Seven wonders of Rome. Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome Great Circus Description of the presentation Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome Great Circus on slides

Architectural Innovations of Ancient Rome(b.7v.1)

The needs of Roman society gave rise to many types of structures: amphitheaters, baths, triumphal arches, aqueducts, etc. The shrine of Rome was the temple of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva on the Capitoline Hill. The temple has not survived, but it is assumed that it was laid out with a deep front portico, a high plinth and a staircase leading to the main entrance.

Another masterpiece of architecture is the famous Triumphal Arch of Titus. Triumphal arches are also a Roman architectural innovation. The arch was the border of one's own and another's world. On each side of the opening of the Arch of Titus there are two columns. The arch is decorated with a high superstructure - an attic. At the top is a statue of the emperor on a chariot drawn by four horses.

In the II century. one of the most spiritual monuments of world architecture was created. The Pantheon - “temple of all gods” - still stands in the center of Rome. This is the only monument that was not rebuilt or destroyed in the Middle Ages.

Public baths (the Romans called them baths) were a mandatory feature of Roman cities.
The extensive buildings included a swimming pool with running water, a kind of artificial lake. In some rooms there were baths with warm or hot water, in others there were dressing rooms and steam rooms. Large halls were intended for gymnastics. But in the Roman baths conditions were created not only for physical exercise; they had libraries with works of Greek and Latin writers, lobbies and galleries for friendly conversations and philosophical debates. Baths built by Emperor Caracalla at the beginning of the 3rd century. n. e. (the Baths of Caracalla), the most luxurious of the many hundreds of Roman baths, accommodated up to 2 thousand people at a time.

The inside of the baths was richly decorated. Their walls were decorated with colored marble, the floor with mosaics, and the vaulted ceilings were covered with paintings. Through wide windows with frames made of gilded bronze, into which plates of translucent stone were sometimes inserted instead of glass, soft diffused light poured in. In the halls of the baths there were numerous marble and bronze statues.

Wonders of the world (b.7v.2)

The list of Seven Wonders was formed during the Middle Ages. It included seven of the most impressive monuments of the Ancient World. For their builders, the Seven Wonders of the World were the personification of religion, mythology, art, power and science. For us, they represent people's ability to create structures of incredible beauty and structure.

Pyramids of Egypt

The pyramids of Egypt served as tombs for their dead kings. In the center of the ritual complex of the building are the Egyptian pyramids, according to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians they had magical powers, in which the mummified pharaoh could achieve eternal life. The pyramids of Egypt became famous mainly due to the Pyramid of Cheops, located in Giza, which was built in 2550 BC. e. The Egyptian pyramids were distinguished by unique technological features, and it is still not entirely clear how exactly they were built.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Travelers in New York Harbor can see a wonderful sight. A huge statue of a robed woman appears in front of them, standing on a small island in the harbor, holding a book in her hands and a torch reaching into the sky. The statue measures almost one hundred twenty feet from the feet to the crown. It is sometimes called the "Modern Colossus", but more often it is called the Statue of Liberty.

The Colossus of Rhodes, which the Statue of Liberty so reminds us of, is an ancient creation of the ancients, located on the island of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue standing along the banks of the strait, one leg was on one bank, the other on the other. According to the project, ships were supposed to sail between the legs of the statue.

Unfortunately, the Colossus of Rhodes turned out to be “weak in the legs”; due to the earthquake, its legs broke and the huge statue collapsed into the water. For a long time, the remains of his legs remained, serving as proof of his existence, but they have not survived to this day. The Colossus of Rhodes today has become a symbol of a large-scale, but poorly thought out project at its foundation, which could easily collapse.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus today is the remains of columns and meager fragments lying on the ground, and this is all that remains of the seventh wonder of the world. The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus was destroyed at least seven times and rebuilt the same number of times. Unfortunately, as we have already said, the temple of Artemis of Ephesus has not survived.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are said to have been built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years. According to legend, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built to surprise and delight Nebuchadnezzar's wife, Amytis. Amytis, the daughter of the king of Media, married Nebuchadnezzar in order to create an alliance between the peoples. She came from a green, sunny country, and the sun-dried terrain of Mesopotamia seemed depressing to her. The king decided to recreate his homeland by creating artificial mountains with gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon got their name not because they hung like a cable or rope. The name comes from an imprecise translation of the Greek word, which means not only “to hang” but “to overhang,” as in the case of a terrace or balcony.

