Seven Wonders of the World

Seven Wonders of the World
By Matthew Kepnes

Some ancient and marvelous buildings that have been built by our forefathers have stood the test of time. Many are architectural marvels which can't be replicated today. Last year, the world participated in the unofficial vote for the new seven wonders of the world, which are Chichén Itzá in Mexico, Christ Redeemer in Brazil, The Roman Colosseum in Italy, Machu Picchu in Peru, Petra in Jordan, The Great Wall of China and The Taj Mahal in India. Each of these sites are world famous, iconic, historic, and breathtaking.

Chichén Itzá, Mexico
The most famous Mayan temple city in Mexico stands in example as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures are demonstrative of an extraordinary architectural composition that is unbelievable given the limited resources people those days had. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.

Christ Redeemer, Brazil
This statue of Jesus Christ stands around 40 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain ranges overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Heitor da Silva Costa, a Brazilian designer designed this wonderful piece of art and French sculptor Paul Landowski sculpted it. It is one of the world's best-known monuments. Christ with open arms symbolizes the charitable attitude of Brazilians and their hospitable nature.

The Roman Colosseum, Italy
This great amphitheater in the center of Rome was built to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept is still every architect's dream and even now other stadiums are influenced by the Colosseum's original design. Many Hollywood films and other international films have been shot at this breath taking theater. A visit here will remind you just how great the Roman empire was.

The Great Wall of China, China
The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system to 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 gave their lives to build this colossal construction.

Machu Picchu in Peru
In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain"). Above the Urubamba River in the Amazon jungle lies this architectural wonder that is half way up the Andes ranges. Every year, millions of people hike the four day Incan trail to reach this place.

Petra, Jordan
Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire. Masters of water technology in the desert region, 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 silent example of unbelievable and unparalleled architecture.

The Taj Mahal, India
This giant mausoleum was built on the orders of emperor Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Moghul emperor, in honor of the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the jewel of Muslim art in India.

Located around the world, these seven wonders provide us with a clue into the diverse cultures and development of societies around the world. All of these are architectural marvels that took a lot of thinking and creativity to create. They are truly wonders of the world.

Matthew Kepnes has been a travel writer for over two years now and has visited many of these historic sites and written about them for many magazines and online publications. For more information about the historical sites of the world and about petra tours, visit Matt's website on the subject.

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Summary:-

There are many wonders in the world but these seven sites are the best wonders. They deserve to be so because they are not only beautiful but also tell us about other cultures, beliefs, and human thought.


Key words:-
travel, seven wonders of the world, world wonders, destination tips

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