great list of seven wonders of the world was made 2,000 years ago the Greek scribe.He believed that it is impossible to destroy.The modern world and still fascinates this magical list.Colossus of Rhodes occupies a place of honor.The people of the island erected this statue in gratitude to God for the intercession of Helios during the annual siege forty thousand troops.
Where is the Colossus of Rhodes?
Now anywhere.But, as already mentioned, according to legend, it was built on the island of Rhodes and was visible far from the sea.It was here, according to ancient writers, a statue: a second sun comes face to face with the first.It was founded around 280 BC.e.apprentice sculptor Lysippos Cares.And although after 60 years the Colossus of Rhodes fell, they say that even the ruins on the ground was impressive.In the end, the statue was destroyed by Arab soldiers and sold to Syria over the stones.Today it is impossible to find even a trace of the place where she stood.Classical scholars have argued that the statue of this type are usually located behind the temple.But Rhodes Temple of Helios is located on a hilltop in the city center, and traces of the Colossus was not found there.Although thanks to this statement failed to open another, no less important fact.It turned out that huge wall Colossus times surround the town and down to the port.This proves that the harbor of Rhodes is largely artificial.This means that the statue of the Colossus of Rhodes could be the end of the harbor wall, as in other ancient artificial harbor.She could not block the entrance to it.To this end, it should be a quarter of a mile high.But neither metal nor stone can not stand the tension exerted by winter storms.Today, at the end of the harbor wall is a medieval fortress St.Nicholas.Half of it is made of stone, hewn in ancient times.If you look carefully at the pieces of marble that served as the building blocks of this little fortress, one can understand that they are the masters of the time carved the Colossus of Rhodes.In the Middle Ages, people have found a new use for them.The most interesting of these stones is that they are not square.Each of them is a fragment of the 17-meter range, has a curvature.17 meters - this is the exact diameter of the tower in a small fortress.It is possible that medieval architects began to build right on the ancient foundations serving a pedestal for the statue of the fallen.
What looked like the Colossus of Rhodes, and how it was made?
chronicler, during which the statue was still standing, said that it was built on the same principle as that of a house.Fragments of other ancient figures show that they were built as masterful as the Zeus of Phidias.A fragment of a fragment of a frame made of steel and stone.The Colossus of Rhodes was covered with bronze sheets.As for the pose, there's really no one knows whether he was sitting or, for example, led the chariot.Although any hints you can try to find a copy of the statue made by Lysippos of the marble for Alexander.But, most likely, the Colossus was not so tired and bombastic as the old Hercules.Rather, it was a young man with a beautiful face, the same as the head of an unnamed statue, found in Rhodes, which gives us a new understanding.The peculiarity of this fragment is the presence of a plurality of similar holes around.If you insert pins in them, it is clear that they diverge symmetrically as the sun's rays on the statue of Helios, that is, it is most likely, and there his head.In addition, it is dated (within plus or minus 100 years) in the same time as the creation of Colossus.If you look closely at the face, you can see the same open mouth, turn his neck, his eyes open.One to one Alexander the Great.That is the same school of sculptors, which was built the Colossus of Rhodes, and created the image of the king, who later walked around the whole world.
