One of the 7 wonders of the world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Where were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

The term " Hanging Gardens Semiramis" is familiar to any schoolchild, mainly as the second most important structure of the Seven Wonders of the World. According to legends and mentions of ancient historians, they were built for his wife by the ruler of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II, in the 6th century BC. Nowadays, the gardens and the palace have been completely destroyed by both man and the elements. Due to the lack of direct evidence of existence, there is always no official version about their location and date of construction.

Description and hypothetical history of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

A detailed description is found in the ancient Greek historians Diodorus and Stabo, clear details were presented by the Babylonian historian Berossus (3rd century BC). According to them, in 614 BC. e. Nebuchadnezzar II makes peace with the Medes and marries their princess Amytis. Growing up in the mountains full of greenery, she perceived the dusty and stone Babylon with horror. To prove his love and console her, the king orders the construction of a grandiose palace with terraces for trees and flowers to begin. Simultaneously with the start of construction, traders and warriors from campaigns began delivering seedlings and seeds to the capital.

The four-tiered structure was located at an altitude of 40 m, so it was visible far beyond the city walls. The area indicated by the historian Diodorus is amazing: according to his data, the length of one side was about 1300 m, the second - slightly less. The height of each terrace was 27.5 m, the walls were supported by stone columns. The architecture was unremarkable, the main interest being the green spaces on each level. To care for them, water was supplied upstairs by slaves, flowing down in the form of waterfalls to the lower terraces. The irrigation process was continuous, otherwise the gardens would not have survived in that climate.

It is still unclear why they were named after Queen Semiramis, and not Amytis. Semiramis, the legendary ruler of Assyria, lived two centuries earlier, her image was practically deified. Perhaps this was reflected in the works of historians. Despite many contradictions, the existence of gardens is beyond doubt. Mention of this place is found among contemporaries of Alexander the Great. It is believed that he died in this place, which captured his imagination and reminded him of his native country. After his death, the gardens and the city itself fell into decay.

Where are the gardens now?

In our time, there are no significant traces left of this unique building. The ruins indicated by R. Koldewey (researcher of ancient Babylon) differ from other ruins only in the stone slabs in the basement and are of interest only to archaeologists. To visit this place you need to go to Iraq. Travel agencies organize excursions to ancient ruins located 90 km from Baghdad near the modern city of Hill. Photos from today show only clay hills covered with brown debris.

An alternative version is offered by Oxford researcher S. Dalli. She claims that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built in Nineveh (modern Mosul in northern Iraq) and shifts the date of construction two centuries earlier. Currently, the version is based only on deciphering cuneiform tables. To find out in which country the gardens were located - the Babylonian kingdom or Assyria, additional excavations and studies of the mounds of Mosul are required.

Interesting facts about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• According to the descriptions of ancient historians, stone that was not found in the vicinity of Babylon was used to build the bases of the terraces and columns. It and fertile land for trees were brought from afar.
• It is not known for certain who created the gardens. Historians mention the joint work of hundreds of scientists and architects. In any case, the irrigation system surpassed all technologies known at that time.
• Plants were brought from all over the world, but were planted taking into account their growth in natural conditions: on the lower terraces - ground, on the upper terraces - mountain. Plants from her homeland were planted on the queen’s favorite upper platform.
• The location and time of creation are constantly disputed, in particular, archaeologists have found pictures on the walls with images of gardens dating back to the 8th century BC. e. To this day, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are one of the unsolved mysteries of Babylon.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are the second most important Wonder of the World. Unfortunately, this amazing architectural structure has not survived to this day, but the memory of it is still preserved.

The attraction is located not far from Baghdad, and today its stone ruins can only impress an ordinary tourist with its scale. However, history shows that the structure was one of the most beautiful creations of mankind.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Amazing gift for wife

The gardens were discovered by Robert Koldewey, who carried out excavations near Al Hill in 1989. During archaeological research, an extensive network of trenches was discovered, and in their sections the scientist immediately recognized the legendary architectural monument.

Evidence suggests that the Hanging Gardens were built at the behest of Nebuchadnezzar II, whose reign dates back to the 6th century BC. The best engineers, mathematicians and inventors of Mesopotamia worked day and night to satisfy the king's request to create a gift for his wife Amytis.

The latter was of Median origin, and those lands, as you know, were filled with the aromas of flowering gardens and green hills. The queen had a hard time in stuffy Babylon; she became homesick for her native land. That is why the ruler decided to lay out an unusual park that would at least slightly remind his wife of her home.

Controversy surrounding the Babylonian Miracle

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were described by many ancient historians. But there are still some doubts about the reality of this piece of engineering art. For example, Herodotus, who traveled through Mesopotamia somewhere in the 5th century BC, did not say a word about this structure. Although, apparently, it was the most majestic and beautiful in Babylon.

Even the chronicles of the city itself do not mention the Gardens. However, Berossus, a Chaldean priest who studied chronicles at the end of the 4th century BC. very clearly and clearly outlined the building in his works. There is even an opinion that all historians, including modern scientists, relied precisely on his descriptions, and they are too much embellished with the author’s conjectures and judgments.

