Wonders of the Ancient World.

Did you know that the owner of the largest pyramid of Giza is also known for having the smallest Egyptian royal sculpture ever discovered? The ivory statue of pharaoh Khufu (AKA Cheops) found at Abydos is 7.5 cm (3 inch) high. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World are documented to have been built approximately 2500 years ago in 600 BC. There is much speculation about whether or not the gardens really existed. Substantial evidence of the gardens remains has has not been found to prove they really existed. Some people who think that the gardens didn't exist, believed that soldiers who had passed through Babylon, were fascinated by the gardens because their hometowns were nothing like this and they may have exaggerated when describing the gardens. This could have easily been done because Nebakanezer, the king who had the Hanging Gardens built, did have many amazing structures built (Hanging, 2008). Others argue that the documentation of the gardens was written in Greek or Latin so the translation of these writings could be incorrect (Twelve, 2010). Another reason people think the gardens didn't exist is because documentation has been found that listed all of the structures in Babylon at that point in time, and the gardens are not mentioned (Hanging, 2010). If they did exist, the gardens are the second oldest of the Seven Wonders. Fun Facts About The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberté éclairant le monde) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is an icon of freedom and of the United States: a welcoming signal to immigrants arriving from abroad. Statue of Liberty Fun Facts Statue of Liberty Fun Facts If you have ever visited the Statue of Liberty in person, you already know she's an imposing figure, but consider the following fun facts: Official dedication ceremonies held on Thursday, October 28, 1886 Total overall height from the base of the pedestal foundation to the tip of the torch is 305 feet, 6 inches Height of the Statue from her heel to the top of her head is 111 feet, 6 inches The face on the Statue of Liberty measures more than 8 feet tall There are 154 steps from the pedestal to the head of the Statue of Liberty A tablet held in her left hand measures 23' 7" tall and 13' 7" wide inscribed with the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776) The Statue has a 35-foot waistline There are seven rays on her crown, one for each of the seven continents, each measuring up to 9 feet in length and weighing as much as 150 pounds Total weight of the Statue of Liberty is 225 tons (or 450,000 pounds) At the feet of the Statue lie broken shackles of oppression and tyranny During the restoration completed in 1986, the new torch was carefully covered with thin sheets of 24k gold The exterior copper covering of the Statue of Liberty is 3/32 of an inch thick (less than the thickness of two pennies) and the light green color (called a patina) is the result of natural weathering of the copper. Temple in Jerusalem

The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple (Hebrew: Hebrew: בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ‎, Modern: Bet HaMikdash, Tiberian: Beṯ HamMiqdāš, Ashkenazi: Beis HaMikdosh) was one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of ancient Israelite and later Jewish worship. According to classical Jewish belief, the Temple acted as the figurative "footstool" of God's presence and a Third Temple will be built there in the future. Construction The Bible reports that the First Temple was built in 957 BCE by King Solomon (reigned c.970-c.930 BCE).As the sole place of Jewish sacrifice, the Temple replaced the portable sanctuary constructed in the Sinai Desert under the auspices of Moses, as well as local sanctuaries, and altars in the hills.This temple was however sacked a few decades later by Sheshonk I, Pharaoh of Egypt. Although efforts were made at partial reconstruction, it was only in 835 BCE when Jehoash, King of Judah in the second year of his reign invested considerable sums in reconstruction, only to have it stripped again for Sennacherib, King of Assyria in c700 BCE. The First Temple was totally destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE when they sacked the city. the mausoleum at halicarnassus

When Mausolus the King of Caria (377 to 353 B.C) Died, his beloved wife and sister, Queen Artemisia, ordered a great tomb built in Halicarnassus, on the Aegean Sea in southwestern Turkey. This Mausoleum, completed around 350 (B.C) stood in a courtyard atop a platform with stone warriors on horseback guarding each corner. A staircase flanked by stone lions led to the top of the platform. The tomb itself about 140 feet high, with a base of about 120 by 100 feet was covered with marble. The lowest third was a tapering block decorated with relief sculpture. The nest third was fronted by thirty six columns with statues between them. The upper third was a stepped pyramid topped by a sculpture of Mausolus and Artemisia in a chariot pulled by four horses. After sixteen centuries, the Mausoleum was felled by an earthquake, and crusaders used its stones to build a castle. The sculptures of Mausolus and Artemisia survived and are on display at the British Museum in London. The Colossus of Rhodes

Travelers to the New York City harbor see a marvelous sight. Standing on a small island in the harbor is an immense statue of a robed woman, holding a book and lifting a torch to the sky. The statue measures almost one-hundred and twenty feet from foot to crown. It is sometimes referred to as the "Modern Colossus," but more often called the Statue of Liberty. This awe-inspiring statue was a gift from France to America and is easily recognized by people around the world. What many visitors to this shrine to freedom don't know is that the statue, the "Modern Colossus," is the echo of another statue, the original colossus, that stood over two thousand years ago at the entrance to another busy harbor on the Island of Rhodes. Like the Statue of Liberty, this colossus was also built as a celebration of freedom. This amazing statue, standing the same height from toe to head as the modern colossus, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Island of Rhodes The island of Rhodes was an important economic center in the ancient world. It is located off the southwestern tip of Asia Minor where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. The capitol city, also named Rhodes, was built in 408 B.C. and was designed to take advantage of the island's best natural harbor on the northern coast. The Lighthouse

HERE IS A LIGHT HOUSE ON THE HILLSIDE THAT OVER LOOKS LIFE'S SEA AND WHEN MY SOUL IS TOSSED, IT SENDS OUT A LIGHT, SO THAT I MIGHT SEE AND THE LIGHT THAT SHINES IN DARKNESS NOW SAFELY LEADS ME HOME AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE THIS SHIP WOULD BE NO MORE. EVERYBODY THAT LIVES AROUND US SAYS TEAR THAT LIGHT HOUSE DOWN CAUSE THE BIG SHIPS DON'T PASS THIS WAY ANYMORE THERE'S NO USE OF IT HANGING ROUND.