Rhodes mayor wants to rebuild Colossus, a wonder of the ancient world

[Faísca]

Rhodes mayor wants to rebuild Colossus, a wonder of the ancient world

Fri Feb 11, 5:44 PM ET

ATHENS (AFP) - The mayor of Rhodes relaunched an often-delayed project to rebuild the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Greek news agency ANA reported.

Mayor Yannis Iatridis at a press conference proposed building the gigantic statue of the sun god Helios on a hill near the seaside resort of Faliraki.

The Greek-Cypriot artist Nicolaos Gotziamanis, who has been preparing the project for several years, would erect the statue estimated to cost 100 million euros (129 million dollars) under the plan. It would be made of brass and stand about 33 meters (108 feet) tall.

Gotziamanis has brought together for the project a committee of well-known Europeans, both in politics and in the arts, headed by the former president of Portugal, Mário Soares.

Iatridis said he would try hard to obtain the necessary permits to carry out the project.

Many times over more than 30 years, previous mayors of Rhodes wanted to boost tourism and rebuild the Colossus of Rhodes. Each time the project was halted because of a lack of money or the reluctance of the ministry of culture.

The Colossus was built by Rhodian sculptor Charles of Lindos between 304 and 292 BC at the entrance of the port of Rhodes. A strong earthquake in 225 BC toppled the statue of Helios. In 653, the Arabs took control of Rhodes and sold off what remained of the statue.

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[Menydh]

What is gone, is gone. They are not showing much imagination by wanting to reproduce a marvel of the past, and they would do better in bringing some new idea.

It is a Disneyland's castle.

[Prussian]

Indeed the project is somewhat lacking in originality. Of course the Colossus of Rhodes is something to marvel in respect to it being an achievement for it's time.

However the reproduction is more likely to do no justice to the original considering the fact remains that the positioning of the proposed reproduction is not situated in it's original spot. Therefore lacking the impact the original must have had when one was entering the harbor.

The reproduction's existence revolves soley around the purpose of boosting economic revenue (naturally situated near a resort for the hordes of curious tourists wanting to get their piece of the Colossus )rather then the past cultural & religious importance of the original wonder.

Also that they are not even exactly certain what the Colussus looked like, rather we know as the Colossus from books & so fourth is just a mirage of possibilities of what it may have looked like without being absolutely certain.

Therefore in this case economic interests blatantly jeopardise the cultural integrity of Rhodes in the broad sense.

[Timo]

Too similar to the "statue of liberty." Don't waste time or money on this project.

[Gil]

Originally Posted by Timo

Too similar to the "statue of liberty." Don't waste time or money on this project.

Exactly my view. Timo dixit