Hanging Gardens of Amitis, Iraq

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, also known as the Hanging Gardens of Amytis, is an amazing architectural structure of the ancient world, which couldn't survive to the present day. According to legend, the luxurious architectural complex was built by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who gave to the installation the name of his wife. According to legend, the hanging gardens were located in Babylon. Today, their location coincides with the center of the Iraqi city of Hilla.

The legend associated with the construction of a fabulously charming palace with a garden is very amazing. In the 7th century BC, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II concluded a military alliance with the king of the Medes and confirmed his marriage to the daughter of the Median king. Queen Amytis wasn't pleased by the noisy and dusty Babylon featuring extremely depressing desert landscapes. To comfort his wife, the king commanded to construct the hanging gardens for her. It was the incredibly beautiful palace with spacious terraces, which were literally drowning in various flowering plants.

Archaeologists and historians discovered that the most magnificent building in Babylon was the four-story pyramid-shaped palace. The facade has been almost completely hidden by the dense greenery. Waterfalls have fallen down from palace walls forming a huge pond. The main perplexity associated with the second wonder of the world, is the fact that the grand building is not mentioned in a number of important and detailed chronicles. Herodotus never told about the Hanging Gardens in his writings. The only documentary evidence of their existence is the chronicle of the Chaldean priest Berosus. However, modern scientists see no doubt in this spectacular palace. Next - Statue of Zeus at Olympia