21 Final Candidates for the 7 Wonders of the World

There are many acropoleis in the world. Rome, Jerusalem, Athens, Thebes, Corinth etc all have acropoleis, but the word if plainly used; means the Acropolis of Athens; because it is that much associated to decisive historical events that shaped the destiny of Europe.

Giza Necropolis – Giza, Egypt

The Giza pyramid complex is an archaeological site on the Giza Plateau, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. It includes the three Great Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, several cemeteries, a workers' village and an industrial complex.

Taj Mahal – Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Petra – Al-Batrā Ma’an Governorate, Jordan

Petra is a famous archaeological site in Jordan's southwestern desert. Dating to around 300 B.C., it was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom. Accessed via a narrow canyon called Al Siq, it contains tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs, earning its nickname, the "Rose City." Perhaps its most famous structure is 45m-high Al Khazneh, a temple with an ornate, Greek-style facade, and known as The Treasury.

Colosseum – Rome, Italy

The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete, it is the largest amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum.

Chichen Itza – Yucatán, Mexico

Chichén Itzá is a complex of Mayan ruins on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. A massive step pyramid, known as El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan, dominates the ancient city, which thrived from around 600 A.D. to the 1200s. Graphic stone carvings survive at structures like the ball court, Temple of the Warriors and the Wall of the Skulls. Nightly sound-and-light shows illuminate the buildings' sophisticated geometry.

The Great Wall of China – China

The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world — the longest wall in the world, an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture.

Machu Picchu – Cuzco, Peru

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it’s renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views. Its exact former use remains a mystery.

Christ the Redeemer – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, in collaboration with French engineer Albert Caquot. Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida fashioned the face.

Acropolis of Athens – Athens, Greece

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon.

Alhambra – Granada, Spain

The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Nasrid emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.

Angkor Wat – Angkor, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and one of the largest religious monuments in the world, on a site measuring 162.6 hectares. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century.

Eiffel Tower – Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.

Hagia Sophia – Istanbul, Turkey

Hagia Sophia is the former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome.

Kiyomizu-dera – Kyoto, Japan

Kiyomizu-dera, officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site.

Moai – Easter Island, Chile

Moai, or mo‘ai, are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500. Nearly half are still at Rano Raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the island's perimeter.

Neuschwanstein – Füssen, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and in honour of Richard Wagner.

Red Square – Moscow, Russia

Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. It separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and now the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod.

Statue of Liberty – New York, United States

The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States. The copper statue, a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel.

Stonehenge – Amesbury, United Kingdom

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, 2 miles west of Amesbury. It consists of a ring of standing stones, with each standing stone around 13 feet high, 7 feet wide and weighing around 25 tons.Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, 2 miles west of Amesbury. It consists of a ring of standing stones, with each standing stone around 13 feet high, 7 feet wide and weighing around 25 tons.

Sydney Opera House – Sydney, Australia

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the 20th century's most famous and distinctive buildings.

Timbuktu – Mali

Timbuktu, also spelled Tinbuktu, Timbuctoo and Timbuktoo, is an ancient city in Mali, situated 20 km north of the Niger River. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali. It had a population of 54,453 in the 2009 census.

The New Seven Wonders of the World

The Seven Natural Wonders Of The World

7 Wonders Of The Modern World

The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World

The 7 Wonders Of The Medieval World

The 7 Wonders Of The Medieval World

These historic sites are all part of the magnificent Seven Wonders of the Medieval World.

