While you can only visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (the Great Pyramid of Egypt), you can see the New Seven Wonders of the World in full. In 2007, the New 7 Wonders Foundation decided to update the Seven Wonders list to include modern structures. More than 100 million votes were cast to create the new list in an effort called the largest poll on record.
Here’s a look at the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Chichen Itza
The mammoth Chichen Itza in the north of Yucatan, Mexico, is a pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization. Chichen Itza contains a number of different architectural styles. The stone buildings, connected by roads, include complexes such as the Great North Platform with monuments of El Castillo, Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court; The Ossario Group with the pyramid of the same name as well as the Temple of Xtoloc; and the Central Group, which includes the Caracol, Las Monjas and Akab Dzib.
Christ the Redeemer
Standing over Rio de Janeiro is Christ the Redeemer (Christo Redentor), the second largest Art Deco statue in the world built between 1922 and 1931. The 130-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ weighs 635 tons with a wingspan of 98 feet. Located at the peak of Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park 2,300 feet over the city, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil.
Colosseum
Gladiators clashed in public battles, animal hunts and re-enactments of famous battles in the Colosseum (Colosseo) in Rome, Italy. The elliptical amphitheater, built between 72 AD and 80 AD under Titus, can seat up to 50,000 spectators. Earthquakes and theft has taken their toll on the iconic Colosseum of Imperial Rome, but it remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Italian capitol.
Great Wall of China
Spanning 5,500 miles from Shanhaiguan in the east of China to Lop Nur in the west, the Great Wall of China was built during the 5th century BC to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire. The landmark is made up of 3,889 miles of wall, 223 miles of trenches and 1,387 miles of hills and rivers to defend against nomadic groups entering. While parts of the wall were rebuilt through the 16th century, a majority was created during the Ming Dynasty. Hike the Great Wall to view its winding, slender beauty.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu, the site of the Lost City of the Incas in the Cuzco Region of Peru, sits 7,970 feet above sea level on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River. Archaeologists believe it was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti in the 14th century. While Machu Picchu was familiar to locals, the world didn’t find out about its existence until 1911 when American historian Hiram Bingham brought it international attention.
Petra
The historical and archaeological city of Petra in al-Batra Ma’an Governorate, Jordan, is known for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. The city, built around the 6th century BC, lies on the slope of Mount Hor in the valley Dead Sea. Petra now stands as a symbol of Jordan.
Taj Mahal
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal, also called the Crown Palace in Agra, India, in memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal from 1632 to 1653. This symbol of eternal love contains elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. You may be most familiar with the white domed mausoleum, but the site contains a series of structures.