Learning about the beautiful things that our forefathers and mothers produced is a fascinating aspect of studying history. However, not being able to see them might be aggravating. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and while much has been written about these incredible historical landmarks, not everyone can envision how they would have seemed in person. However, some artists go to great lengths to reconstruct history in picture form, and they go even farther to bring this long-lost past into the present, attempting to envision what it might look like if it had lived to this day.
Evgeny Kazantsev, a digital artist and graphic designer, was entrusted with creating an insurance ad. He chose to show a peek of another reality in which the world’s ancient marvels and other magnificent constructions remained as if to say, “If they only knew about insurance, this could’ve survived.”Evgeny delivered and reproduced these buildings in a modern setting.” The endeavor was a success, and the finished outcome was artistically valuable as well as commercially.
#1 Constantinople’s Takkyubin Observatory
The Takkyubin (Taqi ad-Din) observatory at Constantinople, built by Taqi ad-Din Muhammad ibn Ma’ruf in 1577, was one of the largest astronomical observatories in the medieval world. Its fame, however, was short-lived. It was demolished in 1580, just three years after it was completed, since it was utilized not only for astronomy but also for astrology, a type of divination forbidden by the Sharia.
#2 The Rhodes Colossus
The Colossus of Rhodes was erected to commemorate the victorious defense of Rhodes city during Demetrius Poliocretes’ year-long siege. The tallest ancient statue, standing at about 108 feet tall, is considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It didn’t survive long, though: built by Chares of Lindos in 280 BC, the colossus barely lasted 54 years before collapsing after an earthquake in 226 BC. The Rhodians did not rebuild it when an oracle told them not to. There were plans to create a new Colossus in Rhodes Harbor in the twenty-first century, and in 2015, several architects offered a viable idea. However, other historians questioned the placement, claiming it couldn’t have been the original position.
#3 The Babel Tower
The Tower of Babel is a legendary building described in the Old Testament’s Genesis book. It’s a legend that explains why humans speak so many different languages. While many people believe the Tower of Babel is a myth, other academics believe it is based on actual buildings in Babylon and Sumeria.
#4 Petra’s Great Temple
Under the reign of Nabatean king Aretas IV, the Great Temple at Petra was a massive tower completed in the first century CE. It’s unknown if the structure was created for religious or administrative purposes, and if it was for religious ones, what type of god it was built for.
#5 The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was built between 353 and 350 BC as the mausoleum for Mausolus, the Anatolian king of Caria, and his wife, Artemisia II. The building was about 148 feet tall and was adorned on all sides with sculptural reliefs by well-known Greek artists. Though the word mausoleum initially referred to Mausolus’ tomb, it has now meant any above-ground burial.