Since before recorded history, humans have left their legacies on the Earth in the form of architectural structures. These have ranged in scope from mounds and simple markers to spectacular feats of construction. Many have been destroyed by war or natural disasters, but some survive as ruins, reconstructed replicas or meticulously-maintained structures.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The leaning tower of Pisa is a freestanding bell tower near the cathedral in the city of Pisa, Italy. The building began to tilt almost immediately during its construction in the twelfth century, caused by soft ground and poor foundation engineering. Construction continued into the fourteenth century, and the unintentional tilt gradually increased. At its apex, the tower leaned at an angle of five and a half degrees, with the top of the tower displaced more than eighteen feet from the center. The tilt was partially corrected and the building was stabilized by preservation architects in 2001.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is a Greek Orthodox basilica in Istanbul, Turkey. Commissioned by Emperor Justinian I and completed in 537 AD, Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world for almost 1,000 years. With its characteristic massive dome, this masterpiece of Byzantine architecture also contains a vast array of decorative influences characterizing the historical and cultural changes in the region. Hagia Sophia served as the Roman Empire's first Christian Cathedral until the Ottoman Empire conquered the city in 1453. Although much of the city was left in disrepair, Hagia Sophia was maintained and converted into a mosque. It served as the principal mosque of the city for almost two hundred years. In 1935, the building was decommissioned as a church and converted into a museum.

Porcelain Tower of Nanjing

The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing was a fifteenth century pagoda, built during the Ming Dynasty on the banks of the Qinhuai River. One of the tallest buildings in China at the time of its completion, the tower rose nine stories high to a height of 260 feet. A 184-step spiral staircase rose through the center of the pagoda, and the roof was crowned with a golden pineapple. The outside of the tower consisted of white porcelain bricks which reflected the sun's rays in dazzling fashion. At night, lamps were hung on the outside for further illumination. Landscapes, flowers, animals and Buddhist images adorned the sides of the tower through decorative stonework and glazes. Considered by some to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing was a well-known landmark and cultural icon for hundreds of years.

Although there had been plans to increase its height, the tower was destroyed during the Taiping rebellion of the 1850s. The rubble was used for other building projects, and the site was eventually abandoned. However, in 2010 a private individual donated one billion yuan (approximately 156 million US dollars) to the city of Nanjing to finance a reconstruction.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China spans from Dandong to Lop Lake, in an arc that runs from east to west, roughly parallel to ancient China's northern border. Construction began in multiple locations in the seventh century BC; these walls were later joined together and fortified. The wall has been destroyed, rebuilt and maintained numerous times over the centuries, with the majority of the existing structure dating back to the Ming Dynasty of the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. Built to withstand raids and invasions by the Eurasian nomads, the Great Wall was built from stone, brick, wood, and packed earth, among other materials. In areas most vulnerable to attack, fortifications were enhanced with military housing and stations, watch towers, and smoke-signalling stations. The wall was also utilized for emigration control, commerce, and trade regulation.

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

The catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa are located in the western necropolis of Alexandria, Egypt. Constructed during the reign of the Antonine emperors in the second century AD, the catacombs consist of tombs carved into three levels solid rock, although the lowest level is currently submerged by groundwater. These tombs contain statues, friezes and other artifacts showing the influence of Roman, Greek and Egyptian cultures. Originally accessible by a circular staircase through an access shaft, the catacombs were used as a burial site from the second to the fourth centuries AD. On the first level, the Hall of Caracalla houses the bones of Christians who were massacred by the emperor of the same name in 215 AD.

"Kom El Shoqafa" means "mound of shards", named for the heaps of broken terra cotta jars and other objects found by archaeologists during excavation of this site. It is believed that ancient visitors to the tombs brought food and wine and, due to superstition, broke the containers and left them in the catacombs rather than bring them home again.

