Several years ago, people around the world were asked to nominate new sites for the Seven Wonders of the World. Nearly 100 million votes were cast on the internet, and the results were announced last Saturday at a gala presentation in Lisbon, Portugal. The newly selected sites are
The Great Wall of China The ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico The centuries-old pink ruins of Petra in Jordan India's Taj Mahal The statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro The Colosseum in Rome The Incan ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru
What really amazes me is that over the course of 30 years of travelling I have been to all of them - quite incredible!! I am sure others have too!
Wow, that's really interesting. I always wondered how "they" went about selecting the Seven Wonders. So would these replace, for example, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Pyramids at Giza? I dunno that I'd place the Christ the Redeemer statue in the same category as Petra or the Great Wall of China...
except India and Jordan i have been to all of them, and I agree do not know how they put the Christ Redeemer there. There were many others who could fit in there,but too late.
The Pyramids at Giza are the only one surviving of the original Seven Wonders of the World and have been included in this new list with a special mention (the eighth!!!) I too was surprised by the inclusion of the Rio de Janeiro statue of Christ (as wonderful as it is) but was really saddened that the Alhambra Palace in Granada just missed out in the final vote (although it did make the shortlist of the final 21). It will always be one of my seven wonders of the world! Michael
I too was surprised by the selection of the Rio statue. But that's not the only surprise with this "popular vote" of the 7wonders. -- Did I not read somewhere that the short-list selection this time is country-based or region-based? I know that the short list included the Sydney Opera House and the Statue of Liberty. I understand they are quite a tourist draw but as the short list to the 7 wonders of the world??
And you know what the short-list did not include? The Parthenon. Am I the only one who thinks all this is screwy?
Actually, the more I think about it, the less I think I like this new list. Amazinghotel, you seem like you've read quite a bit on this. Do you have any good news articles you can link to for us?
EDIT: Also, wasn't there some distinction between the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the Seven Wonders of the Modern World?
Several years ago, people around the world were asked to nominate new sites for the Seven Wonders of the World. .....Nearly 100 million votes were cast on the internet,
Inquiring minds (at least this one ) want to know:
Who did the asking, who did the answering, who did the tallying?? Where on the internet were the votes cast? And who sponsored and attended the gala in Lisbon??
I cant't - by far - answer all your questions, but you might have a look here.
The "competition" was organized and sponsored by a private foundation; there was no international body behind it. UNESCO, for one, distanced itself from the competition and the results.
News reports here have said that the Jordanian royal family, for example, strongly encouraged votes for Petra. Surprise, Petra is on the list...
Well to each his own, I guess. Obviously, with 70 million votes cast, the tireless proselytizing by various political factions notwithstanding, this list is "as good" as anything the ancient Greeks developed, I suppose.
What's not included (my TOP 10, with tongue formly implanted in cheek): 1-Three Gorges Dam in China (in progress); 2-Firth of Forth RR Bridge in Scotland; 3-The Chunnel connecting England and France; 4-Angkor Wat in Cambodia; 5-Taipei 101 in Taipei; 6-Cog Railway on Mount Washington in NH (kidding....can't stay serious...); 7-Trans Canada Highway (5000 miles without stop lights or stop signs - that's a wonder...told you); 8-Akashi Kaiko Bridge (12,828 feet) in Japan; 9-Lakshmi Mittal's home in Kensington Gardens, Billionaire's Row, London, England ($128,000,000 - his bank account is the real wonder, not his home...); 10-A Natural Wonder closes my TOP 10 - The King Clone creosote bush in the Mojave Desert, California (11,700 years old).
Posts: 488 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 12 September 2006
Can I urge people who, in the future, post about "voted best" and new "ten best" to please give links so we can see some of the criteria?
Sure, Marian, just as soon as I gather the Miss America criteria.
Nothing wrong with winning a beauty contest. I was interested to see the responses from the winning countries -- ranging from a big yawn in China to a lot of chest beating in some other nations.
The survey's worth the comedic relief. For the record, I've been to a few of those, but tragically, I also managed to have actively avoided a few on the list despite being in the vicinity of them. I just couldn't stand the tour buses
Yes, of course buddy/Steve, it's all a popularity contest. But when you re-read my post you will see that I have simply requested that the post include links, not that the poster describe criteria.
As most, I'm also puzzled by finding the Christ statue in Rio on the list. I have not been there but I have been to the one in Cochabamba which is actually bigger than the one in Rio. Apart from that I have been to Machu Picchu, Colosseum, Great wall of China and Chichen Itza and they have all been impressive :-)
Here is the Christ statue of Cochabamba known as Cristo de la Concordia:
Thank you for the replies and I will certainly post a "link" next time. Surely we are all taking this a little too seriously, I think it is just a bit of fun.
