The Colossus of Rhodes

The giant bronze statue of Sun God Helios stood at the entrance of the harbor entrance. With both of his leg straddle at the each side of the harbor entrance and hold the torch with his hand. The statue was believed with its height as 120 feet oversee the harbor of Rhodes in Aegean seas. Some scholars believe it will be impossible and technical infeasibility to have the 120 feet bronze status straddle of the entrance of the harbor. With the weight and the size, it won’t be able to support the statues if the leg being straddle. The statue should be just stood at a side of the harbor with his leg standing close instead of straddle like current statue of Liberty in America. (Some scholar believe Statue of Liberty was inspired by the Colossus of Rhodes) However, we don’t have the same opinion. Just that no one can fully explain how those ancient structures were built like Pyramid, Stonehenge or Moai statues in Easter Island.

The study believes the construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was finished in 282 years before Christ born. The statue was stand still on the entrance of harbor until damaged by a strong earthquake in about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged and the Colossus was collapsed.

In August, 2004, Natasha and I visited to the beautiful harbor of Rhodes. We didn’t see any remain of the colossus that can remind us this is the original place for one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. There are only 2 columns built that reminisce the glory of the world wonder in the past. These 2 columns is stood in each side of the harbor entrance. There is a bronze deer statue is at the top of each of the column that represent the state of Rhodes. Again, you need to make use of your imagination to picture how spectacular the statue was in the past.

The reconstructed columns aren't too high but if you image the distance between these two columns at the entrance of the harbor as the leg of the statue straddle across, it is very impressive!

There are a lot of souvenir stall in Rhodes selling the Colossus of Rhodes. The people in Rhodes are still believed the Colossus of Rhodes is straddle at the harbor entrance. You can also see a ship sail through underneath the thigh of the Colossus.