Halicarnassus Mausoleum

In 377 BC, the city of Halicarnassus was the capital of a small kingdom along the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor. It was in this year that the ruler of this land died and left control of the kingdom to his son, Mausolus. Mavsol continued the expansion of territory begun by his father, reaching the southwestern part of Asia Minor. Mausola, with his queen, ruled Halicarnassus and the surrounding areas for 24 years. Mausolus, although a local resident, spoke excellent Greek and admired the Greek way of life and government.

Then, in 353 BC. Mausolus died, leaving his queen, who was also his sister (It was a local custom for rulers to marry their own sister), alone, with a broken heart. As a tribute to him, she decided to build the most magnificent Halicarnassus mausoleum, which became his tomb. Soon the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus became a famous building, and now the name of Mausolus is associated with all majestic tombs, since it was from his name that the word “mausoleum” appeared. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was so beautiful and unique that it became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Statue of Olympian Zeus

The statue was located in the Temple of Olympian Zeus, in Olympia - a city in the region of Elis, where the Olympic Games - competitions of Greek and then Roman athletes - were held every four years. The Greeks considered those who did not see the statue of Zeus in the temple unfortunate.

The entire temple, including the roof, was built of marble. It was surrounded by 34 massive columns made of shell rock. Each was 10.5 meters high and more than 2 meters thick. The area of the temple was 64x27 m. On the outer walls of the temple there were slabs with bas-reliefs depicting the 12 labors of Hercules. Bronze doors, 10 meters high, opened the entrance to the cult room of the temple.

Alexandrian lighthouse

It was built in the 3rd century BC. e. in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, so that ships could safely pass the reefs on the way to the Alexandria Bay. At night they were helped in this by the reflection of flames, and during the day by a column of smoke. It was the world's first lighthouse, and it stood for almost a thousand years.

The Faros lighthouse consisted of three marble towers standing on a base of massive stone blocks. The first tower was rectangular and contained rooms in which workers and soldiers lived. Above this tower was a smaller, octagonal tower with a spiral ramp leading to the upper tower. The upper tower was shaped like a cylinder, in which a fire burned, which helped the ships reach the bay safely. The total height of the lighthouse is 120-140 meters, its light was visible at a distance of 60 km (according to other evidence, up to 100 km).

Large amounts of fuel were required to maintain the flame. The wood was transported along a spiral ramp on mule-drawn carts. Behind the flames were bronze plates that directed the light into the sea.

By the 12th century AD. e. Alexandria Bay became so filled with silt that ships could no longer use it. The lighthouse fell into disrepair. The bronze plates that served as mirrors were probably melted down into coins. In the 14th century, the lighthouse was completely destroyed by an earthquake.

Not so long ago, a couple of years ago, another election was held, where new wonders of the world were determined.

Editor Stepan Stepanovich Zakharchenko

Corrector Tatyana Petrovna Leus

Illustrator Yuri Nikolaevich Kirillov

Cover design Yuri Nikolaevich Kirillov

ISBN 978-5-4485-8694-1

Created in the intellectual publishing system Ridero

The ancient Romans treated the number “7” with special respect. According to tradition, Rome was founded on seven hills and ruled by seven kings. As you can imagine, there were more hills and some of them had two tops.

The period of royal rule before the founding of the Republic lasted about 250 years. At that time, the average life of a person was short, especially those who came to power. So the rule of Rome by just seven kings cannot be plausible. Let's say that history includes the names of the main seven hills and the names of the most important kings.

Following the tradition of the number “7,” so beloved by the Romans, I also draw your attention to seven outstanding and especially beloved by tourists seven places in Rome.

Rome is a city of contradictions, often associated with the power of the Roman Empire and monumentality. It was the capital of a pagan empire, but became the capital of Christianity. Here, for centuries, a tough and merciless struggle for power simultaneously coexisted with the manifestation of refined taste in art, painting and architecture.

