By Sarah Bradbury
Just last year, a new list was created to name the New Seven Wonders of the World. On July 7, 2007, the list was determined based on an online vote that received over 100 million ballots!
Check out the old wonders first!
CHRIST THE REDEEMER (BRAZIL)
Height: 38 meters (105 ft.)
Construction: 1926 – 1931
The large monument of Jesus, which took 5 years to complete, sits on a cliff 710 meters (2,330 ft.) above the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was built as a symbol of the warmth and hospitality of the Brazilian people. The huge statue weighs 1,145 tons in total!
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
Construction: 220 B.C. and A.D. 1368 – A.D. 1644
This vast wall stretches 6,400 kilometres (4,000 miles) and was originally built to keep invading Mongols out of China. In the beginning, each state had its own independent wall, and it wasn’t until years later that they were joined together into one long, sprawling Great Wall. It is the longest manmade structure in the world and can even be seen from outer space!
COLOSSEUM (ROME, ITALY)
Height: 48.5 meters (158 ft.)
Construction: Between A.D. 70 and A.D. 82
The massive stadium, the site of grisly gladiator fights and other games, could hold approximately 50,000 people and had as many as 80 entrances so spectators could arrive and exit easily. Many of today’s modern stadiums have been designed after this 14-storey-tall amphitheatre.
PETRA (JORDAN)
Height: 42 meters (138 ft.)
Construction: 9 B.C. – A.D. 40
Hidden behind rough mountains and jagged cliffs, the city of Petra is a true diamond in the rough. With a façade carved out of a sandstone cliff, the Treasury, or “El Khazneh”, is the most widely recognized monument in the city. The city was rediscovered in 1812 after having been lost for nearly 300 years!
MACHU PICCHU (PERU)
Height: 2430 meters (7,970 ft.)
Construction: 5th century
The ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, meaning “old settlement” or “old mountain”, was built on top of a mountain deep in the Amazon jungle.When European explorers eventually stumbled upon the city, they accidentally brought smallpox with them. Experts think the city was eventually abandoned because of an outbreak of the disease. For over 300 years, the city remained deserted until 1911, when it was rediscovered.
CHICHEN ITZA (MEXICO)
Height: 24 meters (79 ft.)
Construction: A.D. 750 – A.D. 1200
Without any metal tools, the Mayans managed to construct a variety of buildings in the ancient city of Chichen Itza. The most widely recognized is Kukulcan’s Pyramid (also known as “El Castillo” and “Quetzalcoatl”) which has steps all the way to the top. With 365 stairs in total (including the top platform), the Pyramid has one step to represent each day of the year. The Mayans were great mathematicians, and many of their ancient calendars have been used to inspire the modern calendars used today.
TAJ MAHAL (INDIA)
Height: 65 meters (213 ft.)
Construction: A.D. 1632
Shah Jahan commissioned this white marble temple to be built as a mausoleum in memory of his late wife. The Taj Mahal, or “Crown Palace”, took an estimated 22 years to complete and is adorned with exquisitely detailed carvings and precious stones. The four towers, called “minarets”, that surround the temple are each 13 stories tall!