The Hanging Gardens of babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Legend says that Emperor Nebuchadenzzar II ordered the garden built for his Persian wife because she missed the green hills and valleys of Persia. However, the gardens were not named a wonder just for the sheer beauty and year-round-oasis feel. The water engineering that would have been used is a marvel in itself .King Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BC) describes what he had done:
"I dug out a canal from the (river) Upper Zab, cutting through a mountain peak, and called it the Abundance Canal. I watered the meadows of the Tigris and planted orchards with all kinds of fruit trees in the vicinity. I planted seeds and plants that I had found in the countries through which I had marched and in the highlands which I had crossed: pines of different kinds, cypresses and junipers of different kinds, almonds, dates, ebony, rosewood, olive, oak, tamarisk, walnut, terebinth and ash, fir, pomegranate, pear, quince, fig, grapevine.... The canal water gushes from above into the garden; fragrance pervades the walkways, streams of water as numerous as the stars of heaven flow in the pleasure garden.... Like a squirrel I pick fruit in the garden of delights..."
It is not known whether or not this garden was real due to lack of evidence, but if it was indeed real, it was destroyed sometime after first century AD.
"I dug out a canal from the (river) Upper Zab, cutting through a mountain peak, and called it the Abundance Canal. I watered the meadows of the Tigris and planted orchards with all kinds of fruit trees in the vicinity. I planted seeds and plants that I had found in the countries through which I had marched and in the highlands which I had crossed: pines of different kinds, cypresses and junipers of different kinds, almonds, dates, ebony, rosewood, olive, oak, tamarisk, walnut, terebinth and ash, fir, pomegranate, pear, quince, fig, grapevine.... The canal water gushes from above into the garden; fragrance pervades the walkways, streams of water as numerous as the stars of heaven flow in the pleasure garden.... Like a squirrel I pick fruit in the garden of delights..."
It is not known whether or not this garden was real due to lack of evidence, but if it was indeed real, it was destroyed sometime after first century AD.