What are the 7 wonders of the modern world?

Chichn Itza, Mexico The ancient city of Chichn Itza (pronounced chee-chehn eet-sah) is located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This well- nown Mayan city ser!ed as a reli"ious# political and econo$ic center spannin" se!eral hundred years. The Pyra$id of %ul ul &n -- also nown as 'l Castillo -- is pro(a(ly the $ost reco"nized ruin of Chichn Itza. This step pyra$id stands approxi$ately )* feet hi"h. It has nine terraces and four sets of stairs. 'ach staircase has +, steps. If you include the top platfor$ as a step# then the pyra$id has a total of -./ steps 0 one for each day of the year1 Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil This statue of 2esus is one of 3io de 2aniero4s $ost widely reco"nized $onu$ents. It stands +)./ feet tall atop the su$$it of Mount Corco!ado# which itself rises $ore than 5#-** feet hi"h. 6ith a hu"-li e win"span of +5 feet# the statue see$s to (oth (ec on and welco$e local residents and !isitors ali e. It wei"hs approxi$ately 7** tons and is $ade of concrete and soapstone. To see the statue up close# you can ride a co"wheel stea$ en"ine train up the steep 5.--$ile slope. 3est up on the ride (ecause at rail4s end you ha!e $ore than 5** steps to cli$( to "et to the foot of the statue. Colosseum, Italy If you4!e seen the $o!ie 89ladiator#8 then you4!e seen the Colosseu$ 0 well# a C9Ienhanced !ersion of it anyway. :uilt in 3o$e so$eti$e around ;< 7*# it was the first freestandin" a$phitheater. =thers in that era were du" out and (uilt into the sides of hills or $ountains to pro!ide sta(ility. 9ladiator contests# "roup co$(ats# (attle reenact$ents# and other productions were held there to an audience of nearly /*#***. Today# e!en after so$e reno!ations in the ,++*s# the wear and tear fro$ poor weather# natural disaster and !andalis$ show. >onetheless# !isitors floc to this a$azin" si"ht daily. a! Mahal, India This ?5-acre $ar(le $ausoleu$ co$plex located in ;"ra is a stunnin" and well- nown Indian land$ar . @hah 2ahan# the fifth Mu"hal (or Mo"ul) '$peror# (uilt it as a $e$orial to his deceased wife Mu$taz Mahal# who died durin" child(irth. Construction#

which started shortly after Mahal4s passin" in ,.-,# spanned $ore than two decades. It reAuired $ore than 5*#*** la(orers and cost se!eral $illion rupees. "reat Wall of China =%# we4!e all heard the clai$ that the 9reat 6all of China is the only $an-$ade o(Bect !isi(le fro$ space. :ut it Bust isn4t true. ;ccordin" to >;@;# not only is the wall not clearly !isi(le fro$ low 'arth or(it# other $an-$ade thin"s are. The space $yth aside# the 9reat 6all of China is definitely a $odern $ar!el and ri"htfully (elon"s a$id the other se!en wonders. Contrary to popular (elief# the wall isn4t one continuous structure. It4s actually $ade up of se!eral separate structures that connect and (ranch out here and there. Includin" the (ranches# it co!ers approxi$ately ?#/** $iles. #etra, $ordan Cocated in southwest 2ordan are the ruins of the ancient city of Petra. Massi!e te$ples# to$(s and $onu$ents ha!e (een cut into the surroundin" sandstone cliffs. Petra# which is 9ree for 8roc #8 is also nown as 8the city in the roc .8 Perhaps the $ost i$pressi!e Petra structure is the @i al-%hazneh# also nown as the Treasury. It is an ela(orately car!ed and e$(ellished to$(. :esides the decorati!e to$( facades and $onu$ents# Petra is also nown for its hi"hly or"anized water syste$# which included cera$ic pipes# intricate water channels and cisterns. Machu #icchu, #eru If Petra is the city in the roc # then Machu Picchu is the city in the clouds. :uilt in the ,/th century# this ancient Incan city is nestled (etween two pea s 0 Machu Picchu (=ld Pea ) and Duayna Picchu (>ew Pea ) at an a$azin" ele!ation of 7#7,* feet. It is often ($ista enly) called the lost city of the Incas# (ecause it was hidden a$idst the lush forest and clouds for $ore than three centuries. Yale professor Dira$ :in"ha$ redisco!ered the city in ,+,,. @ince then# exca!ation research su""ests that the city was ho$e to a(out ,#5** residents at its pea . Today# it is a ey tourist attraction.