WONDERS

OF THE
WORLD
 The Seven
Great Wonders
of the Old
World
 The Great Pyramid at Giza was constructed
between 2584 and 2561 BCE for the Egyptian
Pharaoh Khufu (known in Greek as `Cheops') and
was the tallest man-made structure in the world
for almost 4,000 years.
Excavations of the interior of the pyramid
were only initiated in earnest in the late 18th and
early 19th centuries CE and so the intricacies of
the interior which so intrigue modern people were
unknown to the ancient writers. It was the
structure itself with its perfect symmetry and
imposing height which impressed ancient visitors.
The Great Pyramid at Giza
 If they existed as described, were built by Nebuchadnezzar II
between 605-562 BCE as a gift to his wife. They are described by the
ancient writer Diodorus Siculus as being self-watering planes of exotic
flora and fauna reaching a height of over 75 feet (23 metres) through a
series of climbing terraces. Diodorus wrote that Nebuchadnezzar's
wife, Amtis of Media, missed the mountains and flowers of her
homeland and so the king commanded that a mountain be created for
her in Babylon.
The contoversy over whether the gardens existed comes from
the fact that they are nowhere mentioned in Babylonian history and
that Herodotus, `the Father of History', makes no mention of them in
his descriptions of Babylon. There are many other ancient facts,
figures, and places Herodotus fails to mention, however, or has been
shown to be wrong about. Diodorus, Philo, and the historian Strabo all
claim the gardens existed. They were destroyed by an earthquake
sometime after the 1st century CE.
The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon
 The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was 40 feet (12
metres) high and presented the great god seated on a
throne with skin of ivory and robes of hammered gold.
The statue was created by the sculptor Phidias, who also
worked on the Parthenon of Athens. Visitors to the site
were dwarfed by the immense statue which was situated,
and probably lighted, to produce great feelings of awe,
wonder, and humility. After the rise of Christianity, the
Temple at Olympia was increadingly neglected and fell
into ruin and the Olympic Games, then considered `pagan
rites' were banned by the church. The statue was carried
off to Constantinople where it was destroyed at some
point in an earthquake in the 5th or 6th centuries CE.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
 The Temple of Artemis at Ephesos was completed in 550
BCE and was 425 feet (129 metres) high, 225 feet (69 metres) wide,
and supported by 127 60 foot (18 metres) columns. The temple is
described by every ancient writer who mentions it with awe and
reverence for its beauty. It was destroyed 21 July 356 by a man
named Herostratus who set fire to the temple in order that his name
be remembered. Because of this, the Ephesians executed him
and prohibited his name from being spoken or written down.
The historian Theopompus, however, wishing to write a
complete history of the temple, recorded his name for posterity. The
temple was re-built twice, on a more modest scale, and the first
building was later destroyed by the Goths while the second was
completely laid to waste by a Christian mob led by Saint John
Chrysostom in 401 CE.
The Temple of Artemis at
Ephesos
 The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was built in 351 BCE as
the tomb for the Persian Satrap Mauslos.It was 135 feet (41 metres)
tall and ornamented with intricate sculpture. Mauslos and his wife,
Artemisia, chose Halicarnassus as their capital and devoted
themselves to making it the most beautiful and impressive city in
the world.
When Mauslos died in 353 BCE, Artemisia commissioned
the tomb be built to match the splendor of the city the two of them
had created. She died two years after him and her ashes were
entombed with him in the building. It was destroyed by a series of
earthquakes and lay in ruin until it was completely dismantled by
the Knights of St. John of Malta in 1494 CE who used the stones in
building their castle at Bodrum.
It is from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus that the English
word `mausoleum' is derived.
The Mausoleum of
Halicarnassus
 The Colossus at Rhodes is frequently imagined by those in
the modern day as an enormous figure who stradled the harbor of
the island city of Rhodes. This is due to 19th and early 20th century
CE depictions of the statue but, actually, it was much closer to the
Statue of Liberty in the Manhattan harbor of the United States of
America.
It was built between 292 and 280 BCE and stood over 110 feet
(33 metres) high. The statue was commissioned to commemorate the
defeat of the invading army of Demetrius in 304 BCE and stood for
56 years until it was brought down by an earthquake.
According to the historian Strabo, it remained a popular
tourist attraction even in ruin. Theophanes, another historian,
recounts how these ruins were carted away in 654 CE to be melted
down.
The Colossus at Rhodes
 The Lighthouse at Alexandria was
completed c. 280 BCE and stood 440 feet (134
metres) high. It was the tallest man-made
structure after the pyramids of Giza and its light
could be seen 35 miles out to sea.
Ancient writers agree that the lighthouse
was so beautiful they could not find words
adequate to describe it. It was severely damaged
in an earthquake in 956 CE and, by 1480 CE after
further damage by earthquakes, it was gone.
The Lighthouse at Alexandria
 The Seven
Great Wonders
of the New
World
 Built between the 5th century B.C.
and the 16th century, the Great Wall of
China is a stone-and-earth fortification
created to protect the borders of the
Chinese Empire from invading Mongols.
