The island of Rhodes was sacred to Helios, the sun god, who was said to have raised it from the sea. After the Rhodians successfully defended their city against a massive siege by Demetrius Poliorcetes, they sold the abandoned siege equipment and used the wealth to build a massive monument in gratitude to their patron god. The Colossus of Rhodes was a towering bronze statue of Helios, standing over 100 feet tall near the harbor entrance.
It stood for only 54 years before an earthquake snapped it at the knees, but its ruins remained a marvel for centuries.