Hanging Gardens of Babylon: where the ruins of an ancient creation are located. Interesting facts about the Babylonian Hanging Gardens of Babylon Hanging Gardens of Babylon where the country is located
90 km south of the capital of Iraq, Baghdad, are the ruins of ancient Babylon - a once majestic city, the capital of a world empire. It reached its greatest prosperity in the 7th century BC during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. According to the testimony of ancient authors, on the orders of the king, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built in the city, the secrets of which are still hotly debated by scientists today.
Dynastic marriage
Ruled all of Western Asia and the northern part of Egypt. The main opponent of Babylon in the struggle for dominance in the Ancient East was Assyria. To conquer it, Nebuchadnezzar enlisted the support of the Median king Cyaxares. In accordance with the terms of their military treaty, Princess Amytis of Media became the wife of the ruler of Babylon.
It was for her that one of the ancient wonders of the world was later created - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Even by modern standards, it was a huge project, requiring significant financial investments and attracting a huge number of workers. However, the question inevitably arises: “Why the Gardens of Babylon and not the Gardens of Amytis?”
Legendary Shamiram
In the 9th century BC, Assyria was ruled by a queen - an unprecedented case in the history of the Ancient East, and not only that. Her name was Shamiram (in Greek translation Semiramis). In ancient texts, she is credited with the founding of Babylon, and her image absorbed many of the features of the goddess Ishtar. Be that as it may, today only one thing is known for certain: Shamiram (Semiramis) really existed and for some time reigned alone in Assyria. Traditionally, although erroneously, one of the famous wonders of the world - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon - is associated with her name in history.
Works of ancient authors
The unique park, built in Babylon, already in ancient times earned many enthusiastic descriptions. Mentions of him are found in the works of Greek, Babylonian and Roman historians. The most complete description of the gardens was compiled by Herodotus in his work “History”. He visited Babylon in the 5th century BC, that is, approximately 200 years after the Hanging Gardens were built here by order of Nebuchadnezzar.
In addition to Herodotus, other ancient authors also visited the city: Strabo, Berossus, Diodorus, etc. Thanks to their works, today we can imagine what one of the seven wonders of the world looked like - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Revival of interest
Along with the fall of Babylon, all the achievements of Mesopotamian civilization disappeared without a trace. For a long time, historians even doubted the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, despite mentions of them in ancient manuscripts. However, their skepticism gave way to a new surge of interest after the excavations of Robert Koldewey, who discovered the Ishtar Gate and the Tower of Babel.
The German archaeological expedition headed by him, starting in 1899, made a number of sensational discoveries. Since that time, the hanging gardens have again become the subject of research by scientists around the world.
Koldewey's hypothesis and modern interpretation
Once upon a time, during excavations of the Southern Palace, a German archaeologist discovered 14 mysterious arched chambers. Koldewey insisted that they served as the foundation of the hanging gardens. Here, according to the archaeologist, there were devices that raised water upward. Today, many scientists believe that these were either warehouses or a prison.
Ancient Greek authors claimed that the gardens were located in close proximity to the Tower of Babel. Based on this, Koldewey decided that they needed to be looked for in the city center, not far from the temple and the royal residence. However, the Southern Palace was located too far from the Euphrates, and there was not enough space there for gardens.
For this reason, modern researchers believe that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were located near the city wall, much closer to the river. This is indirectly confirmed by Strabo, who wrote that with the help of a pump, water from the Euphrates was raised into the gardens all day long.
Assyrian trace
The exact location of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is still debated. For example, there is another theory according to which they were not in Babylon, but in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. In the 8th century BC it was a huge city, rivaling Babylon in size and splendor. Because of its inhabitants' love of gardening, some scholars believe that the second wonder of the world was located in Nineveh. Confirmation, in their opinion, is the surviving relief depicting gardens, which adherents of the “Assyrian” theory consider to be the gardens of Babylon. However, most scientists still adhere to the traditional version.
Royal gift
Having become the wife of Nebuchadnezzar, Amytis settled in Babylon, surrounded by endless sands. She quickly became homesick for the lush gardens, forests and streams of her homeland. Then the king decided to give a gift to his wife by arranging a real Median garden on the banks of the Euphrates. To fulfill his plan, Nebuchadnezzar hired the best engineers and builders of his time.
