Directly following the end of World War II, the British destroyed eight out of the ten Colossus machines at Bletchley Park, due to paranoia of the Russians gaining secret information about it during the Cold War.

The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 226 BC. The bronze statue of the sun god Helios stood approximately 33 meters (110 feet) tall, making it the tallest statue of the ancient world. It had stood for only 54 years before the seismic activity caused it to snap at its weakest point—the knees. According to historical accounts, the massive statue crashed onto the land rather than into the harbor. Interestingly, the fragments remained on the ground for over 800 years, becoming a major tourist attraction in their own right; even in their broken state, people traveled from across the Mediterranean to see them. It wasn't until 653 AD, when Arab forces under Caliph Muawiyah I captured Rhodes, that the remains were finally dismantled. The bronze was sold to a Jewish merchant from Edessa, who reportedly required 900 camels to haul away the scrap metal to be melted down. Despite modern rumors and artistic depictions, the Colossus never actually straddled the harbor entrance, as its destruction would have blocked the port entirely.