The New Seven Wonders Of The World Options

[Reeth]

Taj Mahal is a monument located in Agra, India. It was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor
Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir, as a mausoleum for his Persian wife, Arjumand Banu Begum,
also known as Mumtaz-ul-Zamani or Mumtaz Mahal. It took 23 years to complete (1630 - 1653)
and is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture.

The architectural complex of the Taj Mahal covers an area of approximately 580 m × 300 m,
comprised of five main components: the darwaza (gateway), the bageecha (garden) which is
in the form of the typical Mughal charbagh (garden divided into four parts), the masjid (mosque),
the mehmaan khana (guest house), and finally the mausoleum of Taj Mahal, at the northern end
of the complex.





The Great Wall Of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built,
rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern
borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to
as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC, the most famous being the one
built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. That wall was
much further north than the current wall, built during the Ming Dynasty, and little of it remains.

The Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately
6,400 km (4,000 miles)[2] from Shanhai Pass in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc
that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. It is also the largest human-made
structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass.


Chichen Itza The Sun Pyarmid in Mexico
Deep within the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala and extending into the limestone shelf of the
Yucatan peninsula lie the mysterious temples and pyramids of the Maya. While Europe was still
in the midst of the Dark Ages, these amazing people had mapped the heavens, evolved the only
true writing system native to the Americas and were masters of mathematics. Their legacy in
stone, which has survived in a spectacular fashion at places such as Palenque, Tikal, Tulum,
Chichen Itza, Copan and Uxmal, lives on as do the seven million descendants of the classic
Maya civilization. The complex of approximately 600 pyramids of various sizes is dominated
by the great Pyramid of the Sun which was built over a natural cave with four chambers
(cf. Sacred Caves). Mesoamerican belief saw caves as gateways to the spiritual world
(called Xibalba by the Maya). There can be no doubt that the Pyramid of the Sun was
deliberately built over the sacred cave.



Machu Picchu is one of the World's top mystery sites. A complex of ancient ruins
located over 2.300 meters high on top of a steep mountain the Peruvian Andes. Built by
Incas, the hidden city of Machu Picchu was never discovered by the Spanish conquistadores,
which have raided the whole Inca Empire, inflicting massive damage on the indigenous
Andean culture.

This city remained hidden from human eyes until American historian, Hiram Bingham
accidentally came across it in 1911.

Today, almost fully preserved, this lost city of the Incas remains the most important heritage
left to us by the Inca civilization.
Unlike other cities, structures, which have been crushed by the Spanish army, hundreds of
years ago, the of Machu Picchu has survived and vividly reflects today, how technically evolved
the Incas really were.
Machu Picchu was built by great specialists, experienced constructors with high levels of
knowledge. Unique and evolved technology was used to build a complex of hundreds buildings
on top of a high mountain, with an irrigation system that still functions today, its astronomic
observatories and other wonders... Most of the planning and construction techniques still
remain a mystery to us.

The city, deep in the Urubamba Jungle, high in the Andes is a unique treasure of our planet.
Today, it has been well restored and can be visited by anyone, offering a dreamlike beautiful
view. Almost half a million tourists visit Machu Picchu each year, meaning that it's not as
remote as it once was.....





Petra

The old city of Petra in Jordan is a stunning place. This 2000 year old ancient spectacle
deserves its overused description of 'a rose-red city half as old as time', taken from a
poem by John William Burgeon.

Petra was established by the pre-Roman Nabateans. A remarkable feature of the site is
that many of the elaborate temples, tombs and other buildings were cut into the solid,
richly-colored rock.

Petra was built in an area of rugged and dramatic hills that provide a stunning setting.
The easiest access to the remains of the city is through a narrow gorge called the Siq.
This leads first to Al Khazneh (the Treasury), the Nabatean's most fabled achievement.

Al Khazneh is carved into the solid rock. It survives as Petra's best preserved monument
because its position has protected it from the elements. The first glimpse of this fabulous
edifice as it appears in the sunlight at the end of the Siq is a sight never to be forgotten.

Al Khazneh was built when the Nabatean culture was at its artistic height - sometime in the
last century BCE or the first century CE. The purpose of this remarkable structure is unclear,
but it was probably a temple or a king's tomb. The name Treasury was given later in the
mistaken belief that it concealed hidden riches.



The Statue Of Christ The Redeemer
Considered one of the Wonders of the Modern World, it is a famous statue of Christ with open
arms, making a shape of a cross. It is the highest monument in Rio de Janeiro and is located
on top of the Corcovado Mt. (710m high). The statue is 30m high, plus a pedestal of 8m.
It weighs 1.145 tons.

The statue was first conceived in 1921, when the Catholic Church and the magazine
“O Cruzeiro” gathered funds to construct a statue of Christ to celebrate Brazil’s centenary of
independence, which would be in 1922. The first sketches were done by Carlos Oswald, who
pictured Christ carrying a cross and holding a globe, while standing over a pedestal symbolizing
the world. Rio’s population preferred the statue as it is today, with open arms, embracing all
people. It was planned by Heitor de Silva Costa and the Polish sculptor Paul Landowski
constructed the head and hands. It was inaugurated in October 12th, 1931. Christ the
Redeemer is a religious and tourist symbol of Rio de Janeiro. There, many ecumenical
encounters happen and many tourists come to visit.





The Roman Collosseum

The Colosseum in Rome stands today as a symbol of the mighty Roman Empire. It is
probably the most famous ancient ruin in the world along with the Pyramids of Egypt. The
Colosseum was known in ancient Rome as the Flavian Amphitheatre, named after the 3
emperors who were all involved in its construction. Vespasian conceived the idea and
began building in 72 AD and his son Titus dedicated it in 80 AD with a 100 day festival.
This included violent gladiator combats, wild animals, and huge naval battles with the
arena filled with water. The Colosseum was totally finished during the reign of Domitian
(81-96 AD).

The Colosseum is a marvel of architectural engineering, it was built with giant travertine
blocks, layered with soft stones and concrete. It was originally overlayed with marble but
that was looted over the centuries. Its magnificent columns were made of the Doric, Ionic,
and Corinthian orders.

The mammoth Colosseum measures 620 feet by 513 feet, 1/3 of a mile around. The 6
acre building contained 3 tiers of seats, 80 entrances, seated 50,000 spectators, resembling
the size and capacity of the Houston Astrodome.

[Aurous]

Lovely article Reeth , Quite informative.

[Reeth]

Lovely article Reeth , Quite informative.

Thank you mujahid