In the meantime, they were setting up a site for the future garden, an expedition set off to Ecbatana, the capital of the Median kingdom, located at an altitude of 1800 m, where the climate is cool and humid. The path was not close. Ecbatana (today northern Iran) was 500 km from Babylon.
About 200 species of trees were selected for the return journey through the desert, including pomegranates and palms, as well as rare flowers. Those accompanying the caravan had to constantly water the plants throughout the trip.
Construction works
According to Diodorus, the garden measured 123 x 123 m. It was built on a waterproof platform, which in turn rested on a foundation consisting of numerous platforms. There was a terrace on which to grow trees, and above it several others. To build the roofs of these galleries, a thick layer of reeds, bitumen, as well as clay bricks and cement were used.
Strabo, who visited Babylon in the first century BC, wrote a detailed description of how the water supply system for the gardens worked. The pumps rose to the very top tier, as well as diagonally on each terrace. They were probably powered by pack animals. The pipes carried huge volumes of water, which created artificial waterfalls and then flowed through a network of aqueducts, giving life to plants.
What the gardens looked like
Their description can be found in one of the works of the same Diodorus. He wrote that there was one entrance to the gardens, the terraces - the widest steps - were located in tiers, one above the other. In front of each of them was a gallery supported by stone columns.
But the interior decoration of the gardens was even more magnificent than the exterior. According to ancient descriptions, there were numerous rooms there, and in the very center there was a large area with a swimming pool. It was illuminated by the sun, the rays of which penetrated through the roof.
Grown in the dry and hot climate of Babylon, the trees and flowers amazed everyone with their splendor. For this reason, they were numbered among the miracles, which traditionally numbered seven in ancient times. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are second on this list, immediately following the Pyramid of Cheops.
There have been many reconstructions of Babylon in the past. Of course, all photos of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are a figment of the imagination of artists who were based on descriptions of ancient authors. With the development of computer graphics, Babylon was recently recreated in all its splendor, as you can see by watching the following video.
End of the Empire
The ancient Greeks compiled a list of the most impressive, in their opinion, architectural structures. It consisted of seven wonders, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were quite naturally included in it.
For all its power, Babylon, however, could not exist forever. In 539 the city was conquered by the Persians. Everything was burned to the ground, neither the Tower of Babel nor the Hanging Gardens escaped the common fate. ordered to raze Babylon to the ground. All his luxury perished in the flames of a destructive fire. Eventually, the ruins of the city were covered with sand, and they were lost for many centuries.
Currently, 90 km from the modern capital of Iraq - Bogdad, there are the ruins of the most ancient city of the East - Babylon. This city, as described in the Bible: “A great city... A strong city,” was in the 9-6 centuries BC the most beautiful and rich city of the Ancient East.
Rich temples, magnificent palaces, impregnable fortress walls with crenellated towers adorned it. But the most significant decoration was the Hanging Gardens. They, like a fabulous green hill, rose among the sun-scorched Mesopotamian desert plain.
The Greeks called them the second classical wonder of the ancient world. Information about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon from some ancient Greek scientists has been preserved to this day. The ancient Greek traveler Strabo (“the father of geography” - 64 BC - 19 AD), when describing this fantastic structure, referred to oral legends that existed 500 years ago.
The ancient Greek philosopher and writer Philo of Alexandria (25 BC - 50 AD), having studied the earliest information from ancient authors, and the surviving technical descriptions of hanging structures that existed in ancient times, for example, the “Hanging Boulevard” on O. Cnidus also described the Hanging Gardens in Babylon.
About Queen Semiramis
The ancient Greek “father of history” Herodotus (5th century AD) and the ancient Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (first century of the new era) attributed the construction of the “Hanging Gardens” in Babylon to the Assyrian queen Shammuramat (gr. Semiramis - Semiramis), who ruled in Babylon in 810-782 b.c. e.
There were many legends about her life, one of which was told to us by Diodorus Siculus. In ancient times, there was a city in Syria called Ascalon, near which there was a deep lake. On its bank stood the temple of the Goddess Derketo. This Goddess was similar in appearance to a fish, but had a human head.
Aphrodite (for some unknown reason) became angry with her and made her fall in love with a beautiful mortal youth. Derketo had a daughter. Angered by this unequal marriage, Derketo killed the young man and, leaving the girl, disappeared into the lake.
