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Great Pyramid
Colossus
Hanging
Gardens
Mausoleum
Zeus
Lighthouse
Artemis
References
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The Temple
of Artemis, built in the fourth century BC, was
funded by Croesus, the king of Lydia. Its main purpose was
to be a worship center for the moon goddess, Artemis. It was
also used as a marketplace.
For the construction, the renowned architect,
Chersiphron, used pulleys and metal pegs for hoisting the
limestone blocks and 60 foot marble pillars onto the 430x259
foot rectangular base. The 120 huge columns that surrounded
the temple were so brilliantly decorated that they looked
like they took hundreds of years to carve.
In the middle of the temple stood a statue of the goddess
which was a sight to behold because it was made of marble
and decorated with ivory and gold. Hundreds of people
flocked to the temple every year to see it, including
merchants, common people, artisans, and kings.
The temple was so sturdy that it stood from the time it was
built, in the 4th century, to the time it was accepted a
wonder, in 550 BC. There were actually many constructions
because the temple was built at a time in history when there
was much war and unrest in the world. As time went on, and
as more people converted to Christianity, the temple lay
forgotten in the swamp.
In 1869 T.J. Wood, a British engineer, discovered the ruins
of the temple in the swamp. Archaeologists have recently
tried to piece together the 120 pillars of the temple and
have gotten 4 successfully rebuilt.
Other Interesting Facts:
In the 4th century, Herostratus burned the
temple in order to ensure his place in history.
On the same night the temple was burned, Alexander
the Great was born.
The temple, on the inside, was adorned with works
of art and bronze statues.
When Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor, he
offered to rebuild the temple, but the Ephesians refused
and rebuilt it themselves.
Artifacts from as far away as India and Persia have
been found in the statue, things like, gold, ivory,
earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.
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