National garden in Athens. Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Description. Facts. Story. How to get to the National Garden

STATUE OF ZEUS IN ATHENS

This is a statue of the god in whose honor the ancient Olympic Games were held. It was located in Olympia, which gave its name to the games. During the games, wars stopped and athletes came from Asia, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily to compete in the Olympics and bow to Zeus.

Place: In the ancient city of Olympia, on the west coast of modern Greece, about 150 km west of Athens.

Story: The magnificent temple of Zeus was conceived by the architect Libon and was built around 450 BC. Due to the growing power of ancient Greece, the simple style of the Doric temple seemed too secular and some changes were required. It was decided to erect a majestic statue. The Athenian sculptor Phidias was appointed chief architect for this task.

Within a few years, the temple attracted visitors and worshipers from all over the world. In the first century, the Roman emperor Caligula tried to move the statue to Rome. However, his attempt failed. After the Olympic Games were banned in 391 by Emperor Theodosius, the temple was closed.

Olympia continued to face misfortunes - earthquakes, landslides, fires and floods, as a result of which the temple was significantly damaged. Before this, the statue was moved by wealthy Greeks to the palace of Constantinople. There it remained until it was destroyed by a serious fire in 462. Today only dust is left of the statue...

Phidias began laying the statue around 440 BC. A year earlier, he had developed a technique to prepare vast quantities of gold and ivory for construction. There he sculpted and cut pieces of the statue before they could be assembled into a single piece in the temple itself.

When the statue was completed, there was barely enough room for it in the temple. Strabo wrote: “... although the temple itself is very large, the sculptor is criticized for not taking into account the actual ratio of the proportions of the statue to the temple. He showed Zeus seated on the throne, but with his head almost resting on the ceiling, so that we would have the impression that if Zeus gets up, he will rest his head on the roof of the temple.

Strabo was right - this impressive size made the statue so remarkable. The base of the statue was almost 6.5 meters wide and 1 meter high. The height of the statue itself was 13 meters high, the equivalent of a modern 4-story building.

The legs of the throne were decorated with sphinxes and winged figures of Victory. Greek gods and mythical characters also graced the stage (Apollo, Artemis, and the children of Niobius). The Greek Pausanius wrote: “On his head is a wreath of olive branches. His right hand, in which he holds the figure of Victory, is made of ivory and gold... In his left hand he holds a scepter inlaid with several types of metal, and an eagle seated on the scepter. His sandals are made of gold, as is his robe. The throne was decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony, and ivory.

Copies of the statue were also made, including a large prototype in Kuren (Libya). None of them, however, has survived to this day. Early reconstructions, such as those of Erlach, are now considered to be inaccurate.

Specifications:

The entire temple in which it was Zeus statue, was made entirely of marble (even the roof).

· The temple was built for 10 years, and the statue of Zeus did not appear in it immediately.

· Phidias created the statue in his workshop, which was located 80 meters from the temple itself.

· The workshop was built near the temple and was exactly the same size as the temple itself.

Phidias was very picky about the material, especially the ivory from which the body of Zeus was made.

· It was a very costly project by our standards: once a material came to the temple, which included both precious stones and 200 kg of pure gold. For reference, the cost of gold alone, which was required to create the statue, was approximately $ 8 million.

About the statue of Zeus itself:

· From gold was made: a cape covering part of the body of Zeus; The scepter with an eagle, which was in the left hand of Zeus; a statue of Nike - the goddess of victory, which Zeus held in his right hand; as well as a wreath on Zeus's head.

· The feet of Zeus were placed on a bench, which were held by 2 lions.

· 4 dancing Nikes were made on the legs of the throne.

· Centaurs, the exploits of Theseus and Hercules, frescoes (which depicted the battles of the Greeks with the Amazons) were also depicted.

· Statue base: 6 meters wide, 1 meter high.

· The height of the statue itself, including the pedestal, was, according to various sources, from 12 to 17 meters.

The eyes of Zeus are comparable in size to the fist of an adult.

GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA

This is the only wonder of the world that has survived to this day and does not require description by early historians and poets.

Place: In the city of Giza, the Necropolis of ancient Memphis in Egypt.

