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Have you ever looked at a building or statue in awe of its size and beauty? Well, thousands of years ago, people were also impressed by amazing structures built by different civilizations.

A list of seven amazing and spectacular structures was originally compiled around the second century BC but the final and complete list was documented in the Middle Ages. This is the list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. You are probably familiar with some of these structures but not all.

And you probably have not seen any of these structures, since only one still stands today. To the ancient cultures that built these structures they were a symbol of beauty, power, religion and mythology.

These seven wonders are so fascinating and interesting that we decided that they merit two editions of the Tribune. We can only cover a small amount of information about each of these structures. So read on and research if you are interested in learning more. In this week’s edition, learn about the first three, and then make sure to read next week’s Tribune and learn about the other four.

The Pyramids of Egypt - The oldest of the wonders of the world also has the distinction of being the only surviving structure of the seven ancient wonders. The pyramids were built from about 2700 to 2500 BC in Giza, Egypt (near the city of Cairo). Ten great pyramids were constructed, the first of which was the largest and most impressive. The first pyramid is often called the Great Pyramid. This great pyramid was built for the Pharaoh Khufu and stands 450 feel tall and covers 13 acres. It is believed to have taken over 100,000 workers approximately 20 years to complete. The great pyramids were used as burial tombs for the Pharaohs.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon - Built around 600 B.C, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were once located in the Babylonian kingdom on the east bank of the River Euphrates (This is were Iraq is located today). Various written accounts from the time indicate that King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years starting in 605 B.C, had the gardens built to please his wife Amyitis. You see, Amyitis came from a land that was green and mountainous and she was not used to the dry and flat terrain of that area. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to recreate the green and hilly landscape of her homeland by building these huge gardens. The gardens were said to have been about 400 feet wide by 400 feet long and more than 80 feet high.

The most impressive part of these gardens is the pump system that must have been used to water all of the plants. Some written accounts indicate that they used an elaborate chain pump. The following are some excerpts from ancient Greek sources who wrote about the gardens…” The Hanging Garden has plants cultivated above ground level, and the roots of the trees are embedded in an upper terrace rather than in the earth… This is a work of art of royal luxury and its most striking feature is that the labor of cultivation is suspended above the heads of the spectators.”

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia - The Olympic Games began back in Ancient Greece in 776 BC. The Olympic Games were held in honor of the king of their gods, Zeus. All wars were stopped so people from all over could have safe passage to the site of the games once every four years. The games were held in the city of Olympia. The site of the games consisted of a stadium and a sacred grove (called an Altis) where temples were located. As the games grew in size and importance, the ancient Greeks decided that they needed a large temple on the Altis in honor of Zeus (a temple was already there but it was decided that it was too small and not impressive enough). In 456 BC, the famous architect Libon completed his masterpiece, the Temple of Zeus. Although this temple was very spectacular, it was decided that it was not worthy enough for the king of the gods.

The great sculptor Phidias was chosen to create a statue of Zeus for the interior of the temple. It was written that the great statue of Zeus was 22 feet wide and about 40 feet tall. Zeus was seated on an elaborate throne with his head almost touching the top of the temple. In its right hand was the figure of Nike (the goddess of victory) and in its left was a scepter which was topped with an eagle. Zeus was also draped in a gold robe and had a wreath around his head. The throne that Zeus sat on was made out of gold, ebony, ivory and contained hundreds of precious stones. The chair was also carved with figures of the Greek gods and mystical animals.

This magnificent statue remained in the temple in Olympia until 255 AD when the Olympics were abolished by Emperor Theodosius I of Rome. The statue was moved by the Greeks to the city of Constantinople where it survived until it was destroyed by fire in 462 AD. The only thing that remains in Olympia are the temple’s fallen columns and the foundation of the building.

Make sure you read the next edition of the Tribune to learn all about the other four wonders of the ancient world.