. Inventors came up with a way to obtain directional solar reflection using mirrors that gave a signal during the day. At night, the lighthouse attendants traditionally lit a fire. If there was no sun during the day, the sailors were warned by a column of smoke. For several centuries, the structure was considered the tallest artificial building.
Several earthquakes severely damaged the wonderful lighthouse of Alexandria on Pharos. Sailors, soldiers, traders and travelers needed it to be restored. The Arabs, having invaded Egypt, began repairs and increased the height of the structure to 30 m. At this point, the construction work was completed, and in 1480, a fort was erected in the same place, from the same building materials. The lighthouse on Pharos stood in the sea for almost 1000 years.
List of miracles - heritage of world history and culture
Scientists believe that more complete and accurate lists of the wonders of the world could be kept in the Library of Alexandria, the world's most important collection of ancient manuscripts. The vault was heavily damaged during a fire caused by Julius Caesar's invasion of Alexandria. Almost 500 thousand books and scrolls were destroyed by flames. A huge layer of cultural heritage has disappeared, on which the paths taken by world history largely depended.
The Seven Wonders of the World are valuable monuments of ancient art and architecture. These are not only beautiful sights, but also complex construction and technical solutions. Each of the creations was unique, outstanding for its time. Ancient buildings and monuments were elevated to the rank of miracles by the most outstanding scientists, creators, and rulers of the ancient world. It is little mentioned in various sources that some changes were made to the list, but its essence and name remained unchanged. The list necessarily included seven miracles, as has been the custom since the times of Herodotus and Philo of Byzantium.
Of the amazing structures of the ancient world, only the Cheops pyramid has survived to this day; the rest fell under the onslaught of barbarians or became victims of natural disasters. No one knows exactly what the six wonders of the world looked like. All images are the fruit of historical research, reconstructions, and the imagination of historians and artists. Each generation brings something of its own to the understanding of the cultural phenomenon called the “seven wonders of the world.” Each of these artifacts has its own website on the Internet. Solid scientific works are devoted to the study of man-made miracles.
The role of mythology in maintaining interest in the seven wonders of the world
For 2.5 thousand years, the ancient list of the main attractions of the Old World has excited the minds of researchers, travelers, and ordinary people. Throughout the past centuries, the attitude towards the seven wonders of the world was almost mystical. It is surprising that the ancient authors did not show any particular desire to expand the “top 7” or replace the retired attractions on the list with new monuments.
Researchers of the ancient world claim that the attitude towards miracles from the famous list was always respectful. It was believed that seven ancient architectural structures and monuments were deservedly included in the short but capacious list. Each participant in this historical “hit parade” turned into a national shrine, an object of worship and veneration.
The magic of the number 7 in ancient times was considered divine, irrational. The mythology and life of many peoples of the planet are associated with this number of elements in different spheres of life. For example, a week has 7 days. The explanation may be the structure of the solar system, or rather, the way the celestial sphere was represented in Ancient Greece. The Sun, Moon and five planets were visible to the naked eye. The ancient gods had the same names (Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Mercury).
Wonders of the World: new version
What seven wonders of the world could compete with the wonderful structures that have disappeared from the face of the planet? Based on online voting, a list was created of other wonders of the world that have been preserved and can be admired with your own eyes. The action was organized and carried out on the threshold of the third millennium by a non-profit organization. The initiators of this grandiose action put forward several compelling reasons that prompted them to start compiling various lists and compilations of world attractions of the highest level:
- traditional ancient wonders were located only in that part of the Old World that was familiar and conquered by Hellenic culture;
- The list did not include grandiose structures in a significant part of Asia, in the New World and in other regions;
- selection for the list was made according to criteria depending on the ideas of the ancient Greeks about wonderful monuments;
- “overboard” there are natural phenomena that sometimes surpass in their grandeur man-made miracles.
It was decided to determine the winners of the entire project separately among architectural and natural monuments. The results were also summed up twice: in 2007 and 2011. Residents of two hundred countries took part in the online survey. Based on its results, “favorites” were selected - attractions that are known to most of the planet’s inhabitants. We are talking about the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India, the construction of Machu Picchu in Peru in South America and other phenomena. But the UNESCO Committee responded to this action with a statement that popular vote is not the method that should be used to search for miracles that can replace artifacts of world history and culture that disappeared in ancient times.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is a list of famous ancient monuments compiled by ancient historians and travelers, including the “father of history” Herodotus.
