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In 2000, a Swiss foundation launched a campaign to identify the seven new wonders of the world. Given that the original list of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World was compiled in the second century BC-only one participant still exists (the Pyramids of Giza)-it seems it’s time to update. People all over the world seem to agree that more than 100 million votes have been cast online or via SMS. The final result was announced in 2007, which caused cheers and some ridicule-some high-profile competitors, such as the Acropolis, failed to advance. Do you agree with the new list?
Greatness may be an understatement. The Great Wall of China is one of the largest construction projects in the world, and it is generally believed to be about 5,500 miles (8,850 kilometers) long; however, a controversial Chinese study claims a length of 13.170 miles (21,200 kilometers). The work began in the seventh century BC and lasted for more than two thousand years.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Great Wall of China
Although it is called a “wall”, the structure actually has two parallel long-distance walls. In addition, watchtowers and barracks are scattered throughout the fort. However, one not-so-good thing about this wall is its effectiveness. Although it was built to prevent intrusions and attacks, the separation wall largely failed to provide actual security guarantees. On the contrary, scholars point out that this is “political propaganda.”
Castillo is a Toltec-style pyramid, 79 feet (24 m) above Chichen Itza Square in Yucatan, Mexico. The pyramid was built after the conquerors invaded the ancient Mayan city in the 10th century.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is a Mayan city in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula that flourished in the 9th and 10th centuries. Under the rule of Maya Itza, which was heavily influenced by the Toltecs, many important monuments and temples were built. The most striking is the stepped pyramid of El Castillo (“castle”), which rises 79 feet (24 meters) above the main square. As a testament to the astronomical abilities of the Mayans, the structure has 365 steps, which is the number of days in a solar year. During the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the sunset casts shadows on the pyramids, showing the appearance of a snake sliding down the northern ladder; at the bottom is the head of a stone snake. However, there is no work and science in life there. Chichen Itza has the largest tlachtli (a sports field) in the Americas. In this area, residents played a ritual ball game that was common throughout Central America before Columbus.
The ancient city of Petra in Jordan is located in a remote valley, between mountains and sandstone cliffs. It is said that it was one of the places where Moses hit the rocks and the water flowed. Later, the Arab tribe Nabataeans established its capital and flourished during this period, becoming an important trading center, especially the spice trading center. The famous sculptor, the Nabataeans excavated houses, temples, and tombs in sandstone, which changed its color with the change of the sun.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Petra Jordan
In addition, they have built a water system that can be used for lush gardens and agriculture. According to reports, in its heyday, Petra had a population of 30,000. As trade routes changed, the city began to decline. A major earthquake in 363 AD caused even greater difficulties. After another earthquake in 551, Petra was gradually abandoned. Although it was rediscovered in 1912, archaeologists basically ignored it until the late 20th century, and many questions about the city still exist.
This Inca site near Cusco, Peru, was “discovered” by Hiram Bingham in 1911. He believed it was Vilcabamba, a secret Inca stronghold used during the 16th century against Spanish rule. Although this claim was later refuted, the purpose of Machu Picchu puzzled scholars. Bingham believed it was the home of the “sun virgins”, and they vowed to remain chastity and live in the monastery.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Machu Picchu
Others thought it might be a pilgrimage site, while others thought it was a royal sanctuary. (One thing obviously shouldn’t be the location of beer advertisements. In 2000, the crane used for such advertisements fell and split a monument.) As we all know, Machu Picchu is one of the few major prehistoric sites. What Columbus found was almost intact. Although relatively isolated in the Andes, it is characterized by agricultural terraces, squares, residential areas, and temples.
Christ the Redeemer is a huge statue of Jesus standing on the top of Corcovado Hill in Rio de Janeiro. Its origin can be traced back shortly after the First World War when some Brazilians were afraid of “the tide of evil.” They proposed the statue that was ultimately designed by Heitor da Silva Costa, Carlos Oswald, and Paul Landowski. Construction started in 1926 and was completed five years later.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Christ The Redemer
The resulting monument is 98 feet (30 m) high, excluding its base, which is approximately 26 feet (8 m) high and its arms extend to 92 feet (28 m). It is the largest art deco statue in the world. Christ the Redeemer is made of reinforced concrete and covered with approximately 6 million tiles. What is a bit worrying is that this statue is often struck by lightning. In 2014, the tip of Jesus’ right thumb was damaged in a storm.
The Colosseum was built in Rome by the order of the Vespasian Emperor in the first century. The Colosseum measures 620 x 513 feet (189 x 156 meters). Indeed, it is a feat of engineering and has a complex vault system. It can accommodate 50,000 spectators, who watched various events.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Colosseum Rome
Perhaps the most striking is the battle of gladiators, although male-animal battles are also common. In addition, water is sometimes pumped into the Colosseum to simulate naval conflicts. However, the belief that Christians were martyred there, that they were thrown at the lion, is a controversial issue. It is estimated that about 500,000 people died in the Colosseum. In addition, so many animals were captured and subsequently killed that some species became extinct.
This mausoleum complex in Agra, India is one of the most famous monuments in the modern world and perhaps the best example of Mughal architecture. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658) to commemorate his wife Mumtaz (“Chosen One of the Palace “), who gave birth to her fourteenth child, died in 1631.
Wonders Of The Modern World: Taj Mahal
The complex took about 22 years and 20,000 workers to build, including a huge garden with a body of water. The mausoleum is made of white marble and decorated with semi-precious stones with geometric and floral motifs. The imposing central dome is surrounded by four smaller domes. According to some reports, Shah Jahan wanted to have a black marble mausoleum. However, before he could start any work, he was fired by one of his sons.
Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter
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