 Machu Picchu, Peru The New Seven Wonders of the World are Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer,
Peru's Machu Picchu, and Mexico's
Chichen Itza pyramid were chosen alongside the Great Wall of China,
Jordan's Petra, the Colosseum in Rome and India's Taj Mahal.
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Visit: The
New7Wonders Foundation |