Story: Contrary to common belief, only the Pyramid of Cheops, and not all three Great Pyramids, is on the "list" of Wonders of the World. But the rest of the pyramids of the pharaohs (Cheops, Khafre and Mykerin) are also world famous. These are their Greek names, while the real Egyptian ones are respectively Khufu, Khafre and Menkaura. The time of their construction dates back to the beginning of the Old Kingdom (2800-2250 BC). Complex feelings cover the traveler at the sight of the Great Pyramids. They appear to be giant crystals that have grown from the greyish-yellow sand surrounding them, although they originally symbolized the droppings of the scarab beetle. They stand out clearly against the pale sky and the lifeless, endless desert. And it seems that they have always been here...

"Khufu's Horizon" is the name of Khufu's pyramid. You have to walk a whole kilometer to get around it. The length of the side of the base of the pyramid is 233 meters. Its height is 146.6 meters! The weight of this hulk exceeds 6.5 million tons! The construction of the pyramid cost incredible labor. There was no mechanization at that time. Tools for working stone were made of red copper and became dull quickly. Stone blocks and slabs, and it took millions and millions of them, were made in a terrifyingly laborious way. Deep holes were drilled on the rock along the contour of the future slab with copper drills, under which sand was continuously poured and water was poured. Wooden wedges were driven into them, which were poured with water. The tree swelled and tore off a block from the rock. The block was hewn with copper chisels and polished. And one can only be surprised at the accuracy of trimming and polishing stones, which the ancients achieved with such a technique. The stones of the pyramid are so fitted that even the blade of a knife cannot be inserted between them.

The pyramid of Khafre is almost as tall as the pyramid of Khufu. Although the length of the side of its base is 215 meters, and the height is 143 meters, the pyramid of Khafre seems even higher due to the greater steepness of the slopes. Not far from the pyramid rises and now a huge figure of the Great Sphinx. The dimensions of the figure are colossal: its height is 20, and its length is 57 meters. The figure carved from a single rock depicts a lying lion with a human head. The Sphinx looks mysterious and mysterious. The Bedouin nomads called the Sphinx the "father of awe". Overcoming superstitious horror, they disfigured, destroyed the face of the Sphinx. And the Europeans were no better. The Sphinx was fired from rifles and cannons by soldiers of the Napoleonic army during the Egyptian expedition of 1798-1801.

The Pyramid of Menkaure is ten times smaller in volume than the pyramid of Khufu. Its height is only 66.4 meters. But, despite its smaller size, the pyramid of Menkaur looks unusually beautiful. Menkaur could not afford to build a larger pyramid. The country was devastated by the construction of the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre. Hunger has begun. The population, exhausted by overwork, grumbled.

Interesting facts and characteristics:

· Construction pyramids lasted 20 years.

· Construction began around 2560 BC.

· The entrance is at a height of 15.63 meters.

· The height of the pyramid is approximately 138.7 meters.

· The length of the side face decreased over time by 5 meters (from 230.33 m to 225 m).

· The average weight of 1 stone block of which the pyramid consists is 2.5 tons.

· The heaviest stone block 15 tons.

There are about 2.5 million stone blocks in total.

· The total weight of the pyramid is approximately 6.25 million tons.

ALEXANDRIAN LIGHTHOUSE

Only one object out of seven carried not only architectural elegance, but also a practical function: the Lighthouse of Alexandria. He guaranteed sailors a safe return to Grand Harbour. In addition, he was the tallest building on Earth.

Place: On the ancient island of Pharos (today it is a cape within the city of Alexandria in Egypt).

Story: After the conquest of Egypt in 332 BC. Alexander the Great decided to establish a new capital there. This is how Alexandria was born. There were many amazing and wonderful things in this city. The famous Museion (Museum-Temple of the Muses) was also located here, where an astronomical observatory, a school, an anatomical theater, and workshops were located. At different times, many brilliant Greek scientists lived and worked in Mouseion - the creator of geometry Euclid, the pioneer of surgery Herophilus. Archimedes was educated and worked here. The remarkable mechanic Geron worked here for many years. He built the first automata and wrote a fascinating book about them. Yet Alexandria's greatest attraction was the lighthouse, a true triumph of technology at the time. It was a giant three-tiered tower, standing on a huge elevation - a podium. The total height of the lighthouse reached three hundred cubits (that is, almost 160 meters). At night, his fire burned high in the sky, like a star, the guiding star of Alexandria.

