Colossus of Rhodes

Κολοσσός της Ρόδου

archaeological site in Rhodes (city)

#2 in Rhodes (city) / #29 in Greece

by Jorge Láscar from Australia

/ CC BY 2.0

The Colossus of Rhodes was a massive statue that stood in the city of Rhodes, Greece. Constructed around 280 BC, it was built to celebrate Rhodes' victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, whose son unsuccessfully besieged Rhodes in 305 BC. The statue was of the sun god Helios and stood approximately 33 meters (108 feet) high, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world. It was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Unfortunately, the Colossus only stood for about 56 years before it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.

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