wonders of the modern world
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7 ancient wonders of the world
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Taj Mahal |
Agra, India |
Great Pyramid of Giza |
Egypt |
Chichen Itza |
Yucatán, Mexico |
Hanging Gardens of Babylon |
Nineveh Province, Iraq |
Christ the Redeemer |
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus |
Turkey |
Colosseum |
Rome, Italy |
Statue of Zeus at Olympia |
Greece |
Great Wall of China |
China |
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus |
Bodrum, Turkey |
Machu Picchu (Machu Pikchu) |
Cuzco Region, Peru |
Colossus of Rhodes |
Rhodes, Greece |
Petra |
Ma’an Governorate, Jordan |
Lighthouse of Alexandria |
Egypt |
Great Pyramid of Giza(honorary status) |
Egypt |
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Seven Wonders of the World
Seven Wonders of the World capture the fancies of travellers and interest of historians alike.
Built at different points in time, at different places, the new seven
wonders of the world are the materializations of some great dreams,
some great skills and some great labor; each being a masterpiece in
itself.
Several monuments have been built down the line, magnificent in their
own right, and thereby resulting in a new list of 7 wonders of the
world, while the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World continue to enchant
the world. Enjoy a brief account of each of the new Seven Wonders:
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum of white marble built by the Mughal
emperor, Shah Jahan, in the loving memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz
Mahal; the Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world that continues
to hold an attraction for all through the globe. Twenty-thousand men
labored on its construction, which began in 1631 and took 22 years to
complete. It is a symbol of eternal love and is worth a visit,
especially on a full moon night. It is aptly called the eighth wonder of
the world.
Chichen Itza, Yucatán, Mexico
The sacred Pre-Hispanic site of Chichen Itza (meaning near the edge of
water) is an archeological marvel located in the eastern portion of the
Yucatan state peninsula of Mexico. One of the largest Maya cities, the
site was built by the Maya civilization’s rulers between 750 AD and 900
AD. It houses several layered architectural complexes spread over an
area of 5 sq. kms, with structures such as El Castillo, Temple of
Warriors, The Great Ball Court, etc., made of fine stone and depicting
the Maya-Toltec influences.
Chichen Itza rose as a major regional capital dominating the polical,
socio-economic, and cultural ethos of the northern Maya islands in the
10th century. The site, now in various stages of restoration, is one of
most visited tourist attractions in Mexico and records about 1.2 million
visitors every year.
Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Every visitor in Rio de Janeiro has his faith in Christ redeemed, each
time he views it. Such is the presence of the world’s largest statue of
Art Deco, that of Christ, the Redeemer. Giving shape to the idea mooted
in 1921 by the church in Brazil, a colossal statue of Christ visible to
all in Rio was envisioned. Built with refined concrete, it came up atop
the 700 m-high Mount Corvocado in Brazil in 1931.
Standing 30 m tall on a separate pedestal measuring 8 m, the
magnificent statue was designed by Heitor da Silva Costa and sculpted by
Polish-French Paul Landowski. Maintenance work has since been carried
out regularly as the statue is exposed to strong winds and erosion.
After the consecration of a chapel under the statue in October 2006 to
the patron saint of Brazil, Catholics are now able to hold baptisms and
weddings there.
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Built in the ancient Mediterranean world, the iconic Roman Colosseum
evokes images of the blood-thirsty cries of Roman spectators and
gladiators playing the games at the Colosseum’s amphitheater. The
elliptical Colosseum was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater.
The Colosseum, one of the most imposing monuments located in central
Rome, was built by Emperor Vespasian, who founded the Flavian dynasty.
The construction began in 72 AD and was completed in 80 AD, an year
after his death by his heir, Titus. A UNESCO World heritage site, it
could hold about 50,000-80,000 spectators at a given time.
After the early medieval era, hosting of the public gaming,
entertainment such as music, operas and ballets based on classical
mythology, famous battles, etc., was discontinued and later used only
for workshops, and even as a Christian shrine. Currently, it is in
partial ruins, devastated by earthquakes, but is partly used by the
Church on occasions, as well as for music concerts by internationally
renowned musicians.
Great Wall of China, China
Winding its way through the Liaoning, Jilin, Ningxia, Hunan,
and several other provinces in China, stands the Great Wall of China,
the world’s largest structure built for military and defense purposes.
Visible even from the surface of the moon, the Wall was built in 220 BC
under Qin Shi Huang. Several sections of fortifications were brought
together to form a united defense system against invaders from the
north. Slowly, but surely the Great Wall measuring about 20,000 kms in
length was fully constructed till the end of the Ming dynasty’s rule
from 1368-1644.
Architecturally sound, the wall, which epitomizes human suffering and
is sung of in many Chinese ballads, is of great strategic and historic
importance to China.
Machu Picchu (Machu Pikchu) Cuzco Region, Peru
Nestled between the heights of the Peruvian Andes mountains and
Amazon Basin, about 200 rock structures with a 2,400 m high citadel in
the center are housed in the Machu Pikchu Region of Peru. Machu Picchu,
as it is more popularly known, is the Inca empire’s legacy and creation
that can be found amidst pleasing natural surroundings of a tropical
rainforest.
The historic sanctuary structures consisting of ramps, giant walls,
and terraces seem to be carved out naturally. Machu Picchu was built in
the 15th century but abandoned later when Spaniards defeated the Inca
empire in the 16th century. While at its peak, Machu Picchu was used as a
major religious, learning, astronomical, and agricultural center; and
now, it is a major tourist attraction in Peru.
Petra, Ma’an Governorate, Jordan
The eye-catching half-built, half-carved ‘Lost’ city of Petra can be
seen as a rock carving blended into the mountains between Red Sea and
Dead Sea. Eastern as well as Hellenistic traditions can be seen as
infused into the carvings. This famous archeological site of Petra is a
part of the Ma’an Governorate, which is the largest among the 12
governorates of the Kingdom of Jordan.
The heritage city was constructed in the first centuries of BC to AD
with Nabataean rock temples, and tombs such as the Khasneh, the Urn
Tomb, etc., and now stands testimony to the great civilizations of yore.
Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) was built by the pharaoh Khufu
around 2,560 BC. It is 136 m high with each side measuring 229 m. Each
side is oriented with the cardinal points of the compass, i.e. North,
South, East and West. The sloping angle of the side is 51 degrees 51
minutes. The Pyramids of Giza are the only surviving Wonders of the
Ancient World.
It has now gained honorary status as a new wonder of the world continuing from the ancient seven wonders of the world.
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