WONDERLUST – Random facts about the New Seven Wonders of the World.

If you are struck with wanderlust and are looking for new travel ideas, how about planning a trip to see the Seven Wonders of the World.







Not the ancient wonders which included long-gone marvels like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, but the new seven wonders, which were the result of a global poll conducted by the New 7 Wonders Foundation in an effort to represent our global heritage throughout history. (www.new7wonders.com).

The new seven wonders like the ancient wonders recognize man-made architectural feats. The list, in no particular order, includes:

The Great Wall of China
Petra in Jordan
The Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
Macchu Picchu in Peru
The Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico
The Colosseum in Rome
Taj Mahal in India


And now that these sites have been chosen, The real challenge is to preserve the integrity of these sites for future generations while giving people today a chance to visit and appreciate them.


Here are a few random facts about each structure:

The Great Wall of China was built between the 6th century BC and the 16th century to protect China from invaders from places like Mongolia and Manchuria. It spans approximately 4,000 miles and is made of solid stone with packed earth inside.

Petra in Jordan is known as the Lost City of Stone. It was carved out of the sandstone cliffs of Jordan and was the home of the Nabateans, an ancient Semitic people. The city is made of huge rocks, mostly pink, and includes various structures including a treasury, a monastery, and a Roman theater. Swiss explorer Johan Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered the lost city in 1812.

Christ the Redeemer is the name of a massive statue overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It stands 120 ft tall and weighs 635 tons and is located at the peak of the Corvocado mountain (2300 feet). It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone. It was constructed between 1922 to 1931.

Machu Picchu in Peru is known as the Lost City of the Incas. The temples, palaces, stairways, and terraces of this ancient walled Inca city show that its people worshipped the sun and were amazingly accurate as astronomers. It is located on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru.

If Machu Picchu is the Lost City of the Incas, the ruins of Chichen Itza in Mexico is the Lost City of the Mayan civilization. This archeological site is located near the center of the Yucatan peninsula

The Colosseum or Coliseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is a testament to great Roman architecture and engineering. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles and originally could seat 50,000 people.

The Taj Mahal of India is a symbol of one man’s love for his wife. It is, in fact, a mausoleum in Agra, India built by the Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. This symmetric complex of structures that reflect Mughal architectural style, was completed in 1648.

About the Author:

Marcelline Santos-Taylor is a freelance writer and photographer based in Southern California. Her various projects can be viewed at www.suburbanmama.com, www.missingmangoes.com, www.marcietaylorphotography.com



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