The girl grew up among a flock of pigeons: they warmed her with their wings and brought her milk in their beaks. By chance, shepherds saw this beautiful child and took him to Simmas, the caretaker of the royal flocks. This kind man named her Semiramis (the Syrians mean “dove”), raised her and raised her as his own daughter.
Years have passed. One day, Onnes, the first royal adviser, came to these parts on a business trip. Seeing this beautiful young girl, he fell in love, asked Simmas for her hand, married and took her to Nineveh. Onnis loved his wise, beautiful wife very much, and always consulted her in everything. And success followed him.
Soon the king of Nineveh began a war with Batria. Despite his large, well-armed army, he was unable to capture the capital of this country. Then Onnis asked his beautiful wife to visit the battlefield. Having become familiar with the situation, Semiramis and her volunteers suddenly attacked the heavily fortified part of the city. Here, in her opinion, was indeed the weakest defense.
The city capitulated. Admired by the beauty, wisdom and courage of Semiramis, the king generously presented her with gifts. And he began to persuade Onnis to voluntarily give him her as his wife. When Onnis refused, the king threatened him with death. Suffering from love for his wife and from the king’s threats, Onnis committed suicide.
Returning to Nineveh, the king married Semiramis. After the death of her husband, Semiramis inherited the throne, despite the fact that they had a son, Ninias. It was then that another talent of hers was revealed - government. By her order, Babylon was surrounded by impregnable fortress walls with towers. A bridge was built across the Euphrates River. A magnificent temple was erected in Belu. An underground tunnel was laid through which water was supplied from distant mountain lakes from the capital. A very convenient road was laid through the ridges of the Zagroz chain, connecting Babylon with Lydia.
In Lydia, the capital Ektaban was built with a magnificent royal palace. The court of Semiramis was beautiful and fabulously rich. But her son Ninnius was tired of the idle, inglorious life, and he organized a conspiracy against his mother. Semiramis voluntarily renounced power, passing it on to her son, turned into a dove and flew away to distant lands with a flock of doves.
Creation of Hanging Gardens
Interestingly, the Greek writer Athenaeus of Naucratis (2nd century AD) described a more realistic version of the life of Semiramis. He wrote that at first she was an ordinary, unremarkable court lady at the court of the Assyrian king. But her extraordinary beauty charmed the king, and he married her. Semiramis persuaded her husband to give her power for only five days...
On the very first day, she organized magnificent feasts, attracted the king’s close associates, military leaders, dignitaries, and noble people to her side. On the second day, she sent her husband to prison, seized the throne and retained her power until old age. During her reign, she accomplished many great deeds. Deodorus concludes that there are precisely such contradictory descriptions of the life of Semiramis by historians. But still, this was a real historical figure.
But it was not by order of Semiramis that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built. Archaeological research has proven that they were created several centuries after her reign, and were dedicated to another, not at all legendary, woman. However, until the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, some historians generally believed that the Hanging Gardens in Babylon were nothing more than a beautiful legend, a fantasy of ancient authors.
But in 1899-1914, the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey, who carried out excavations in Babylon for several years, found both the ruins of the Royal Palace and the remains of four-tiered Terraces. Thus, it was established that the Hanging Gardens were built in the 7th century BC, during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon (605-562 BC).
The history of the creation of these beautiful gardens is interesting. The king of Babylon (father of Nebuchadnezzar II) and the king of Media entered into a military alliance. And to strengthen it, Prince Nebuchadnezzar II and Princess Amyitis (daughter of the Median king) got married. The young princess admired the grandeur, wealth and beauty of Babylon.
But soon, she began to miss the green, shady forests of her homeland in a stuffy and dusty city, surrounded by impenetrable stone walls. Having come to power, Nebuchadnezzar the second ordered the construction of a green oasis for his beloved wife - the “Hanging Gardens”, which would remind her of her beloved homeland.
Construction of Hanging Gardens
Based on archaeological excavations, it has been established that the gardens were located on four-tiered artificial stepped terraces attached to the huge royal palace. Each terrace rose 27-30 m above the other. This allowed the plants to receive a lot of light for their good growth and development. The terraces were supported by high, powerful colonnades, which were located inside each floor.
The terraces were based on massive stone slabs. They were covered with a layer of reeds and filled with asphalt. Then, two layers of brick were laid on a gypsum mortar (according to some sources, the brick was fired, according to others - unburned clay mixed with straw). Next, for reliable waterproofing, a layer of sheet lead was laid. And then - such a layer of fertile soil that not only shrubs and flowers, but also large trees with a powerful root system could grow here.
