The Seven Wonders of the World Since ancient times, numerous “seven wonders” lists have been created. The content of these lists tends to vary, and none is definitive. The seven wonders that are most widely agreed upon as being in the original list are theSeven Wonders of the Ancient World,which was compiled by ancient Greek historians and is thus confined to the most magnificent structures known to the ancient Greek world. Of all the Ancient Wonders, the pyramids alone survive. The Pyramids of Egyptare three pyramids at Giza, outside modern Cairo. The largest pyramid, built by Khufu (Cheops), a king of the fourth dynasty, had an original estimated height of 482 ft (now approximately 450 ft). The base has sides 755 ft long. It contains 2,300,000 blocks; the average weight of each is 2.5 tons. Estimated date of completion is 2680B.C. TheHangingGardensof Babylonwere supposedly built by Nebuchadnezzararound 600B.C.to please his queen, Amuhia. They are also associated with the mythical Assyrian queen Semiramis. Archeologists surmise that the gardens were laid out atop a vaulted building, with provisions for raising water. The terraces were said to rise from 75 to 300 ft. TheStatue of Zeus (Jupiter) at Olympiawas made of gold and ivory by the Greek sculptor Phidias(5th centuryB.C.). Reputed to be 40 ft high, the statue has been lost without a trace, except for reproductions on coins. TheTemple of Artemis(Diana) at Ephesuswas begun about 350B.C., in honor of a non-Hellenic goddess who later became identified with the Greek goddess of the same name. The temple, with Ionic columns 60 ft high, was destroyed by invading Goths inA.D.262. TheMausoleum at Halicarnassuswas erected by Queen Artemisia in memory of her husband, King Mausolusof Caria in Asia Minor, who died in 353B.C.Some remains of the structure are in the British Museum. This shrine is the source of the modern wordmausoleum. The Colossus at Rhodeswas a bronze statue of Helios (Apollo), about 105 ft high. The work of the sculptor Chares, who reputedly labored for 12 years before completing it in 280B.C., it was destroyed during an earthquake in 224B.C. The Pharos(Lighthouse) of Alexandriawas built by Sostratus of Cnidus during the 3rd centuryB.C.on the island of Pharos off the coast of Egypt. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century. (Some lists include the Walls of Babylonin place of the second or seventh wonder.)