Colosseum

 An iconic symbol of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum is one of Rome's major tourist attractions. The oval amphitheater, located in the city center, was built and improved upon between 72 and 96 AD during the Flavian dynasty, a group of three emperors including Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. Now partially ruined due to human destruction and natural disasters, this impressive structure of concrete and sand has never been surpassed in size. The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built, and once hosted audiences of 50,000 to 80,000 people. Spectators enjoyed events that included staged animal hunts, executions, historical re-enactments, mythological dramas, and gladiator battles. During the early medieval era, the Colosseum was later repurposed for housing, religious services, workshops, fortifications, and eventually used as a quarry for other building projects.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a ring of standing stones, built by prehistoric peoples during the Neolithic and Bronze ages. Rising out of the countryside near what is now Wiltshire, England, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered to be a cultural icon. The stones, partially buried beneath the ground, are roughly thirteen feet high, seven feet wide and weigh approximately 25 tons. This circular monument sits above several hundred burial mounds which contain human remains dating back to 3000-2500 BC. Construction of the site appears to have begun with an earthen embankment and ditch around 3100 BC, while the stones are believed to have been placed there between 2400 and 2200 BC.

The New Seven Wonders of the World

21 Final Candidates for the 7 Wonders of the World

The Seven Natural Wonders Of The World

7 Wonders Of The Modern World

The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World

The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World

The seven wonders are amazing feats of construction which show the sheer will and determination of ancient societies.

By the sheer number of lists found online, we know that people love to rank items. We have proof that this is an ancient tradition, as there are numerous references in ancient texts to Greek poet Antipater of Sidon’s Seven Wonders of the World. Antipater, who came from a city that still exists in modern Lebanon, wrote his list around 140 BCE, so we know that the first listicle is at least 2155 years old.

There have been countless lists of the most amazing buildings and structures of man’s creation since the days of Antipater. Because the items on the lists tend to vary, none truly can claim to be "the" definitive seven wonders of the world. The original Greek list is agreed upon more than the others, so we’ll agree with the experts and use the original Seven Wonders of the World.

Focused on the world that was known at the time, these wonders are part of an amazing journey across varied cultures and civilizations, and show the sheer will and determination of these ancient societies to honor their gods and create lasting impact on their world. While huge in scope and size, time and nature has taken its toll on the massive undertakings and only one of the wonders still stands.

This is our version of the world’s oldest list article, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Claimed to have been constructed by the Babylonians near the Euphrates River in what we now know as Iraq, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon had outer walls that were 56 miles long, 80 feet thick, and 320 feet high, although archeological finds have never corroborated this.The upkeep alone would have been incredible, involving an irrigation system made up of a pump, waterwheel, and cisterns in order to bring water up from the river up into the air.

Built in 600 BCE, allegedly as a way for King Nebuchadnezzar II to assuage his wife’s homesickness for her native Media (what is now the northwestern part of Iraq and south east Turkey), it was likely destroyed by an earthquake after the first century BCE. With no certain location known for these massive gardens, modern scholars are uncertain as to whether they actually existed.

Statue of Zeus at Olympia

At about 40 feet tall, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a giant seated figure of the Greek god Zeus, which occupied the entire width of the aisle of the Sanctuary of Olympia, Greece. This sanctuary was built just to house the amazing statue.

Decorated with gold and ivory, it was almost tall enough to touch the top of the temple. Built by Greek sculptor Phidias in 435 BCE, it stood for eight centuries, until Christian priests closed the temple during the fourth century CE. No record exists of what happened to the statue, but it is believed that it was disassembled and moved to Constantinople where it ultimately was destroyed by fire in the fifth and sixth centuries CE.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum of Mausolus at Halicarnassus, was a tomb built for Mausolus, the satrap, or governor, of a Persian territory which lies in the western part of modern Turkey. Built by Persians and Greeks in 351 BCE, the tomb stood approximately 135 feet tall.

The complex, a tripled-layered structure made of white marble is thought by many to have incorporated Lycian, Greek, and Egyptian architectural styles. The 60-foot base of stone steps, led up to 36 lonic columns, and a 24 level pyramid-shaped roof that was topped by a statue of 4 horses pulling a chariot. It is no wonder why this massive tomb is credited with being the origin of the word "mausoleum."

Several earthquakes rocked the structure over the centuries, but a massive quake in 1494 CE demolished the building, although its remains were used later to fortify a nearby castle structure.