The list was edited several times, and its classic version was formed 2.2 thousand years ago thanks to the efforts of Philo of Byzantium. The list of “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” includes: the pyramid of Cheops, the “hanging gardens” of Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the mausoleum in Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the lighthouse on the island. Pharos in Alexandria.
Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt
The Pyramid of Cheops, or the Great Pyramid, is the only one of the 7 wonders of the world that has survived to this day. The age of the structure is 4500 years. Over the course of 20 years, 120 thousand Egyptians, by the sweat of their brow, erected a grandiose pharaoh’s tomb. The Cheops pyramid is made up of 2.5 million blocks weighing 2.5 tons each. Without the use of cement or other fastening agents, the blocks are fitted so tightly to each other that the gap between them does not exceed 0.5 mm.
Initially, the pyramid had a height of 147 meters, but today, when its top is destroyed and the highest point is at 138 meters, the tomb of Cheops still makes a majestic impression. For almost 4000 years, until the 14th century AD, the Pyramid of Cheops bore the title of the tallest structure in the world.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Asia
Around 600 BC Ancient Babylon roared on the territory of modern Iraq. The city reached its greatest prosperity under King Nebuchadnezzar II, who entered into a military alliance with his main enemy, Assyria, and became related to the Median king Cyaxares, marrying his daughter Amytis (Semiramis). The king ordered the famous “hanging gardens” to be laid out for his wife. The gardens were located on a four-tiered platform, reminiscent of an ever-blooming green hill. The base of the terraces was made of stone blocks covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Then there was a double layer of brick, and even higher - lead plates that prevented the seepage of irrigation water. A fertile layer of soil was laid on top of this structure, on which trees, palm trees, and flowers were grown. The magnificent gardens, elevated to great heights, seemed like a real wonder of the world in sultry, dusty Babylonia.
Zeus statue, Olympia, Greece
In 435 BC. e. in Olympia - one of the sanctuaries of Ancient Greece - a majestic temple was built in honor of the ruler of the gods - Zeus. Inside the temple there was a huge 20-meter statue of the Olympian god seated on a throne. The sculpture was made of wood, on top of which ivory plates were glued, imitating the upper naked part of the body of Zeus. The god's clothes and shoes are covered with gold. In his left hand Zeus held a scepter with an eagle, and in his right hand a statue of the goddess of victory.
Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, Türkiye
The Temple of Artemis was built in 560 BC. King Croesus of Lydia in the city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor. The huge white marble temple was framed by 127 columns 18 meters high. Inside was a statue of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, made of gold and ivory. In 356 BC. one vain resident of Ephesus, Herostratus, set fire to the temple, thus deciding to become famous and perpetuate his name. The sanctuary of Artemis was rebuilt, but in 263 it was destroyed and plundered by the Goths.
Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, Türkiye
The ruler of Caria, Mausolus, was still alive in 353 BC. began construction of his own tomb in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Türkiye). The grandiose funeral structure, 46 meters high, surrounded by 36 columns and crowned with a sculpture of a chariot, made such a strong impression on contemporaries that since then all monumental tombs began to be called mausoleums after King Mausolus.
Colossus of Rhodes, Greece
A giant statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios was installed at the entrance to the port of Rhodes in 292 - 280. BC e.. A slender young god, sculptured to full height, held a torch in his hand. Ships sailed between the legs of the statue. The Colossus of Rhodes stood in its place for only 65 years: in 222 BC. it was destroyed by an earthquake. The fragments of the sculpture were transported on 900 camels.
Alexandria Lighthouse, Egypt
The ancient kings knew how to live beautifully. Huge palaces with fountains, majestic temples, marble sculptures in honor of themselves. But most of all, the rulers loved to create beautiful gardens, where birds of paradise delighted their ears with their singing, and delicate greenery caressed their eyes. The most famous of these gardens belonged, according to legend, to the Assyrian queen Semiramis, and was one of the 7 wonders of the world. Ekaterina Astafieva will tell you where the Hanging Gardens of Babylon really were, who built them, and what was so wonderful about them.
Whose gardens are they anyway?
