What Are The New Seven Wonders Of The World Today?

By Anupama Sapkota | On 9 August 2023 03:06 AM

Wonders of the World symbolize historical achievements and cultural diversity through construction( Source : britannica )

As we move towards a modern world with technological advancement, historical constructions serve as evidence of our rich past. Seven of these are deemed 'wonders' as examples of contributions by various cultures.

New Seven Wonders Of The World is a list of seven extraordinary and culturally significant monuments selected via a free web-based polling system by a Swiss Foundation in 2000. These structures were selected from 200 different monuments.

Here are the New Seven Wonders of The World:

1. The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is visible from the space under certain conditions( Source : travelandleisure )

The Great Wall of China is one of the largest construction projects in the world with a length of 13,170 miles or 21,200 km. This structure, which is visible to the naked eye from outer space (under certain conditions), began construction in the 7th century.

The walls were built in sections that were then unified later through the years. The idea behind constructing these walls in sections was to protect the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states from nomadic raids.

2. The Colosseum

The Colosseum resides in the city of Rome and attracts millions of tourist every year( Source : thecolosseum )

The Colosseum is an oval amphitheater located in the center of the city of Rome in Italy. The structure could hold up to 80,000 spectators, with a reported average of 65,000, for a variety of events.

Some of the common public spectacles were:

Animals Hunts
Executions
Dramas
Mock Naval Battles

It is open almost every day of the year except on December 25 and January 1st. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Rome and has been associated with the Roman Catholic Church.

3. Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu has a trekking route that sees almost 2 million visitors each year( Source : theguardian )

Machu Picchu is an Inca citadel from the 15th century situated on a mountain ridge about 2430 meters above sea level. It is present on the Machupicchu District above the Sacred Valley.

Despite being isolated in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu has agricultural terraces, residential areas, and temples that depict a civilization. What makes it even more interesting is that the structure is one of the few major pre-Columbian remnants that are nearly intact.

4. Christ The Redeemer

Christ The Redeemer is the most famous tourist spot in Rio de Janeiro( Source : dkfindout )

The world's largest Art Deco structure, Christ The Redeemer, is a mighty status of Jesus Christ that stands atop Rio De Janeiro. The statue in itself is 98 ft (30 meters) tall, along with a 26 ft (8m) pedestal, and its arms span 92 feet (28 meters).

It was created right after World War I as a result of 'Godlessness' among the people of Brazil. The statue is reinforced concrete and covered in about six million tiles. Each year, Christ The Redeemer is visited by 2 million people worldwide.

5. Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal was the winner of the New Seven Wonders of the World initiative in 2007( Source : bqprime )

Standing majestically on the banks of river Yamuna in Agra, Taj Mahal, is considered one of the most beautiful buildings ever created. It is an ivory-white mausoleum created by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahah for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who passed away during childbirth.

Taj Mahal was the certified winner of the New Seven Wonders Of The World initiative and receives upto 8 million visitors each year.

6. Petra

Petra was recently opened for tourism and has brought billions to Jordan in tourism money( Source : lonelyplanet )

Petra is an ancient archeological city located in southern Jordan between sandstone mountains and cliffs. It is known for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system that shows a mixture of exquisite Eastern and Hellenistic architecture.

The city was native to Nabataeans, who made it the capital of their kingdom in the 4th century BC. Nabataeans lived as nomadic Arabs who utilized Petra's proximity to trade routes and made it a trading hub.

Currently, Petra bears almost 1 million visitors per year, providing Jordan with $5.3 billion in tourism money.

7. Chichén Itzá

El Castillo is the most famous structure on Chichén Itzá that represents the architecture of the Mayans( Source : hungariandreamers )

A Mayan city in the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico, Chichén Itzá, has a stepped pyramid El Castillo also known as the Temple of Kukulcan. This is the most celebrated structure in the city.

The structure has a total of 365 steps, equivalent to the days in a solar year. The pyramid has stairways on all four sides to the top. During spring and autumn, the setting sun results in a shadow that gives the appearance of a serpent slithering down. At the base is a stone with a snake head.

Seven Wonders of The Ancient World

Long before the New Seven Wonders of the World were selected in 2007, seven other structures and monuments were deemed wonders by Hellenic travelers.

The following are the Seven Wonders of The Ancient World:

1. Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza is give an honorary status on New Seven Wonders of The World( Source : cnn )

Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid that served as a tomb for pharaoh Khufu. It is granted an honorary status on the list of New Seven Wonders as it is the only remaining original Seven Wonders of The Ancient World.

The structure is 4800 years old and has 14 million visitors annually, making it the most popular tourist site in the world.

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Hanging Gardens of Babylon are present in the form of gardens on tereaces( Source : babilonosodai )

The ancient gardens in the city of Babylon were located near the royal palace. These gardens are believed to have been present on rooftops. There were irrigated by the Euphrates River and were roofed with stone balconies.

Historians have passed theories, but the actual location of the site has not yet been established.

3. Statue of Zeus

The Statue of Zeus was destroyed in a fire in 395 AD however, replicas have been created for museums and art shows( Source : grunge )

The Statue of Zeus is a magnificent statue plated in gold and ivory that was placed in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. It was created by Greek sculptor Phidias in 436 BC. It remained in the temple till 395 AD, of which no accurate copies are available today.

4. Temple of Artemis

Remains of Temple of Artemis are available on Turkey( Source : britannica )

Located in modern Turkey, The Temple of Artemis was the greatest temple of the Mediterranean. It was built by Croesus in 550 BC but was destroyed in a deliberate fire in the fourth century.

5. Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Only parts of the remains of Mausoleum of Halicarnassus can be seen in the city of Bodrum in Turkey( Source : co )

The elaborate and magnificent tomb created for a king is so impressive that Mausoleum is now used for many other monumental tombs. The building was 131 ft in height with large sculptures on both sides.

6. Colossus of Rhodes

There have been talks about the rebuilding of Colossus of Rhodes( Source : popularmechanics )

Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek sun god Helios that was built in the city of Rhodes. It was constructed to celebrate the defense of Rhodes city against the attack by Demetrius I of Macedon.

7. Pharos of Alexandria

The Lighthouse was the original inspiration behind all the modern lighthouses( Source : egyptianstreets )

Built in ancient Egypt, The Lighthouse of Alexandria has been estimated to have been 100 meters in height. It was a technological triumph and is used as as archetype for the modern lighthouses.

Mixedarticle