Lifespan

The Colossus of Rhodes is the second youngest of the Seven Wonders. It is also the shortest lived. It lasted just 53 years.

 

Why it was built

Rhodes built the statue to honor its patron god Helios - and to thank him for a military victory (a sizeable invading army abandoned its unsuccessful siege of Rhodes).

That army departed in haste, leaving behind a huge quantity of military equipment. Rhodes sold some of it to finance the statue's construction, and melted down the bronze and iron pieces to make the statue. 

 

Construction time

According to the Roman historian Pliny, it took the team of sculptor Chares of Lindos 12 years to build the Seven Wonder. The completion date was approximately 282 BC.

 

Relationship to the
Statue of Liberty

The French sculptor Bartholdi gained
part of his inspiration for his Statue of Liberty from the Colossus of Rhodes, which was built 2200 years before.

Construction methods are similar. Both statues are hollow. Their exterior metal plates are attached to metal frames. However, the Colossus of Rhodes used bronze plates on an iron frame (supported bystone work) while the Statue of Liberty has copper plates on a steel superstructure.

 

Height

The statue's body was nearly as
tall as the Statue of Liberty's. It was an estimated 33 meters (110 feet) tall. A pedestal raised the statue
another 15 meters (50 feet).

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for Colossus of Rhodes - Page 3

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