Modern Seven Wonders of the World
New Seven Wonders of the World
The new 7 Wonders organization was established by Bernard Weber, a Swiss - Canadian adventurer. Its purpose is to promote cultural diversity by supporting, preserving and restoring monuments. Its funding is through private donations and apart from that, it gets revenue by selling broadcasting rights. It was felt that given the fact that the original seven wonders, which were concentrated in the Middle East and Mediterranean region, have been destroyed with the sole exception of the Great Pyramids of Giza, a new list should be prepared based on global voting. The Campaign to name the new wonders was launched in 1999 with almost 200 nominations coming in from across the globe. The list was reduced to 22 at the beginning of 2006 and was further brought down to 14, which included the Eiffel Tower (Paris, France), Easter Islands (Pacific), the Statue of Liberty (New York City, USA), Acropolis (Athens, Greece), Kremlin (Moscow, Russia), Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia).
Seven New Wonders of the World
- The Great Wall of China
- The Colosseum
- The Taj Mahal
- Manchu Picchu
- The City of Petra
- The Statue of Christ Redeemer
- Chichen Itza Pyramid
The Great Wall of China
It was built by the Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, who was the first Emperor of China, during the Qui Dynasty (221BC - 206BC). After unifying China from the seven warring states, the Emperor connected and extended four old fortification walls along North of China. Armies were positioned along the wall as the first line of defence against the invading nomadic Hsuing Nu tribes. During the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368AD-1644AD), the Wall was further enlarged to 6,400 km from the previous 5,000km and renovated over a 200 year period with watch towers and cannons added to it. It is one of the largest building construction projects ever completed.
The Great Wall of China
The Colosseum
It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. It was the pride of the mighty Roman Empire in its heydays. It was the site for gladiatorial contests and other public spectacles. The construction of the huge amphitheatre in the center of Rome began between 70AD and 72AD, under Emperor Vespasian. It was completed in 80 AD under Emperor Titus. The amphitheatre was modified during the reign of Emperor Domitian's reign. It was used for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games held in the 6th Cen AD, long after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476AD. It's original seating capacity was believed to be about 50,000. It has been ruined by earthquakes and stone robbers.
The Colosseum
The Taj Mahal
It is the pride of India. It was built in beautiful white marble by the 5th Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz. The constructed started in 1631 AD and took 22 years for completion. Almost 20,000 people were employed for the construction. The building materials were brought from all over India and Central Asia. 1000 elephants were required to the transport the material to the construction site. Within the dome of the Taj lies the cenotaph of Queen Mumtaz. Emperor Shah Jahan's casket is placed next to Mumtaz's one. The Taj Mahal has become almost synonymous with Indian culture to the external world. It has also become the face of Indian tourism industry.
Also See:
- Architecture and Monuments in Amazing India | Incredible India
Amazing and Incredible India. See Best Cities in India and Beautiful places to visit in India. Tourism in India; Amazing places in India. Places to visit in India. Best places in India to Visit.
Machu Picchu
It is also referred to as a lost city. It was created by the Inca Empire. It is located above Urubamba Valley in Peru. Constructed around 1450AD, it was abandoned in less than 100 years in the aftermath of the Spanish conquest. It was lost to the world till a Yale historian and explorer named Hiram Bingham discovered it in 1911. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. The Intihuatana or the "Sun tier" is probably the astronomical clock used by the Incas.
Machu Picchu
The City of Petra
It is perhaps the most spectacular ancient city remaining in the modern world. It was the capital of Nabeteans i.e. Arabs who dominated Jordan in the pre-Roman times. It is a marvel of temples, tombs and elaborate buildings carved out of rock. For seven centuries, its existence was a secret known to only the local Bedouins and Arab traders, till it was rediscovered by Johan Ludwig Burckhardt.
The City of Petra
The Statue of Christ Redeemer
It is a 105 feet tall, 700 tonnes statue of Jesus Christ. It is located at the top of the 700m high Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca forest National Park. It was conceptualized in the 1850s, when Pedro Maria Boss, a Catholic Priest requested funds from Princess Isabella to build a large, religious monument. The idea did not materialize at that time. There was a second proposal in 1921 by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. A statue of Jesus Christ with open arms was chosen. A local engineer, named Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen to oversee the project. The sculptor appointed was Paul Landowski. The stone was brought from Sweden. The monument was opened on 12th October, 1931. It has now become a visible sign of Catholic faith in Brazil.
The Statue of Christ Redeemer
Chichen Itza Pyramid
It was built by the Mayan civilization and is located in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It was a major regional center in North Mayan low lands. It exhibits a multitude of architectural styles. Archaeological data suggests that its collapse was due to violent reasons.
Chichen Itza Pyramid
Seven wonders of the Ancient world
The original seven wonders of the world were listed by the famous historian Herodotus (484BC-425BC) and Callimachus of Cyrene (305BC-240BC), a scholar at the Museum of Alexandria.
- The Pyramids of Egypt
- The Colossus of Rhodes
- The Hinging Gardens of Babylon
- The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
- The Pharos of Alexandria
- The Status of Zeus (Jupitor) at Olympia
- The Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus (Rome)
Seven wonders of the Medieval world
The list patterned on the model of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World includes.
- The Colosseum at Rome.
- The Catacombs of Alexandria.
- The Stonehenge in Britain.
- The Great Wall of China.
- The Leaning Tower of Pisa. .
- The Porcelain Tower of Nanking.
- The Mosque (Church) at St Sophia at Constantinople.