Visiting the 7 wonders of the world has always been on my list of 100 things to do before you die. To date, during my travels around the world, I have only seen two of the 7 wonders of the modern world , better known as the “new seven wonders of the world”.
In the past, in fact, the seven wonders of the ancient world were majestic architectural works mostly of Greek and Roman origin. The list included: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis, the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt, the Statue of Zeus in Olympia and the Pyramid of Cheops.
What are the seven wonders of the modern world? In this article you will find the complete list of which are the 7 Wonders of the Modern World and where they are located. Furthermore, as you read you will also discover which are the two wonders of the world that I have already visited.
The seven Wonders of the Modern World and where they are located
1. Chichén Itzá in Mexico
Chichén Itzá is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the world, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and included in the list of the new 7 wonders of the world in 2007. This ancient city now abandoned, located in Yucatán in Mexico, was founded by the Maya people in period 500 BC-1500 AD. Its ruins are still well preserved today and house the largest and most famous Mayan ruins complex in the world consisting of pyramids (including the imposing step pyramid of El Castillo), palaces, temples and numerous sculptures.
2. Colosseum in Italy
One of the seven wonders of the modern world is located in Italy and is one of the most famous and visited works in the world. The Colosseum in Rome is the largest Roman amphitheater of all time , built around the year 72 AD, and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.
3. Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
Christ the Redeemer is the undisputed symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil and represents the Christ the Redeemer of Humanity. This gigantic statue, over 30 meters high and built between 1922 and 1931, dominates the whole city from the top of the Corcovado Hill.
4. Great Wall of China in China
With its 21,196 km in length, the Great Wall of China was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and was included among the 7 wonders of the modern world in 2007. Built starting in 215 BC, this very long series of walls it can still be visited and accessed from the province of Qinghai or from the city of Beijing in today’s China.
5. Machu Picchu in Peru
During a trip to Peru you cannot miss a visit to “The Lost City of the Incas “. Located in the Urubamba valley at about 2,430 meters above sea level, Machu Picchu is undoubtedly the most magical and mystical of the seven wonders of the modern world. This Inca archaeological sanctuary was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
6. Petra in Jordan
The pink city of Petra is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And believe me, I say this with awareness. I had the pleasure and the good fortune of visiting this ancient city entirely carved in the rock by the Nabataeans over 2000 years ago during my trip to Jordan. Exploring the most evocative of the seven wonders of the world was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life as a traveler.
7. Taj Mahal in India
The latest of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World is located in the city of Agra in India, it is considered one of the national pride and one of the most romantic places in the world. An imposing monument testifying to an endless love. I’m talking about the Taj Mahal, the architectural masterpiece built by the Mughal king Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who, on her deathbed, asked her husband to have a work of incomparable beauty built on his tomb to seal their history of ‘love. The story of an endless love.
This monument should have been my third wonder of the world visited, on the occasion of my trip to the so-called Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur). Unfortunately my trip to India was skipped due to Covid but I am sure that the meeting with India and the Taj Mahal is only postponed.
If this article on the seven wonders of the modern world has intrigued you, you might be interested in reading these articles on The 10 most beautiful squares in the world, on The 20 most famous paintings in the world, on The 20 most beautiful streets in the world, on I 3 largest aquariums in the world or on The 12 strangest foods in the world I ate on the go.
