When Were Most of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Built?

When were most of the seven wonders of the ancient world built? The seven wonders were constructed from 2560 BC to 247 BC, but six of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were built between 600 BC and 247 BC, so they were built in a 353 year span. 

The Great Pyramid of Egypt was built between 2560 and 2540 BC. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders, and is also called the Great Pyramid of Giza, Pyramid of Cheops, and the Pyramid of Khufu.

The pyramid was built for the Pharaoh Khufu, and construction started around 2560 BC. It took 20 years to complete. Most of the casing stones that were on the outside that gave it a smooth shell are gone. Except for that, it is the only Wonder that is largely intact today.

The lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, is the newest of the Seven Wonders, being built between 280 and 247 BC. It is on the island of Pharos and was between 393 and 450 feet high. Legend has it that the lighthouse could burn enemy ships before they could reach the shore. For light, it used a mirror to reflect sunlight, and at night, a fire was used. A statue of Poseidon was placed on the top during the Roman period. It was constructed of blocks, sealed together with molten lead to be able to withstand the pounding waves.    

Wonders in Greece

Two of the seven wonders were built in Greece. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was created by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 432 BC. It was erected in the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. It is 39 feet tall and made of gold-plated bronze and ivory. 

It has not survived, but its image is preserved on coins and gems. Detailed descriptions have survived and tell of a throne made of cedar wood, inlaid with gems, ebony, gold, and ivory. In his right hand was a statue of the goddess Nike and in his left was a scepter with an eagle on top. Supposedly, if you looked at the statue, you forgot all your worldly troubles.

The Colossus of Rhodes is a statue of the Greek god Helios and was on display in the city of Rhodes, on the island of Rhodes. It was sculpted by Chares of Lindos between 292 and 280 BC. Before it was destroyed , it stood at around 107 feet.  The statue stood on a 50 foot white marble pedestal, and brass plates were fashioned to make the skin.    

Other Wonders

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built in what is present day Iraq around 600 BC. They are also known as the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis and were built by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. He built them for his wife, Amytis because she was homesick for her native Persia. Huge blocks were used to prevent erosion, and the gardens were annihilated by earthquakes after the second century BC.

The Temple of Artemus at Ephesus, also known as the Temple of Diana, was constructed from 550 to 430 BC. It was dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis and stood in Ephesus, which is in present day Turkey. Except for the roof, it was made of marble.

The mausoleum at Halicarnassus, or Tomb of Mausolus was constructed between 353 and 350 BC, in present day Turkey. It was built for Artemisis II of Caria, along with his wife and sister, and Mausolus, a governor in the Persian Empire. It was 135 feet high, designed by the architects Satyros and Pythis, and each side was a relief, sculpted by four Greeks: Scopas, Bryaxis, Leochares, Timotheus.