The terraces were connected by a wide, gentle staircase, its steps made of polished slabs of pink and white stone. She walked along the wall of the royal palace to the very top. At the top, above the Hanging Gardens, there was a huge pool. In plan, the Gardens had square sides, approximately equal to 12 meters, their total area was about 15,000 m2.
From different countries of the world, trees and shrubs wrapped in wet matting were brought to Babylon on carts drawn by oxen. As well as seeds of various flowers and herbs. And beautiful flowers and trees of different species bloomed and fragrant in these fabulous gardens. Strange birds imported from overseas countries began to sing and chirp. Luxurious palm trees, plane trees and cypresses were planted between the columns, which rose high above the walls of the royal palace.
The aroma and coolness of these gardens was carried by the cool North-East wind. And all this seemed like a fabulous miracle to the inhabitants of Babylon. This huge royal palace, along with the Hanging Gardens, was surrounded by impenetrable walls - there was only one entrance gate.
It was like a fortress, inside an impregnable stronghold - Babylon. And only those invited by the king could get into this fairy-tale world. When a warm night came in Babylon, the king and his guests walked along the alleys of the garden. Hundreds of torches illuminated the paths of the gardens and enchanting music sounded.
Garden Irrigation System
There are three hypotheses about how water was collected and supplied to water these gardens. First, water was supplied from the Euphrates River. Continuously, day and night, hundreds of slaves turned the water-lifting wheel with leather buckets, filling the huge upper pool.
Secondly, from deep wells, as Philo of Alexandria assumed, with the help of a pressure force created by a special device, through channels and spiral pipes, water was supplied to the upper pool. These channels and pipes were located in the supports and posts that supported the terraces. By the way, such deep wells were found by archaeologists at the beginning of the 20th century.
Third, perhaps water could be collected at each level of terraces made of crushed stone (stone) heaps capable of condensing water from the air (their description is given in the article “”). After watering the plants, the excess water that remained in the upper pool flowed onto the stones in small streams, sparkling in the sun's rays, forming fabulous cascades and waterfalls.
Conclusion
The Hanging Gardens are a complex, grandiose structure that was maintained by thousands of slaves. They planted and cared for flowers, trees, and trimmed bushes. Monitored the operation of the irrigation system. Torchbearers were responsible for lighting the gardens. For the king's guests, invisible musicians performed enchanting melodies.
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that back in the 5th century B.C. e. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were in good condition. Later, in 331 BC. e. They were admired by Alexander the Great, who, having defeated the troops of the last Persian king, Darius the Third, decided to declare Babylon the capital of his “World Empire”.
But his dream was not destined to come true. According to legend, in June 323 BC. e., escaping from the scorching rays of the sun in chambers located in the lower tier of these gardens, he spent the last days of his life. And in a golden sarcophagus his ashes were sent to the city he founded - Alexandria. Time... The inexorably fast flowing time gradually destroyed the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
After 2000 years, like the city of Babylon, they were finally destroyed by the floods of the Euphrates, during which the water of this river rose over 4 meters. Centuries have passed... but even today the ruins of this ancient city speak of its former greatness. Arseny Tarkovsky dedicated the following lines to him:
"It's impossible to go back there,
and it’s impossible to tell.
How filled with bliss
this garden of Eden."
For a long time, historians and archaeologists were skeptical of enthusiastic descriptions of this complex. This attitude was explained by the absence of their mention in the deciphered cuneiform writings of the Sumerians. The detailed description of Babylonia left by Herodotus, who was there during this period, also does not say anything about the hanging park.
But Josephus mentions them, referring to the “Babylonian History” written by the priest Berossus. In addition, the testimonies of ancient historians about the place of death of Alexander the Great say that he died under the arches of his favorite park, which reminded him of his native Macedonia.
The archaeological discovery of the German scientist R. Koldewey tipped the scales in favor of the version about the reality of man-made landscapes. Koldewey's expedition, which spent 18 years (1899–1917) conducting excavations in Hilla (90 km from Baghdad), proved that Babylonian miracles actually existed. The discovered remains of masonry pillars and a shaft well next to the brickwork of the ruins of the palace, according to the archaeologist, served as confirmation of the words of the ancient authors. The Babylonians used baked bricks in their buildings. The stone was very expensive. Stone was used only during the construction of gardens and part of the defensive wall.