Well, we put on comfortable shoes so as not to hurt our feet on the Roman cobblestones, take a bottle of water, a camera, a good mood and off we go...

“Our places are so crowded with immortals that it’s easier to bump into a god here than a person.”

Petronius "Satyricon".

This is a special place in Rome. Here is one of the most ancient temples in the world, which is still in operation - the Pantheon.

The Pantheon was built almost 2 thousand years ago and keeps many surprises and secrets. During excursions, the following questions are often asked: “Why was the hole made in the dome? Why wasn't the Pantheon destroyed like other ancient Roman buildings? How was built open dome of unreinforced cement weighing 5 thousand tons and a diameter of 43.3 m?

We are still exactly We do not know who its architect was, what it was originally called and what the true purpose of building the Pantheon was.

And now some historical information

Pantheon(Greek Pàntheion) is one of the most famous and perfect monuments of Ancient Rome. Translated from Greek, its name means "a temple dedicated to all the gods."

Even then, in ancient times, the Pantheon was built using revolutionary technologies and is now a unique example of ancient architecture. In most cases, sacred temples were built in such a way that they could be admired from the outside without going inside. This was forbidden to mere mortals. And only the priests had access. But in the Pantheon this criterion was not adhered to. Undoubtedly, it was monumental in appearance, but it was its interior decoration that amazed and delighted.

Also it is one of the best preserved pagan ancient Roman temples, due to the fact that already in the Middle Ages (May 13, 609) Pope Boniface IV converted him to the Christian Catholic Church dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary and the Holy Martyrs (Santa Maria ad Martyres).

The original Pantheon was built in 27 - 25 AD. BC e. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa , son-in-law of Emperor Augustus in honor of the divine protectors of the Julian family (gens Julia). Here, the guardian gods of the Augustan family, the gods of the 7 Planets were originally worshiped: the Sun, Moon, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Mars. The authorship of Agrippa is evidenced by the inscription under the tympanum of the portico: “M. AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIUM FECIT" (“Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, elected consul for the third time, erected this”). Of course, at the moment, this inscription is not entirely relevant, since the temple built by Agrippa was destroyed by fire in 80 AD. and was rebuilt in its present form by Emperor Hadrian between 118 and 125. AD.. In just 7 years!

Excavations revealed that the building built by Agrippa had a rectangular plan and was oriented in the opposite direction to the current one, that is, to the south. But the philosopher-emperor Hadrian still preferred a rounded shape. Therefore, his Pantheon and Mausoleum were built in this way. Some scholars believe that the architect of this grandiose project was Apollodorus, while others believe that Emperor Hadrian himself was the architect.

We enter the Pantheon through portico , the ceiling of which in ancient Rome was covered with bronze. Admired by their power 16 monolithic granite columns gray and pink portico brought from Egypt. Just imagine how many thousands of kilometers they had to travel during transportation!

Also, there is no limit to surprise when we look at original 7 meter bronze temple gate (138 AD) and we see that they are still in place and functional! Every evening these gates are locked. This is what quality “made in ancient Rome” means. This is the highest bronze gate of antiquity!

Let's go inside this architectural miracle With amazing acoustics and we notice that the Pantheon is a huge round building with a majestic caisson dome, having diameter 43.30 m ., equal to the height. Thus inside the Pantheon could fit a ball measuring 43.30 m.. Roman architects often built domes, but none came close to the size of the Pantheon. Usually they were 2 times smaller. Of course, the size of the dome is still impressive today! They were achieved only in 1400 by the architect Brunelleschi during the construction of the Duomo in Florence.

The dome of the Pantheon is supported walls 6 m wide . This true masterpiece of engineering was created entirely on wooden formwork and is the widest dome ever built. In its construction it was used 5 types of cement .

The Pantheon is illuminated only through central hole with a diameter of 9 meters , so-called oculus (eye). Looking at today's gray dome, you need to imagine a little and imagine that it was originally dark blue, and in each coffered hole (each square) there were gilded bronze stars.

