7 Wonders of the World Announced
The 7 Wonders of the World have been announced (broadcasted live on IPTV). I predicted 5 of the winners correctly, not bad but it was quite predictable - I think the results are quite fair, none of the modern wonders made it (e.g. Sydney's opera house, or the Statue of Liberty - given to the US by France). Instead the winners (as voted by Internet and mobile users) turned out to favour the historic and ancient Wonders of the World. Here they are, as they were presented on live webtv:
The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt [honorary]
No one was surprised that the only surviving wonder of the truly ancient world was given a straight-pass to the World Wonder list. The Pyramids of Giza have standed the test of time, and are truly an amazing piece of work that continues to marvel and humble us even today. There is still a lot of mystery as to how they were built, and archaeologists and architects still lie awestruck at these fantastic tombs of the ancient Pharohs of Egypt. The Pyramids of Egypt are an honorary member of the 7 Wonders of the World.
1) The Taj Mahal, India
The Taj Mahal was originally built as a tomb for the late Mumtas Mahal, who was the beloved wife of Shah Jahan, a 16th Century mogul emperor of what is now Agra. The white marble tomb was originally ordained with various emeralds and jewels, which were stolen and excavated shortly after the British arrived in India. However, the Taj Mahal still stands as one of the most ancient and romantic structures ever built. The reflecting pool that sits in front allows the Taj's opulence to truly be seen. [not pictured: Mosque to the left].
2) Petra, Jordan
It may not seem like much at first glance, but the entire monument was built by carving the stone mountain into ornate and decorative scultupures and structures. The entire complex is carved into the stone mountains, and rooms and grande halways have been built by carving into the stones. Realize that this was done in the ancient world, so none of the modern technology such as timed dynamite or electronic drills were used - everything in Petra is hand carved. Each room and structure within Petra is detailed with decorations, scriptures and very beautiful and fancy Roman/Greek inspired designs and patterns.
3) Machu Pichu, Peru
Machu Pichu are the "forgotten" ruins of
an ancient city known as Machu Pichu. The city was thought to be the capital of Incan Empire and ruins prove that the Incans were using technology far in advance of what neighbouring factions possessed - including compasses, and an advanced form of astronomical calculations. The ruins of Machu Pichu shows the everyday life of the Incan people who mysteriously vanished (not really, the Europeans colonized the area resulting in their assimilation). The biggest mystery is why Machu Pichu was forgotten about by the Western world, and at times referred to as the Lost City - it's very presence is a ghostly reminder of a culture and people lost in time.
4) The Great Wall of China, China
Surely, the World's Largest running wall would make it on the list. It's no surprise that the Great Wall of China would make the list - but did you know that China's neighbour - India, houses the 2nd 'Greatest" Wall - located at the Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajastan. But enough about that, the Great Wall of China originally built as an ambitious means to seperate what was then the border between Mongolia and what would later on become China, proved successfull in dispelling the Mongolians attempts. However The Great Wall is, contrarily to belief, not visible from the moon nor space by the naked eye.
5) The Colliseum, Italy
The Colliseum, it needs no description but I'll do say anyways, is a historic stadium or arena where spectators watched in awe and amusement as thousands of Gladiators and animals were put to death on the whims and victories of battle. In many cases plays were held and re-enactments of battles. The colliseum rounds off #5 of the Wonders of the World.
6) Christ the Reedemer, Brazil
Located in Brazil, Christ the Redeemer stands a top the highest perch overlooking all of Brazil. This is probably the only wonder I take exception to being on the list, but it is definately a more modern (historic, but slightly newer compared other wonders on the list) wonder standing over Brazil and expressing the sentiments of Jesus Christ's last moments on earth before his eventual resurrection. The Redeemer stands as a token of hope and prosperity reminding Brazillians to lighten up on the partying!
7) Chichen Itza,Mexico
The Chichen Itza is most famously described as a South American Pyramid. Built by the Mayans, the Chichen Itza was the cornerstone of the Mayan city of Itza and it served various funcitons including the religious and political podium for celebrations, gatherings and other events. Mystery is central to the Chichen Itza as skeptics claim that advanced civilizations must have faciliated in its construction due to the usage of astronomical and mathematical concepts that had not been discovered anywhere on the planet at the time. Could the Mayans have been avanced far beyond any other civilization at the time, or did some form of extraterrestrial being have contact with the Mayans?
Technically there are 8 World Wonders, but of course we need to realize that this isn't the Official 7 Wonders of the World - a private company stepped up and ran this competition, which making this semi-official since it's voted on by the people. One thing's for sure, there are a lot of angry people who aren't happy with the decision - including UNESCO which is the appointed designator of world cultural and heritage areas, and whose power also includes the labelling of monuments and structures as World Wonders. UNESCO refuses to accept these as the actual World Wonders, regardless of the party (featuring Jennifer Lopez as the MC) held by the private firm that orchestrated this entire campaign.
Labels: 7 wonders of the world, broadcasted, china, india, IPTV, italy, mexico, mobile, streaming, world wonders
