The Babylonian Kingdom lived in the region called Mesopotamia. The existence of the Hanging Gardens, which is seen as the success of the Babylonian Kingdom, has been the subject of discussion. It is said to consist of eye-catching terraced gardens, which are not very possible even with today’s technology. Many different exotic plant species have been grown in the garden. The mention of such a garden in a dry and waterless desert environment has been the subject of research for many years.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are said to have been built in 600 BC. Nebuchadnezzar II ruled Babylon for 43 years. Legend has it that he had these gardens built for his wife, Semiramis, who was homesick. It is also referred to as Semiramis Hanging Gardens in some sources.
The Stunning Beauty of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
It is not known exactly how many years the construction of the Hanging Gardens took. However, it is said that the King of Babylon had it built to satisfy his longing for Lake Ascalon, where his wife was born and raised, and the greenery around it. An artificial city was built, resembling the city of Semiramis.
There are artificial mountains, streams and greenery in the garden. The shape of the garden is designed to form a pyramid. There are terraces on the pyramid where plants were brought from various parts of the world. The water requirement of the garden was supplied from the Euphrates River. With the help of pumps, it is ensured that the water goes up to the top part of the garden.
The garden is surrounded by very large walls, which are said to be 100 meters in height and 80 kilometers in length. The top of the walls is 25 meters wide, allowing horse-drawn carriages to pass comfortably in two directions. Stone blocks and marbles were used in the construction of the walls. Canals have been built at the edge of the garden that can be navigated by boat. In addition to various plants, a wide variety of fruit trees were also grown in the garden. There are also statues, temples and castles within the walls.
Herodotus, a great historian who lived in 450 BC; He said that the garden was more magnificent and ostentatious than any known city. Strabo, a Greek geographer about the garden; He said that the garden was built from cubic pillars on top of each other. The interiors of these pillars are empty and filled with soil to grow plants. The dome, terrace and columns were built with baked bricks.
The city of Babylon, which is a very magnificent city, began to wear out over time as a result of invasions. Especially after the invasion of Persian King Keyhüsrev, the city was buried in the desert sands in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. After the excavations in the twentieth century, the temples and castles in the city were unearthed.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which is one of the 7 wonders of the world, is the only structure whose accuracy cannot be proven and which is the subject of discussion. There are many poems and writings about the gardens, which are thought to have been built around 600 BC. But none of these writings belong to historians and poets who saw it first hand. After 20 years of archaeological excavations regarding the Hanging Gardens, which are thought to be located on the banks of the Euphrates, no findings were found. According to some experts, this place is considered to be a myth. But if there is such a place in history, not a legend, it is thought to be buried under the Euphrates River.