Temple of Artemis

The construction of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was started by Croesus of Lydia and took 120 years to build. Built in Ephesus, a Greek city in what is now Turkey, the temple consisted of a series of altars and temples. The temple was destroyed multiple times by flood, arson, and invasion, and rebuilt at least three times in its original location.

In 401 CE, the temple was destroyed for the final time by a mob led by Christian bishop St. John Chrysostom. Remains were eventually discovered in 1869 CE by an expedition led by John Turtle Wood who found the columns of the temple buried on the bottom of the Cayster River.

Lighthouse of Alexandria

With a height somewhere between 390 feet and 450 feet, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (also called the Pharos of Alexandria) was one of the tallest manmade structures on earth for many centuries. Built in the City of Alexandria, Egypt in the third century BCE by the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Hellenistic Egypt, and designed by Greek architect Sostratos, it was used to help guide ships in and out of the Nile River harbor. During his invasion of Egypt, Roman general Julius Caesar wrote about the strategic importance of the lighthouse for control of the city's harbour.

Archeologists have discovered ancient coins that depicted the lighthouse, and from these have come to the conclusion that it was likely a three-tiered structure that included a square level at the base, an octagonal level in the middle, and a top that was cylindrical. Above it stood a statue that was 16-feet fall and most likely was a representation of Ptolemy II or Alexander the Great. Three earthquakes led to its destruction and the remains were used to build the Citadel of Qaitbay in its place in the 13th century.

In 1994, French archeologists found remains of the lighthouse on the bottom of Alexandria harbor, and divers can visit the ruins today, one of the few of the seven wonders that we can still visit.

Colossus of Rhodes

A giant statue of the Greek titan-god Helios, the Colossus of Rhodes, stood approximately the same size as the Statue of Liberty in New York, which stands 151 feet from base to torch. It was designed by the sculptor Chares of Lindos, and at 100 feet high, it was the tallest statue of its time.

It was believed to have been a representations of the sun god standing in the nude, lifting a torch in one hand and holding a spear in the other. Built in Hellenistic Greece around 292 - 280 BCE, it was destroyed by the great earthquake of 226 BC. Centuries after its destruction, an Arab force confiscated the remains after invading Rhodes, selling any remaining metal as scrap and erasing evidence of the true location of the statue.

The Great Pyramid of Giza

The only wonder to survive until modern times, the Great Pyramid of Giza was built around 2650 - 2500 BCE by the Ancient Egyptians, as one of a series of royal tombs.

Near Giza, Egypt, there are three large pyramids: Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaura. By far, Khufu is the most impressive and as such, earned it the title of The Great Pyramid. It covers 13 acres of desert and is estimated to contain some 2 million stone blocks weighing in at a hefty 2 to 30 tons apiece. At the time when it was built, it was even more impressive, covered by a layer of smooth white stone and possibly a solid gold capstone on top, both of which have been looted long ago.

Scientists speculate that log rollers and sledges were used to move stones into place. Although narrow corridors and hidden chambers were included on the inside to stop looters and grave robbers, modern archeologists believe most of the hidden treasures within were stolen not long after construction.

The New Seven Wonders of the World

21 Final Candidates for the 7 Wonders of the World

The Seven Natural Wonders Of The World

7 Wonders Of The Modern World

The 7 Wonders Of The Medieval World

The Seven Natural Wonders Of The World

The Seven Natural Wonders of the world are a list of the world's most astonishing natural attractions.

The SevenWonders of the World demonstrate humanity's most impressive creations such as the Taj  Mahal and the statue of Christ the Redeemer. In the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, ancient masterpieces such as the Temple of Artemis and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are remembered. However, the Seven Wonders of the Natural World are proof — if proof is needed — that Mother Nature is just as talented an architect.

Compiled by CNN and Seven Natural Wonders in 1997, this list spans all 7 continents, and includes some of the greatest heights of the earth and depths of the oceans, some lesser known sites, and some well-known features that you may have already visited yourself.

