1.

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

 
The Colosseum is the great oval amphitheater in the center of Rome where gladiators once fought for
their life. The largest amphitheater ever built, it was constructed from sand and stone over eight years,
from AD72 to AD80. The colossal structure could hold 80,000 spectators, arranged in a circular ring
around the central stage. Dramatic and sometimes horrifying events took place here, not just
gladiatorial games, but also Classical plays, animal hunts and executions. Some say water was even
pumped into the arena to enact mock sea battles. Partially damaged by earthquakes and stone robbers
over the centuries, the Colosseum is still an iconic memento of Roman history, visited by thousands
of tourists every year, so it stands to reason it would make the list of today’s seven wonders of the
world.
 
2. The Great Wall of China

 
The Great Wall of China is a huge barrier that spans thousands of miles along China’s historic
northern border. Created over millennia, the wall began its life as a series of smaller walls dating back
to the 7th century BCE, built as protective barriers against nomadic raids. In 220 BCE, China’s first
Emperor Qin Shi Huang masterminded the unification of all China’s walls into one almighty barrier,
strengthening and extending the wall to keep out northern invaders. Today the wall is recognized as
one of the seven wonders, which, including all its branches, measures a whopping 13,171 miles.
 
3. The Taj Mahal, India
 
India’s renowned Taj Mahal (Persian for Crown of Palaces) is the stunning white marble mausoleum
on the bank of the Yamuna River in the city of Agra, and it has been selected as one of the seven
wonders of the world. Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan built the temple as a tomb for his beloved wife
Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth in 1631. A marble tomb in the center is surrounded by 42
acres of grounds, where gardens, a mosque, guest house and pool complete the complex. The entire
project took over 22 years to complete by 20,000 workers at a cost of 32 million rupees (around
US$827 million by today’s standards). But the hard work paid off – today the Taj Mahal is recognized
as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a vital component of India’s rich Mughal history.
 
4. Christ the Redeemer, Brazil

 
The totemic statue of Christ the Redeemer stands over Rio de Janeiro on the top of Mount Corcovado.
At 30 meters tall, this monument is an iconic emblem of Brazil. This huge public artwork
was designed by the Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski in the 1920s and completed by Brazilian
engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, and French engineer Albert Caquot in 1931. Made from reinforced
concrete clad in over 6 million soapstone tiles, Christ the Redeemer is the largest Art Deco sculpture
in the world. Built just after the end of the First World War, the sculpture was an overpowering
symbol of Christianity and hope when the world had been brought to its knees, so its no surprise that
this monument made the list for today’s seven wonders.
 
5. Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu is a lost treasure of the 15th century, a rare citadel discovered high in the Andes
mountains above the Peruvian Sacred Valley. Astonishingly, it is one of the only pre-Columbian ruins
found nearly intact, featuring evidence of former plazas, temples, agricultural terraces and homes.
Archaeologists believe the citadel was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti in around
1450 in polished drystone walls. The Incas abandoned the site a century later and it remained hidden
for millennia, before being brought to public attention by American historian Hiram Bingham in
1911. Because of this remarkable preservation, it is recognized today as one of the seven wonders.
 
6. Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Deep in the Mexican state of Yucatán lies Chichen Itza, a historic Mayan city built between the 9th
and 12th centuries. Constructed by the pre-Columbian Mayan tribe Itzá, the city includes a series of
monuments and temples. The most celebrated is El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulcan. It
is a huge step pyramid in the center of the city which was built as a devotional temple to the god
Kukulkan. In total, the entire temple features 365 steps, one for each day of the year. Even more
impressively, during the spring and summer equinoxes, afternoon sun casts triangular shadows down
the pyramid’s north stairway that resemble a feathered serpent slithering down its surface, heading
towards a stone snake head at the base – no wonder it is one of the seven wonders today!
 
7. Petra, Jordan
 
Petra, the ancient city in southern Jordan is also known as the ‘rose city’ for its golden hue. It dates as
far back as 312BC. Set in a remote valley, this ancient city was founded by the Arab Nabataeans, a
sophisticated civilization who carved stunning architecture and complex waterways out of
surrounding rock faces. The Nabateans also established Petra as a successful trade hub, earning vast
wealth and a booming population before being wiped out by earthquakes. Unknown to the Western
world for centuries, the city was uncovered in 1812 by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.
19th century poet and scholar John William Burgon described Petra as “a rose-red city half as old as
time.”
1. The Colosseum

The Flavian Amphitheatre usually referred to as the Colosseum or Coliseum, is a spectacular

amphitheatre that was constructed in Rome and inaugurated in AD. 80 by Titus, the son of Vespasian,
for a hundred days of games that included gladiatorial battles and animal contests. Despite the fact
that two-thirds of the original structure has been damaged over time, it is one of the most well-known
tourist locations.

2. Machu Picchu

An Incan site in Peru called Machu Picchu was “found” by Hiram Bingham in 1911. It is close to the
city of Cuzco. Vilcabamba, a covert Incan bastion used during the 16th-century revolt against Spanish
domination, was what he thought it to be. It is one of the few recognized big pre-Columbian ruins that
have been found almost intact.

3. Petra
Petra is a remarkable historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is also known as Raqmu
or Rose City due to its colour. The Nabataean, a Bedouin Arab tribe that were native to the area in
what is now southwest Jordan, are thought to have founded the city of Petra as a trade centre. Petra is
situated around 150 miles south of Jerusalem and Amman, the capital of Jordan, and roughly halfway
between Damascus, Syria, and the Red Sea, making it a centre of commerce in the region at the time.

4. Taj Mahal

Agra, India’s Taj Mahal is a marble mausoleum complex and one of the best examples of Mughal
architecture. Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–58) built it in memory of his wife Mumtz Maal, known as
“Chosen One of the Palace,” who passed away in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child. It is
thought that 20,000 artisans worked on the Taj Mahal project under the direction of a board of
architects who were knowledgeable at the time.

5. Cristo Redentor (OR) Christ the Redeemer Statue

On Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, the Christ the Redeemer Statue, also known as Cristo
Redentor, is a statue of Jesus in the Art Deco style. Heitor da Silva Costa designed the 130-foot statue,
which is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone. Its construction cost about $250,000, the
majority of which was obtained through contributions. It is 635 tonnes in weight and is situated on the
Peak of Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park, which provides views of Rio de
Janeiro.

6. Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a work of engineering that is believed to be roughly 5,500 miles (8,850
km) long, however the Chinese claim it is actually 13,170 kilometres long (21,200 km). The Great
Wall of China was built over the course of two millennia, starting in the 7th century BCE. The goals
of this spectacular organisation at the time included management of trade and emigration, border
control, imposition of tariffs on Silk Road trade, and defence.

7. Chichén Itzá
A Mayan metropolis in Mexico is called Chichen Itza. It is located on the Yucatán Peninsula, which
had great prosperity in the ninth and tenth centuries A.D. The mythological great cities, or Tollans,
that are mentioned in later Mesoamerican literature are also thought to include Chichen Itza. The
city’s ruins contain religious structures from the Maya Civilization, like as the Temple of Kukulkán,
which has 365 steps, one for each day of the Haab solar calendar.