If you want to visit some of few of the ever expanding list of world wonders, you should try this suggested itinerary of South America’s best.
You will start your trip in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, home to Christ the Redeemer, of the New Seven Wonders of the World according to the New 7 Wonders Foundation. It is also home to the Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, one of the listed Seven Natural Wonders of the World as compiled by CNN. It is recommended you stay a few days to enjoy the beaches, mountains, music, food and life of Rio. Be sure to explore the Sugarloaf Mountain and Barra de Tijuca as well as Corcovado to visit the famous Statue of Christ the Redeemer. The spectacular views and phenomenal night life will surely suck you in if the food does not hook you!
Lists of World Wonders have existed as far back at 484 BCE and were called not ‘Wonders’ but by the Greek word “thaumata”, or “things to be seen”. Each World Wonder is based on man’s most remarkable creations, the original listing included the classical antiquities, but the more recent listings include many other amazing man made creations. Each lists contains seven locations. They Greeks used the number seven because they believed that this number represented perfection and plenty.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was the first of many lists that have been created over the centuries. Included in the original listings that historians still know about today are the Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, the Ishtar Gat (later replaced in the list by the Lighthouse of Alexandria). Only the Pyramid of Giza still stands today. By the time the list was officially compiled in the Middle Ages, many of the sites were no longer in existence. As one can also see, these Ancient World Wonders were all located in the Mediterranean rim.
The ancient city of Ephesus is located near the modern town of Selcuk, about 50 km south of Izmir (Smyrna) in Turkey. Kusadasi is the nearest larger town, about 20km from Ephesus. In the year of 10 BC, Androclos, the son of King of Athens-Kodros, was searching a location for establishing a new city. It was predicted by an oracle that a fish and a boar would show the location of the new settlement. Days later, according to the oracle’s prediction, while frying, a fish fell down from the pan, irritating a hiding boar behind the bushes. The feared boar escaped immediately. Androclos followed the boar and established the city of Ephesus, where he had killed the boar. During the following centuries Ephesus was ruled by many Emperos and nations: Carians, Lydians, Persians, Romans. Still there is a lot to see in Ephesus and its surroundings: Artemis Temple -known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Antic world. It has been built in the areas of Ephesus on a flat area which has over the centuries turned into a swamp. Today one can only see the ruins of the foundations of this marvelous construction of the Hellenistic Age, entirely made of marble and full of sculptured columns’ capitals and shafts. The most beautiful remaining of this temple are today exhibited in the London British Museum. House of Virgin Mary is located in the Ephesus surroundings. It is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. Mary preferred this remote place rather than living in crowded place. The House was destroyed by many earthquakes and not discovered until 1951 thanks to a German Nun Catherine Emmerich who saw its location in her visions. It is recognized as a shrine by Vatican. Now the House of Virgin Mary is renovated by George Quatman Foundation from Ohio and serves as a small church which attracts many Christians as well as Muslims coming to pray for Her. The Basilica of Saint John – It is believed that the evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and buried. Three hundred years after the death of Saint Paul, a small chapel was constructed over the grave in the 4th century. Beeing in Ephesus we recommend you: • Ancient city of Ephesus. • The House of Virgin Mary. • The Basilica of St. John. • Ephesus Archaeological Museum. • Terrace Houses. • The Temple of Artemis. • Ancient cities of Priene, Miletos, Didyma. • Old Orthodox village of Sirince. • National Park of Kusadasi. If you are interested in visiting Ephesus, please contact us. We provide you with the air conditioned vehicle with the driver and the licensed professional English speaking guide. You can draw up the program and determine the sights you wish to visit; our guide and the private vehicle with the driver will be at your disposal. If you will have any questions about Ephesus, its history or Ephesus tours, welcome to our web site! more information, about www.onlineephesustravel.com, www.onlineturkeycruise.com, www.greecetoursguide.com, www.globaltoursinfo.com
