The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is a list of 7 glorious structures, out of which only one - the Great Pyramid of Giza - stood the test of time. The rest, which includes the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria, sadly no longer exist. Luckily, we live in an age where technology allows us to do the impossible, even travel in time (kind of).
Designers Keremcan Kirilmaz and Erdem Batirbek, in collaboration with the insurance company Budget Direct, created realistic 3D images of the majestic past structures, so they can now be admired by modern viewers. Kirilmaz and Batirbek have done in-depth research for the project, so the images are as accurate as possible. “Our focus was to bring these relics to life so that readers could get a better feel of what they really looked like in their prime,” said the creators. So get ready for a tour through the magnificent Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - for each site you will see how it looks today vs how it might have been many centuries ago.
Image Source: Budget Direct
A giant 108ft tall statue of the Greek sun-god Helios, known as the Colossus of Rhodes, was built over the Mandraki Harbour in Rhodes in around 280 BC. It took 12 years to build this majestic sculpture but, sadly, 56 years after its construction finished, it was partially destroyed by an earthquake and was eventually melted down.
Image Source: Budget Direct
Image Source: Budget Direct
The Great Pyramid of Giza, which remained the world’s tallest building until the 19th century, used to look very different from the way it does today. The 481ft-tall structure was built back in 2560 BC by about 100,000 skilled workers who lived in a temporary city built nearby.
Image Source: Budget Direct
Related: 12 Amazing Digital Reconstructions of Medieval Castles
Image Source: Budget Direct
Some archeologists and historians speculate whether the Hanging Gardens of Babylon even existed at all. If the structure did exist, it would have been an incredibly complex piece of engineering. It is said to have been built as a gift from Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar to his wife, Amytis.
Image Source: Budget Direct
Image Source: Budget Direct
The 330ft tall Lighthouse of Alexandria was built between 300 and 280 BCE by Sostratus of Cnidus and was commissioned by Ptolemy I. Historians say it might have been the first lighthouse in the world. Much like the Colossus of Rhodes, part of the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake sometime between the 12th and late 15th century, and the rest was eventually transformed into a medieval fortress.
Image Source: Budget Direct
Image Source: Budget Direct
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was a majestic tomb built for Mausolus, the king of Caria. The 148ft-tall white marble structure was built around 350 BCE in present-day Bodrum, Turkey. The building was eventually destroyed by earthquakes in the 13th century.
Image Source: Budget Direct
Image Source: Budget Direct
The Temple of Artemis was built as a tribute to the Greek goddess of chastity, hunting, wild animals, forests, and fertility with the same name. The fate of this majestic temple was rather sad: it was built and destroyed by a fire three times and all that is left of it now is a lone pillar.
Image Source: Budget Direct
Image Source: Budget Direct
The incredible Statue of Zeus stood at 43ft tall and was constructed of gold, ebony, ivory, wood, and precious stones. Unfortunately, the statue was partially destroyed by a fire in 425 AD and all of the precious materials were stolen.
Image Source: Budget Direct
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