New 7 Wonders

The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.
The statue was inaugurated 75 years ago on Mount
Corcovado after five years of work that required the
building of a road and a rail line giving access to the
710 metres high Corcovado heights.

The Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. The legendary temples and steep slopes provided the Incas' last refuge from Spain's 16th century conquest. Spain's conquistadors never found the mystical city, which was lost until US archaeologist Hiram Bingham arrived in 1911.



The ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico. Chichen Itza is a pre-Colombian city mingling Maya and Toltec art, built around 500 AD in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Four staircases of 91 steps lead up to a platform, making 365 levels for 365 days of the year.

The Coliseum in Rome. The Coliseum, symbol of the city of Rome, was built nearly 2,000 years ago during the first century AD during the Roman Empire. Financed by the Roman victories in Judea and the pillage of the Temple of Jerusalem, it is Rome's largest amphitheatre.


The Taj Mahal mausoleum. The Taj Mahal was constructed in the 17th century by emperor Shan Jahan as the mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to her 14th child. The white edifice, north of the town of Agra, receives nearly three million visitors a year.

The Great Wall of China. Its construction started more than 2,000 years ago. The longest monument in the world, it extends from the Pacific Ocean to the borders of Central Asia. The Wall was classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.


The pink ruins of Petra in Jordan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is located 200 kilometres south of the capital Amman. It
comprises stunning temples and tombs carved
in the rock and was the capital of Arab Nabataean
nomads, who settled in the area more than
2,000 years ago.