Let's start with the main thing - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon never belonged to Babylon. The name of this legendary queen is often found in Akkadian and ancient Armenian mythologies. Under the guise of Semiramis hides the Assyrian queen Shammuramat. She became famous due to the fact that for some time she ruled alone, which rarely happened to women in those days. She lived at the beginning of the 9th century BC, that is, according to scientists, two centuries before the creation of the famous wonder of the world.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were actually built by Nebuchadnezzar II
The second, more correct name for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is the gardens of Amitis or Amanis. This was the name of the wife of Nebuchadnezzar II, who created the wonder of the world as a gift to his beloved. This gift has a beautiful story that could give a head start to many romantic ballads. In the 6th century BC, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II entered into an alliance with the king of Media, Cyaxares. They united against a common enemy - powerful Assyria. The allies managed to win, and they divided the territory of the defeated among themselves. In honor of the successful union, Nebuchadnezzar married the Median princess Amytis. But the girl, who grew up in fertile Media, was bored in dusty and deserted Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar ordered hanging gardens to be built for his young wife, which would brighten up her homesickness. And so the second wonder of the world appeared.
The Mystery of Babylon
The place where the Hanging Gardens were supposed to be located was excavated in 1899 by the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey. He discovered some unusual structure on the territory of ancient Babylon. He suggested that it was used as a special water lift for a continuous supply of water. In addition, the structure was lined with stone, not brick. Ancient sources reported two places where stone was used in construction. One of them has already been discovered, and the second, legendary, turned out to be the hanging gardens of Amytis.
The correct name for the hanging gardens is Amitis Gardens
True, there is another version where it is worth looking for the wonder of the world. Some scholars agree that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were located in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, which after the war went to Babylon.
It is interesting that there are almost no direct indications of the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Amytis among those who could directly visit the palace of Babylon. Herodotus, for example, in his descriptions mentions a part of the palace that can be correlated with a wonder of the world. But he already considered the creation of the gardens to be the work of Queen Shammuramat.
The Hanging Gardens were excavated by German archaeologist Robert Koldewey
Did the gardens hang?
What did the famous gardens look like? Were they really hanging? The Hanging Gardens were built in the form of a large stepped pyramid, with four floors rising above each other. The platforms were connected by stairs made of white and pink slabs. Each platform was installed on columns 25 meters high. This distance allowed the plants to receive the right amount of sunlight.
The surface of each tier, as scientists suggest, consisted of several layers. First, a layer of reed mixed with resin was laid on the platform, then two layers of brick held together with gypsum mortar. Lead slabs were laid on top of all this, and a layer of fertile soil was poured on them, sufficient for tall trees to take root. Flowers and herbs were also planted nearby.
For some time, the Gardens of Babylon belonged to Alexander the Great
Irrigation of hanging gardens deserves special attention. In the middle of one of the columns there was a pipe through which water entered the garden. Every day the slaves turned the wheel, along the perimeter of which buckets hung. They scooped up water from the river or, as some researchers believe, from underground wells. The water first entered the upper tier of the pyramid, from where it flowed through channels to the lower floors. Of course, such a complex system required careful care and continuous work of slaves. That is why the Hanging Gardens of Babylon fell into disrepair soon after the death of Nebuchadnezzar II. After Alexander the Great captured Babylon, made the king’s palace his own residence and died here directly, the artificial irrigation system stopped functioning and the beautiful plants died. Soon, due to floods from a nearby river, the foundation was washed away, the slabs fell, and only memories remained of the hanging gardens.
The Hanging Gardens were located in Babylon. Their creation in ancient times was associated with a certain Queen Semiramis. Currently, it is believed that the construction of this miracle of technical thought was carried out by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon: history and legend
The modern history of the Gardens of Babylon is associated with the name of the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey. While excavating ancient Babylon since 1899, one day he stumbles upon a strange structure that is not typical for the area. For example, the vaults had a different shape, were lined with stone instead of the usual brick, there were underground structures, and most importantly, an interesting water supply system from three mines was found.
It is obvious that a building of this type was used for some special purposes. Koldewey had to find out. He was able to understand that the entire structure was a kind of water lift for a continuous supply of water to the top. He was helped by references from ancient writers, who said that stone in Babylon was used in only two places. The archaeologist managed to discover one of them, near the northern wall of Qasr, earlier. Another place was semi-legendary, it was about the discovery of one of the 7 wonders of the world, the Gardens of Babylon.
The main ancient mentions of the Gardens of Babylon are associated with the name of the Greek Ctesias. But due to the exaggerations and fantasies observed behind it, almost all our information about this wonder of the world is controversial and unreliable.
In antiquity, the image of Semiramis appears quite often. According to many legends, Semiramis was a brave warrior and builder with excellent architectural taste. According to one legend, she was the daughter of the mermaid Atargatis, who is a lunar goddess, and an ordinary person. According to other stories, Semiramis was abandoned by her parents from birth, and she was raised by pigeons.
