Here’s What The 7 Wonders Of The Ancient World Looked Like In Their Prime

These days, a tourist attraction could be anything from a theme park with several fun rides to a crop of flashy casinos in the middle of the desert. However, things were a lot different in ancient times. Back in the day, people were drawn to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World because of their beauty and amazing size.

Unfortunately, only one of the seven wonders still exists today. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop designers Keremcan Kirilmaz and Erdem Batirbek from reconstructing the ancient structures for Budget Direct – and the results are truly stunning. Here are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World reconstructed as they looked back in their prime.

The Great Pyramid Of Giza

The Pyramid of Khufu holds the distinction of being the only ancient wonder to have survived to modern times. Unfortunately, majority of its glorious facade has faded away.

The Great Pyramid is believed to have been constructed in 2584–2561 BC. It was covered in pristine white limestone and had a stunning golden capstone.

The Hanging Gardens Of Babylon

According to legend, the Hanging Gardens was an amazing feat of engineering since it consists of an ascending series of tiered gardens. It reportedly had a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and vines, and resembled a gorgeous green mountain.

It is still unclear if the Hanging Gardens actually existed but the legends behind them have a recurring theme. The gardens were believed to have been created as a gift to a truly remarkable woman.

The Temple Of Artemis At Ephesus

The temple honoring the Greek goddess of hunting and fertility was expected to last despite being destroyed twice in its lifetime. Amazingly, its first destruction came at the hands of a man with a truly petty reason.

Herostratus decided that the best way he will be remembered was by destroying the Temple of Artemis so he burned it down by setting fire to the wood beams that supported it. Although the Ephesians were able to reconstruct the temple, it was once again torn down by the Goths in 268 AD.

The Statue Of Zeus At Olympia

The statue was created by Phidias in 435 BC and was an amazing 43ft in height but that’s not what made it such a wonder. The structure boasted of ivory plates and gold panels and became the pride of Olympia during ancient times.

The exact details of the statue’s destruction is unknown. However, it is believed that the Roman Emperor Caligula tried to have it destroyed but was killed before the statue could be taken apart.

The Mausoleum At Halicarnassus

Have you ever wondered where the word “mausoleum” came from? It was derived from the name of Mausolus, the ruler of Caria who had the magnificent tomb built even before his death.

The Mausoleum was expected to withstand the test of time. Unfortunately, it was ultimately destroyed by nature. Earthquakes rocked the Halicarnassus in the 12th–15th century AD and brought down the last surviving of the six destroyed wonders.

The Colossus Of Rhodes

Just how big was that statue of the Greek god Helios that stood over Rhodes? It was 108ft tall and was made even taller because it stood on 49ft tall marble pedestals.

As the saying goes, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. The Colossus of Rhodes was partially damaged by earthquakes and had to be taken down just 56 years after it was completed.

The Lighthouse Of Alexandria

The Pharos of Alexandria used to be one of the tallest man-made structures in the world at 330ft tall. It enjoyed the distinction for several centuries after it was commissioned by Ptolemy I.

Like the Colossus of Rhodes, the Lighthouse of Alexandria fell victim to earthquakes. It was destroyed during the 1313 Crete earthquake and the location has since been turned into a medieval fort.