Seven Wonders of the World

The Seven Wonders of the World, which are often called the Seven wonders or the seven wonders of the ancient world were a set of architectural and sculptural works that the Hellenes, especially in the Hellenistic period, considered worthy of being visited. Throughout the different time authors concocted different lists, but the final was not fixed until the Dutch painter Maerten van Heemskrerck made in the sixteenth century seven paintings representing the Great Pyramid of Giza built by the Egyptians of the Fourth Dynasty, Gardens pendants Babylon commissioned by Nebuchadnezzar II, the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia carved by Phidias, the tomb of the Persian satrap Mausolus in Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built by the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Considered by many as the 7 best buildings in the world. (Which is why they are called "the 7 wonders of the world").

Although many people do not know, there are "the 7 wonders of the modern world" and "the 7 wonders of the ancient world". It is in total 14 different wonders and not only 7 unique. (Although currently there are 8 total wonders, because of the 14 wonders, 6 have disappeared):

1. El Taj Mahal: It is a complex of buildings built between 1631 and 1648 in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh (India) on the banks of river Yamuna by the Muslim emperor Shah Jahan of the Mughal dynasty. The imposing set was erected in honor of his favorite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal- who died in childbirth of her fourteenth child. It is estimated that its construction required the effort of some 20,000 workers.The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Islamic architecture, 1 sea-green, 2 Indian and even turca.3 This monument has achieved special notoriety by the romantic character of his inspiration. Although the mausoleum covered with white marble dome is the most famous, the Taj Mahal is a set of integrated buildings.The monument is a major tourist destination of India. In 1983, he was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
2. Colosseum: The Colosseum is undoubtedly one of the great attractions of Rome. It has been made into a film many times, noting especially the digital reconstruction shown in the film Gladiator.In 1980, UNESCO declared the historic center of Rome, including the Colosseum, Heritage Humanidad.10 Since 2000, the authorities maintain the building illuminated for 48 hours each time somewhere in the world is commuted or defers judgment a convicted death.This monument of classical Rome has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, according to the honorific designation made in Lisbon on July 7, 2007, under the contest New 7 Wonders, organized by Swiss Bernard Weber, the which Unesco has been completely unmarked.The Colosseum was evacuated on August 7, 2011 by a bomb alert, which was nonexistent. A phone call had reported that there was a can with hanging cables. According to the mayor of Rome, "I had some turpentine, a battery and two cables, but no explosive material."
3. Great Wall of China: really "long wall of 10,000 Li (里)"; 10,000 li = 21196 km.2 In China, 10,000 li represent "infinity") it is an ancient Chinese fortification built and rebuilt between the V century. C. and the sixteenth century (Modern Age) to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the successive imperial dynasties from attacks by the Xiongnu nomads of Mongolia and Manchuria.
   Counting its ramifications and secondary buildings, it is estimated to have 21,196 kilometers long, from the Korean border, on the edge of the Yalu River to the Gobi desert, along an arc that delineates approximately the southern edge of Inner Mongolia , although today only 30% of it.3 on average, measured 7 meters 6 high and 4 to 5 meters wide is preserved.
   The wall was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. Much of the Great Wall is reputed to be the largest cemetery in the world. Approximately 10 million workers were killed during the construcción.4 not buried in the wall itself, but nearby.
   On 26 January 2007 announced that the Chinese wall was chosen as one of the winners in the list of New Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
   The Great Wall is twinned with the Roman wall of Lugo, Galicia, Spain, also designated World Heritage Site.
4. Christ Redeemer: Christ the Redeemer or Christ of Corcovado is a statue of 30 meters, with 8-meter pedestal, Jesus of Nazareth with open arms showing the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is located 710 meters above sea level in the Tijuca National Park, on the top of Corcovado Mountain. It was inaugurated on October 12, 1931, after about five years of work.It is visited by 2 million tourists a year, it is an icon of the city and the country and was recently declared one of the new seven wonders of the world.
   The idea of ​​building a religious monument in the city was first suggested in 1859 by Father Pedro Maria Boss and Princess Elizabeth. In 1921 the idea was revived and April 4, 1922 the cornerstone was laid. Four years later work began.The first sketches by the painter Carlos Oswald imagined Christ carrying the cross with a globe in the hands on a pedestal symbolizing the world. Finally we chose the current design, also Carlos Oswald.
