The New Seven Wonders of the World
Origins: In 2000, a Swiss foundation launched an event to select the New Seven Wonders of the World. More than 100 million people around the world voted via the Internet or text message, and the final results were announced in 2007.
1. The Great Wall
As one of the largest construction projects in the world, the Great Wall of China is about 21,200 kilometers long. This work began in the 7th century BC and lasted for two thousand years.
2. Chichén Itzá
The most famous and best-preserved Ruins of the Yucatan Mayans, the most famous of which is the El Castillo Stepped Pyramid, which rises 24 meters above the main square and has a total of 365 steps. At the time of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the shadow of the setting sun is cast on the pyramid, looking like a snake sliding down the stairs to the north.
3. Petra
A mysterious ancient city in the desert of southern Jordan, the Nabataean tribe of Arab tribes used it as their capital, during which time it flourished and became an important trading center. Later, as trade routes changed, the city began to decline.
4. Machu Picchu
Located in present-day Peru, known as the "Lost Inca City", it is a well-preserved pre-Columbian Inca relic. Machu Picchu is the most important center of archaeological excavations in South America.
5. Christ the Redeemer
After World War I, some Brazilians at the time feared a "wave of atheism". They proposed the construction of a statue, which began in 1926 and was completed five years later. It is the largest Art Deco sculpture in the world.
6. Colosseum
The only remaining 4-story amphitheater in the world was built by ancient Rome to please the triumphant generals and soldiers and to praise the great Roman Empire.
7. Taj Mahal
The mausoleum of Shah Jahan, the 5th Emperor of the Mughal Dynasty, was built in honor of his late Empress Ajimanbanu. The building includes a huge garden and a reflecting pool that took 20,000 workers about 22 years to build.