The Great Wall is actually a
succession of multiple walls spanning
approximately 4,000 miles, making it the
world's longest manmade structure.
Great Wall of China
China
 The Art Deco-style Christ the Redeemer
statue has been looming over the Brazilians from
upon Corcovado mountain in an awe-inspiring
state of eternal blessing since 1931.
The 130-foot reinforced concrete-and-
soapstone statue was designed by Heitor da
Silva Costa and cost approximately $250,000 to
build - much of the money was raised through
donations. The statue has become an easily
recognized icon for Rio and Brazil.
Christ the Redeemer Statue
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
 Machu Picchu, an Incan city of sparkling granite
precariously perched between 2 towering Andean peaks,
is thought by scholars to have been a sacred
archaeological center for the nearby Incan capital of
Cusco. Built at the peak of the Incan Empire in the mid-
1400s, this mountain citadel was later abandoned by the
Incas.
The site remained unknown except to locals until
1911, when it was rediscovered by archaeologist Hiram
Bingham. The site can only be reached by foot, train or
helicopter; most visitors visit by train from nearby
Cusco.
Machu Picchu, Peru
 The genius and adaptability of
Mayan culture can be seen in the splendid
ruins of Chichen Itza. This powerful city, a
trading center for cloth, slaves, honey and
salt, flourished from approximately 800 to
1200, and acted as the political and
economic hub of the Mayan civilization.
The most familiar ruin at the site is El
Caracol, a sophisticated astronomical
observatory.
 Chichen Itza
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
 Rome's, if not Italy's, most enduring icon is
undoubtedly its Colosseum. Built between A.D. 70 and
80 A.D., it was in use for some 500 years. The elliptical
structure sat nearly 50,000 spectators, who gathered to
watch the gladiatorial events as well as other public
spectacles, including battle reenactments, animal hunts
and executions.
Earthquakes and stone-robbers have left the
Colosseum in a state of ruin, but portions of the structure
remain open to tourists, and its design still influences
the construction of modern-day amphitheaters, some
2,000 years later.
The Roman Colosseum
Rome, Italy
 A mausoleum commissioned for the wife
of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Majal
was built between 1632 and 1648. Considered the
most perfect specimen of Muslim art in India,
the white-marble Taj Majal actually represents a
number of architectural styles, including
Persian, Islamic, Turkish and Indian.
The Taj Majal also encompasses formal
gardens of raised pathways, sunken flower beds
and a linear reflecting pool.
 Taj Majal
Agra, India
 Declared a World Heritage Site in 1985,
Petra was the capital of the Nabataean empire of
King Aretas IV, and likely existed in its prime
from 9 B.C. to A.D. 40. The members of this
civilization proved to be early experts in
manipulating water technology, constructing
intricate tunnels and water chambers, which
helped create an pseudo-oasis. A number of
incredible structures carved into stone, a 4,000-
seat amphitheater and the El-Deir monastery
have also helped the site earn its fame.
 Petra
Jordan
 \
Tourism

Seven New
Wonders of
Nature
 The Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,
Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and
Venezuela), also known as Amazonia, the Amazon jungle or the
Amazon Basin, encompasses seven million square kilometers
(1.7 billion acres), though the forest itself occupies some 5.5
million square kilometers (1.4 billion acres), located within nine
nations.
The Amazon represents over half of the planet’s
remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most
species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world. The Amazon
River is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total flow
greater than the top ten rivers worldwide combined.
It accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total world
river flow and has the biggest drainage basin on the planet. Not
a single bridge crosses the Amazon.
The Amazon Rainforest
 Ha Long Bay , Vietnam
Ha Long Bay is located in Quáng Ninh
province, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of
limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes.
The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is
approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with
1969 islets.
Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous
caves, other support floating villages of fishermen,
who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and
450 different kinds of mollusks. Another specific
feature of Halong Bay is the abundance of lakes
inside the limestone islands, for example, Dau Be
island has six enclosed lakes.
Ha Long Bay , Vietnam
 Iguazu Falls ( Brazil/ Argentina)
Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the
world’s largest waterfalls. They extend over 2,700 m
(nearly 2 miles) in a semi-circular shape.
Of the 275 falls that collectively make up
Iguassu Falls, “Devil’s Throat” is the tallest at 80 m in
height. Iguazu Falls are on the border between the
Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province
of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National
Parks (BR/ARG).
Both are subtropical rainforests that are host to
hundreds of rare and endangered species of flora
and fauna.
 Iguazu Falls
( Brazil/ Argentina)
 JEJU Island, South Korea
Jejudo is a volcanic island, 130 km
from the southern coast of Korea. The
largest island and smallest province in
Korea, the island has a surface area of
1,846 sqkm.
A central feature of Jeju is Hallasan,
the tallest mountain in South Korea and
a dormant volcano, which rises 1,950 m
above sea level. 360 satellite volcanoes
are around the main volcano.
JEJU Island, South Korea
 Komodo Islands, Indonesia
Indonesia’s Komodo National Park
includes the three larger islands Komodo,
Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller
ones, for a total area of 1,817 square
kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land).
