Top 5 Facts: The Ancient Wonders

The Colossus of Rhodes as it originally stood

1. Original – The original list of the world’s seven wonders stems from the 1st century BCE, where Hellenic tourists would visit numerous sites around the Mediterranean.

2. Survivor – Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only one remains on today’s list: the Great Pyramid of Giza. The others are now either ruins or completely destroyed.

3. Helios – Of the ancient wonders, one of the most impressive was the Colossus of Rhodes, a 33-metre (107-foot)- tall statue of the Greek Titan Helios. It was destroyed in an earthquake in 226 BCE.

4. Lighthouse – Another of the most notable ancient wonders was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which at the time was the largest structure on Earth. An Egyptian proposal to rebuild it was tabled in 2008.

5. Myth – One of the ancient wonders is considered by many to be a myth. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were said to have been built in the 6th century BCE, however no first-hand evidence exists.