Subscribe to Listverse7 New Wonders in Breathtaking Photographs
- Published September 10, 2007 - 33 Comments
The New Seven Wonders of the World is a contemporary attempt to create an alternative to historical lists of the Seven Wonders of the World. This final list of seven was selected by internet users – the organization managing the vote say that over 100 million votes were counted – though people could vote more than once. Click the images to view them at their best.
1. Taj Mahal, India
Photograph By: micbaun [more...]
The Tah Mahal is a mausoleum complex in Agra, northern India, on the southern bank of the Yamuna (Jumna) River. In its harmonious proportions and its fluid incorporation of decorative elements, the Taj Mahal is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a blending of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles.
2. Colosseum, Rome
Photograph By: Will Hybrid [more...]
Construction of the Colosseum was begun sometime between AD 70 and 72 during the reign of Vespasian; the structure was officially dedicated in AD 80 by Titus in a ceremony that included 100 days of games. The Colosseum is a freestanding structure of stone and concrete, measuring 620 by 513 feet (190 by 155 metres) overall and seating some 50,000 spectators. It was the scene of thousands of hand-to-hand combats between gladiators, of contests between men and animals.
3. The Great Wall, China
Photograph By: Charlie81 [more...]
The Great Wall is a series of sandstone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC, the most famous being the one built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.
4. Petra, Jordan
Photograph By: Taras Kalapun [more...]
Petra is an ancient city, centre of an Arab kingdom in Hellenistic and Roman times; its ruins are in southwest Jordan. The city was built on a terrace, pierced from east to west by the Wadi Musa (the Valley of Moses)—one of the places where, according to tradition, the Israelite leader Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. The valley is enclosed by sandstone cliffs veined with shades of red and purple varying to pale yellow, and for this reason Petra was called by the 19th-century English biblical scholar John William Burgon a “rose-red city half as old as Time.”
5. Machu Picchu, Peru
Photograph By: hazelbrae [more...]
Machu Pichu is a pre-Columbian Inca city located at 2,430 m (7,970 ft) altitude on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, about 70 km (44 mi) northwest of Cusco. Machu Picchu is probably the most familiar symbol of the Inca Empire. It is often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”. The site was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1983 when it was described as “an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization”
6. Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
Photograph By: Pawel Z [more...]
Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue stands 39.6 metres (130 feet) tall, weighs 700 tons and is located at the peak of the 700-m (2296-foot) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city.
7. Chichen Itza, Mexico
Photograph By: itzamnavacmitun [more...]
Chichen Itza is a ruined ancient Maya city occupying an area of 4 square miles (10 square km) in south-central Yucatán state, Mexico. It is located some 90 miles (150 km) east-northeast of Uxmal and 75 miles (120 km) east-southeast of the modern city of Mérida. The only source of water in the arid region around the site is from wells (cenotes) formed by sinkholes in limestone formations.
Sources: Flickr, Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Britannica
Technorati Tags: Travel
September 10th, 2007 at 9:29 am
I might suggest St. Basil’s Cathedral in Russia or any of the great cathedrals of Europe.
Of course, that’s why it’s hard to choose just 7. The original 7 wonders were chosen by just one person. Maybe there were better things, but those were the ones he liked. Who knows what sort of arguments would have ensued had he tried to get various opinions.
I know they were (are?) working on a new list, but the voting was fast and furious. What defines a Wonder, and how much of it is nationalism or how much is based on technology. Is Stonehenge a wonder because of when it was created, making it a challenge? Or of what it is (which is something we could whip out in a few hours with technology.) Is the Statue of Liberty a wonder? St. Louis Arch? Eiffel Tower?
I guess it’s all pretty wonder-ful.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Cat Skyfire: this is the final list that was announced a month or so ago. I am sure one of the Cathedrals in Russia was on the original list for people to pick from but it didn’t win. Your comment raises a good point though – we are lucky to have so many amazing wonders in the world!
September 10th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I thought that Angkor Wat was one of the new 7. I guess extinct people don’t really need the tourism though, but it would have been nice if it had not been motivated by money but by how amazing the structure actually is.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
yea, there were some great structures on the list of voting, and the list was so good it was hard to choose just 7
September 11th, 2007 at 6:44 am
Great post, thanks for the eye-candy.
