The list of Seven Wonders of the World 2012

The Seven Wonders of the World behold the fancies of travellers and interest of historians alike. Built at different points in time, at different places, the seven wonders of the World are the materialization of some great dream, some great skills and some great labour; each being a masterpiece in itself.
Several monuments have been built down the line, magnificient in their own right, and thereby resulting in a new list of 7 wonders Of the world, but these Seven Wonders of the Ancient World continue to enchant the world. Enjoy a brief account of each:

The Taj Mahal A mausoleum of white marble built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the loving memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal; the Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world. Twenty thousand men laboured on its construction. Construction began in 1631 and it took 22 years to completion. It is a symbol of eternal love. It is worth a visit, especially on a full moon night. It is aptly called the eighth wonder of the world.

The Colossus of Rhodes The construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. This statue of Sun God (Helios) was made of bronze and reinforced with iron. The massive statue rose to a height of 32m and stood besides Mandrakion harbour. For years, the statue stood at the harbor entrance, until a strong earthquake hit Rhodes about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at its weakest point -- the knee. In AD 654, the Arabs invaded Rhodes. They disassembled the remains of the broken Colossus and sold them off.more..

The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)was built by the pharaoh Khufu around 2560BC.It is 136m high with each side measuring 229m. Each side is oriented with the cardinal points of the compass, i.e. North, South, East and West. The sloping angle of the side is 51 degrees 51 minutes. The Pyramids of Giza are the only surviving Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Magnificient Statue of Zeuswas built around 440BC. The base of the statue was 6.5m wide and 1m high. The height of the statue was 13m and the statue was plated with Gold and Ivory.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the terraced gardens built by Nebuchadnezzar for his queen Amuhia around 600BC. Each terrace was believed to be 100m high and a water tank was placed at the highest level to water the plants.more..
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was built in memory of King Mausollos. It was completed around 350BC and was 40m high, adorned with friezes on all the four sides. In the early fifteenth century, the Knights of St John of Malta built a massive crusading castle which they fortified using the stones of the Mausoleum. By early sixteenth century almost every block of the Mausoleum had been disassembled and used for construction.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was built around 350BC. The Temple was decorated with bronze statues sculpted by the most skilled artists of their time. The temple served as both a marketplace and a religious institution. For years, the sanctuary was visited by merchants, tourists, artisans, and kings who paid homage to the goddess by sharing their profits with her. Recent archeological excavations at the site revealed gifts from pilgrims including statuettes of Artemis made of gold and ivory... earrings, bracelets, and necklaces... artifacts from as far as Persia and India. more..

The Lighthouse of Alexandria It is a must visit place on travel to Alexandria Off Alexandria's coast lies a small island: Pharos. The island was connected to the mainland by means of a dike - the Heptastadion - which gave the city a double harbor. And because of dangerous sailing conditions and flat coastline in the region, the construction of a lighthouse was necessary. The project was conceived and initiated by Ptolemy Soter around 290 BC, but was completed after his death, during the reign of his son Ptolemy Philadelphus. For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse) was used to mark the harbor, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. more..