The light of the gigantic torch was reflected by a complex system of huge concave bronze mirrors. Everyone who saw the lighthouse was delighted with tall, slender female figures made of gilded bronze. From time to time these motionless figures suddenly came to life. These were not just statues, but ingenious automata. Some showed the strength of the wind and sea waves by moving large golden hands on huge blue dials. Others, turning, indicated the direction of the wind or followed the movement of the sun and moon with their hands. Automata women also stood near the large Water clock - clepsydra. They hit coca. And in fog and bad weather, another beautiful woman blew into a curved golden horn, warning sailors about the dangerous proximity of shoals and underwater rocks. In the dazzling brilliance of the lighthouse, as in a focus, all the wisdom, the power of thought and the depth of knowledge of the great scientists of Museyon were concentrated. And with his genius and art, the great architect of Greece, Sostratus, raised it to an unprecedented height - a lighthouse that would now be the highest in the world. But time and constant wars took their toll... In the Middle Ages, the remains of the podium of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were built into the Turkish fortress of Kait Bay. Now it has been turned into an Egyptian military fort. Therefore, it is impossible even for archaeologists to get to the remains of the lighthouse.

Interesting Facts:

· Built in the III century BC. e. in the city of Alexandria.

· The lighthouse was built for the usual purpose - so that ships do not run into reefs. At night, the ships were helped by the reflection of flames, and during the day a column of smoke.

· The world's first lighthouse.

· The lighthouse of Alexandria stood for almost 1000 years.

・Like many wonders of the ancient world was destroyed by an earthquake.

THE HANGING GARDENS OF SEMIRAMIS IN BABYLON

Fruits and flowers... Waterfalls... Exotic animals... Gardens growing in the palace... - All this could be seen in the Gardens of Babylon.

Place: On the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, about 50 km. from southern Baghdad, in Iraq.

Story: The Babylonian kingdom prospered under the famous king, Hammurabi (1792–1750 BC). This happened only after, under the rule of Naboplashar (625-605 BC) of the New Babylonian dynasty, the final victory was achieved by the Mesopotamian civilization. His son, Nebuchadnezzar II (604–562 BC) gave money for the construction of the Hanging Gardens. It is known that the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar for his wife or concubine.

So far, the most accurate information about the Gardens comes from Greek historians such as Verossus and Diodorus (Sikulis), but the description of the material is rather scarce. Tablets from the time of Nebuchadnezzar do not have even a single reference to the Hanging Gardens, although descriptions of the palace of the city of Babylon and the walls are found. Even the historians who give detailed descriptions of the Hanging Gardens have never seen them. Modern historians prove that when Alexander's soldiers reached the fertile land of Mesopotamia and saw Babylon, they were amazed. After returning to their hard-wearing homeland, they reported amazing gardens and trees in Mesopotamia, Nebuchadnezzar's palace, the Tower of Babel and ziggurats. It was the imagination of the poets and ancient historians who mixed all these stories together to produce one of the seven Wonders of the World.

This happened only after the twentieth century revealed some of the mysteries surrounding the legends of the Hanging Gardens. Archaeologists are still struggling to gather enough evidence before reaching final conclusions about the location of the Gardens, their irrigation system, and their true origins.

Description: Detailed descriptions of the Gardens come from ancient Greek sources, including the writings of Strabo and Philo Byzantium. Here are some excerpts from them:

“The garden is quadrangular, and each side of it is four pletras long. It consists of arched vaults that are staggered like cubic bases. Climbing to the uppermost terrace is possible by stairs...” “The hanging garden cultivated living plants to the level, and the roots of the trees grew in the upper terrace and not on the ground. The whole mass is supported by stone pillars... Streams of water arising from an overhead stream flow down the sloping channels of the springs... These waters irrigate the whole garden, saturate the roots of the plants and keep the whole area moist. Therefore, the grass is evergreen and the trees are hard and flexible branches with leaves... It is a work of art and royal luxury.”

