Spread over three continents, the feats of engineering and architecture now referred to as the Seven Medieval Wonders represent an impressive diversity of human thought. The wonders range from a mighty wall to a magnificent church to a sporting arena, and the purpose of one, Stonehenge, remains a mystery. Although they are lumped together as "medieval," and all existed between the 5th and the 15th centuries, two of the wonders were actually built well before the beginning of the Middle Ages.
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Alexandria, Egypt
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Alexandria, Egypt
The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa are a 2,000-year-old underground burial site carved out of bedrock and located in Alexandria, the capital city of ancient Egypt. Founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. and situated along the Mediterranean Sea, Alexandria was the center of Hellenic scholarship and science and today is the site of ongoing archeological excavations. The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa (also referred to as Kom-ash Shuqqafa) were used between the 2nd and 4th centuries. The site was rediscovered in 1900 when a donkey reportedly fell through a chamber ceiling during an excavation project. It's likely the Catacombs were originally constructed as a family tomb; however, they were eventually expanded to hold several hundred corpses. A circular staircase leads below ground to a rotunda, a banquet hall for friends and family to celebrate the dead, and various tombs and chambers. The Catacombs are decorated with a mix of Egyptian and Greco-Roman iconography. Today, this ancient site is open to the public.
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Roman Colosseum (Photo Credit: AETN)
Once the site of bloody gladiator battles, the Colosseum still stands as one of the greatest architectural legacies of ancient Rome. Commissioned by Vespasian, the ninth Roman emperor, sometime between 70 A.D. and 72 A.D., the open-air theater and sports arena could seat 50,000 people and was officially known as the Flavium Amphitheater. Vespasian's son and successor, Titus, dedicated the Colosseum in A.D. 80 with a 100-day celebration featuring gladiator fights and other spectacles. The gladiator tradition originated with the Romans, who forced slaves, criminals and prisoners of war to become trained combatants. Gladiators, who were typically male, fought each other as well as wild animals, often to the death, while blood-thirsty crowds cheered them on. The floor of the Colosseum is said to have been covered with sand to soak up the blood. In the early years of its existence, the Colosseum was also flooded so mock naval battles could be staged. Key cities throughout the Roman Empire constructed their own amphitheaters based on the Colosseum. Over the centuries, the Colosseum suffered from earthquake damage and was stripped for building materials. Today, it stands as a shell of its former self, next to one of Rome's busy traffic circles.
Great Wall of China, Northern China
Great Wall of China (Photo Credit: AETN)
Known as the world's largest man-made structure, the Great Wall of China spans mountains and deserts and was over 2,000 years in the making. The Great Wall is actually a series of walls, signal towers and passes that were built, rebuilt and expanded by different dynasties, including the Qin, Han and Ming. The Wall was originally constructed in the 5th century to protect the Chinese Empire's northern border from nomadic tribes and other invaders. It was also used to house soldiers and supplies and relay military information. Millions of people, many of them forced laborers, worked on the Great Wall over the centuries. Countless workers lost their lives in the process and the remains of some are buried within the Wall. Earth and stone were the primary building materials during the early phases of the Great Wall's construction. During the Ming dynasty, bricks were introduced. China opened the Great Wall to tourists in 1970. Today, large sections of the wall have fallen into disrepair and in some places people continue to remove stones for building homes and roads. No one knows exactly how long the Wall is, although estimates often range from 3,000 to 4,500 miles. In 2007, researchers set out to conduct the first detailed survey of the Great Wall's dimensions and route. The project is expected to take four years.
Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, Turkey
Hagia Sophia (Photo Credit: AETN)
Considered one of the world's most beautiful buildings, the Hagia Sofia, which means Church of Holy Wisdom of God, is an important surviving example of Byzantine architecture. The domed cathedral was constructed between 532 and 537 by Emperor Justinian and served as the seat of the Greek Orthodox church of Constantinople. Designed by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, professors of geometry at the University of Constantinople, the Hagia Sofia was filled with acres of mosaics, marble pillars and gold. In 1204, the Hagia Sofia was plundered by the Crusaders; however, it continued to serve as a church until 1453, when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks. Sultan Mehmet then converted Hagia Sofia into a mosque. Hagia Sophia served as Istanbul's main mosque for almost 500 years and became a model for a number of other Ottoman mosques. During this period, all the faces in the original mosaics were plastered over in accordance with the Islamic ban on figurative imagery. In 1934, Hagia Sofia was stripped of all religious functions and turned into the Ayasofya Museum by the Turkish government.
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
Leaning Tower of Pisa (photo credit: Peter Guttman)
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, or Torre Pendente Di Pisa as the Italians call it, is a cylindrical-shaped structure that has been tilting since the time of its lengthy construction, which began in 1173. Located next to the cathedral of Pisa in Italy's Tuscany region, the freestanding bell tower is eight stories tall. The history of the tower's construction is murky, due to a lack of documentation, and the identity of the project's architect remains subject to debate. It's believed the tower was developed in three phases spanning almost 200 years, as a result of the structure's foundation settling unevenly in the soft ground, as well as political issues and financial problems. According to some estimates, construction halted a little over a decade into the initial phase, with the first three stories built, and the tower's lean was already evident. Over the centuries, the tower has required continuous maintenance to counter the effects of aging, weather and shifting soil. The Italian government closed the tower to the public in 1990, citing safety concerns, and launched an 11-year, multi-million-dollar restoration campaign. The challenge was to make the tower structurally sound while preserving its famous appearance. The campaign was deemed a success and the Leaning Tower reopened to the public in 2001.
Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, China
Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, China
The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, also known as the Porcelain Pagoda of the Grand Bao'en Temple, was a product of the Ming Dynasty, probably commissioned by an emperor and constructed during the 15th century. Largely destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864), the Tower was reportedly nine stories high, made of glazed porcelain tiles and decorated with images of humans, dragons, lions and other entities. Located on the Yangtze River, Nanjing is referred to as the "Capital of Six Dynasties" and has long been one of China's key political, commercial and cultural centers. The Ming Dynasty was established in Nanjing in1368 and ruled China until 1644.
Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England
Stonehenge (Photo Credit: AETN)
Stonehenge, as mysterious as it is old, has long puzzled archeologists. No one knows exactly why the circle of massive stones was constructed, although it's believed to have been developed in three phases, starting about 3,100 B.C. and spanning several centuries. Stonehenge, a medieval term meaning "hanging stones," was an incredible undertaking in terms of human labor. Multi-ton stones were brought to Salisbury Plain from great distances, possibly over 200 miles. Experts speculate the stones could have been put on rafts, transported by water and dragged on rollers. It's estimated that 500 men, aided by ropes, were required to pull one of these giant stones. Many researchers speculate that Stonehenge was used as a place of worship, perhaps even as a location for human sacrifice. Others have suggested the stone formations were used as an observatory to predict the sun and moon's position to the earth and determine the seasons. Today, Stonehenge is a popular tourist destination, although only about half of the original monument survives. Over the centuries, people have taken pieces of the stones for building materials and souvenirs.
