Seven Wonders of the World - The Statue of Zeus
When Was the Statue of Zeus Built?
The Statue of Zeus was built by the Greeks around 457 BC.
Where Was the Staue of Zeus Located?
The Statue of Zeus was built in the ancient town of Olympia, on the west coast of modern Greece.
What is the History of the Staue of Zeus?
The first Olympic Games were around 776 BC and a spectacular temple was built to honor the god Zeus. As Greece grew, the temple seemed too simple. Something stunning was needed so a magnificent statue of the king of gods was built inside the temple. In 391 AD, the Olympic games were banned and the temple of Zeus was closed. Earthquakes, landslides, floods and fire damaged the temple. Wealthy Greeks transported the statue of Zeus to a palace in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) but it was eventually destroyed by fire in 462 AD.
What Did the Statue of Zeus Look Like?
Zeus sat on a throne with an olive wreath on his head, a scepter (with an eagle sitting on it) in his left hand and his messenger Nike in his right hand. The statue was made of wood but covered with ivory and sheets of gold. The face was made of ivory but the hair, beard, sandals, robe and scepter were made of gold. The legs of the throne were decorated with sphinxes and winged figures of victory. The height of the statue was impressive. It was 13 meters (40 feet), which is about as high as a four-story building. No wonder most people only described the throne - they couldn't see higher than that!
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