Later archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq have unearthed the foundations of the palace. Other accounts tell us of a vaulted building with thick walls and good irrigation near the southern palace. A team of archaeologists explored the southern palace area and restored the vaulted structure of the Hanging Gardens. However, the Greek historian Strabo established that the gardens were located near the Euphrates River. The center of the palace and the Gardens located in this place, stretching from the river to the Palace, were restored. Huge walls 25m thick were recently discovered in the river to form the terraces described by the Greek historians.

Interesting Facts:

The correct name for this wonder of the world- Hanging Gardens Amitis.

· In fact Hanging Gardens of Babylon-This pyramid from 4 tiers-platforms.

· Support tiers of 25 meter columns.

The lower tier is an irregular quadrangle (one side is 42 meters, the other 34).

· The pyramid looks like an ever-blooming hill, which was planted with rare trees and flowers.

TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS

This magnificent temple was built in honor of the Greek goddess of hunting and wildlife, Artemis.

Place: The temple was located in Ephesus, which is today in Turkey.

Story: Although the foundation of the temple dates back to the seventh century BC, the building itself was built in 550 BC. The construction was subsidized by King Lydian Crosus and the design was designed by the Greek architect Persiphon. The building was decorated with bronze statues created by such sculptors as Phidias, Polycletis, Cresilus and Fradmon. The temple served as a market and a religious institution. For quite a long time, the sanctuary was visited by merchants, tourists, artisans, and kings who brought gifts to the goddess.

On the night of July 21, 356 BC, a man named Herostratus set fire to the temple. The Roman historian Plutarch later wrote about this: "The goddess was too busy caring for the birth of Alexander to save the temple." In the next two decades, the temple was rebuilt by archaeologists. And when Alexander the Great conquered Asia, he helped rebuild the ruined temple.

Later, Ephesus was abandoned, and only in the last nineteenth century did excavations begin. Archaeologists discovered the foundation of the temple and several columns, which allowed the restoration to begin.

Description: The foundation of the temple was rectangular in shape, similar to other temples of that time, but unlike them, it was made of marble, with a decorated facade. The columns were 20 m high with an Ionic order and flutes. There is no confirmation that the statue of the goddess herself was placed in the center of the sanctuary, but there is no reason to reject it.

Early detailed descriptions of the temple helped archaeologists to restore the structure. Many reconstructions, such as H.F. von Erlach, depict a facade with four columns and a porch that never existed. More precisely, reconstructions can only give us an idea of ​​the general appearance of the temple. However, the true beauty lies in the architectural and artistic details that will forever remain unknown.

Specifications of the temple:

The width of the temple was 51 meters.

· Length 105 meters.

The height of the columns is 18 m.

· Total columns 127, which were located in 8 rows.

· Each column was donated by the king. 127 columns - 127 kings. (based on legend).

MAUSOLEUM IN HALICARNASSUS

One of the most grandiose monuments of Greek architecture of the late classics is the tomb in the city of Bodruli in Turkey.

The tomb was erected in the 4th century BC by Queen Artemisia, the wife and sister of King Mausolus. According to the Roman historian Aulus Gellius, "the queen had an extraordinary love for her husband, beyond description."

For the first time in Greek architecture, the architecture of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus reflected all three famous orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The lower floor was supported by 15 Doric columns, the inner columns of the upper floor were Corinthian and the outer ones Ionic. The mausoleum combined strict geometry, massive simplicity, filled with inner strength, and the desire for decorativeness and lightness of forms, smooth lines. There are no analogues to this structure in Greek architecture. In many ways, while preserving Greek traditions and building techniques, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus bears a clear influence of oriental architecture.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus consists of three tiers. The first tier was surrounded by a ribbon of white marble relief. It housed a mortuary temple with an area of ​​​​5 thousand square meters and a height of about 20 meters. The second tier was formed by a slender marble colonnade (sacrifices were kept here), and the third tier was a four-pitched marble roof. The building was crowned with a four-wheeled chariot, which was ruled by marble Mausolus and Artemisia. The solemn building reached 40-50 meters in height. Around the tomb were statues of lions and galloping horsemen.

