In 2007, a global vote involving more than 100 million people named seven structures as the New Seven Wonders of the World — chosen from 21 finalists spanning history and every inhabited continent.
This article presents each of the seven wonders in the order they were built, explaining what each one is, where it stands, and what makes it worthy of its place on this remarkable list.
| Wonder | Location | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Great Wall of China | China | From the 7th century BC |
| Petra | Jordan | From the 4th century BC |
| Roman Colosseum | Italy | AD 70–80 |
| Chichen Itza | Mexico | c. 600–1200 AD |
| Machu Picchu | Peru | c. 1450 |
| Taj Mahal | India | 1631–1648 |
| Christ the Redeemer | Brazil | 1922–1931 |
Nearly 2,600 years separate the oldest and newest of the seven wonders
Stretching across northern China for thousands of kilometres, the Great Wall is one of the most recognisable structures in human history. Construction began as early as the 7th century BC and continued in phases across many centuries, with the most famous sections built during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).
The wall was built primarily to defend Chinese territory against invasions from the north. It incorporates walls, watchtowers, garrison stations and natural barriers such as rivers and mountains. The full system of walls, if laid end to end, is estimated to exceed 21,000 kilometres — though only a fraction of that length remains in its original condition today.
Carved directly into rose-red sandstone cliffs in southern Jordan, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and flourished as a major trading centre from around the 4th century BC. The city is accessed through a narrow gorge called the Siq, which opens dramatically to reveal the famous Treasury — a monumental facade carved with extraordinary precision into the rock face.
Petra was largely unknown to the Western world until the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it in 1812. The site contains hundreds of tombs, temples, and civic buildings — a testament to the sophistication of the Nabataean civilisation.
Built in Rome between AD 70 and 80, the Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre ever constructed. At its peak, it could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators and was used for gladiatorial contests, public spectacles, animal hunts, and theatrical performances.
The engineering achievements of the Colosseum were extraordinary for their time — including a retractable awning system to shade spectators, an underground network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena floor, and an efficient crowd management system using numbered entrances and exits.
Chichen Itza was one of the largest and most powerful cities of the ancient Maya civilisation, located on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. At its heart stands El Castillo — the Temple of Kukulkan — a step pyramid with 91 stairs on each of its four sides, plus one step at the top, totalling 365 steps — precisely the number of days in a solar year.
During the spring and autumn equinoxes, the shadow cast by the pyramid's edges creates the illusion of a feathered serpent descending the staircase — a remarkable demonstration of the Maya civilisation's sophisticated knowledge of astronomy.
Perched at 2,430 metres above sea level in the Andes mountains of Peru, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel of extraordinary beauty and engineering precision. Built around 1450 under the Inca emperor Pachacuti, it was abandoned less than a century later during the Spanish conquest and remained unknown to the outside world until the American historian Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911.
The site consists of terraces, temples, palaces and plazas, all constructed from precisely cut stone fitted together without mortar — and yet capable of withstanding the frequent earthquakes of the region.
Built in Agra, India, between 1631 and 1648 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is widely regarded as the finest example of Mughal architecture and one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
Constructed from white marble that changes colour with the light — appearing pale in daylight, golden at sunset and silver by moonlight — the Taj Mahal is a masterpiece of symmetry, proportion and craftsmanship. Over 20,000 craftspeople worked for more than 17 years to complete it.
Standing 30 metres tall atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Christ the Redeemer is one of the world's most iconic statues. Constructed between 1922 and 1931 and designed by the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, the statue depicts Jesus Christ with arms outstretched — a gesture of welcome and peace that has become the defining image of Rio de Janeiro.
Made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, the statue has become both a religious monument and a global symbol of Brazil.
The Taj Mahal alone receives approximately 7 to 8 million visitors a year — more people annually than the entire population of many countries. Multiply that across all seven wonders, and it becomes clear these sites are not just historical monuments; they are living parts of the modern global economy, supporting millions of jobs in tourism, hospitality and conservation.
What unites these seven wonders across their very different origins, cultures and centuries is the unmistakable evidence of human ambition — the impulse to build something that outlasts an individual life, something that speaks across time. Each is a reminder that the capacity for extraordinary achievement is not new, and is not confined to any single culture or civilisation.
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