The Great Colossus of Rhodes was one of the seven Great Wonders of the ancient world, which is enough to make it badass on that premise alone. It was built by the ancient Rhodesians (Rhodians?) as a tribute to their patron god, Helios, the statue itself being a likeness of the god. Just who is Helios you ask? The motherfucking God of the Sun, man!
Here is the actual text used as a dedication/tribute to the completed Colossus, which is also ridiculously epic: "To you, o Sun, the people of Rhodes set up this bronze statue reaching to Olympus, when they had pacified the waves of war and crowned their city with the spoils taken from the enemy. Not only over the seas but also on land did they kindle the lovely torch of freedom and independence. For to the descendants of Herakles belongs dominion over sea and land."
The statue stood over one hundred feet tall, and was destroyed by an earthquake only 56 years after it was built. The people of Rhodes believed they had offended Helios, so they left the ruins of the statue where they fell for over eight hundred years.
The most amazing thing of all? In November 2008, it was announced that the Colossus of Rhodes is going to be rebuilt.
REBUILT!!?!?!?!?!
ReplyDelete"In November 2008, it was announced that the Colossus of Rhodes was to be rebuilt. According to Dr. Dimitris Koutoulas, who is heading the project in Greece, rather than reproducing the original Colossus, the new structure will be a, "highly, highly innovative light sculpture, one that will stand between 60 and 100 metres tall so that people can physically enter it." The project is expected to cost up to €200m which will be provided by international donors and the German artist Gert Hof. The new Colossus will adorn an outer pier in the harbour area of Rhodes, where it will be visible to passing ships. Koutoulas said, "Although we are still at the drawing board stage, Gert Hof's plan is to make it the world's largest light installation, a structure that has never before been seen in any place of the world."
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