The mausoleum was built by the architects Satyr and Pytheas, and its sculptural device was entrusted to several masters, including the great Skopas.

The tomb of the king, which was somewhat damaged by the earthquake, was demolished by the Knights of St. John, who built a stone monastery-fortress out of it.

The statues of Mausolis and Artemisia, as well as several other details of the mausoleum, are now kept in the British Museum. The memory of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was reflected in many structures of this kind, which were subsequently erected in various cities of the Middle East, as well as in other mausoleums.

Interesting facts about the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus:

· Construction of the Mausoleum began in 353. BC.

· The construction was managed by the wife of Mausolus - Artemisia.

· Two very famous sculptors were involved in the construction: Leohara, Skopas.

· The mausoleum stood for 19 centuries.

· It was destroyed in the XIII century by an earthquake.

THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES

Only 56 years passed from its appearance to destruction. And yet, the Colossus took its place among other architectural monuments. “Even being located on the ground, it is a miracle,” said Pliny the Elder. The Colossus of Rhodes was not only a giant statue. He was a symbol of the unity of the people who inhabited this Mediterranean island - Rhodes.

Place: At the entrance to the Mediterranean harbor (Rhodes island) in Greece.

Story: Ancient Greece consisted of city-states whose power did not extend beyond their borders. On the small island of Rhodes there were three of them: Gialosos, Kamiros and Lindos. In 408 BC, these policies were combined into one - Rhodes. The city prospered commercially and had strong economic ties with their main ally, Ptolemy Sotar of Egypt. In 305 BC, Ptolemy's rivals laid siege to Rhodes in an attempt to destroy the Rhodes-Egyptian alliance.

The construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was completed in 282 BC. For several decades, the statue stood at the entrance to the harbor until a strong earthquake destroyed Rhodes in 226 BC. The city was badly damaged and the Colossus was broken at the knee. The oracle forbade the new montage. Ptolemy's proposal for a reconstruction was rejected.

In 654 the Arabs invaded Rhodes and sold the rest of the statue to the Jews.

Description: It has long been believed that the Colossus stood in front of the harbor of Mandraki, one of many in the city of Rhodes. Given the height of the statue and the width of the harbor entrance, this consideration is impossible. In addition, the Colossus would block the entrance to the harbor. Recent studies say that the Colossus was installed either on the eastern cape of the Mandraki harbor, or even inside it. The project was designed by the sculptor Fodian and the finishing work by Lindos. The base was made of white marble. First, the legs of the statue were installed, and then the statue itself. The bronze form was reinforced with iron and stone structures. So that the builders could reach the higher parts of the statue, an earth mound was built around the statue and then removed.

Although we do not know the true form and history of the appearance of the Colossus, modern reconstructions of the statue standing upright are more accurate than early drawings. Although this miracle has disappeared, it has inspired contemporary artists such as the French sculptor August Bartholdy, famous for his work "The Statue of Liberty".

About the miracle of the Light - the statue of the Sun God Helios:

The height of the statue is 36 meters.

The statue stood for only 65 years

· In 222 BC. The colossus was destroyed by an earthquake.

· The thumb of the statue was very difficult to clasp with both hands - a really huge statue.

About the seven wonders of the Ancient World, familiar to everyone since school days, legends have been formed for thousands of years. Not all unique man-made monuments have survived, many have been destroyed by ruthless time, but the memory of amazing creations is still alive.

Researchers of the ancient world are arguing about the reality of the existence of many of them, and not only modern scientists doubt this. For example, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who traveled around Mesopotamia, never mentioned the unique work that will be discussed today, although it should have struck him with its grandeur.

Myths about finding hanging gardens

In our article, we will talk about where the gardens of Babylon are located - one of the most significant wonders of the world that has not survived to this day. Ancient historians claimed that they were located in the first metropolis of mankind, Babylon. However, modern scientists have recognized the theory as erroneous, stating that the real homeland of the extraordinary garden city is 400 kilometers from the intended location.