There is a statement that these stars, like the bronze that was in the portico, were used to build the canopy of the papal altar in the center of St. Peter's Basilica and to smelt 80 cannons, also needed by Pope Barberini. After this, a saying appeared in Rome that "What the barbarians did not do, the Barberini did"(“Quod non fecerunt Barbari, fecerunt Barberini”).

Although a very recent study by the scientist Louis Rice, who had access to the secret papal archives, suggests the opposite: in Bernini’s canopy there is not a drop of antique bronze taken from the Pantheon. It was completely spent on smelting cannons. At the moment, this information is only available in English, and it came to the Italian press thanks to the art historian Tomaso Montanari.

And since there is a hole in the dome, the question arises: “What happens when it rains? Does water get inside?

Of course, water gets in. True, its minimal amount, since warm air pushes out water due to the so-called fireplace effect.

Look closely at the marble floor of the temple. Here are 22 holes for water drainage . When it rains, the central part of the Pantheon is closed to prevent any tourists from slipping.

The former pagan temple eventually turned into a mausoleum of great people. The remains of the great artist Raphael Santi rest in the Pantheon, who wished to be buried here, the architects Baldassare Peruzzi, Vignola, as well as kings Victor Emmanuel II, Umberto I and Queen Margaret.

According to the provisions of the Lateran Treaty, the Pantheon acquires the status of the national church of all Italians. This is the first time such an innovation has been recorded in Italian history.

The painting “Veduta di piazza del Pantheon” by Hippolyte Caffey captures ridiculous bell towers (“donkey ears”) , added to the Pantheon according to Bernini's design. They were ridiculed and removed in 1883.

The Great CircusIt was the largest stadium in
the entire history of mankind.
It could accommodate a third of the population
Rome - 350 thousand people.
The entrance to the Circus Maximus was
free, due
states.
The Circus Maximus was 500 m long,
width - 150 m, and height -
over 30 m. Four tiers
spectator rows covered
racing circle with a loop length of
1300m.
Trajan wanted to erect a monument
to its glory, and the Circus Maximus
perfect for this
better: here he could meet
crowd, and on the same level.

Trajan's Forum

The Circus Maximus brought Trajan
popularity. But that's it
the emperor did not stop. He
was the greatest real estate developer
Rome and built another miracle
architecture
The area alone had
more than 200 meters long and was
lavishly decorated with elegant
galleries and statues of Trajan. There
the Market was located
library and courts. On the forum
a majestic
Trajan's Column

Trajan's Forum

The column was decorated
wonderful in their own way
expressiveness with reliefs,
telling about military
the emperor's victories, about
successful Roman campaigns
army to cross the Danube and
seizure of the territory of modern
Romania.
When an ordinary Roman entered
to Trajan's Forum, he seemed
fell into another world. Roman
fled from the stench, crowded conditions and
the squalor of your everyday
life in these shining rocks
marble, topped with roofs of
gilded bronze.

Trajan's Forum

However, Trajan's Forum was not intended simply as
Town Square. To guarantee yourself
popular recognition, Trajan ordered to build on
Forum is the first shopping center in history - so
called Trajan's Market.

Aqueducts

. Aqueducts - great
accomplishment of engineering
thoughts. They failed
the purest water directly to
homes of a million inhabitants
Rome. Graceful, walking along
landscape arches and underground
tunnels were brought into the city -
hard to believe - billion
tons of fresh water daily.
This is a fantastic system
became the lifeblood of Rome and
engineering model for
cities of all subsequent
times

Aqueducts

When transferring an aqueduct across
the river supports were attached
greater strength thanks to
streamlined shape. But if
the aqueduct was very high,
there was a possibility
twisting. Therefore the height
arches was limited to 21
meter. However for
maintaining the gradient
aqueducts were sometimes necessary
build higher. In this case
on top of the first level of arches
the second one was placed. Aqueduct in
Nime had as many as three levels
total height 55 m.

Baths of Caracalla

Along with Caligula and
Caracalla was Nero
one of the most brutal
rulers of Rome.
The Emperor was so
we really hate that
decided to build for
the Romans are a real miracle,
in order to win them
location and whitewash
yourself in their eyes.