Some even believe that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were confused with similar parks that were created in Nineveh, located on east coast Tiber. But the basis of the irrigation system of this monument was the design of Archimedean screws, which was invented in the 2nd century BC, while the construction of the Gardens dates back to the 6th century.

However, perhaps the Babylonians already had an idea about the special thread of such a screw, although they called the device differently. And be that as it may, the mystery of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still excites the minds of scientists, archaeologists and historians.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built around the 5th century BC by the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II. Nowadays, there is probably not a single person who has not heard of them, although the gardens themselves have not existed for a long time. This structure is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, a list of which was compiled back in the days Ancient Greece. What made the Greeks classify them as miracles? And where did these gardens go? These are questions to which it is interesting to look for answers.

Mysteries of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Firstly, it is immediately noticeable that the name “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” is not always accepted by researchers as the only correct one. Some believe that Semiramis was not the wife of the king who brought her from distant Media, but a local Assyrian queen. Others say that Nebuchadnezzar built them in honor of a completely different woman, while his wife was named Nina. In the West, the name “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” took root after the name of the city where they were located for such a long time.

Secondly, it is unclear how long these gardens lasted. If Nebuchadnezzar died in 561 BC, and Alexander the Great visited them shortly before his death in 309 BC, then it turns out that the “miracle” lasted more than 250 years. This is all the more surprising since the gardens are actually complex technical structures that required daily maintenance. Historians write that hundreds of slaves lifted tens of thousands of water containers here every day with the help of special devices.

Why the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World

In general, this building could easily be considered a miracle even today if it had survived until this time. Imagine that only the height of the lower columns was 25 meters, and this is the height of a nine-story building! The rest of the building rested on these columns - a huge four-tier pyramid, with a real evergreen garden planted on its slopes. Indeed, the impression of such a scale could take the breath away of anyone who saw this miracle. To top it all off, imagine a dull sandy and rocky area where there is not a single spot of greenery, and in the middle of it is a towering man-made oasis, shining with the beauty and splendor of nature.

In fact, the Gardens of Babylon are, in fact, a palace. With columns, terraces, rooms, stairs. There were more than 170 rooms in it alone! And although the building itself was not so large in area, the entire territory with a wall and a moat with water occupied a significant space. A real garden was planted on each tier. Almost all deciduous trees, most shrubs and flowers grew here.

What happened to Nebuchadnezzar's building?

After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, the gardens gradually fell into disrepair. The Babylonian kingdom itself was being destroyed, which means there was no longer the material and financial support that was needed to keep this structure in order. First, the gardens dried up, and gradually the entire palace fell into disrepair. Major flood in the 1st century BC The walls were washed away and they collapsed along with the rest of the building. Time and water completed the destruction, and now all that remains of the miracle is a small pile of stones and the remains of a foundation not far from modern city Hilla in Iraq.

The Hanging Gardens in Babylon are an example of how aesthetically any area can be organized using the natural beauty of plants. There are only a small number of hanging gardens of any significance in the world today, although on a small scale such a work of art can be organized even in your own estate. Instead, it is increasingly important landscape design, which is guided by the same principles of the unity of nature and human mastery. Experienced specialists are able to create a “miracle of the world”, but as if in a horizontal plane, transforming a personal plot into an oasis with beautiful small architectural forms.

In the list of seven wonders of the world, the second wonder is considered Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This truly legendary structure was created in 605 BC. However, already in 562 BC. this architectural masterpiece was destroyed by floods.

Despite the well-established connection between the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the name of the Assyrian queen, Semiramis, who lived around 800 BC, scientists consider this a misconception. In fact, the official version of the origin of this wonder of the world is as follows.

Nebuchadnezzar II fought against Assyria. In order to strengthen the army, an alliance was concluded with the Median king. After the destruction of the enemy, Nebuchadnezzar II decided to marry the daughter of the Median sovereign. But the dusty city of Babylon, standing essentially in the desert, could not be compared with the green and blooming Media.

It was for this reason that the ambitious ruler decided to build the Babylonian Hanging Gardens. By the way, the queen’s name was Amytis, so it would be more correct to call the second of the seven wonders of the world by this name. But the unforgettable Semiramis, who was also an extraordinary person, was entrenched in history, although she lived two centuries earlier.

Interesting facts about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Surprisingly, the unique building included in the building was not new at that time. Just Nebuchadnezzar II, under whom many were built architectural masterpieces, managed to supply water to his hanging gardens in an unusual way.

An interesting fact is that the described structure consisted of four levels. Each of them had many cool rooms where the royal family walked during the heat of the day. The building's vaults were supported by 25-meter columns at each level. The fortified terraces were covered with earth, the thickness of which was sufficient for trees to grow there.

To prevent liquid from leaking to the lower floors, the platforms of each tier, consisting of huge slabs, were covered with leaves and covered with asphalt. Water was supplied upward using a specially designed mechanism pumping it from the Euphrates River.

