CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO

Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Mayan civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, present-day Mexico. The Maya civilization is probably the best-known of the classical civilizations. Around 300 B.C., the Mayan adopted a hierarchical system of government ruled by nobles and kings. This civilization developed into highly structured kingdoms during the Classic Period, A.D. 200-900. It started to decline around A.D. 900 when - for reasons which are still largely a mystery - the Maya people of the southern areas abandoned their cities. In 1221 a revolt and civil war broke out, and Chichen Itza went into decline.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER, BRAZIL

Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue stands overlooking the city at the peak of the Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. The statue is 39.6 metres (130 feet) tall and weighs 700 tons. A symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil. Its construction took five years -- from 1922 to 1931 and the monument was opened on October 12, 1931. The cost of the monument was $250,000.

COLOSSEUM, ITALY

The Colosseum or Coliseum, is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture. Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 A.D. under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 A.D. under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. Due to the ruined state of the interior, it is impractical to use the Colosseum to host large events; only a few hundred spectators can be accommodated in temporary seating. The Colosseum is today one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions, receiving millions of visitors annually.

GREAT WALL OF CHINA, CHINA

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century B.C. and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall. The Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately 6,500 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total. It is also the largest human-made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass.

MACHU PICCHU, PERU

Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site located at 2,430 meters (7,970 ft) above sea level on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, about 70 km (44 m) northwest of Cusco. Machu Picchu was constructed around 1450, at the height of the Inca Empire, and was abandoned less than 100 years later, as the empire collapsed under Spanish conquest. All of the construction in Machu Picchu uses the classic Inca architectural style of polished dry-stone walls of regular shape.

PETRA, JORDAN

Petra is an archaeological site in southwestern Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. So far, no method has been found to determine when the history of Petra began but it does not go back farther than the 6th century B.C. Petra declined rapidly under Roman rule, in large part due to the revision of sea-based trade routes. In 363 an earthquake destroyed many buildings, and crippled the vital water management system. The ruins of Petra were an object of curiosity in the Middle Ages. On December 6, 1985 Petra was designated a World Heritage Site.

TAJ MAHAL, INDIA

The Taj is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, that was built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. The construction of Taj Mahal begun soon after Mumtaz's death in 1631 with the principal mausoleum completed in 1648. The surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later.

The New Seven Wonders of the World is a project that attempts to revive the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a list of modern wonders. A popularity poll was organized by the private, non-profit New Open World Corporation (NOWC), with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal. The Swiss-based NOWC claims that more than 100 million votes were cast through the Internet or by telephone. The company plans to develop a new list of seven wonders of nature through a similar process, taking nominations through August 8, 2008.

Sources:

www.mysteriousplaces.com

www.geocites.com

www.travelchinaguide.com

www.mapsofworld.com

www.wikipedia.com