The New 7 Wonders of the World
Christ the Redeemer ¨C Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The 124-foot-tall statue of Jesus stands atop the Corcovado Mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Built in 1931, it took five years to construct and symbolizes the warmth and welcoming spirit ofthe Brazilian people. Christ the Redeemer statue reinforced concrete-and-soapstone statue was designed by Heitor da Silva Costa and cost approximately$250,000 to build - much of the money was raised through donations.
Great Wall of China - China
the world¡¯s longest manmade structure ever built at about 4,000 miles in length, the wall wasoriginally built to help create a uniteddefense system and prevent invading Mongol tribes out of China. the Great Wall of China is a stone-and-earth fortification and construction began around the 8th century B.C. and efforts to revive it took place from 1368 ¡ª 1644 A.D by the first emperor ofChina, Qin Shi Huang Di.
The Roman Colosseum ¨C Rome,Italy
Almost every sports stadium today is created based on thedesign of the Colosseum, built between 70-82 A.D. The only finalist from Europe to make it into the top seven, Located in the center of Rome, the amphitheater could seat up to 50,000 spectators who watched publicspectacles like the gladiatorial events as well as other public spectacles, including battle reenactments, animal hunts and executions. Earthquakes and stone-robbers have left the Colosseum in a state of ruin, but portions of the structure remain open to tourists, and its design still influences the construction of modern-day amphitheaters, some 2,000 years later.
Machu Picchu ¨C Peru
Machu Picchu is located halfway up the Andes Plateau¡ªinthe Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River, Peru. The ruined city is among the best known remnants of the Inca civilization, which flourished inthe Andes region ofwestern South America. The city isthought to have been abandoned following an outbreak of deadly smallpox, a diseaseintroduced in the 1500s by invading Spanish forces.
Machu Picchu which means ¡°old settlement¡±, originally a 15th century Incan settlement, the magnificent city was ¡°lost¡± for three centuries, then rediscovered in 1911 by archaeologist Hiram Bingham. The site can only bereached by foot, train or helicopter; most visitors visit by train from nearby Cusco.
Petra ¨C Jordan
Petra located on the edge of the Arabiandesert, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom of King Aretas IV who weremasters of water technology (9 B.C. to A.D. 40). Petra isfamous for its many stone structures such as a138-foot-tall (42-meter-tall) temple carved with classical facades into rose-colored rock. The ancient city also included tunnels, water chambers, and an amphitheater, which held 4,000 people.
Jordan has taken the New7Wonders competition seriously. Petra is an important attraction in a country where tourism has recently suffered due to troubles in the Middle East region, particularlyin neighboring Iraq.
Taj Mahal ¨C India
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Construction beganin 1632 and took about 15 years to complete. Taj Mahal is the spectacular mausoleum built byMuslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to honor the memory of his beloved late wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The white marble mausoleum is believed by many tobe the best representation of Muslim art in India. Taj Majal actually represents a number of architectural styles, including Persian, Islamic, Turkish and Indian. The Taj Majal also encompasses formal gardens of raised pathways, sunken flower beds and a linear reflecting pool.
The Pyramid at Chichen Itza ¨C Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Chichen Itza once served as the political and economic center of Mayan civilization.The city housed masterpieces like the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, the PlayingField of the Prisoners and the pyramid of Kukulkan, which was the last Mayan temple. Each of its four sides has 91 steps¡ªone step for each day of the year, with the 365thday represented by the platform on the top. It was the political and religious center of Maya civilization during the period from A.D. 750 to 1200.
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