It’s been more than 2,200 years since the monumental statue of the sun god Helios, the Colossus, stood as sentry at the mouth of the harbor of the Greek island of Rhodes. Built of iron and bronze by Chares of Lindos to celebrate a military victory over Cyprus; it was completed in 280 BCE after twelve years of construction. It stood for 54 years before an earthquake snapped its knees and brought it tumbling down. It was never rebuilt.
Until…now? The Colossus of Rhodes Project is a consortium of young European architects, engineers, even 
economists intent recreating the Colossus as a modern cultural center, and as a tribute to European unity and resiliency. Their plan is to emulate Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, who began construction on Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica in 1883 (it’s still incomplete). Gaudi created and sold subscriptions to help fund the project, which led to a sense of ownership and pride among the townspeople as they watched their shared dream rise from the ground.
A similar dream might reinvigorate Greece and other regions of eastern Europe, as they continue to recover from the lingering economic crisis and now work to accommodate waves of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. The Project team envisions the new Colossus as a symbolic triumph over these and other hurdles, and as a physical declaration of pride of history and hope for the future. The interior of the statue is to include gallery spaces and libraries; the exterior will include solar panels and will be topped with a lighthouse. It is to be nearly 500 feet tall.
As yet there are no estimates of the final costs of the project. It will no doubt be vastly expensive. But it can be done, and it should be done. The purpose is noble, and the outcome will be gorgeous and thrilling to behold. If and when it’s crowdsourced, it will be an opportunity for all of us to share in history.
Solicitations haven’t started yet; I urge you to stay tuned and be ready to donate as soon as the Project is ready to commence. In the meantime, enjoy these videos as a hint of what’s to come:
