Over 2,000 years ago, travelers raved about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Of the ancient wonders, the Great Pyramid is the only one still standing. Fortunately, there are still many wonders of human imagination and achievement to explore. At the turn of the last millennium, a list of New Seven Wonders was created.
NEW SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Chichén Itzá
The ancient Maya city of Chichén Itzá was an urban and astronomical center. The Temple of Kukulcan is a pyramid with 365 steps, nine terraces, and a temple on top. Around the equinoxes, a shadowy serpent descends the steps.
Colosseum
Emperors offered electrifying spectacles for bloodthirsty masses. Gladiators battled to the death. Wild beasts attacked prisoners. Naval battles flooded the Colosseum. The elliptical arena’s wooden floor is gone.
Cristo Redentor
High atop Corcovado peak, Christ the Redeemer’s outstretched arms welcome you to Rio. He even has a heart on his chest. The 360-degree view of Rio is breathtaking. The mountains in Rio all have this distinctive stretched out camel hump look.
Great Wall
China’s first emperor built the wall 2,000 years ago. Spanning 13,170 miles, the fortifications were a defensive system between China’s agricultural society and nomads from the Eurasian Steppe.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a legendary city on a ridge between two mountain peaks. It represents the apex of the Inca civilization. The Inca nobility would vacation here wearing gold jewelry and colorful alpaca wool ponchos.
Petra
The Nabateans carved architectural wonders out of the rock walls. The Siq is a narrow gorge leading to the Khaznah (“Treasury”), one of many large tombs. Ad-Deir (“Monastery”) is a dramatic unfinished facade at the other end of the city.
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a place of exquisite beauty and a story of great love. Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died giving birth to their 14th child. He was so heartbroken he spent 22 years building the monument.
Bonus: Great Wall
The pharaohs required houses of death for their journey into the afterlife. The Great Pyramid was the tomb of Khufu on the Giza Plateau. In 2600 BC, 20,000 laborers moved 2.3 million blocks over 27 years.
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