In fact, the name Semiramis was understood by the Greeks to mean the Assyrian queen Shammuramat, who lived around 800 BC. After the death of her husband Shamshi-Adad V, she had to take power completely into her own hands until her son came of age. But even after his accession to the royal throne, Shammuramat retained the title of queen. And it is no coincidence that under her the state was strengthened and the borders were expanded by conquering Media.
But still, the wonder of the world, the Gardens of Babylon, according to modern researchers, could not be connected with Shammuramat itself. According to a more truthful version, this miracle was presented to the wife of Nebuchadnezzar II, Amytis, two hundred years after the reign of Semiramis. According to legend, Nebuchadnezzar entered into an alliance with the king of Media for the war with Assyria. After the victory, to strengthen the alliance, he married the daughter of the Median king. But life in desert Babylon was incomparable to mountainous and green Media. To please and console his wife, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the construction of these evergreen gardens in the city. So the full name of this building is most likely “Amitis Hanging Gardens”.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon: brief description and interesting facts
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were a four-level structure with many cool rooms richly decorated with plants. To water them, a water lift was used, for the operation of which the slaves had to turn the wheel. The vaults of the building at each level were supported by 25-meter columns. The terraces were tiled, filled with asphalt and covered with a layer of earth sufficient to grow even trees.
The water supply system used in the Gardens of Babylon was not new to Mesopotamia. Similar features are found in local ziggurats, including the legendary Tower of Babel and the Great Ziggurat of Ur. But it was in gardens that irrigation technology reached its perfection.
If we talk about the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II, then this was a time of great construction of great structures. During his reign, many roads of the city were built, including the famous Processional Road leading from the gate of the goddess Ishtar, a huge number of palaces and temples.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the legendary walls of Babylon, originally also included in the list of wonders of the world. If you believe the descriptions, their width allowed two chariots to pass freely. Watchtowers were installed in two rows of walls every 50 meters. In total there were 360 of them on the inner wall, and 250 on the outer wall.
But with the construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse, the walls of the city with the Gardens of Babylon left the famous list, but the gardens themselves have proudly survived with it to our times. Of course, one can argue for a long time about the place of gardens in this list, but the fact that it was one of the best engineering structures of antiquity is beyond doubt.
In the list of seven wonders of the world, the second wonder is considered Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This truly legendary structure was created in 605 BC. However, already in 562 BC. this architectural masterpiece was destroyed by floods.
Despite the well-established connection between the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the name of the Assyrian queen, Semiramis, who lived around 800 BC, scientists consider this a misconception. In fact, the official version of the origin of this wonder of the world is as follows.
Nebuchadnezzar II fought against Assyria. In order to strengthen the army, an alliance was concluded with the Median king. After destroying the enemy, Nebuchadnezzar II decided to marry the daughter of the Median sovereign. But the dusty city of Babylon, standing essentially in the desert, could not be compared with the green and blooming Media.
It was for this reason that the ambitious ruler decided to build the Babylonian Hanging Gardens. By the way, the queen’s name was Amytis, so it would be more correct to call the second of the seven wonders of the world by this name. But the unforgettable Semiramis, who was also an extraordinary person, was entrenched in history, although she lived two centuries earlier.
Interesting facts about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Surprisingly, the unique building included in the building was not new at that time. It’s just that Nebuchadnezzar II, under whom many architectural masterpieces were built, managed to supply water to his hanging gardens in an unusual way.
An interesting fact is that the described structure consisted of four levels. Each of them had many cool rooms where the royal family walked during the heat of the day. The building's vaults were supported by 25-meter columns at each level. The fortified terraces were covered with earth, the thickness of which was sufficient for trees to grow there.
To prevent liquid from leaking to the lower floors, the platforms of each tier, consisting of huge slabs, were covered with leaves and covered with asphalt. Water was supplied upward using a specially designed mechanism pumping it from the Euphrates River.
To do this, the slaves turned a huge wheel, irrigating the Hanging Gardens of Babylon with a sufficient amount of moisture. The hundred-meter walls of Babylon and the crowns of trees towering above them instilled in everyone who saw this wonder of the world the thought of the power and strength of the kingdom. And proud Amytis, to whom this grandiose building was actually dedicated, enjoyed the greenery of flowering plants stretching for many kilometers around.
