If you were an ancient traveler with wanderlust, you could theoretically see all of the ancient wonders of the world if you were in relatively decent physical shape and had access to a boat. Journeying between them would take over two months, maybe more, and take you across long stretches of land and water. Today, most of the wonders of the ancient world are gone, with only the Great Pyramid of Giza still standing. Back in antiquity, your journey would start at the Lighthouse of Alexandria and end at the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and encompass all seven wonders.
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the most impressive structures of its time, although we’d consider it small by today’s standards. It was 360 feet tall, and the location was strategically chosen based on the tides.
Also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, it withstood several earthquakes before finally being partially reclaimed by the sea in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria. After marveling at the Lighthouse of Alexandria, ancient travelers would walk roughly 46 hours, or 128 miles, to the next stop: the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Great Pyramid of Giza
Welcome to the only one of the ancient wonders that travelers can still see today, the Great Pyramid of Giza. This landmark took over two decades and thousands of laborers to build and is one of the best-known wonders on the planet. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the final resting place of Khufu and part of a larger complex that encompasses the Necropolis and the city of Memphis.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is taller than the Lighthouse of Alexandria, at 481 feet tall, and comprises 2.3 million individual blocks. An ancient traveler would be able to explore all three chambers, plus the surrounding complex, before heading to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon is 409 hours, or 1,133 miles, from the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
For the ancient traveler, the long journey to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon would certainly be worth it. Constructed by King Nebuchadnezzar, they’re considered one of the greatest examples of engineering in the ancient world. Constructed of mud bricks, terraces, water features, and flowing trees, the legendary Hanging Gardens have been lost to time, but some archeologists speculate that they were originally near Nineveh.
From the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, it’s another long trek to the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, spanning 451 hours or 1,238 miles.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Welcome to the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, which celebrated and honored the Amazons, fierce warrior women of lore, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Also known as the Temple of Diana, this stood until 401 C.E., and while you can visit the site and see some of its original foundations, only an ancient traveler could experience its true grandeur. It took ten years to complete and is considered to be one of the most incredible structures honoring Artemis of the ancient world.
Next, ancient travelers would have a relatively short journey to the Colossus of Rhodes. At 52 hours or 167 miles, it’s a shorter leg but involves a boat trip from Marmaris to Rhodes.
Colossus of Rhodes
Towering 108 feet high, the Colossus of Rhodes was certainly just that: a colossal statue of Helios, the Greek sun god. This massive marvel would be visible from virtually anywhere on the island of Rhodes and spoke to its importance as a paragon of the ancient seafaring world.
In 226 B.C.E., the statue collapsed as a result of an earthquake, and after consulting with the Oracle of Delphi, it remained in ruins. Since then, there have been discussions about reconstructing the statue, but none have ever come to fruition. From the Colossus of Rhodes, the ancient traveler would hop into a boat for the 83.6-mile, three-hour trip to the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
Mausosleum at Halicarnassus
Dating back to the Persian Empire, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is one of the great wonders of both the Persian and Grecian worlds and was built for Mausolus and Artemisia II of Caria. Standing at 148 tall and spanning 45 meters, the mausoleum wouldn’t be such an impressive structure today, but to the ancient traveler, it would have been a monolith.
One of the most interesting aspects of the mausoleum is its 400 sculptures and intricate interior architecture. Between the 12th and 15th centuries, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was subjected to multiple earthquakes and fell into ruin. The final leg of our ancient traveler’s journey would be to the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, 73 hours or 423 miles away.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The final destination for our weary ancient traveler is the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, which stood 41 feet tall and was covered in ivory and gold decorations. Built in honor of Zeus, the king of the gods, the statue originally sat on a cedarwood throne and lasted until about the 6th Century B.C.E.
All we know of this status is its depictions in art and descriptions in oral history. Still, we can speculate about its grandeur, and ancient travelers would certainly see this statue as a fitting endpoint to their long journey.