While the locations of the world's most breathtaking wonders are often disputed, these seven locations are generally agreed upon as being among the most breathtaking natural sights anywhere in the world.

The Grand Canyon

Situated in Arizona, USA, the 277-mile long Grand Canyon is truly awe-inspiring. The canyon, which measures up to a mile deep and some 18 miles wide at its broadest, was formed over time by the unstoppable course of the Colorado River. Scientists estimate that the river first carved out its path more than 17 million years ago. While in recent years increased safety measures have prevented visitors from approaching the edge of the canyon quite as closely they would like, the Grand Canyon site is still a popular tourist destination for anyone wishing to catch a glimpse of nature at its most powerful and majestic.

Parícutin

While one of the lesser-known entries on this list, Parícutin is just as impressive as many more well known landmarks. It is an example of a near perfect cinder cone volcano located in Michoacán, Mexico. What sets Parícutin apart from the many others around the world is that modern scientists were able to observe and document every stage of its lifespan – from creation to extinction – as it happened. Over the course of the 1940s and 1950s, visiting experts and residents of the region were able to witness the volcano growing from a fissure in a cornfield to a mountainous height of 1,391 ft. Erupting for 19 years, the volcano went quiet in 1952. It is not expected to erupt again.

Northern Lights

Seen in both polar regions of the planet, this dazzling light show is aptly referred to as the Northern (or Southern) Lights. Unlike most of the entries on this list, you can view an aurora from many different locations around the world - the higher the latitude, the more likely you are to see them. The Northern Lights effect is brought on by charged cosmic particles entering and interacting with the Earth's atmosphere, which causes vivid colours to be painted across the night sky.

Humans have speculated about the cause of this night-time display of color endlessly for centuries, with references to the lights being found in texts from Ancient Greece, in stories from Norse Mythology, and sources from Medieval England.

Victoria Falls

As the Zambezi River crosses the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, its waters descend 355 feet down to form the astonishing Victoria Falls. The waterfall was named in 1855 for the reigning English monarch, Queen Victoria, by Scottish explorer David Livingstone during his famous journey across Africa. The indigenous name Mosi-oa-Tunya – or The Smoke that Thunders – is still in use locally, and in 2013 the government of Zimbabwe announced plans to officially rename the falls as such. Victoria Falls isn't the highest or the broadest waterfall on the planet, but when taking both attributes into consideration, it qualifies as the largest.

Harbor of Rio de Janeiro

Guanabara Bay is a 19-mile stretch of land just to the east of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil. More than 100 islands are situated around the bay, including the car-free Paquetá Island, and Villegagnon Island, the site of the Brazilian Naval School.

While the bay once boasted a vibrant and diverse ecosystem, recent decades have seen the perils of urbanization wreak havoc on this once-beautiful environment. Thankfully, legislation put in place ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio stipulates a requirement for the country's government to reinvigorate attempts to return the bay to its former glory. While there are doubts as to whether these plans will be executed as expected, locals and ecologists around the world remain hopeful that it's not too late to save this particular wonder.

Great Barrier Reef

Made up of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and almost 1,000 islands over a span of 1,400 miles, to truly understand the sheer scale of the Great Barrier Reef, you need to see it to believe it. While the Great Wall of China is often mistakenly described as being visible from space, astronauts and satellites have managed to capture images of the Barrier Reef.

Constructed by billions of miniscule organisms called coral polyps, the reef is a globally recognized landmark of Australia, and a point of pride for Australians around the globe. Lots of work is done each year to ensure that the delicate ecosystem of the reef is preserved for future generations; central to this effort is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a protective designation established in 1975 meant to protect the reef and the species within it.

Mount Everest

Last, but certainly not least, is the world's highest point. Known as Sagarmāthā in Nepal, and Chomolungma in Tibet, Mount Everest is one of the most iconic natural features of the globe. At 29,029 feet tall, it's ranked first among est mountains for both elevation and prominence. The five entries below it on the list of the world's highest peaks all name Everest as their parent mountain.

The first recorded attempts to scale Everest were made in the 1920s by British mountaineers, but it would take more than three decades until Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hilary managed to reach the summit in 1953.

Today, climbing Everest isn't quite the unassailable goal that it once was — but those looking to do so still have to be in peak physical condition, and take great risks in undergoing the venture. However, conquering the mountain remains one of the greatest feats of man, and is a hugely popular challenge for anyone really looking to test their mettle.

The New Seven Wonders of the World

21 Final Candidates for the 7 Wonders of the World

7 Wonders Of The Modern World

The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World

The 7 Wonders Of The Medieval World

7 Wonders Of The Modern World

In 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers compiled a list of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. This was done to pay tribute to the 20th century's greatest civil engineering achievements.

Panama Canal - Panama

The Panama Canal, an artificial 77 km waterway in Panama is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It serves the vital function of connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama, facilitating international maritime trade. Regarded as one of the biggest and most difficult engineering projects of the modern times, the Panama Canal has greatly reduced the time for ships to move between the oceans. The ships can now avoid the hazard-filled and time-taking route around Cape Horn, South America’s southernmost tip.

Delta Works/ Zuiderzee Works - the Netherlands

The Delta Works/ Zuiderzee Works is one of the largest hydraulic engineering projects undertaken by the Netherlands in the 20th century. The project involved the construction of a massive system of man-made dams, dikes, water drainage systems, land reclamation works, etc. The Zuiderzee Works involved the damming of a stretch of water in an inlet of the North Sea and reclamation of land in the newly created dam. It aims to control flood and facilitate agriculture.

Itaipu Dam - Paraguay/Brazil

The Itaipu Dam is a major hydroelectric project that is located on the Paraná River between Paraguay and Brazil. The project is a binational undertaking that was completed in 1984. The Itaipu Dam has an installed generation capacity of 14 GW. 20 generator units are part of the project of which ten generate at 60 Hz for Brazil, and the other ten generate at 50 Hz for Paraguay.

Channel Tunnel - France/UK

The Channel Tunnel is a tunnel that runs beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover from Folkestone, Kent, in the United Kingdom to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, France. The channel is 50.5 km long with a 37.9 km long undersea portion. The channel is 250 ft deep at its lowest point. Trains are allowed to run through the tunnel at a maximum speed of 160 km/hr. The tunnel provides passage to high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, Eurotunnel Shuttle, and international freight trains.

CN Tower - Toronto, Canada

The 553.33 m-high CN Tower is found in downtown Toronto, the largest city in both the province of Ontario and the country of Canada itself. The tower's construction was completed in 1976. It held the title of the world's tallest free-standing structure for 34 years since its completion. Presently, the CN Tower is the Western Hemisphere’s tallest free-standing structure and the iconic symbol of Toronto’s skyline and Canada. More than two million visitors visit the CN Tower every year.

Empire State Building - New York City, USA

The 102-story tall Empire State Building is famous for being one of the first skyscrapers ever built, and is one of the most famous buildings in New York. The building rises to a height of 1,454 feet. For nearly 40 years, the Empire State Building enjoyed the title of being the world’s tallest building. The building serves as a cultural icon of America. The Empire State Building has been featured in several films, television shows, and literature. Nearly 110 million people have visited this New York City attraction. The 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building offers an impressive view of the entire city.

Golden Gate Bridge - California, USA

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the 1.6 km wide, 4.8 km long Golden Gate Strait between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. The bridge links the city of San Francisco to the less densely populated Marin County. The Golden Gate Bridge has been called the most photographed bridge in the world.

The New Seven Wonders of the World

21 Final Candidates for the 7 Wonders of the World

The Seven Natural Wonders Of The World

The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World

The 7 Wonders Of The Medieval World