After several years and millions of votes, we have the Seven New Wonders of the World.
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Chichén Itzá, the famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic centre of the Mayan civilization and includes the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars and the Playing Field of the Prisoners.
Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
The 38 metre tall statue of Jesus sits atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and took five years to construct. It was inaugurated on October 12th 1931.
The Colosseum, Italy
The Colosseum, in the centre of Rome, was built to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire and its design concept is still used as a model for virtually every modern sports stadium.
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a single defence system, particularly to keep out the invading Mongol tribes. It is the largest man-made monument ever built.
Machu Pichu, Peru
Built in the 15th century by the Incan Emperor Pachacútec, Machu Picchu (old mountain) remained ‘lost’ for over three centuries following the Spanish conquest and was only rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.
Petra, Jordan
On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). The Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers.
The Taj Mahal, India
The mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. The construction is white marble and is surrounded by gardens.