Not that one should take an internet poll seriously, though.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Che: I am a bit dissapointed at the lack of a few of my own favorites, but then I can always write my own list so never mind
October 28th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Eiffel Tower.
November 1st, 2007 at 5:04 am
I have always wanted to go to the
Colosseum in Rome. I think it is amazing it still even exists.
November 1st, 2007 at 5:08 am
alisa: I would love to go there too – it is on my list of places to go.
November 26th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
correct me if i am wrong, but i think that the petra thing was shown in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as the resting place of the Holy Grail.
December 9th, 2007 at 7:56 am
Few weeks ago I visited my girlfriend in the Philippines. We traveled north to a village called Banaue where they have the 2000 year old rice terraces built into the side of mountains. Incredibly people are still maintaining and working those rice fields. It looks as if people should not be able to live and thrive in such an unusual piece of terrain but they have for years. I know the new 7 were decided by a vote, so popularity will always beat out quality candidates. Cristo is impressive and thanks to a large internet savvy population it beat out other candidates that may have been more worthy.
More travel lists or sports lists would be interesting. Keep up the great work.
January 15th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I think a place that is amazing is Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, the worlds largest salt flat. Every photograph from there is absolutely amazing.
February 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Pyramids in Giza?
February 27th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I am proud to be Indian as Taj Mahal is in India !
April 5th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I don’t think that Christ the Redeemer should be up there. I don’t see how it’s so amazing. It’s not realistic; it’s a big ugly statue. If it got put on the list merely for it’s height that’s ridiculous.
I think that maybe Newgrange or Stonehenge should be on here.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:15 am
#1 is spelled wrong, it’s supposed to be Taj Mahal, not Tah Mahal.
June 15th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Stunning photos and great show of what man is capable of. I’m sure there were/are others but I thought these were beautiful.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I had to look again. So beautiful. Really a testament to man. They are all my favorites.
August 14th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Great list. These are all places I hope to visit someday, especially the Petra site. It’s just incredible to think of the man power and ingenuity needed to create such amazing things The Taj Mahal is possibly slowly tilting into the river, so we better all check it out soon, just in case!
http://www.bharatonline.com/uttar-pradesh/taj-mahal/legends/sinking-taj.html
Another that I think would fit the list is the Mayan Palenque site. Granted it’s not as grand as the others, but still pretty awesome and worth checking out if your into ancient architecture.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:47 pm
this thing is good but not for me
September 1st, 2008 at 7:47 pm
i didnt like it at all
October 24th, 2008 at 1:02 am
surely there’s a better photo for christ the redeemer?
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:23 am
Dare I say that I think colosseum is a little over-rated. May be I think so because I have been there so many times. Now, I know, that it is a phenomenal construction, especially considering the times in which it was build. It is a huge part of Roman history but personally I do not think that it should be #2. While we are on the subject of great Roman constructions, The Basilica of St. Peter should have been number 2. Now that is a masterpiece of human architecture. Even today, nobody knows how did they manage to build such a huge dome unsupported by any additional structures (such as columns).
By the way, #5 and #1 are truly astonishing…
Cheers
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Great list hope there is more out there like this one.
December 25th, 2008 at 11:15 am
No the colosseum should be on here. Ice seen it in person and its amazing especially when you imagine how much larger it was at the time
January 28th, 2009 at 11:34 am
That’s just HDR, not amazing photography…
Still, cool subject, I voted on most of them.
February 4th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Well, the Christ is now one of the 7 wonders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Seven_Wonders_of_the_World
And a nice (but small) picture:
http://f.i.uol.com.br/folha/brasil/images/071475.jpg
April 7th, 2009 at 8:26 am
8th and 9th wonders of the world.
The Rubicks cube and Chess.
April 10th, 2009 at 2:40 am
oh my god…need better picture of christ the redeemer!!! in the very least with a clearer sky…thats one of the best part of going up there!!!
also, little extra: this christ has a heart within. it’s of concrete and inside, there is a bottle with the family tree of the engineer of the project.
And the Taj Mahal, as most of us may know, is a proof of love. beautiful thing, really!
April 15th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Great list, although I’m not sure if Christ the Redeemer deserves a place on the list.
Also my great great great great uncle Lord Curzon who was viceroy of india was responsible for the restoration of the Taj Mahal
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
where can i vote the next time ?
October 21st, 2009 at 3:21 am
Wow. . . Beautiful. . .