Hanging Gardens of Baghdad

Hanging Gardens of Baghdad

Attraction Introduction

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — “The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (circa 600 BC)”

When it comes to Babylonian civilization, the first thing that sparks fascination and imagination is the “Hanging Gardens.” It is renowned as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

For centuries, there has been a beautiful and touching legend about the “Hanging Gardens.” Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (who reigned

married Amytis of Media, a princess. The princess was lovely and deeply loved by the king. But over time, she began to look sorrowful. Nebuchadnezzar didn’t know why. The princess said, “My homeland is covered with rolling hills and blooming flowers. But here, it’s the endless flat plains of Babylon — not even a small hill in sight. I long so much to see the mountains and winding mountain paths of my home again!” It turned out the princess was suffering from homesickness.

So, Nebuchadnezzar II ordered craftsmen to build tiered, stepped gardens in his palace, modeled after the mountainous scenery of Media. These gardens were filled with exotic plants and featured serene mountain paths lined with murmuring streams. The craftsmen also constructed a towering pavilion in the center of the garden, seemingly suspended in the air.

The breathtakingly ingenious garden scenery finally won the heart of the princess. Since the garden was built higher than the palace walls, giving the impression that the entire royal garden was hanging in mid-air, it came to be known as the “Hanging Gardens,” also called the “Hanging Park.” In those days, visitors who came to Babylon for pilgrimage, trade, or travel could see from afar the golden rooftops of the elevated pavilions shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

Thus, by the 2nd century AD, Greek scholars, when evaluating famous buildings and sculptures around the world, listed the “Hanging Gardens” as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” Since then, the “Hanging Gardens” have become even more widely renowned.

Regrettably, like many other famed structures of Babylonian civilization, the “Hanging Gardens” have long been buried under the shifting sands. To learn about them, we can only rely on historical records from later periods and modern archaeological excavations.

However, some records, while mentioning the “Hanging Gardens,” suggest that the legendary gardens were not built by Nebuchadnezzar II but rather by a Syrian king to please one of his favorite concubines. Some accounts even claim that the legendary “Hanging Gardens” actually referred to the royal gardens built by Assyrian King Sennacherib in his capital city of Nineveh.

It wasn’t until the late 19th century that German archaeologists unearthed the ruins of Babylon. While excavating the Southern Palace, they discovered an unusual, semi-underground, rectangular structure in the northeast corner, covering an area of approximately 1,260 square meters. This structure consisted of two rows of small rooms, each averaging just 6.6 square meters. The two rows were separated by a corridor and laid out symmetrically, surrounded by tall, thick walls. In one of the rooms on the western side, they found a well with three basins — one square and two oval-shaped. According to archaeologists, these rooms may have been waterworks, and the basins likely housed the installation for a water-lifting device.

Therefore, archaeologists believe this site may very well be the legendary location of the “Hanging Gardens.” The ancient Babylonians are thought to have layered soil on the sturdy arches of these rooms, building them up layer by layer to plant flowers and trees. As for irrigation, water was continuously supplied via the water-lifting devices in the underground rooms. Through research, archaeologists have confirmed that the principle behind those water-lifting devices is largely the same as the chain pumps we use today. They involved attaching several buckets to a chain connected to a wheel mounted on a wall. As the wheel turned, the buckets would follow, completing the process of lifting and pouring water, which then flowed through channels to irrigate the garden. This type of water-lifting device is still widely used in the Mesopotamian region. Moreover, archaeologists did indeed find extensive evidence of planted vegetation at the site. However, to date, no definitive written records have been found among the discovered Babylonian cuneiform clay tablets.

Therefore, whether the archaeologists’ interpretation is correct remains to be further studied. In short, the true face of the legendary “Hanging Gardens” still remains shrouded in the mists of history. (By Chen Xiaohong and Mao Rui) (Excerpted from Lost Civilizations: Babylon, East China Normal University Press)

Baghdad, Iraq