The charm of man-made marvels

The new Seven Wonders of the World beat 14 other nominated landmarks like the Eiffel

Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Parthenon and the Statute of Liberty.
THE NEW SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA:

 Originally built in the 5th century BC, the Great Wall of China went through incessant repairs throughout

the succeeding ages. It became a single long wall only during the Qin dynasty, when Emperor Qin Shihuang

succeeded in his efforts to join the walls together in order to fend off the invading Hun tribes. The Great Wall

stretches 6,700 km from the east to west of China.

THE TAJ MAHAL, INDIA:

 The architecture beauty of the Taj Mahal is acknowledgement to be unsurpassed in perfection. It was

built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum of Shah Jahan

himself was later added to it. The Taj is built entirely with white marble, and was constructed over a period of 22

years, employing over 20,000 labourers. It was completed in 1648 BC.

THE MACHU PICCHU, PERU:

 Comprised of approximately 200 buildings, the ancient Incan city of Machu Pichhu is located in the

Andes Mountains in Peru, deep in the Amazon jungle. Machu Pichu, meaning ‘manly peak’, was most likely a

royal estate or a religious retreat possibly both. I t was built by an Incan ruler, Pachauti Inca Yupangui, between

1460-1470 AD. After his death, the city became the property of his kinship group.

THE CHRIST REDEEMER, BRAZIL:

 The statute of Christ - the Redeemer towers above the beautiful Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro

with open arms, in a permanent symbol of giving and love. It stands 100ft tall on a 20ft pedestal and weighs a

staggering 700 tones. Since it was placed on top of the 2,300 ft peak of the Corcovado Mountain in 1931, this

figure has been one of the most famous symbols, not only of Brazil, but of the world.

THE COLOSSEUM, ROME:

 The Colosseum is one of the most famous among Rome’s Classical buildings. After 2,000 years of its

construction and despite the plundering of the building during times of war the Colosseum remains a world

wonder. The amphitheatre can accommodate 60,000 people, who can enter and leave in a matter of minutes,

thanks to the 80 exits set at different vantage points.

THE CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO:

 This temple city built by the Mayan civilisation is named Chichen Itza, meaning ‘at the mouth of

the well of Itza’. The place was an important economic and political centre in the northern Maya lowlands. The

architecture style of the structures represents the influence of various cultures on the civilisation.
THE PETRA, JORDAN:
 Famous for its stone structures carved in rock, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean empire of

King Aretas IV (9 BC to 40 AD). An excellent example of Middle – Eastern architecture, the archeological site

is located in a basin among the mountains which from part of the wadi Araba, the valley from the Dead Sea to

the Gulf of Aqaba.