The fate of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Babylon existed for about 26 centuries. It reached its greatest prosperity under King Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BC. There was no city equal to it in size, beauty, power and degree of depravity. Expressions about the Tower of Babel, pandemonium, harlot, etc. have come down from the depths of centuries and have been preserved.
The kings of Babylonia waged constant wars with neighboring states. One of them, Assyria, annoyed the Babylonians the most, twice razing their capital to the ground. Joining forces with the king of Media, Cyaxares, they completely defeated the Assyrians.
To strengthen the alliance, Nebuchadnezzar II married the daughter of the king of the Medes.
Growing up in the cool, forested mountains of the Zagros Mountains (northern part of modern Iran), the queen suffered from heat, dry winds and sandstorms. The vain ruler ordered a corner to be built for his chosen one, similar to her beloved Media.
The river divided the city into two districts: western and eastern. Three rows of powerful walls with fortifications surrounded its perimeter. On one bank stood a tower, on the other - the ruler’s palace, unsurpassed in luxury, with 172 rooms and an area of 52,000 m2.
A four-tiered pyramid 40 m high was erected next to the palace. Massive supports held the slabs stacked on them.
Waterproofing, soil layer, good lighting and watering made this building an evergreen oasis.
The lower vault of the hanging gardens was the largest. It looked like a quadrangle with a maximum length of 42 m and a minimum of 34 m. Subsequent rows of slabs were stacked in terraces so as not to block the sun's rays, tapering towards the top.
The layer of soil made it possible to plant not only shrubs, herbs and flowers, but also trees.
By order of the ruler, seedlings and seeds were brought from all over the world. Strange plants have taken root on the man-made mountain, amazing with their beauty and aroma.
For irrigation, a special irrigation system was built, through which water came from the Euphrates. Channels were punched into the supporting pillars, through which hundreds of slaves pumped water to the top of the structure. From there, water flowed down in streams, cooling the scorching breath of the Arabian desert and filling the area with moisture.
Several rows of reeds, resin, stone, basalt, gypsum and lead slabs prevented water from seeping into the lower tier.
Bright white and coral stone stairs led to the top, and from there there was a view of a huge city, dusty and loud. And here, in the cool shade of the trees, silence reigned, broken only by the quiet whisper of water and the singing of birds.
For 200 years, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon delighted the eyes and aroused the admiration of their contemporaries.
But “nothing lasts forever under the sun.” The kingdom fell into decay. The new rulers did not have the desire or means to maintain an artificial park. Earthquakes and floods gradually destroyed it. After 6 centuries, Babylon also disappeared. The biblical prediction that it would be destroyed and never be inhabited again came true.
The Legend of Semiramis
The gardens were named after Semiramis. But the name of Nebuchadnezzar’s wife Amytis has been preserved in history. Who was Semiramis? Why is the wonder of the world created by the masters of Mesopotamia associated with her name?
History knows the names of several Semiramis, and all of them lived several centuries before the gardens. Poetic speculation intervened in the chronography. By combining real events and myths, he created the myth of Semiramis, the ruler of Babylon.
The Greek writer Diodorus came up with the legend of Semiramis, taking as a basis a completely historical person: Shammuramat, the Assyrian ruler.
The daughter of the goddess Derketo and a mortal youth was abandoned by her mother to the mercy of fate.
A flock of pigeons saved the baby by feeding and warming him. The shepherds, surprised by their strange behavior, followed their flight and discovered the child.
She was taken in by the caretaker of the royal herds. He even named the girl Semiramis, which means dove in Syriac.
The extraordinary attractiveness of the shepherd's adopted daughter captivated Onnes, Nin's first adviser. She married him and became his main adviser. The husband obeyed his adored wife in everything.
During the Bactrian War, Onnes commanded an army, but was unsuccessful. Ning was angry with him. Having a numerical advantage over the defenders of the capital of Bactria, his soldiers could not defeat them. The adviser turned to his wife for help.
The devoted wife rushed to her husband, assessed the situation and proposed an unconventional solution: to attack not in the weakest area, but in the most fortified one, judging that there were the fewest Bactrians there. She herself led a detachment of volunteers. The calculation turned out to be correct. The Assyrians completely defeated their enemies.
The king fell in love with the brave beauty and invited Onnes to give her up, or else he would order him to be deprived of his sight. Not having the strength to abandon his wife, Onnes hanged himself.
