The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Where They Stood

Only one remains standing. Here’s where each wonder was—and what’s left:

1. Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt) — Giza Plateau, Cairo. ONLY SURVIVOR. Khufu (Cheops), 2560 BCE. 146 m → 138 m.
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Iraq) — Near Hillah, Babil Governorate. EXISTENCE DEBATED. No archaeological trace. Possibly Nineveh (Sennacherib).
3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Turkey) — Selçuk, Izmir Province. DESTROYED (356 BCE arson, 262 CE Goths). One column re-erected.
4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Greece) — Olympia, Peloponnese. DESTROYED (5th c. CE fire). Workshop of Phidias excavated.
5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Turkey) — Bodrum, Muğla. DESTROYED (earthquakes 12th–15th c.). Stones in Bodrum Castle. British Museum has sculptures.
6. Colossus of Rhodes (Greece) — Rhodes Town. DESTROYED (226 BCE earthquake). Lay 800 yrs; sold for scrap 654 CE.
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria (Egypt) — Pharos Island, Alexandria. DESTROYED (earthquakes 956, 1303, 1323). Qaitbay Citadel on site. Underwater ruins excavated.

Modern Lists

New7Wonders (2007): Chichén Itzá, Christ the Redeemer, Great Wall, Machu Picchu, Petra, Taj Mahal, Colosseum. Nature’s 7 Wonders: Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazú, Jeju, Komodo, Puerto Princesa, Table Mountain.

The Ancient Seven were a Hellenistic tourist guidebook (Antipater of Sidon, 140 BCE). We’re still checking boxes.