10. Baths of Caracalla

I've almost been to Rome already
a thousand public baths.
But Baths of Caracalla
eclipsed them all. Their area
was 110 thousand square meters. m.
Only one central
there was more space
than St. Peter's. For
water supply from Aqua
Marcia" was let down
side branch.

11. Baths of Caracalla

In addition to water procedures,
The thermal baths were adapted and
for various other activities.
There was a gym there and
exercise rooms and
also libraries, rooms
for meetings and gardens. TO
visitor services
massage, hairdresser, manicure
and pedicure
Entering the Baths was
blinded by the radiance
countless facets of marble,
beauty of wall and
floor mosaics.

12. Roads

First Roman road
was Via Appia, begun in
312 BC e.
Over the next
two hundred years from Rome to
the farthest corners
the empire was paved
general road network
length 300 thousand
kilometers. Soon all
Europe in the west, all lands
to Judea in the east and to
Egypt in the south came under
power of Rome.

13. Pantheon

14. Pantheon

This temple dedicated
to all the gods, was built
under Emperor Hadrian.
Little is known about the Pantheon.
We don't know him
original name, not
we know what it's for
used.
It is assumed that there was
Hadrian's courtyard, there were statues
Roman gods. However, his
exact purpose
unknown.

15. Pantheon

Like timeless
The Pantheon remains the most
surviving Roman
construction, marking one of
greatest achievements
world architecture.
Greek portico supported
16 beautiful columns,
hewn from Egyptian
granite and brought from Aswan.
There were once traverses above them
sheathed in bronze. From here
giant bronze doors
6.5 m high lead to a huge
a round hall the size of
half a football field.

16. Pantheon

Pantheon dome,
reaching a diameter of 44 m,
became a masterpiece of engineering
Sciences.
This is the largest vault in
history, built without
use of reinforced concrete.
Thanks to this incredible
domed interior of the Pantheon
looks fantastic.
The vault is crowned with an oculus - round
hole diameter nine
meters. This one is amazing
the detail saved the vault from the point
maximum load than
contributed to durability
building.

17. Colosseum

The Colosseum, arena of entertainment and temple of death. This building was the most
the largest and most terrible of all Roman amphitheatres. For him
terrifying scenes of battles were played out on magnificent walls,
torture and bloodshed. Surpassing the height of a sixteen-story building
building, the Colosseum accommodated over 80 thousand spectators.

18. Colosseum

The idea to build a Colosseum
arose after the death of Nero.
His reign of terror is so
dropped the spiritual mood
society, what to his successor
Vespasian needed to create
something exceptional to
regain the support of the people.
The first three levels along the facade
surrounded by arcades, 4th level
made of monolithic
concrete wall lined
brick.
The walls of the Colosseum are pierced
a labyrinth of vaulted tunnels.
Through seventy-six entrances
crowds of spectators flowed here and
took places at the top

19. Colosseum

The central arena was surrounded
oval design
(Colosseum. Interior).
Best places
intended for
the emperor, next to him
senators and vestals were seated.
On the next tier
was located to know. More
above are soldiers and citizens.
The last tier was occupied
persons of the lower classes.
The worst places were allocated
women.
Protected spectators from the sun
huge tent.

20. The Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome were an outstanding achievement that raised architecture and engineering to a pinnacle unsurpassed by over a thousand others.

The Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome were
an outstanding achievement that raised
architecture and engineering science
a peak not yet surpassed
over a thousand years. Their courage
the plan still serves as an example
for architects, encouraging them
develop all new materials,
set and solve new problems, then
there is to do like the Romans - to build,
looking to the future.

Incredible facts

Italy is a country with a huge number of beautiful cities, and Rome is the king over all of them. There are too many reasons to fall in love with this city: masterpieces literally on every corner, Romans driving scooters, opera squares, provincial cocktails and much more.

The Romans themselves say that life is too short, but when you are in Rome, it seems as if you are living forever. Therefore, if you have planned a vacation, then choosing Rome you definitely won’t go wrong. If you want to go through all the history, then you should definitely visit the ancient wonders of this beautiful city below.

