Expedia Revisits Lost Seven Wonders
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We may have lost the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World but Expedia reminds us of their otherworldly appeal with a newly released set of vintage posters. In the battle between time and the desire for eternal preservation, time inevitably wins. But it is only
Expedia Revisits Lost Seven Wonders
We may have lost the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World but Expedia reminds us of their otherworldly appeal with a newly released set of vintage posters. In the battle between time and the desire for eternal preservation, time inevitably wins. But it is only human to remember and mourn things of beauty which once graced the planet. If only we could still send postcards from antiquity, they might look something like the souvenirs Expedia has created. With the series, the American travel company hopes to convey a message about the unsustainable nature of our tendency to keep breaking down the old and building new things in the quest for betterment. While the structures of yore have still fared decently against the winds of time, it remains to be seen whether the present generation is able to create enduring relics for times to come.The story behind each of the seven wonders is intriguing, best contemplated upon while gazing at its corresponding poster. While we’re sure that The Hanging Gardens of Babylon existed, historians have never been able to ascertain its exact location. Archaeologists undertook an underwater expedition in 1994 under the guidance of by Jean-Yves Emperuer. They found what they were looking for – remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria near its eastern harbor in Egypt. It was then added to the World Heritage List of submerged cultural sites. The Temple of Artemis in present-day Turkey was rebuilt thrice and ultimately destroyed in 401 AD. Today, a single column exists, put together from numerous fragments at the site. Also in Turkey is The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, constructed for Mausolus (ruler of Caria) and his sister-wife Artemisia II. It is from him that we get the word ‘mausoleum’ which is today synonymous with a tomb that isn’t buried.The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of Helios, the Sun God in Greek mythology. It fell victim to an earthquake in 226BC and its framework has often been compared to the Statue of Liberty in New York City. The Statue of Zeus, a humongous sculpture depicting the Greek God on a regal throne, took 12 years to make. Once ensconced in the Temple of Zeus, in Olympia, Greece, it no longer exists, notes Treehugger. The Great Pyramid of Giza of course needs no introduction and is the only one on this list that you can still book a ticket to visit. For over 3800 years, it was the tallest man-made structure on the planet until the Lincoln Cathedral in England took over the honor in 1311.Click here to view the slideshow. Read more
