Personally, I had always thought that 7 wonders of the world they were immovable, and that they were the most important monuments. However, of the wonders of the ancient world only one remains standing, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, so there are those who decided to make a new ranking to adapt to the modern world today.
This idea became an international contest that was inspired by the seven wonders of the ancient world, but had a list of current monuments. The requirements were that they were still standing, and that they were also built before the year 2000. The private company New Open World Corporation It is the one that decided to launch this contest, whose voting was public, that is, anyone could vote through the Internet or by phone to choose their favorite monument.
The final list includes seven well-known wonders for all. Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Coliseum in Rome in Italy, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu in Peru, the city of Petra in Jordan and the Taj Mahal in India. The list was really long, with monuments of all kinds, although these were among the best known. What do you think of their choices?
It is also true that monuments of Spain they had their space, although ultimately they were not chosen as the best. Among them were the Alhambra, the temple of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Santiago de Compostela or La Giralda in Seville. Undoubtedly impressive places that were only among the chosen ones.
A curious detail is that Giza pyramids They were on the list, but after protests by Egyptian authorities it was awarded the title of Honorary Wonder, since it was the only one in the ancient world that still stood. Next we are going to discover a little of each of those wonders of the modern world.
Chichen Itzá, Mexico
This is one of the most legendary and well-known cities in the Mayan world. The image of the Kukulkan pyramid, one of the most mysterious ancient works. There are many theories about its origin, its functionality and the way it was built. In addition, a curious phenomenon occurs in it only once a year, at the equinox, when there is a play of light and shadow that symbolizes the descent of the sacred serpent Kukulcán, which marked the beginning of the sowing season. These details demonstrated his great knowledge of astronomy, and also the detail of the construction called Caracol, which was an observatory to study the stars.
This city was founded in the 525 a. C in the state of Yucatán. Nowadays it is a very touristy place, and in addition to this pyramid it is possible to find the temple of the warriors and the thousand columns, or the sacred cenote that gives the place its name, since Chichen Itzá means 'mouth of the well of the Itza'.
Rome Coliseum
This amphitheater, the largest in the Roman Empire, was built in the XNUMXst century AD. C. It was used for the famous gladiator fights in the arena, for animal fights, executions, plays and other shows that amused the citizens of the empire. Its architecture and its irrigation and drainage systems still amaze today, demonstrating once again the great skill of the Romans when it comes to creating functional architectures and large works. Today the area of the arena is not preserved, so you can see the lower part, the hypogeum, in which the gladiators took refuge and the animals were kept.
Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
It is also known as the Christ of Corcovado, by the place where it is. It is a monument made in 1931, with open arms, which is facing the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is 38 meters high, so it is a monument that stands out for its grandeur, and for the high area in which it is located. Not only is it a place to go to see this Christ, but it also offers totally spectacular panoramic views of the city.
Gran Muralla China
This defense work was built in the 4th century BC to protect the chinese empire from the attacks of the nomads of Manchuria and Mongolia. In its defense, more than a million guards were used and at present only 30% of the old wall, which measured more than a thousand kilometers, remains. This is undoubtedly another of the impressive works that demonstrate the ability of empires to carry out constructions of this magnitude.
Machu Picchu, in Peru
This ancient Inca town of the fifteenth century it is located on a rocky elevation, 130 kilometers from Cuzco. It is believed that it is a city of rest for the emperor, but also that it could be a religious sanctuary. Not only are its ruins impressive, but also the place where they are located, at the top of the mountain.
Petra city in Jordan
The city of Petra draws attention because it was excavated completely in the stone. It is located in the Arava Valley, in Jordan, and it remains in very good condition, considering that it was built in the 7th century BC. If there is an anecdote about this city, it is that it appeared in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the last crusade'.
Taj Mahal in India
The Taj Mahal is the largest and most beautiful mausoleum built in the world. It was completed in 1654, at the command of Shah Jahan, emperor of the Mughal dynasty in honor of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is a work that stands out for its majesty, a mausoleum covered in white marble and adorned with precious stones from all over the world.