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To be clear, the “New 7 Wonders of the World” were chosen by a popularity poll launched by a random foundation. It’s just the list of wonders that happens to have been the most publicized, but there are other lists. It’s not something objective or agreed-upon, unlike the actual 7 Wonders of the Ancient World are.

That said, it’s still interesting to know which places in the world were selected to be the New 7 Wonders of the World. They are definitely among the wonders of our world.

(It’s just that some people think it’s a real honor or title, and it’s not. And there are way more other sites that are beautiful and worth visiting too!)

Here are the New 7 Wonders of the World.

 

New 7 Wonders of the World

Here’s the full list before we look at each:

  • Great Wall of China (China)
  • Petra (Jordan)
  • Colosseum (Italy)
  • Chichén Itzá (Mexico)
  • Machu Picchu (Peru)
  • Taj Mahal (India)
  • Christ the Redeemer (Brazil)
  • Honorary status: Giza Pyramids (Egypt)

 

1. Great Wall of China (China)

Great Wall of China (photo credit: William Olivieri)

 

Construction date: 700 BC (up to 1644)

Location: Huairou District, China

Nearest major airports: Beijing-Capital (PEK), Beijing-Daxing (PKX)

Great Wall of China on snowy peaks (photo credit: Max van den Oetelaar)

 

This series of fortifications span a total of 21,000 km in length. That’s longer than the distance from Toronto to Beijing and back. It’s an impressive wall, with some of the many parts being 1300 years old. It’s among the 4 of the New 7 Wonders of the World that I’ve had the chance to visit, and it sure is incredible to see when you think about how long the whole thing is.

 

2. Petra (Jordan)

Petra entrance (photo credit: Brian Kairuz)

 

Construction date: 312 BC

Location: Ma’an, Jordan

Nearest major airports: Aqaba (AQJ), Eilat (ETM), Amman (AMM), Tel Aviv (TLV)

Petra view from the top (photo credit: Alex Vasey)

 

This archaeological city from 2300 years ago looks absolutely stunning. That iconic facade above is the best-known part, but there are many tombs and other ruins to explore. I’ve visited many countries in Western Asia (1 of the 6 different regions of Asia) and enjoyed them all, so I can’t wait to discover Jordan (one of the most visited countries in the region).

 

3. Colosseum (Italy)

Colosseum (photo credit: Spencer Davis)

 

Construction date: AD 80

Location: Rome, Italy

Nearest major airports: Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), Rome-Ciampino (CIA)

Inside the Colosseum (photo credit: tommao wang)

 

This amphitheater was the largest ever built and it’s still standing nearly 2000 years later. It’s one of the most famous monuments of Imperial Rome. I saw it only from the outside (I was on a long layover that saved me a lot of money on my flights) and it’s beautiful, but I’ll probably try to go inside too at some point.

 

4. Chichén Itzá (Mexico)

Chichén Itzá (photo credit: Filip Gielda)

 

Construction date: AD 600

Location: Yucatán, Mexico

Nearest major airports: Cancún (CUN), Mérida (MID), Tulum (TUY) – starting in December 2023

Chichén Itzá details (photo credit: Jezael Melgoza)

 

This archaeological site and its famous step-pyramid is where one of the largest Maya cities stood over 1000 years ago. I’m not personally that attracted to the Americas (compared to other continents I mean), but when I do go explore this part of Mexico, I’ll certainly go see the wonderful sights like this one. It’s way more fun to visit this than to stay in an artificial resort all along, so we always recommend doing at least some actual traveling instead of vacationing only.

 

5. Machu Picchu (Peru)

Machu Picchu (photo credit: Eddie Kiszka)

 

Construction date: 1450

Location: Cuzco Region, Peru

Nearest major airports: Cuzco (CUZ)

Machu Picchu details (photo credit: Gabriel Rojas)

 

This citadel at the top of a mountain in the Andes is truly unique and breathtaking. It’s a cliché, but even the best pictures don’t even come close to doing justice to the 500-year old masterpiece. I went in 2017 and it’s jaw-dropping. Being there, completely surrounded by these peaks and seeing how remote this is, is something I recommend for everyone.

 

6. Taj Mahal (India)

Taj Mahal (photo credit: Jovyn Chamb)

 

Construction date: 1643

Location: Agra, India

Nearest major airports: Delhi (DEL), Jaipur (JAI)

Taj Mahal details (photo credit: Jovyn Chamb)

 

This white marble mausoleum is a symbol of love and one of the finest examples of Islamic art and architecture, dating back almost 400 years. I visited the Taj Mahal this summer and this monument is really impressive to see, whether you are a fan of architecture or not. It’s a massive building and it’s another one definitely worth visiting.

 

7. Christ the Redeemer (Brazil)

Christ the Redeemer (photo credit: Raphael Nogueira)

 

Construction date: 1931

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Nearest major airports: Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont (SDU), Rio de Janeiro-Galeão (GRU)

Christ the Redeemer details (photo credit: Effie Kimble)

 

This statue is by far the youngest of the New 7 Wonders of the World, at under 100 years old. The statue itself is just 30 meters high (on an 8-meter pedestal) but its unique location atop a mountain makes for a remarkable view. I’m strongly considering visiting Brazil in 2024 so I’ll try to go finally see this monument.

 

Honorary status: Giza Pyramids (Egypt)

Giza Pyramids (photo credit: Osama Elsayed)

 

Construction date: 2560 BC

Location: Giza Necropolis, Egypt

Nearest major airports: Cairo (CAI)

Giza Pyramids details (photo credit: 2H Media)

 

This group of pyramids is the only one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World that is still standing, so it was give honorary status by the New 7 Wonders of the World foundation. I was only able to see them from just outside the site (on another long layover), but seeing them with your own eyes is infinitely better than not seeing them at all. I can’t wait to go back, especially since Egypt is one of the most affordable countries in the world!

 

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Summary

The New 7 Wonders of the World are definitely beautiful sites, but it’s still a subjective list that’s more of a popularity contest than a reflection of how wonderful each monument is. But there’s no doubt that these 7 places are among the wonders of our world for sure.

What would you like to know about the New 7 Wonders of the World? Tell us in the comments below.

 

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Featured image: Petra (photo credit: Ahmad Qaisieh)

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Andrew D'Amours

Andrew is the co-founder of Flytrippers. He is passionate about traveling the world but also, as a former management consultant, about the travel industry itself. He shares his experiences to help you save money on travel. As a very cost-conscious traveler, he loves finding deals and getting free travel thanks to travel rewards points... to help him visit every country in the world (current count: 71/193 Countries, 47/50 US States & 9/10 Canadian Provinces).

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