Loud statement by Dr. Dally

One of the loudest statements on this subject was made by the archaeologist S. Dally from Oxford, who spent twenty years of her life searching for the legend. The fact is that the history of the Hanging Gardens is full of all sorts of inaccuracies. It was believed that they are related to the mythical Queen Semiramis, who ruled in Assyria.

But according to written sources that have come down to us, it became known that they were allegedly built during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, the king, who decided in this way to entertain his beloved wife Amitis. She could not get used to life in a noisy and dusty metropolis, and her husband, worried about her, ordered to build a green oasis in which his wife would rest all year round.

Monument created in the name of love

And at the wave of the ruler's hand, a monument created in the name of love arose - the gardens of Babylon. What city were they in? Until recently, it was believed that they were located in Babylon standing in the middle of the desert, and the queen, who arrived from pure and green Media, suffered extremely from a lack of fresh air.

It is known that the Hanging Gardens were located on a high tower with four tiers, connected by pink and white stairs and supported by wide columns. Such a thick layer of earth was laid on firmly connected platforms that even centuries-old trees could be planted. By the way, precisely because of the effect of climbing plants floating in the air, smoothly passing to different levels of terraces, the gardens were called hanging gardens.

Second wonder of the world

As ancient scientists wrote, the erected hanging gardens of Amitis shocked with incredible dimensions: the height of the building reached 250 meters, and the length and width exceeded one kilometer.

More than 37,000 liters of water was spent on watering the plants on the territory every day, and even an original irrigation system was invented to support the life of green spaces using various mechanisms.

Water supply technology was not new to the city, but it is believed that it was here that it reached its perfection. Something similar was in the world-famous Huge wheel rotated by slaves, and thus the water rose to the very top of the garden, from which it flowed along the terraces entwined with greenery. Outside the palace, thousands of poor people died of thirst, because water in those days was worth its weight in gold, but here it flowed like a river to delight the eyes of Amitis.

Conquest of Babylon

It is believed that the formidable winner Alexander the Great, who conquered Babylon, was captivated by the amazing beauty of the erected palace. Away from the bustle and noise, he enjoyed the silence, interrupted only by the sounds of murmuring water, reminiscing about his native Macedonia. After the death of the ruler who held all the power in his hands, the city ceased to be considered the capital of the world and fell into decay.

Assumptions about the destruction of the gardens and the palace

Unfortunately, the second wonder of the world, as it is commonly called, has not come down to us, and no one knows whether the elements destroyed it, or whether it was the work of human hands. There are suggestions that all vegetation died after the slaves stopped pumping water. And the terrible flood that happened destroyed the once luxurious palace to the ground, the clay walls of which got wet, and the massive columns supporting them collapsed.

Koldeveya's find

After several centuries, archaeologists, interested in finding the legendary landmark, searched for the erected gardens of Babylon in Mesopotamia for a long time. The famous scientist R. Koldevey devoted his life to this. Since 1898, he was engaged in excavations near Baghdad and found stone ruins, declaring them the remains of a Babylonian attraction.

Found ruins

An extensive network of trenches branched in different directions made him think that these might be the very long-awaited gardens. A German archaeologist discovered the remains of a water supply system, which was used to irrigate green plants brought especially for the queen from various countries.

The ruins found by many scientists were not perceived as the ruins of the Babylonian gardens, and some continued their search, claiming that the wonderful structure was located in a completely different place.

Long years of searching

Dr. Dalli, inspired by the absence of any mention of the structure in written sources from the time of Nebuchadnezzar, began her own investigation, which lasted for decades. She painstakingly studied ancient artifacts and deciphered cuneiform manuscripts in the British Museum to answer the question that tormented everyone about where the Gardens of Babylon really are.

After a long search, scientific works were rewarded. In 2013, after analyzing all the collected data, Dally located the location of the ancient garden structures that had become mythical. She found references to the construction of a "miracle for all people" near Nineveh. The erected luxurious palace, along with a broken garden, was erected in the 8th century BC.

Where are the gardens of Babylon actually located?

The fact is that Nineveh, now located on the territory of modern Iraq, is mentioned in all manuscripts as ancient Babylon, which led to a distortion of historical facts about the true location of the grandiose structure. According to the Oxford archaeological group, a massive burial mound in northern Iraq near the city of Mosul holds an outlandish wonder of the world - the gardens of Babylon.

