Seven Wonders Of The World PDF

The 'New Seven Wonders of the World' Experience these majestic sites during moments of solitude in 360 video. The Great Wall of China. The Taj Mahal. Petra. The Colosseum. Christ the Redeemer. Chichén Itzá. Machu Picchu. These sites and monuments are popularly known as the "new Seven Wonders of t...

The 'New Seven Wonders of the World' Experience these majestic sites during moments of solitude in 360 video. The Great Wall of China. The Taj Mahal. Petra. The Colosseum. Christ the Redeemer. Chichén Itzá. Machu Picchu. These sites and monuments are popularly known as the "new Seven Wonders of the World," modern additions to the ancient Seven Wonders laid out by Philo of Byzantium in 250 B.C., which included the hanging gardens of Babylon and the pyramids of Giza. (Of those ancient seven, only the pyramids remain.) The new wonders were chosen in 2007 through an online contest put on by a Swiss company, the New 7 Wonders Foundation, in which more than tens of millions of people voted. All are Unesco World Heritage sites. Built on four continents, most by ancient and medieval empires, the sites selected in 2007 are all architectural marvels of enormous scale --- and are among the most visited tourist attractions in the world. What makes a site a wonder? What would you put on this list? We want to hear from you. At the bottom of this page is a form in which you can submit your thoughts. **The Great Wall, China** **Built from 220 B.C. to A.D. 1644 by several emperors and dynasties.** Tens of millions visit each year Now a Chinese national symbol, the vast Great Wall was built over nearly 1800 years. The Great Wall is actually many walls that overlap; the combined length of those layers is estimated to be 10,000 to 20,000 kilometers. The design of the wall, which is constructed across mountain passes and ridges, makes strategic use of the natural terrain. The best preserved portion of the wall runs east to west from southeastern Liaoning Province to northwestern Gansu Province. The Ming dynasty strengthened and maintained these sections from 1368 to 1644. **The Taj Mahal, India** **Built 1632-48. Commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.** Over Six million visitors in 2016 The Taj Mahal is one of the crowning architectural achievements of the Mughal empire, which ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from 1526 to 1761. It took around 20,000 workers and 16 years to build. The building reflects the Mughal architectural style, stressing symmetry and balance. In recent years, restoration efforts have been focused on protecting the ivory marble facades from pollution. **Petra, Jordan** **Built 4th century B.C. to 2nd century A.D. by the Nabatean kingdom.** Over 450,000 visitors in 2016 The city of Petra was built by the Nabateans, who lived in the Wadi Musa valley for more than 400 years, in a spot strategically located along early silk and spice trade routes. The city fell to the Roman Empire in A.D. 106. The Hellenistic facades are carved directly into the canyons and use the natural terrain as guides. Today, the monuments are vulnerable to flash flooding in the Wadi Musa and continuing erosion from wind and rain. The number of visitors to Petra has decreased in recent years, in part because of instability and violence in the Middle East. **The Colosseum, Italy** **Built A.D. 72-82. Commissioned by Flavian emperors during the first century of the Roman Empire.** Over Six million visitors in 2016 The Colosseum --- an amphitheater with arcades and half columns --- is an example of the Roman Empire's architectural innovation. It was used for gladiator and hunting shows, as well as public executions, for four centuries. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was used temporarily as a housing complex. Earthquake damage and the mining of the Colosseum's materials have left just one-third of the original structure in place. Restoration efforts have been stepped up since the early 19th century. In 2016, a three-year restoration of the building's facade was completed.