Coliseum

The Colosseum is the most unusual monument in Rome. Beyond its size, structure and strength, there is a story behind it that resonates. It was here that gladiators met in mortal combat, and convicts fought in an unequal battle with hungry lions. Originally used to host the 100-day games, the Colosseum was abandoned after the fall of the empire in the sixth century. Since then, it served as a fortress in the Middle Ages, was damaged several times by earthquakes, and was also used as a quarry for travertine and marble. There are still a lot of people wanting to visit the Colosseum, but don't let the queue scare you away. Moreover, starting in 2010, another reason to visit it appeared - underground passages (places where gladiators and animals awaited their fate) became accessible to the general public.

Palatine

Palatine acts as a sort of ancient version of Beverly Hills, California. Romulus killed his brother Remus here and founded Rome in 753 BC, and starting from 500 BC. The wealthiest citizens lived in this area of Rome. When entering the complex from Via di San Gregorio, the first recognizable building is the stadium, which was probably used by the emperors for private games and events. To the southeast of the stadium are the sparse ruins of the complex built by Septimius Severus. On the other side of the stadium are the ruins of the emperor's huge private residence, Domus Augustana. Today, the Palatine is a wonderful place to escape the bustle of the city and have a picnic.

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

A treasure trove of classical art, this museum is one of the best museums in Rome, but only a very small number of people visit it. The museum is home to a large number of precious stones, including those found on sculptures and marble friezes dating back to the 2nd century BC. However, on the second floor of the museum you will find incredibly beautiful mosaics and frescoes, including the richest colored frescoes from the Villa Augustanera.

Pantheon

Of course, the competition in Rome for the title of the most colorful and amazing building is very tough, but the Pantheon is certainly one of the main contenders for it. Considered the most significant architectural achievement of the Romans, it was the largest dome in the world until the 15th century, and is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built. Its harmonious appearance is the result of precisely calibrated symmetry, since the diameter is exactly equal to the internal height of the Pantheon (43.3 meters). Light enters through the oculus, a special window in the dome that also served as a symbolic connection between the temple and the gods. (Rainwater also gets inside, but flows through 22 almost invisible holes in the sloping marble floor).

Basilica of San Clemente

Enter there, look around the church, built in the 12th century, and then take a few steps down to the next level and you will find yourself in a church from the 4th century. Continue to the next level and you'll walk down an ancient alley to a first-century Roman house. Next you will find yourself in the Temple of Mithra, built in the second century. Mithraism was a popular cult among the ancient Roman military. According to mythology, Mithras, a young, handsome god, was supposed to kill a wild bull in the name of the Sun. As soon as he did this, the blood of the bull gave life to wheat and other plants. The temples of Mithra were always deep and dark, but the fascination with the cult did not imply anything sinister. Mystical and mysterious, the journey to this temple is even more fascinating as you walk through layers of history to reach it.

Description of the presentation SEVEN WONDERS OF ANCIENT ROME Circus Maximus on slides

Circus Maximus It was the largest stadium in the history of mankind. It could accommodate a third of the population of Rome - 350 thousand people. Entrance to the Circus Maximus was free, at the expense of the state. The Circus Maximus was 500 m long, 150 m wide, and over 30 m high. Four tiers of spectator rows covered the racing ring with a loop 1300 m long. Trajan wanted to erect a monument to his glory, and the Circus Maximus was suitable for This couldn’t have been better: here he could meet the crowd, and on the same level.

Trajan's Forum The Circus Maximus brought Trajan popularity. But the emperor did not stop there. He was Rome's greatest developer and built another architectural marvel. The square alone was more than 200 meters long and was lavishly decorated with elegant galleries and statues of Trajan. There was also a Market, a library and courts. The majestic Trajan's Column was erected at the Forum

The Forum of Trajan's Column was decorated with reliefs of remarkable expressiveness, telling about the military victories of the emperor, about the successful campaigns of the Roman army to cross the Danube and seize the territory of modern Romania. When an ordinary Roman entered Trajan's Forum, it was as if he had entered another world. The Roman fled from the stench, cramped conditions and squalor of his daily life into these rocks of shining marble, crowned with roofs of gilded bronze.

Trajan's Forum However, Trajan's Forum was not intended simply as a city square. To guarantee himself popular recognition, Trajan ordered the construction of the first ever shopping center in the Forum - the so-called Trajan's Market. .

