
The Colossus of Rhodes, Greece

The Colossus of Rhodes is a bronze statue of the god of the sun Helios, elevated in the port of Rhodes, on the island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea in 292 BC. The Colossus of Rhodes was the tallest statue in the ancient world, built in honor and glory of Helios - god of the sun and light. The construction of the colossus lasted 12 years - from 304 to 292 BC. Rising to a height of about 34 meters, this statue is recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world. The Colossus of Rhodes is an architectural creation of Hares of Lindos, who has previously participated in the elevation of large statues. He was a student of Lysippus, who wrote in his autobiography the creation of the 22-meter bronze statue of Zeus in Tarentum.
The colossus of Rhodes gave rise to a kind of fashion for giant statues and Rhodes in the II century BC there were already about 100 colossal sculptures. According to experts, the Colossus of Rhodes was as large as the Statue of Liberty in New York. It is considered its designer - the French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi was inspired by the symbol of the United States by the Colossus of Rhodes. It is believed that the Statue of Liberty surpasses the legendary figure of Helios by only 11 meters.
The construction of the Colossus of Rhodes became possible thanks to the ingenuity of the people of Rhodes. Residents decide to raise money for the monument in honor Helios, by selling broken siege cannons at a very good price, so that a truly solemn triumphal statue can be erected in honor of their beloved god and patron Helios, as in this way they thank him for his intercession. Helios was not just a revered deity, but according to legend, the creator of the island. Thus, with the cannons earned from the sale of 300 talents, a giant statue of the Rhodes patron, the god Helios, was built.
Hares gave 12 years of his life to create the 36-meter spectacular bronze giant, for the construction of which he needed 500 talents of bronze and 300 talents of iron (equal to 13 and 8 tons, respectively). Thus in front of the eyes of the citizens of Rhodes rose the Colossus of Rhodes - a tall and slender young man - a god with a radiant crown on his head. The statue rose on a marble pedestal, leaning back slightly and staring down intently. The Colossus of Rhodes was built at the entrance of the port and could be seen from the nearby islands. The colossus of Rhodes was basically made of clay on a metal scaffolding, and the top of the statue was covered with bronze sheets.
The colossus of Rhodes "lived" for 56 years and was destroyed by an earthquake. Strabo writes, "The statue lay on the ground, knocked down by the earthquake and broken in the knees." The wreckage of the Colossus of Rhodes remained on earth for over 800 years, but even so they were so impressive that many travelers came to see them. And "on his knees" the Colossus of Rhodes amazed with its size. Ptolemy III wanted to pay for a reconstruction of the statue, but the Delphic oracle made the Rhodes fear that they would offend Helios, and they refused. The ruined colossus was not touched for almost 900 years, until in 654 BC the Arabs take Rhodes. Legend has it that the Syrian prince ordered the remains of the Colossus of Rhodes to be transported to Syria by 900 camels.