According to Dr. Dalli, excavations in this place will certainly confirm her theory about the existence of the structure, and the bas-relief found in the city depicting a wonderful palace with hanging terraces of flowers once again convinces the correctness of the theory of specialists.

However, skeptical researchers do not agree with this version, stating that other parks will be found in Nineveh, only similar to the gardens of Babylon. The country of Iraq and, in particular, the city of Mosul, captured by ISIS militants, does not allow for large-scale studies to confirm or refute the theory of Dr. Dalli.

Questions without answers

So, now it is impossible to say exactly where the gardens of Babylon are located. Yes, not a single drawing depicting the second wonder of the world has survived to our days, and all the paintings that have appeared are just a figment of the imagination of artists.

The mystery of a huge structure erected many centuries ago excites the minds of modern researchers and ordinary people, but there is no direct evidence of the exact location of the great structure. The unceasing disputes between scientists have proved that the hanging gardens really existed, and the main question still remains unanswered.

Greek gardening art in its development received a powerful impetus thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great. All of Asia, with its highly developed gardening art, was immediately included in Greek culture. Even earlier, some Greeks spoke with admiration of the beautiful parks of the Eastern rulers.

In Alexandria, public and royal gardens occupied 1/4 of the city territory. All intra-city and suburban gardens were interconnected. Even more than Alexandria, Antioch was famous for its gardens. The city was laid out as follows: the main street was a continuous portico, on one side of which houses adjoined, and on the other gardens stretched up to the very foot of the mountain. They were decorated with gazebos and fountains.

The Greeks had extensive knowledge of the plant world. So, Hippocrates (460-377 BC) lists in his writings about 250 names of plants, Aristotle (384-322 BC) gives a description of about 500 plants. Greek mythology contains many legends about flowers, especially about the rose, the favorite flower of antiquity. In the works of Aristotle, for the first time, instruction is given on the cultivation of roses.

The landscape gardening art of Ancient Greece is characterized by the following types of landscaped areas. Sacred groves - heroons. They were dedicated to heroes and had a memorial character. These are forested areas with springs, sculptures and architectural structures. Later, commemorative sports competitions began to be held in the heroons, and later, equipped with paths, playgrounds, hippodromes, they turned into sports parks. Roads and grounds were planted with rows of plane trees, poplars, etc. Philosophical gardens were intended for scholarly conversations and classes. The green design of the agoras (city squares, streets) consisted of ordinary plantings along roads and near buildings. Privately owned gardens were purely utilitarian in nature. They made extensive use of flowering plants. In general, the green areas of Greece had a certain function, the placement of plantations in them was subordinate to this function, and the idea of ​​its beauty was formed from the usefulness and quality of the device itself.

In ancient Greece, a system of proportions was developed - the principles of the golden section and the module as the ratio of parts and the whole, as well as the principles of balance, rhythm and symmetry. These provisions are reflected not only in the structures themselves, but also in their placement - the planning decision of the ensembles. A classic example is the ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis, located on a rocky hill and representing a complex of temples. Various sizes of temples and other architectural forms, their free placement determined the picturesque beginning in the spatial composition. In such an arrangement lies a certain sequence of perception of architectural volumes, their angle and plasticity, oriented towards the line of movement of the solemn procession. The ensemble is dominated by points of perception from the corner, and the entire Acropolis is perceived gradually, as the paintings are revealed, each of which includes only one dominant structure. The whole ensemble is consistent with the landscape by subordinating the axes of the temples to the relief or the coast. The use of all these principles has not lost its importance in modern landscape art.

New in the gardens of Greece in comparison with Egypt is their terrace-like, ledge solution, freer composition, decorativeness, heaps of green masses, an abundance of decorations, twisted stairs. On the terraces there are plantations of large trees, flowers and fountains powered by complex hydraulic machines.

