The original Seven Wonders of the World was first described in 225 B.C. and contained astonishing manmade structures across the Ancient Greek and Roman Empires. Over the centuries, six of those wonders were lost to time. The Great Pyramids of Giza, the list’s only survivors, is one of the most visited landmarks in the world.
The New 7 Wonders Foundation based in Switzerland announced a contest to nominate seven landmarks as the Seven Wonders of the Modern World to inspire a new generation of travelers. More than 100 million participants worldwide voted on more than 200 candidates. The final list was revealed in 2007. Today, tour companies offer packaged trips that allow travelers to visit all selected wonders in a single month-long journey.
Three of the Wonders are located in the Americas. Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico, is an ancient Mayan temple. The Itza people created the site sometime in the 9th century as a sacred calendar. In addition to several stone temples and structures, Chichen Itza contains the largest existing tlachtli field, a popular sport in pre-Colombian Mexico.
The other American wonders are much more modern. Machu Picchu in Peru was built sometime in the 1400s and discovered in the 20th-century. Machu Picchu was once a bustling city inhabited by the Inca, the indigenous people of Peru. The ancient ruins are more than 7,000 ft above sea level in the Andes Mountains. Travelers must trek on foot or rent a helicopter to reach the summit.
Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro was erected in the mid-1920s in response to the horrors of World War I. It was sculpted in the art deco style popular at the time. The 98-foot tall statue stands on Corcovado Hill and overlooks Rio below.
The remaining four Wonders are located throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. The oldest of these is the Great Wall of China, completed in 700 BCE. Walls had been used in Ancient China for centuries to keep out invaders. China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, combined several walls to create what is now known as the Great Wall. Later dynasties fortified and expanded the wall.
Today, the wall stretches more than 13,000 miles. Few visitors walk the entire length of the wall. Instead, travelers select sections based on their location. For example, the portion stretching from Jinshanling to Simatai is popular due to its beauty. Visitors also flock to sections of the wall near other impressive sites, such as the Forbidden City.
The Taj Mahal is also in the Asian continent, located in Northeast India. Indian Emperor Shah Jahan constructed the intricate palace in the 17th-century honor of his deceased wife, Noor. The Taj Mahal is made from precious materials, such as marble and quartz stone.
The City of Petra in Jordan is the second oldest site on the list. At its height, the city was the center of the spice trade. Petra has many unique features, including entire facades carved directly from the sandstone mountainsides. Archeologists believe that more than 80 percent of the city remains undiscovered.
The final Wonder is the Roman Colosseum in modern-day Italy. It is the largest building of its kind in the world. During the days of the Roman Empire, thousands of residents would gather in the Colosseum to watch gladiator fights.
