DISCOVER THE 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD IN VIDEOS

0 48 5 minutes de lecture

As the seven wonders of the ancient world faded into history, with only the Pyramid of Cheops standing tall, it was time to anoint the modern marvels.

Since 2007, the New7Wonders Foundation has orchestrated a global vote to unveil the new seven wonders of the world. Without delay, here’s the esteemed list.

For those intrigued, stay tuned for further details on this fascinating election at the conclusion of the article.

THE GREAT WALL – CHINA

Defensive wall in northern China, 20,000 km long, seven meters high on average, built between the 3rd ^and 17th ^centuries . It crosses extremely varied landscapes, green mountains around Beijing, desert corridors at the Jiayu passage… The most touristy part of the wall receives up to 70,000 visitors per day in high season. In reality, astronauts do not see it with the naked eye from the window of their space station. It’s a myth, yes! The wall is not perfectly continuous either, but made up of several sections.

PETRA – JORDAN

Petra is a major archaeological site. There was a city there established during antiquity in the 8th century BC. BC subsequently occupied by the Nabataeans around the 6th century. It was abandoned then fell into oblivion and was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812.

What makes the exceptional value of Petra are first of all the monumental facades cut directly into the rock whose architecture reflects a mixture of Eastern and Greek influences, but also its incredible access route via a magnificent canyon along 1.5 km and only two meters wide at the narrowest point and of course its historical interest.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER – BRAZIL

Christ the Redeemer is a statue located at the top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and erected in 1931. It measures thirty meters high, making it one of the largest statues in the world. Like the Statue of Liberty, it was made (in part) by a French sculptor.

Already impressive with its beauty, size and location overlooking the city, it is even more impressive on average six times a year when it is struck by lightning.

THE COLOSSEUM IN ROME – ITALY

The Colosseum in Rome was built between 70 and 80 AD by more than 60,000 Jewish slaves. It is the largest amphitheater built by the Roman Empire.

It was a place of spectacle where animal fights, gladiators, reenactments of famous battles, mythological dramas and even public executions took place… It could accommodate 50,000 spectators. More than 500,000 people and more than a million animals died there.

It ceased to be used as a performance venue from the Middle Ages. Today it is in ruins mainly due to earthquakes, but it continues to give an idea of the power that the Roman Empire had at its peak.

MACHU PICCHU – PERU

Machu Picchu is a mountain on which the ruins of an ancient Inca city are located at 2,438 meters above sea level. It is located about a hundred kilometers from Cuzco.

What makes Machu Picchu worthy of its place in the New Seven Wonders of the World is the beauty of the place and its mystery. The landscape around it is often foggy. Little is known about the ruins. The nearest village is only accessible by an old train or on foot following the tracks from a power station.

CHICHEN ITZA – MEXICO

Chichen Itza is an ancient Mayan city located in the Yucatan, Mexico. It was the capital of the entire region. The city dates back to at least the 8th ^century . It was in decline, but still inhabited at the time of the Spanish conquest in the 16th ^century .

There you will find, in particular the largest ball court, several very special water holes (cenotes) and the perfectly restored “El Castillo” pyramid on which light projections are organized at night.

THE TAJ MAHAL – INDIA

The Taj Mahal is a white marble funerary monument built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is located in the city of Agra not far from Delhi. Its construction involved more than 20,000 people and was completed in 1648. It combines Islamic, Iranian, Ottoman and Indian architectural influences.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE RANKING

The vote was organized by the New7Wonders Foundation .

This is a private initiative led by a Swiss businessman, Bernard Weber.

77 monuments were selected from the original list. 20 finalists were designated by a jury composed of major international architects and chaired by the director of UNESCO.

It was then the general public around the world who chose the winners. More than a hundred million votes have been recorded.

The results were revealed in 2007 in Lisbon during a major ceremony.

The New7wonders balloon above the Taj Mahal

CRITERIA

To have been made by man. Have exceptional cultural and artistic interest. The historical aspect and technical prowess were taken into account.

The practical usefulness of the monuments was not part of the criteria.

All candidate monuments had to have been completed before 2000 and be in an “acceptable” state of conservation.

THE CRITICS

Egypt, apparently unhappy at having to put its title on the line, the Cheops Pyramid was excluded from the competition and presented on an honorary basis only.

The system did not allow equal access to voting and a fair distribution of votes according to their origin. Significantly more votes were cast from India, Mexico, China and Turkey than from other countries.

WHAT WERE THE ANCIENT WONDERS OF THE WORLD?

The origin of the list of the seven wonders of the ancient world is unknown . It dates from the 2nd ^or 3rd ^century BC and probably comes from Ancient Greece. In history, however, many people refer to it. There she is :

The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the only one still in existence today. All the others were destroyed by disasters (fires, earthquakes, etc.) or other causes…

The Colossus of Rhode according to Sergio Leone in his slightly Kitch Peplum