The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World

The Colossus of Rhodes was a towering bronze statue of the sun god Helios, built between 292 and 280 BCE by the sculptor Chares of Lindos. It was erected to celebrate Rhodes’ victory over the invading forces of Demetrius I, a symbol of unity and resilience. Standing approximately 33 metres tall, it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Tragically, it stood for only 54 years before being toppled by an earthquake in 226 BCE. The shattered remains lay for centuries before being sold for scrap. Nothing survives today, but its legend still looms over Rhodes harbour.

The densely-crowded Egyptian city of Giza – on the West Bank of the Nile just outside of Cairo – welcomes millions of tourists every year to visit one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.

The Giza Plateau, wedged between the city’s borders and the Western Desert, is a remarkable complex of gargantuan stone pyramids, several cemeteries, and a giant statue of a mythological sphinx – all dating back to 2,500 BC.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were famed for their lush, terraced design and engineering brilliance. Believed to have been built in the 6th century AD by King Nebuchadnezzar II, they were said to be a gift for his Median wife, who missed her mountainous homeland. Though their exact location remains disputed—some even question their existence—the gardens were reportedly destroyed by earthquakes sometime after the 1st century AD. No definitive archaeological evidence has been found, but ancient descriptions speak of soaring greenery, irrigated by ingenious systems, suspended above the arid plains of Mesopotamia.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was built on Pharos Island around 280 AD during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Designed by the Greek architect Sostratus of Cnidus, it guided sailors safely into Alexandria’s harbour and symbolised the city’s maritime power.

Estimated to stand over 100 metres tall, it endured for over 1,500 years before being severely damaged by a series of earthquakes between the 10th and 14th centuries. Its final remnants disappeared beneath the sea, though its ruins can still be explored underwater today.

Tucked away in the heart of Bodrum, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Designed by Greek architects Satyros and Pythius, the structure soared to approximately 45 metres. It was richly adorned with friezes and statues by renowned sculptors of the time, its marble reliefs capturing the power and artistry of the ancient world.

It was built around 350 BCE by Artemisia II as a grand tomb to honour her husband and brother Mausolus – giving us the word mausoleum.

Sadly, though, earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries reduced this ancient splendour to ruins – and that remains today is a small site of foundations and scattered sculptural fragments.

It’s a quiet but evocative space: low stone foundations, fragments of carvings, and a small museum that helps you reimagine the wonder that once stood. It may not rival nearby beach clubs for most visitors to Bodrum, but for those drawn to history’s lost masterpieces, it’s a chance to walk among the ghosts of one of antiquity’s greatest architectural achievements.

Tucked into the lush valleys of the Peloponnese, Olympia was once the sacred heart of ancient Greece – a place where sport, religion, and politics converged beneath the gaze of the gods. Founded around the 10th century BCE, it was never a true city with a permanent population, but a sacred precinct dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Olympian gods. Greek city-states gathered here every four years to honour him through the Olympic Games, a tradition that began in 776 BCE and continued for over a millennium.

The site was a sprawling complex of temples, treasuries, altars, and athletic facilities. At its heart stood the Temple of Zeus, home to the colossal Statue of Zeus—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Athletes trained in the palaestra, raced in the vast stadium, and swore oaths at the Bouleuterion.

Olympia flourished through the Classical period, but declined under Roman rule. The Games were abolished in 393 CE by Emperor Theodosius I, as pagan practices fell out of favour. Earthquakes and floods gradually buried the site until its rediscovery in the 18th century.

Today, set beneath Mount Kronos and shaded by olive trees, its ruins are scattered across a serene, sun-drenched landscape. Here, temples, training grounds, and the remains of a great stadium conjure the spirit of competition, honouring Zeus through athletic glory.

Look for the Temple of Hera, where the Olympic flame is still lit today, and the stadium, where ancient athletes once competed barefoot. Also don’t miss the Philippeion, a circular monument to Macedonian royalty, or the remnants of the gymnasium and palaestra, rich with echoes of athletic preparation and ritual.

With its cobbled streets, spectacular surviving villa interiors and painstakingly restored facades, Turkey’s best-known ancient site stunningly evokes Roman-era life in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. It’s rare to experience a city quite so rich in architectural detailing, not least inscriptions, statuary and restored facades.

Wandering Ephesus’ main street, past a wealth of buildings including bathhouses, temples and the exceptional Library of Celsus, is an unmissable experience for anybody with the least fascination for the past.