Acropolis in Athens Plan of the Acropolis in Athens

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Control work on the discipline "Psychology of management"

Department of "Management and Marketing" Specialty: Management of the organization Correspondence Faculty of Management and Business Informatics

The National Garden of Athens is a state park spread over 15.5 hectares in the city center. It is located directly behind the Greek Parliament (Old Palace) and stretches from it south to the area where the Zappeion is located, and across the street from it is the Olympic Stadium, built in 1896 for the Olympic Games. There are some ancient ruins on the territory of the garden. On the southeast side are the busts of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first ruler of Greece, and the banker John Einard. On the south side are busts of the famous Greek poets Dionysios Solomos, author of the Greek national anthem, and Aristotle Valaoritis.

The garden was commissioned by Queen Amalia in 1838 and completed by 1840. The project was developed by the German agronomist Frederik Schmidt, who brought here more than 500 species of plants and various animals, including peacocks, ducks and turtles. Unfortunately, the dry Mediterranean climate turned out to be too harsh for many plants, and they did not survive, the animals took root perfectly and even multiplied. The upper garden behind the Old Palace was enclosed and was part of the private property of the royal couple.

In 1878, the neo-classical Zappeion was designed by the Danish architect Theophil Baron von Hansen. Zappeion is named after Evangelis Zappas, a Greek millionaire and philanthropist who took part in the organization and holding of the first Olympia, the predecessor of the modern Olympic Games. Since the 1920s, the square in front of the Zappeion has been an important transport hub for trams and buses. Today it is used for public exhibitions.

On September 30, 1920, while walking in this garden, King Alexander was bitten by a monkey and died of sepsis three weeks later. His death had a dramatic impact on the domestic and foreign policy of Greece, which led to the Asia Minor catastrophe, the so-called "Greek-Turkish population exchange." Then the Greeks were subject to genocide in Muslim territory, many fled.

Today the garden is called "National", as the monarchy in Greece has been abolished. The main entrance to the park is on Leoforos Amalias, a street named after Queen Amalia. There are also gates at Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, at Herodou Attikou, and at the junction of the National Garden with the Zappeion Park Area. The National Garden has a duck pond, a small zoo, a botanical museum, a small cafe, a children's library and a playground.

The Athens National Garden is a green oasis in the heart of the city. No one is in a hurry here and this is the best place to relax in silence. I did not have as much time as this turtle to have a good time in the same way as she did, but I managed to take a break from the bustle of the city.

Hundreds of different plants are planted in the park and dozens of animal species live.

The arrangement of the garden lasted several years in the middle of the 19th century under the guidance of the German gardener Schmidt. More than 500 species of plants, birds and animals were brought here. Some plants did not survive the Athenian climate, but those that remain are doing great. About 140 species of plants over 100 years old have been preserved in the park.

At the entrance to the park, visitors are greeted by a sundial set in the middle of a large flower bed.

I don't know what these palm trees are called, but the park's palm alley is impressive!

In the middle of the park there is a fairly large flock of Indian bell parrots. The flock has several dozen of these green birds.

Birds fly freely in the park. Their nest is impressive, suspended from a branch of an old pine tree.

The nest is very large.

The park has an aviary with a dozen species of animals.

Parrots and pigeons are constantly competing.

Several types of parrots live in a spacious cage. They, of course, envy those greens that fly freely from tree to tree.

Fountain.

In the center of another small lake, dozens of turtles rest on the rocks.

Where without toads and frogs.

Old tree.

It is pleasant to walk in the shade of this pergola on a hot summer day. Or on a warm winter day in mid-February, as in my case.

Busts of the great Greeks are installed in different parts of the garden and near its fence.

There are also ancient ruins in the park. For example, close to the park, partially entering its territory from the side of Amalia Street, under a large canopy are the ruins of a bathhouse of the 3rd - 4th centuries AD.

The National Garden smoothly passes into the park of the Zappeion Palace. It is named after Evangelis Zappas, a Greek millionaire and philanthropist. Zappeion was opened in 1888 and was intended for sports competitions at the Olympic Games. Nowadays, the building hosts exhibitions, conferences, meetings and symposiums. The palace is surrounded by a garden in an English landscape style with a large fountain.

And I cross the road and get to the temple of Olympian Zeus. Next time I will tell you how to watch it completely free.

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