The national park was founded in 1980 to
protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also
dedicated to protecting other species,
including marine animals.
The islands of the national park are of
volcanic origin.
Komodo Islands, Indonesia
 The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
National Park, Palawam, Philippines
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is
located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain
landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river.
A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through
a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It
includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and
several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject
to tidal influences.
The underground river is reputed to be the world’s
longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by
ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge. Monkeys, large
monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near
the cave.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
National Park, Palawam, Philippines
 Table Mountain, South Africa
Table Mountain is a South African icon and the
only natural site on the planet to have a constellation
of stars named after it – Mensa, meaning “the table.”
The flat-topped mountain has withstood six
million years of erosion and hosts the richest, yet
smallest floral kingdom on earth with over 1,470 floral
species.
Table Mountain boasts numerous rare and
endangered species. It is the most recognized site in
Cape Town, the gateway to Africa, owing to its
unique flat-topped peaks which reach 1,086 m above
sea level.
Table Mountain, South Africa
 \
Tourism

Seven New
Wonder
CITIES
 Beirut is the capital and largest city of
Lebanon and one of the oldest cities in the
world, inhabited more than 5,000 years ago.
The first historical mention of Beirut is
found in the ancient Egyptian Tell el
Amarna letters dating from the 15th century
BC. The Beirut River runs south to north on
the eastern edge of the city. In May 2015,
Beirut was officially recognized as one of
the New7Wonders Cities
Beirut: Lebanon
 If they existed as described, were built by Nebuchadnezzar II
between 605-562 BCE as a gift to his wife. They are described by the
ancient writer Diodorus Siculus as being self-watering planes of exotic
flora and fauna reaching a height of over 75 feet (23 metres) through a
series of climbing terraces. Diodorus wrote that Nebuchadnezzar's
wife, Amtis of Media, missed the mountains and flowers of her
homeland and so the king commanded that a mountain be created for
her in Babylon.
The contoversy over whether the gardens existed comes from
the fact that they are nowhere mentioned in Babylonian history and
that Herodotus, `the Father of History', makes no mention of them in
his descriptions of Babylon. There are many other ancient facts,
figures, and places Herodotus fails to mention, however, or has been
shown to be wrong about. Diodorus, Philo, and the historian Strabo all
claim the gardens existed. They were destroyed by an earthquake
sometime after the 1st century CE.
Doha: Qatar
 Doha (Arabic: ‫ الدوحة‬,ad-Dawḥa or ad-Dōḥa, literally
in MSA: “the big tree”, locally: “rounded bays”) is the
capital city and most populous city of the State of Qatar.
Doha has a population of 956,460 in a city proper with the
population close to 1 million. The city is located on the
coast of the Persian Gulf in the east of the country. It is
Qatar’s fastest growing city, with over 40% of the nation’s
population living in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and
it is also the economic center of the country. It comprises
one of the municipalities of Qatar. In May 2015, Doha was
officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities
Durban: South Africa
 Durban is the largest city in the South African
province of KwaZulu-Natal. After Johannesburg, the
Durban Metropolitan Area ranks second among the most
populous urban areas in South Africa. Durban is famous
for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as
one of the major centres of tourism because of the city’s
warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The
municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a
population of almost 3.5 million, making the combined
municipality one of the biggest cities on the Indian Ocean
coast of the African continent. In May 2015, Durban was
officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities
Havana: Cuba
 Havana (Spanish: La Habana) is the capital
city, largest city, province, major port, and leading
commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a
population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans
a total of 728.26 km2 (281.18 sq mi) – making it the
largest city by area, the most populous city, and
the third largest metropolitan area in the
Caribbean region. In May 2015, Havana was
officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders
Cities
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia
 Kuala Lumpur is the national capital and
most populous global city inMalaysia. The city
covers an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi) and has an
estimated population of 1.6 million as of
2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, covering similar
area as the Klang Valley, is an urban
agglomeration of 7.5 million people as of 2012. It
is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions
in South-East Asia, in terms of population and
economy. In May 2015, Kuala Lumpur was
officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders
Cities
La Paz: Bolivia
 Nuestra Señora de La Paz, commonly
known as La Paz, named Chuqi Yapu
(Chuquiago) in Aymara, is Bolivia’s third-most
populous city (after Santa Cruz and El Alto), the
seat of the country’s government, and the capital
of La Paz Department. It is located on the western
side of Bolivia at an elevation of roughly 3,650 m
(11,975 ft) above sea level.
It is, de facto, the world’s highest administrative
capital. In May 2015, La Paz was officially
recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities
Vigan: Philippines
 Vigan: Philippines
Vigan, officially the City of Vigan (Ilocano:
Ciudad ti Bigan; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Vigan) is a
fourth class city and capital of the province of Ilocos
Sur in the Philippines. The city is located on the
western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the
South China Sea. Due to silting of the Mestizo River,
Vigan City is no longer an island, therefore no longer
separated from the mainland. The city is unique in the
Philippines because it is one of many extensive
surviving Philippine historic cities, dating back to the
16th century. In May 2015, Vigan City was officially
recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities