The Seven Wonders of the World

We have great masterpieces in this world. In ancient times seven best creation was termed as "Seven Wonders of the World", however the list has been reviewed and seven best global heritage throughout the world are elected by more than 100 million votes.

The Seven Wonders of the world according to new list are:

1. The Great Wall of China: The Great Wall of China is located in the North of China. It was first built in the 7th century B.C. by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang while little of it remains when China was still divided into many small states.

The current wall was built during the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect the Chinese Empire from the Mongolians and other invaders. It is not a continuous wall but is a collection of short walls that often follow the crest of hills on the southern edge of the Mongolian plain. It extends 4,000 miles westward: from the China Sea town of Shanhaiguan to Gansu province.

The majestic Great Wall was built with wisdom, dedication, blood, sweat and tears. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries long project of building the wall. The Great Wall offers a timeless charm to tourists, but scenery varies with seasons. Visit it in different time you will get a quite different scene.

2. Petra in Jordan: Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Petra is located about 262 km south of Amman and 133 km north of Aqaba. The rock-carved rose-red city of Petra is full of mysterious charm, it was designed to strike wonder into all who entered it.

Petra is admired for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels. There is a theater, modeled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. The Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture. Petra is the treasure of ancient world, hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, boasting incomparable scenes that make it the most majestic and imposing ancient site still-standing. Petra is considered the most famous and gorgeous site in Jordan. Petra sights are at their best in early morning and late afternoon, when the sun warms the multicolored stones. Petra is always breathtaking, and never forgotten once you leave.

3. Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer: The statue of Christ the Redeemer Brazil is certainly one of the world's best known and most visited monuments. The statue of Christ the Redeemer represents Jesus standing with outstretched, welcoming arms and is one of the most famous symbols of this lively city. This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Starting as early as 1850, when Brazil was still a Portuguese territory, local Catholics wanted a monument of some sort atop the dizzying hilltop park known for its panoramic views.

A priest went to Portugal to find a less than receptive audience in the form of Princess Isabel who refused to fund the monument. When church and state were officially separated in 1889 by Brazilian independence, the cause died. The project was awakened in 1921 by the local Archdiocese appealing for funds from local Catholics in order to build a great monument. It took over 10 years to secure the financing required to finish the statue of Christ the Redeemer.

The Christ the Redeemer statue is a combination of international efforts. The outer shell of soapstone was crafted by the French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski from an original series of sketches drawn by Carlos Oswald. Despite the very soft nature of the stone, easily damaged by mechanical abrasion, it was determined the best for weather, erosion and deformation. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on the day of Our Lady of Aparecida, October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms. Once you are there you realise how big the statue really is, it is breathe taking.

4. Peru's Machu Picchu: In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacutec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("old mountain"). Machu Picchu is a city located high in the Andes Mountains in modern Peru.

It lies 43 miles northwest of Cuzco at the top of a ridge, hiding it from the Urabamba gorge below. One of the most important things found at Machu Picchu is the intihuatana, which is a column of stone rising from a block of stone the size of a grand piano. Intihuatana literally means ‘for tying the sun", although it is usually translated as "hitching post of the sun". Machu Picchu was most likely a royal estate and religious retreat.  It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained 'lost' for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Blending in with the hillside itself, many say the area creates a seamless and elegant green paradise, making it a must for anyone who travels to Peru.

5. Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid: Chichen Itza, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures - the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners - can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. Chichen-Itza was not always Mayan, in fact, it had been abandoned and resettled several times. The Toltecs were among one of the most influential groups to have settled this area. They were highly intellectual architects and had significant influence on architectural structures of this site, as well as others.

Chichen-Itza has two wells, one that was deemed sacred and the other profane. The profane well was used all the time but the one which was sacred was only used for worship. The art and architecture of Chichen adheres greatly to the character of its people. One such piece of architectural splendor is the renowned Ball Court. This is a 272ft by 199ft field with a raised platform on the side that is thought to have been used for dance performances or half-time entertainment for sports events.

Another major and magnificent structure, at Chichen-Itza, is the Pyramid El Castillo , which is the site of the Equinox solar phenomena. El Castillo is 78 feet tall and literally means "castle" in Spanish. It is the pyramid which is most notably accredited to not only the equinox phenomena  but dedicated to the god Kukulcan.

6. The Colosseum in Rome: The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater was begun by Vespasian, inaugurated by Titus in 80 A.D. and completed by Domitian. It is located on marshy land between the Esquiline and Caelian Hills, it was the first permanent amphitheater to be built in Rome.

This great amphitheater in the center of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. The amphitheater is a vast ellipse with tiers of seating for 50,000 spectators around a central elliptical arena. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum's original design. The construction utilized a careful combination of types: concrete for the foundations, travertine for the piers and arcades, tufa infill between piers for the walls of the lower two levels, and brick-faced concrete used for the upper levels and for most of the vaults.

7. India's Taj Mahal: A white marble tomb built in 1631-48 in the city of Agra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Yamuna River. It was built in the memory of the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum famously know as Mumtaz Mahal, who won the heart of a Mughal prince, Shah Jehan. Work on the great mausoleum- Taj Mahal began in 1633 and 20,000 workers labored for 17 years to build it.

The interior of the building is dimly lit through pierced marble lattices and contains a virtuoso display of carved marble. Externally the building gains an ethereal quality from its marble facings, which respond with extraordinary subtlety to changing light and weather. For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, color and song.

It is one of the most flawless architectural creations of the world. Since the 17th century, travelers have crossed continents to come and see this ultimate memorial to love, and few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty. Taj Mahal is the most beautiful symbol of love and crown of India.

Whenever you get chance you must visit these Seven Wonders of the World; the most beautiful creations full of rich global heritage.

(Sources: new7wonders.com, chinahighlights.com, about.com, atlastours.net, garden-fountains.com, mapsofworld.com, peru-machu-picchu.com, mnsu.edu, nativeweb.org, mrfs.net, artificeimages.com, taj-mahal-india-travel.com)