Aqueducts are a great feat of engineering. They brought the purest water directly to the homes of a million people in Rome. Graceful arches and underground tunnels striding across the landscape brought - it's hard to believe - a billion tons of fresh water into the city every day. This fantastic system became the lifeblood of Rome and the engineering model for cities of all subsequent times.

Aqueducts When transporting an aqueduct across a river, the supports were given greater strength due to their streamlined shape. But if the aqueduct was very high, there was a possibility of twisting. Therefore, the height of the arch was limited to 21 meters. However, to maintain the gradient, aqueducts sometimes had to be built higher. In this case, a second level was placed on top of the first level of arches. The aqueduct in Nîmes had three levels with a total height of 55 m.

Baths of Caracalla Along with Caligula and Nero, Caracalla was one of the most cruel rulers of Rome. The emperor was so hated that he decided to build a real miracle for the Romans in order to gain their favor and whiten himself in their eyes.

Baths of Caracalla There were already almost a thousand public baths in Rome. But the Baths of Caracalla eclipsed them all. Their area was 110 thousand square meters. m. The central space alone was larger than St. Peter's Cathedral. A side branch was installed to supply water from Aqua Marcia.

Baths of Caracalla In addition to water treatments, the Baths were adapted for various other activities. There was a gymnasium and exercise rooms, as well as libraries, meeting rooms and gardens. Visitors were offered massage, hairdresser, manicure and pedicure. Those entering the Baths were dazzled by the radiance of countless facets of marble, the beauty of wall and floor mosaics.

Roads The first Roman road was the Via Appia, begun in 312 BC. e. Over the next two hundred years, a network of roads with a total length of 300 thousand kilometers was laid from Rome to the farthest corners of the empire. Soon all of Europe in the west, all the lands to Judea in the east and Egypt in the south came under the rule of Rome.

Pantheon This temple, dedicated to all the gods, was built under Emperor Hadrian. Little is known about the Pantheon. We don't know its original name, we don't know what it was used for. It is assumed that Hadrian's court was there and there were statues of Roman gods. However, its exact purpose is unknown.

Pantheon As if timeless, the Pantheon remains the best preserved Roman structure, marking one of the greatest achievements of world architecture. The Greek portico is supported by 16 beautiful columns, hewn from Egyptian granite and brought from Aswan. The traverses above them were once sheathed in bronze. From here, giant bronze doors 6.5 m high lead into a huge round hall the size of half a football field.

Pantheon The dome of the Pantheon, reaching a diameter of 44 m, has become a masterpiece of engineering science. This is the largest vault in history built without the use of reinforced concrete. This incredible dome makes the interior of the Pantheon look fantastic. The vault is crowned with an oculus - a round hole with a diameter of nine meters. This amazing detail removed the vault from the point of maximum stress, which contributed to the longevity of the building.

Colosseum Colosseum, arena of entertainment and temple of death. This building was the largest and most terrible of all Roman amphitheaters. Behind its magnificent walls, horrifying scenes of battles, torture and bloodshed took place. Surpassing the height of a sixteen-story building, the Colosseum accommodated over 80 thousand spectators.

Colosseum The idea to build the Colosseum arose after the death of Nero. His reign of terror so damaged the morale of society that his successor Vespasian had to create something exceptional to regain the support of the people. The first three levels of the facade are surrounded by arcades, the 4th level is made of a monolithic concrete wall, lined with brick. The walls of the Colosseum are pierced by a labyrinth of vaulted tunnels. Crowds of spectators flowed in through seventy-six entrances and took seats at the top.

Colosseum The central arena was surrounded by an oval structure (Colosseum. Interior). The best seats were reserved for the emperor; senators and vestals sat next to him. The next tier housed the nobility. Even higher are soldiers and citizens. The last tier was occupied by people of the lower classes. The worst places were reserved for women. A huge awning protected the spectators from the sun.

The Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome were a remarkable achievement, raising architecture and engineering to a pinnacle unsurpassed for over a thousand years. The courage of their plan still serves as an example for architects, encouraging them to develop ever new materials, pose and solve ever new problems, that is, to do like the Romans - to build, looking into the future.