Nebuchadnezzar II

Hello! My name is Nebuchadnezzar II, and I was a king a very, very long time ago. I ruled over a magnificent city called Babylon. It was a special place with grand buildings and busy streets. My father, Nabopolassar, was the king before me, and I learned how to be a strong and wise leader from watching him. In the year 605 BCE, it was my turn to become king. I had big dreams for my people and my city, and I couldn't wait to begin my work to make Babylon the greatest place on Earth.

I loved my home, Babylon, and I wanted to make it the most wonderful city in the entire world. To keep everyone safe from harm, I built huge, strong walls all around it. These walls were so thick and tall that they made our city like a fortress. One of my favorite projects was a giant, beautiful gate called the Ishtar Gate. We covered it in shiny blue bricks that sparkled in the sun. We also decorated it with pictures of powerful animals like lions and even amazing dragons! It was a grand entrance to welcome everyone into our amazing city and show them how special Babylon was.

People tell a wonderful story about a special project I built. My wife missed the green hills of her childhood home, so the story says I built her a garden that looked just like a mountain. It was called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It wasn't hanging by ropes, but it was built on many different levels, rising high into the sky. We planted beautiful trees, colorful flowers, and even had waterfalls flowing down the sides. It was so incredible that it later became known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

My time as king was many years ago. I lived to be about 72 years old. Even though my city of Babylon is now ancient ruins, people still learn about it in books and visit what is left of the amazing walls and gates. They remember me as a powerful king who built one of the most famous and beautiful cities the world has ever seen, and the stories of what I built are still told today.