Ninus took Semiramis as his wife. She later bore him a son named Ninyas.
With the death of the king, the ambitious woman became the ruler of Assyria. She was no longer interested in marriage. She wanted power and might.
On the banks of the Euphrates, the queen built the city of Babylon, decorating it with temples, statues of gods and an artificial hill planted with unprecedented plants.
From then on, the dove became the sacred bird of the Assyrians.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the ingenious construction of Sumerian craftsmen, engineers and mathematicians disappeared forever, leaving descendants only an echo in which truth and fiction fused under the thousand-year pressure of time. They command admiration and respect 25 centuries after their disappearance. Who knows, maybe history will someday open the veil of secrecy, and humanity will learn more about the second wonder of the world of Antiquity.
The Hanging Gardens were located in Babylon. Their creation in ancient times was associated with a certain Queen Semiramis. Currently, it is believed that the construction of this miracle of technical thought was carried out by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon: history and legend
The modern history of the Gardens of Babylon is associated with the name of the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey. While excavating ancient Babylon since 1899, one day he stumbles upon a strange structure that is not typical for the area. For example, the vaults had a different shape, were lined with stone instead of the usual brick, there were underground structures, and most importantly, an interesting water supply system from three mines was found.
It is obvious that a building of this type was used for some special purposes. Koldewey had to find out. He was able to understand that the entire structure was a kind of water lift for a continuous supply of water to the top. He was helped by references from ancient writers, who said that stone in Babylon was used in only two places. The archaeologist managed to discover one of them, near the northern wall of Qasr, earlier. Another place was semi-legendary, it was about the discovery of one of the 7 wonders of the world, the Gardens of Babylon.
The main ancient mentions of the Gardens of Babylon are associated with the name of the Greek Ctesias. But due to the exaggerations and fantasies observed behind it, almost all of our information about this wonder of the world is controversial and unreliable.
In antiquity, the image of Semiramis appears quite often. According to many legends, Semiramis was a brave warrior and builder with excellent architectural taste. According to one legend, she was the daughter of the mermaid Atargatis, who is a lunar goddess, and an ordinary person. According to other stories, Semiramis was abandoned by her parents from birth, and she was raised by pigeons.
In fact, the name Semiramis was understood by the Greeks to mean the Assyrian queen Shammuramat, who lived around 800 BC. After the death of her husband Shamshi-Adad V, she had to take power completely into her own hands until her son came of age. But even after his accession to the royal throne, Shammuramat retained the title of queen. And it is no coincidence that under her the state was strengthened and the borders were expanded by conquering Media.
But still, the wonder of the world, the Gardens of Babylon, according to modern researchers, could not be connected with Shammuramat itself. According to a more truthful version, this miracle was presented to the wife of Nebuchadnezzar II, Amytis, two hundred years after the reign of Semiramis. According to legend, Nebuchadnezzar entered into an alliance with the king of Media for the war with Assyria. After the victory, to strengthen the alliance, he married the daughter of the Median king. But life in desert Babylon was incomparable to mountainous and green Media. To please and console his wife, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the construction of these evergreen gardens in the city. So the full name of this building is most likely “Amitis Hanging Gardens”.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon: brief description and interesting facts
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were a four-level structure with many cool rooms, richly decorated with plants. To water them, a water lift was used, for the operation of which the slaves had to turn the wheel. The vaults of the building at each level were supported by 25-meter columns. The terraces were tiled, filled with asphalt and covered with a layer of earth sufficient to grow even trees.
The water supply system used in the Gardens of Babylon was not new to Mesopotamia. Similar features are found in local ziggurats, including the legendary Tower of Babel and the Great Ziggurat of Ur. But it was in gardens that irrigation technology reached its perfection.
If we talk about the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II, then this was a time of great construction of great structures. During his reign, many roads of the city were built, including the famous Processional Road leading from the gate of the goddess Ishtar, a huge number of palaces and temples.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the legendary walls of Babylon, originally also included in the list of wonders of the world. If you believe the descriptions, their width allowed two chariots to pass freely. Watchtowers were installed in two rows of walls every 50 meters. In total there were 360 of them on the inner wall, and 250 on the outer wall.
But with the construction of the Alexandria Lighthouse, the walls of the city with the Gardens of Babylon left the famous list, but the gardens themselves have proudly survived with it to our times. Of course, one can argue for a long time about the place of gardens in this list, but the fact that it was one of the best engineering structures of antiquity is beyond doubt.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon is an ancient creation that is included in the famous list as the second wonder of the world. Unfortunately, now there is no opportunity to enjoy all the beauty of this splendor, because they are no longer on earth, but there are many legends, scientific evidence and facts by which one can judge their occurrence and superiority. In the photo, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are shown from different sides, thanks to which you can see all the beauty of this masterpiece.
Discovery of the second wonder of the world
Back in 1899, an expedition led by the German scientist and explorer Robert Koldewey carried out excavations and cultural studies in ancient Babylon. One fine day, archaeologists stumbled upon an unusual structure, which was not at all typical for a desert area. The strange structure was made of stone, and not of baked brick, as usual, there were many underground buildings and the most amazing discovery was steel -3 underground mines with water supply systems.
The scientist found out that water was constantly circulating in the giant building; all that remained was to understand for what purposes or tasks this was necessary. And he was helped in this by the works of ancient thinkers, who mentioned that stone in ancient Babylon was used only in two buildings:
- northern wall of Qasr;
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
The Greek Ctesias also worked a lot to reveal the secret; he cited many reliable and not so reliable facts that were said about the reasons for the emergence of this masterpiece. But his fantasies sometimes did not always coincide with reality, so relying only on his arguments in order to better know the truth is not worth it.
Legends of the emergence of the Gardens of Babylon
There are many assumptions and hypotheses about the origin of the name of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
- Semiramis is a brave ruler who built a beautiful structure, the ancient chroniclers said. One of the legends says that her mother was the mermaid Atargatis, and another that Semiramis was raised by pigeons, which is why she had such a refined taste.
- According to another legend, Semiramis really existed, but the Greeks called her the Assyrian queen Shammuramat. When her husband Shamshi-Adada V died, the throne passed to her. During her reign, the queen conquered Media and strengthened her borders, for which she earned great respect and respect from her people.
- Modern historians and researchers of this creation nevertheless came to a different conclusion, more reliable and plausible. During the reign of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, an agreement was concluded with the ruler of Media in order to conquer Assyria. Having won the victory, Nebuchadnezzar II, in order to make the alliance even stronger, married the daughter of the king of Media, the beautiful Amytis. The princess was very homesick for her native Media, for its mountain peaks and green gardens. And the king ordered the construction of hanging gardens in Babylon, which were supposed to console and please his beloved. Initially, such an idea seemed like something fantastic and completely impossible to implement. But still, a wonderful structure was built, which was later recognized as the second wonder of the world.
For reasons unknown to us, Queen Amytis was given the name Semiramis by her descendants. That is why we now call the work that was built in her honor - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. What kind of actions did men perform for the sake of love and their beloved women - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, another confirmation that love works true miracles.
Creation of the design of the second wonder of the world
As archaeological excavations and chronicles of the Gardens of Eden testify, it was a gigantic building in the form of a four-tier pyramid. If you look closely at the photo of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, you can see that they contained many cool rooms, balconies, terraces and underground rooms. On each of the tiers, a wide variety of plants were planted: flowers, shrubs, grass and even trees, which together created an incredibly beautiful composition. The tiers themselves were supported by high columns that supported the huge structure. Plants arrived in Babylon from all corners of our world, and the building itself from a distance resembled a green hill strewn with flowers.
In order to constantly circulate water throughout the building, a special water supply system was installed. Water was supplied upstairs in leather buckets from the river using a wheel, which hundreds of slaves were forced to turn around the clock. Thanks to a constant water supply, a variety of exotic plants grew in fairly dry climatic conditions.
Later, the splendor of the Gardens of Eden captivated Alexander the Great himself, who was in the ancient city. Alexander loved to spend time in shady gardens and enjoy the coolness and aromas of flowering plants. It was in the flourishing palace that he spent his last days; here Macedonsky recalled his childhood, his native expanses, victories and defeats.
Over time, the city began to empty out, there were fewer and fewer people, so watering the plants stopped. Under the hot sun, the plantings quickly dried out. In addition, strong earthquakes completely destroyed the city and along with it the great structure.
And a video about how they found a unique structure
Today, you can admire the beauty of one of the Seven Wonders of the World in various publications by looking at the fabulous photos of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Looking at the drawings, you involuntarily plunge into the ancient era, tasting the spirit and superiority of that time.
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