   The project was developed by Brazilian architect Heitor da Silva Costa and took almost five years to be completed. The executor of the sculpture was the French sculptor Paul Landowski.For coating the work various materials were studied to finally choose "stone- soap". While it is a weak material, which can even be scratched with fingernails is extremely resistant over time, it does not deform, or crack with temperature variations.The construct
   ion of more than 1,000 tons, combines engineering, architecture and sculpture and nobody died during the titanic construction, something really unusual for the time.
5. Machu Picchu: is the contemporary name given to a llaqta, Inca built in the middle of the fifteenth century in the rocky promontory that links the mountains Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu in the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central, south of Peru and 2490 m , altitude of the main square. Its original name would have been Picchu or Picho.According to documents from the mid-sixteenth century, 2 Machu Picchu would have been one of the residences rest of Pachacutec, the ninth Inca Tahuantinsuyo between 1438 and 1470. However, some of its finest buildings and ceremonial evident from the main path llaqta to prove that this was used as a sanctuary religioso.3 Both uses, the palace and sanctuary, would not have been incompatible. Some experts seem to have ruled, instead, an alleged military, so the popular descriptions of "strength" or "citadel" could have been overcome.Machu Picchu is considered both a masterpiece of architecture and ingeniería.5 Its unique architectural and landscape features, and the veil of mystery that has woven around much of the literature published on the site, they have become one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet.Machu Picchu is on the List of World Heritage of Unesco since 1983 as part of a whole set cultural and ecological known as the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. On July 7, 2007 Machu Picchu was declared one of the new seven wonders of the m
   odern world in a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, which was attended by one hundred million voters worldwide.
6. Petra: is an important archaeological site in Jordan, and the capital of the ancient Nabatean kingdom. Petra name comes from the Greek meaning πέτρα stone, and his name is perfectly appropriate; This is not a city built of stone but literally carved and sculpted in stone.The settlement of Petra is located in a narrow valley, east of the Arava valley that stretches from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The most famous remains of Petra are definitely its carved into the rock of the valley (hemispeos) buildings, particularly buildings known as the Khazneh (Treasury) and Deir (Monastery).Founded in ancient times towards the end of the eighth century. C. by the Edomites, was occupied in the sixth century. BC by the Nabataeans who made it prosper thanks to its location on the route of the caravans carrying incense, spices and other luxury goods between Egypt, Syria, Arabia and the southern Mediterranean.By the sixth century. C., changing trade routes and suffered earthquakes, led to the abandonment of the city by its inhabitants. It was forgotten until in 1812 the site was rediscovered for the western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784-1817).
   Numerous buildings wh
   ose facades are carved directly into the rock, form a unique monumental complex, that from December 6, 1985 is inscribed on the World Heritage List of Unesco. The area surrounding the site is also, since 1993, archaeological National Park.
   Since July 7, 2007, Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the modern world.
7. Chichén Itzá: is one of the major archaeological sites of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, located in the municipality of Tinum, in the state of Yucatan. Vestige important and renowned Mayan civilization, the main buildings that remain there correspond to the time of the decline of Mayan culture itself known by archaeologists as the post-classical period.The monumental architecture that has survived to this day, which is emblematic of the site, has a clear Toltec influence. The god who presides over the site, according to Mayan mythology, is Kukulcan, Maya representation of Quetzalcoatl, god taken from the pantheon of the Toltec culture.Chichen Itza was a city or a ceremonial center, which went through several construction periods and influences of the different peoples who occupied it and promoted it since its foundation.The archaeological site of Chichen Itza was inscribed on the List of World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988.3 On July 7, 2007, the Temple of Kukulcan, located in Chichén Itzá, was recognized as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World modern, by a private initiative without the support of Unesco, but with the recognition of millions of voters around the world.