The New 7 Wonders of the World
July 7 marks 7 Wonders Day, and the list of impressive worldwide locations is based on an online popularity poll that began in 2000.
Taj Mahal — India
The New 7 Wonders of the World was an online popularity poll that began in 2000. Millions of people cast their votes from a shortlist of 21 monuments. Finally, in 2007, an unofficial list of the new seven wonders was revealed. The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, made the cut. Considered an architectural masterpiece, the 17th-century white marble mausoleum attracts up to eight million tourists a year.
Petra — Jordan
Nicknamed the Rose City, Petra features tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage." Incidentally, Swiss Bernard Weber was inspired to initiate the New 7 Wonders poll, after the Taliban destroyed two Buddha statues that were similarly carved into stone in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, in 2001.
The Great Wall — China
Known amongst the Chinese as the "Long Wall," this structure made of cement, rocks, bricks, and dirt was meant to protect the north of the Chinese empire from enemy attacks. Stretching 21,196 kilometers (around 13,170 miles), it is the longest structure ever built by humans. Contrary to popular belief, it cannot be seen with the naked eye from space.
Chichen Itza — Mexico
Located in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Chichen Itza is famed for its largely preserved massive step pyramid at its center. It was a religio-political hub of the Mayan empire, which explains the fusion of various architectural styles from different regions. However, it is rarely as empty as seen in this picture: millions of tourists come here every year during the spring equinox.
Machu Picchu — Peru
While Machu Picchu is a source of tourism revenue for Peru, foot traffic from thousands of tourists is doing irreparable damage to this ancient Inca city. While local politicians want to increase the tourist masses with cable cars and elevators, UNESCO demands stricter rules and fewer visitors. The expansion of the infrastructure around Machu Picchu has resulted in recurring landslides.
The Colosseum — Italy
The Colosseum is the only European structure to make the list of the world's new seven wonders. It was the venue in ancient Rome for gladiator fights and animal battles, and before it was built with a basement, the interior is said to have been partially flooded with water to recreate sea battles. Today, the amphitheater is one of Rome's top tourist draws.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer — Brazil
Standing 30 meters high (98 feet), weighing 1,145 tons, and with a total arm span of 28 meters, the monumental "Cristo Redentor" stands guard over Rio de Janeiro on Corcovado Hill. The iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer, which was completed in 1931, beat out competitors in the online vote, partly because the Brazilian state actively drummed up support for it.
Neuschwanstein Castle — Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle narrowly missed making the top seven. Commissioned in 1869 by Bavarian King Ludwig II, the castle in the Bavarian Allgaeu region came in only eighth. The initiative "A Wonder of the World for Germany" blamed the Germans for their lack of support. It was mainly the Japanese and Koreans who had voted for the castle.
The Pyramids of Giza — Egypt
The pyramids of Giza are the only wonder of the ancient world that still stand today. It was the Greek historians who started the practice of listing wonders, and who after Greek conquests also got to know Egyptian, Persian and Babylonian structures. What we now know as "the seven wonders of the ancient world" was only defined later.