100 million people are agre that this 7 places, which deserve name
“wonders of a world”:
The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political
and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures – the
pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand
Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and
are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space
and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the
greatest, of all Mayan temples.
Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado
mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da
Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one
of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to
construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a
symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive
visitors with open arms.
The Roman Colosseum (70 – 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors
to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire.
Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern
sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of
the Colosseum’s original design. Today, through films and history books,
we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in
this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth
Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built
out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the
Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The
emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the
Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 – 1644 A.D.) China
The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a
united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of
China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built
and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many
thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal
construction.
Petra (9 B.C. – 40 A.D.), Jordan
On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital
of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters
of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great
tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on
Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today,
the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple
facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle
Eastern culture.
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the
clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu (”old mountain”).
This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep
in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably
abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the
Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained ‘lost’ for over
three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.
“wonders of a world”:
The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political
and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures – the
pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand
Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and
are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space
and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the
greatest, of all Mayan temples.
Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado
mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da
Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one
of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to
construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a
symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive
visitors with open arms.
The Roman Colosseum (70 – 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors
to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire.
Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern
sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of
the Colosseum’s original design. Today, through films and history books,
we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in
this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth
Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built
out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the
Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The
emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the
Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 – 1644 A.D.) China
The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a
united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of
China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built
and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many
thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal
construction.
Petra (9 B.C. – 40 A.D.), Jordan
On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital
of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters
of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great
tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on
Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today,
the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple
facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle
Eastern culture.
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the
clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu (”old mountain”).
This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep
in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably
abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the
Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained ‘lost’ for over
three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.