The Ancient Seven Wonders of the World were a group of architectural marvels and engineering feats that were widely considered the greatest structures of the ancient world. The list was compiled by various Greek writers and scholars, including Antipater of Sidon, who wrote the earliest known list in the 2nd century BC. The list was not based on any particular criteria or system, but rather on the individual opinions of these writers.

The original Seven Wonders of the World were:

  • The Great Pyramid of Giza
  • The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
  • The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
  • The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
  • The Colossus of Rhodes
  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Unfortunately, only the Great Pyramid of Giza still exists today. The others were destroyed by natural disasters, wars, or simply fell into ruin over time.

The New Seven Wonders of the World, on the other hand, were chosen through a worldwide contest conducted by the New7Wonders Foundation, a Swiss-based organization founded by Bernard Weber in 2001. The purpose of the contest was to select seven structures that could be considered the modern equivalents of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World.

The selection process was conducted in three phases. In the first phase, more than 200 nominees from around the world were identified. In the second phase, a panel of experts narrowed the list down to 21 finalists. Finally, in the third phase, people from around the world were invited to vote for their favorite structures via phone, text message, and the Internet.

The New Seven Wonders of the World were announced on July 7, 2007, and are:

These structures were selected based on their cultural significance, historical value, and architectural and engineering excellence. The goal of the New7Wonders Foundation was to raise awareness of these structures and encourage their preservation for future generations.

Seven Wonders of the World - Ancient & Modern

Ancient 7 World Wonders

Here is a list of the original Seven Wonders of the World:

  1. Great Pyramid of Giza: The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex. It was built as a tomb for the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, and is the only one of the original Seven Wonders of the World still in existence.
    • Country: Egypt
    • Construction date: around 2560 BC
    • Existing
  2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are said to have been a series of terraced gardens built by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, who missed the green hills of her homeland. While there is some debate about whether the gardens actually existed, they were widely considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
    • Country: Iraq
    • Construction date: around 600 BC
    • Destruction date: unknown
  3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus: The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis, and was one of the largest temples of the ancient world. It was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, and the final temple was burned down in 401 AD by a mob led by the Christian bishop John Chrysostom.
    • Country: Turkey
    • Construction date: around 550 BC
    • Destruction date: 401 AD
  4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia: The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a giant statue of the Greek god Zeus, which stood in the temple of Olympia in Greece. The statue was made of ivory and gold, and was considered one of the greatest masterpieces of ancient Greek art. It was destroyed in the 5th century AD, possibly during a fire.
    • Country: Greece
    • Construction date: around 435 BC
    • Destruction date: 5th century AD
  5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus: The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a tomb built by the Persian satrap Mausolus for himself and his wife Artemisia II. It was considered one of the most beautiful tombs in the world, and was adorned with intricate sculptures and reliefs. It was destroyed by earthquakes in the 14th century.
    • Country: Turkey
    • Construction date: around 350 BC
    • Destruction date: 14th century AD
  6. Colossus of Rhodes: The Colossus of Rhodes was a giant bronze statue of the Greek god Helios, which stood at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes. It was built to celebrate the city’s victory over the ruler of Cyprus, and was considered one of the tallest statues in the ancient world. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.
    • Country: Greece
    • Construction date: around 280 BC
    • Destruction date: 226 BC
  7. Lighthouse of Alexandria: The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a towering lighthouse built on the island of Pharos in Egypt. It was considered one of the tallest structures in the world, and was a marvel of ancient engineering. It was damaged by earthquakes and rebuilt several times, but was finally destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century.
    • Country: Egypt
    • Construction date: around 280 BC
    • Destruction date: 14th century AD.

New 7 World Wonders

Here is a list of the New Seven Wonders of the World:

  1. Great Wall of China: The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along the northern borders of China, originally built to protect against invasions from neighboring tribes. It is the longest wall in the world, stretching over 13,000 miles.
    • Location: China, various cities
    • Construction date: 7th century BC – 16th century AD
  2. Petra: Petra is an ancient city carved into red sandstone cliffs in southern Jordan. It was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom and an important center of trade for the ancient world.
    • Location: Jordan, Petra
    • Construction date: around 312 BC
  3. Christ the Redeemer: Christ the Redeemer is a massive statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It was designed by a French sculptor and constructed with the help of Brazilian engineers and workers.
  4. Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan city located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. It was built in the 15th century and abandoned a century later, but was rediscovered by archaeologists in the early 20th century.
    • Location: Peru, Cusco Region
    • Construction date: around 1450 AD
  5. Chichen Itza: Chichen Itza is a complex of Mayan ruins located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It was an important political and economic center for the Maya civilization, and contains a number of impressive structures including the Temple of Kukulcan.
    • Location: Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula
    • Construction date: around 600 AD
  6. The Colosseum: The Colosseum is an ancient amphitheater in the heart of Rome, Italy. It was built to host gladiatorial games and other public spectacles, and could hold up to 50,000 people.
    • Location: Italy, Rome
    • Construction date: completed in 80 AD
  7. Taj Mahal: The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum in Agra, India, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    • Location: India, Agra
    • Construction date: completed in 1653 AD.