To do this, the slaves turned a huge wheel, irrigating the Hanging Gardens of Babylon with a sufficient amount of moisture. The hundred-meter walls of Babylon and the crowns of trees towering above them instilled in everyone who saw this wonder of the world the thought of the power and strength of the kingdom. And proud Amytis, to whom this grandiose building was actually dedicated, enjoyed the greenery of flowering plants stretching for many kilometers around.

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The coat of arms of Dacians “Attacking Falcon” is now the Coat of Arms of Ukraine Dacians The great Roman Trajan is reputed to be the conqueror of the proud Dacians But the chronicle of Trajan is only a deception He got a slave *, and the glorious Dacian Went to the northeast to the Varangians And beyond the Prut** either the Romans or the Turks Behind the rabble, blackness rose like a wave from the Dacians in that land (the “chocks” achieved it) Neither the appearance nor the spirit remained. And the glorious Dac, sweeping away the nomads, settled into new wild lands, cultivating them and protecting them, building fortresses on the rivers of Moldova, the glorious Dac began And in the east, Kyiv was founded - a city Beyond the Volga, beyond the Urals, then the Messiah left And gave faith to all the nomadic Varangians Moldova, Ukraine, all of Russia Great descendants of the glorious Dacians *slave - a person who dreams not of freedom, but of his own slaves. **Prut is a river that Trajan was able to reach and practically along which the “Trajan rampart” is designated. ***“chocks” are people who make incomprehensible sounds, whom the Slavs (especially the southwestern ones) usually shunned (in Rus' they were also called “Germans”). For reference: DACI (lat. Daci) is a group of Thracian tribes, descendants of the Aryans, who occupied the territory north of the Danube to the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains and east to the Dnieper (according to some sources, to the Crimea). Known to the Greeks already in the 5th century. BC e., and from the 1st century. BC e. The Romans came into direct contact with the Dacians. Dacian society was highly developed, although, apparently, not all tribes had the same level of development. The Dacians were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding; They developed mining and metal processing, ceramic production using a potter's wheel. Already in the 5th and 4th centuries. BC e. The Dacians traded with Greek cities, and from 1st century. BC e. - with Roman merchants; minted silver coins. Back in the middle of the 1st century. BC e. The Dacians, under the leadership of their king and leader Burebista, extended their power to the tribes of the Danube right bank and some of the Greek Western Pontic cities. Dacia reached its greatest prosperity under Decebalus, who united part of the Sarmatian tribes under his rule. Darius (the Persian king), Philip (the father of Alexander the Great) and the Macedonian himself tried unsuccessfully to conquer the Dacians (the Greeks called them Getae). The Dacians beat the enemy on their territory. Similar methods of fighting the invaders were then used by Stefan cel Mare (the Great), Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, and Kutuzov. During the 1st century. BC e. - 1st century n. e. the Romans also undertook a series of campaigns against the Dacians (under Augustus, Nero). Under Domitian, the war with the Dacians ended unsuccessfully for the Romans. Under the terms of peace (in 89), the Romans were obliged to pay the Dacians annual subsidies and provide them with Roman artisans and masters of “peaceful and military specialties.” The next and final stage of the struggle of the Romans with the Dacians occurs during the time of Trajan, when, as a result of the wars in 101-102 and 105-106, part of Dacia ( west of the river Prut), separated by the Trajan rampart, lost its independence and was turned into a Roman province. And this happened only because then for the first time the Dacians themselves unleashed a war of conquest and the moral advantage was on the side of the Romans. Those Dacians who remained in the occupied territory west of the Prut (Trajan Wall) were turned into slaves by the Romans. And the free or, as they called themselves, the glorious Dacians strengthened their positions east of the Prut and called this fortified area Molt-dava (Moldova, for molta - many and dava - fortress). The territory of the glorious Dacians then extended from the Prut to the Dnieper and even to the Crimea. Trajan's contemporaries described the Dacians as follows: "... people of above average height, blond hair, blue eyes, wide nose. They are engaged in cattle breeding, agriculture and crafts. They live in log huts...". And these people have not disappeared anywhere. On the contrary, moving to the East, the glorious Dacians (later the Slavs) founded the fortress of Kyiv on the right bank of the Dnieper to protect against raids of barbarians from the East. And then the territory of the glorious Dacians or Slavs was called Kievan Rus, and the Coat of Arms of the Dacians (attacking falcon) is still state coat of arms Ukraine (renamed to trident). In the 5th century The eastern part of the Roman Empire collapsed and the free Dacians again moved to the right bank of the Prut, pushing the Roman slaves, along with their (then already few) masters, to the West. In these territories, the Principality of Moldova (descendants of the glorious Dacians) and Wallachia (descendants of former slaves) were subsequently formed. In the middle of the second millennium, hordes of Ottomans constantly rolled into Moldova, but Stefan cel Mare skillfully held them back, destroying the Turks on his territory. As a rule, the Wallachians went to Moldova together with the Turks for booty. For this betrayal, Stefan burned Bucharest twice. Conquering Wallachia, Stefan did not annex it to Moldova, but appointed his cousin Vlad the Impaler (Dracula), then Vlad the Monk (son of the Impaler), to rule the Wallachians. Further events are described in some detail in the official chronicle.