When a popular vote on 07/07/07 named the New Seven Wonders of the World, we wondered about the old wonders and why we needed new ones. So we did a little research.
Apparently the idea was dreamed up by filmmaker Bernard Weber at the beginning of the new millennium. He wanted people to weigh in and decide on the greatest human achievements of the last 2000 years. So he launched a global campaign and opened the vote to anyone. About 100 million votes were cast.
What about the old ones?
In fact the original Seven Ancient Wonders of the World were compiled by historians and scholars and were all located in or around Greece, Egypt and Iraq. Only one is still standing: The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. You can read about each of the Seven Ancient Wonders here.
Tidbits on the new ones
Here are the winners:
You might think about these spots for your next vacation, but of course that’s cause for concern to some, who say these sites are already fragile and that more visitors could mean more wear and tear on these famous, historical sites. Already there are some calls to limit public access to Machu Pichu. Weber says about half of the funds from his foundation will go toward restoration efforts.
If you like, you can vote in Bernard’s next quest to name the seven natural wonders of the world.
Apparently the idea was dreamed up by filmmaker Bernard Weber at the beginning of the new millennium. He wanted people to weigh in and decide on the greatest human achievements of the last 2000 years. So he launched a global campaign and opened the vote to anyone. About 100 million votes were cast.
What about the old ones?
In fact the original Seven Ancient Wonders of the World were compiled by historians and scholars and were all located in or around Greece, Egypt and Iraq. Only one is still standing: The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. You can read about each of the Seven Ancient Wonders here.
Tidbits on the new ones
Here are the winners:
- Colosseum, Rome, Italy—An architectural feat that sits in downtown Rome, built in between 70 and 80 AD to seat 50,000 people who came to watch gladiators fight.
- Machu Pichu, Peru—“The Lost City of the Incas” was part of the Inca Empire and “rediscovered” in 1911. The hike into Machu Pichu is almost 30 miles.
- Taj Mahal, India—Commissioned by an Emperor in 1632 for his second and favorite wife, who died giving birth to their 14th child.
- Petra, Jordan—A city of carved sand-stone structures (Petra means rock), about 50 miles from the Dead Sea and famous for its sophisticated water system.
- Chichen Itza, Mexico—The “political and economic center” of the Maya civilization, one of the most advanced ancient civilizations known for its written language and pyramid-like structures that cover Mexico and Central America.
- Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil—A 130-foot tall statue of Jesus.
- Great Wall of China—Built over 2,000 years and stretching about 1500 miles, the Great Wall is the largest man-made structure. The walls (it’s a series of walls) were built initially to protect the Empire from invaders.
- Honorary winner: The Pyramids of Giza.
You might think about these spots for your next vacation, but of course that’s cause for concern to some, who say these sites are already fragile and that more visitors could mean more wear and tear on these famous, historical sites. Already there are some calls to limit public access to Machu Pichu. Weber says about half of the funds from his foundation will go toward restoration efforts.
If you like, you can vote in Bernard’s next quest to name the seven natural wonders of the world.