A bit worried though - aren't governments elected by a popular vote - hmmmm? I vote for a Slow Travel Poll of the Seven Wonders of the World - come on Marian (matriarch) - let's organise one!!!!
For the record, I visted most of the seven before the tour bus even thought of going there - they were amazing and I am sure they still are for many who arrive now on those tour buses!
If a tour bus means that someone who never had the chance or courage to visit a monument before goes there and has their life "touched" or "enhanced" in some way by the experience then surely the advent of the tour bus is not a totally negative thing (although it is not my thing!)
Well.I voted for the Acropolis to be one of the new seven wonders of the world.Of course the Acropolis doesn't need anyone to say...hey this is a miracle of the human mind.As it was obvious 10 million greeks and 4 million outside the limits of my country cannot lead the Acropolis to the succes.So the Acropolis with the Parthenon,the Erechtheion ,the temple of Athena Niki,the Ancient Agora,the Attalos stoa.the temple of Hephaestus and all the other monuments do not deserve to be in the list of the New 7 wonders of... Tourism... Moreover what symbolises the Acropolis?Just the beginning of the Western civilization...Built in the Golden Era of Pericles(around 450 BC),the period when Democracy was born in my city Athens.Also the philosophy,Medicine,Physics etc etc etc The Acropolis is once again the victim of an incredible vandalsim.What is amazing it is that once again it happened from Europeans.The first time that Acropolis was exploded wasnot from the Turks but from an italian ,Morozini ,a few centuries before the good lord Elgin with his men and his hammers stole and destroyed what was left. I think now what just happened was an ethical,moral vandalsim.The Acropolis should have been withdrawn from this ...beauty contest.The greek state should have done this. But hey the reality nowadays is not so romantic...And after all the Western civilization (Europe and North America)is represented by the Colosseum.I really think that the Colosseum is a great building,one of its kind.It was built by the emperors Vespasianos(as it is pronounced in greek)and Titos 72 to 80 AD.To celebrate its construction the emperor organized festivities.In less than 100 days,5000 wild animals were killed to the joy of the spectators and for centuries it functioned as an area for torturing people and animals. As you may have understand i'm furious not from an hyper-patriotism but because once again not many people respect the healthy past of our world. In the years to come,maybe, who knows ,between the very new wonders of the world will also be Auswitz. That is just my opinion and my anger.Hope to excuse it as well as my poor english .Maybe i 'll get calm if i just say to myself that the real beauty and the values do not need a contest to prove themselves.
Posts: 110 | Location: Athens,Greece. | Registered: 29 January 2006
Aaa...I forgot the reply of the UNESCO to the new seven wonders of the modern world.UNESCO does not support it.Regards it as a private initiative which represents the ideas of those who voted(and i say their-in the good sense of the word- patriotism)A week ago UNESCO(Which logo-if this is the correct word-is the Parthenon(the temple of Athina on the Acropolis)- has announced that in the list of the world human heritage is one more greek site,the old town of Corfu.I think this is the best response...
Posts: 110 | Location: Athens,Greece. | Registered: 29 January 2006
Personally, I can think of many great wonders of the world that can rival any of those nominated. How about Notre Dame, St. Peter's Basilica, Pantheon and Versailles?
I also think some of these seven wonders could use less publicity rather than more.
Some people, many via tour buses, are going to see these wonders as destinations and photo ops, rather than integrating them into the trips as a way of learning about a culture.
Take, for example, the Great Wall, which has become a giant photo-op with its sordid history blanked out. Does everyone visiting the Wall see the monumental stupidity in sacrificing human beings to build a 4000-mile wall to defend a giant country? I don't think many are aware that the wall never worked all that well as a strategic deterrent, and sometimes aided invading troops by acting as an interstate highway.
Another example is the Taj Mahal. Many of my colleagues who visited India insisted on seeing the Taj Mahal -- not an easy trip to take from Delhi. Most came back knowing nothing about Mughal India. If Taj weren't so famous, I think the visitors may end up knowing a lot more about the salacious history of Nur Jahan, Jehangir, and Shah Jahan, they may even visit the nearby Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, of which Taj was built as a oneupsmanship.
for example, the Great Wall, which has become a giant photo-op with its sordid history blanked out. Does everyone visiting the Wall see the monumental stupidity in sacrificing human beings to build a 4000-mile wall to defend a giant country?
I, for one, did think about the wall's xenophobic purpose when I was on it. And it was awesome - in the old sense of the word. I can imagine for 2 millenia, the Han race looked out of the wall and felt that this side was civlization and that side was totally untamed and was ... infinity ! -- Of course I don't agree, but am saying that the architecture inspires this primitive awe and fear. Come to think of it, another "wonder, the Colosseum, wasn't exactly built for humanitarian purposes either. But both are awe-inspiring. I like these monuments that remind us people lived and died there and something about their once existence moves us still.
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