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{{Short description|Subjective lists of natural features and artificial structures on Earth}}
{{otheruses|Wonders of the World (disambiguation)}}
{{About|natural and human-made phenomena and structures of the world|other uses of "Wonders of the World"|Wonders of the World (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-move}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}}
] (from left to right, top to bottom): ], ], ] at Ephesus, ], ] (also known as the Mausoleum of Mausolus), ], and the ] as depicted by 16th-century Dutch artist ].]]
]
Various lists of the '''Wonders of the World''' have been compiled from antiquity to the present day, in order to catalogue the world's most spectacular natural features and human-built structures.


Various '''Wonders of the World''' lists have been compiled over the ages in order to catalogue the most spectacular natural and man-made constructions. The ] is the first known list of remarkable man-made creations of ], and was based on guide-books popular among ] sight-seers and only includes works located around the ] rim. Later lists include those for the Medieval World, the Modern World, the Natural World and others. The ] is the oldest known list of this type, documenting the most iconic and remarkable human-made creations of ]; it was based on guidebooks popular among ] sightseers and as such only includes works located around the ] rim and in the ancient ]. The number seven was chosen because the Greeks believed it represented perfection and plenty, and because it reflected the number of planets known in ancient times (five) plus the Sun and Moon.<ref name="Anon">{{cite book|author=Anon. |year=1993|title=The Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia|edition=First |publisher=Oxford: Oxford University}}</ref>


== Seven Wonders of the Ancient World == ==Seven Wonders of the Ancient World==
]
{{Main|Seven Wonders of the Ancient World}} {{Main|Seven Wonders of the Ancient World}}
], the only wonder of the ancient world still in existence]]
The Greek historian ] (484 – c. 425 BC) and the scholar ] of ] (c. 305–240 BC), at the ], made early lists of seven wonders. These lists have not survived, however, except as references in other writings.


The classic Seven Wonders were:
The historian ] (484 BC&ndash;ca. 425 BC), and the scholar ] of ] (ca 305&ndash;240 BC) at the Museum of ], made early lists of "Seven wonders" but their writings have not survived, except as references. They included the ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].


* ], in ], Egypt, the earliest of the wonders to be completed, as well as the only one that still exists in the present day.
The Greek category was not "Wonders" but "''theamata''", which translates closer to "must-sees". The list that we know today was compiled in the ]—by which time many of the sites were no longer in existence.
* ], in the harbor of the city of ], on the Greek ].
* ], in ], near present-day ], Babylon Governorate, Iraq; or ], Mosul, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq.
* ], in ], Egypt.
* ], in ], a city of the ] in present-day Turkey.
* ], in ].
* ] at ], in the city of Ephesus, near present-day ], Turkey.


==Lists from other eras==
{{See also|Eighth Wonder of the World}}
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, some writers emulated the classical list by creating their own lists with names such as "Wonders of the Middle Ages", "Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages", "Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind", and "Architectural Wonders of the Middle Ages".<ref></ref> It is unlikely that any of these lists actually originated in the ] since the concept of a "Middle Age" did not become popular until at least the 16th century and the word "]" was not invented until the ] era. '']'' refers to them as "later list",<ref name="brewers" /> suggesting the lists were created after the Middle Ages.


Many of the structures on these lists were built much earlier than the Middle Ages but were well known throughout the world.<ref name="carrington">{{cite book |author=Hereward Carrington (1880–1958) |title=''The Seven Wonders of the World: ancient, medieval and modern'', reprinted in the ''Carington Collection'' (2003) |isbn= 0-7661-4378-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=btDWYgEACAAJ&q=the+carrington+collection|title=The Carrington Collection|isbn=9781169692169|access-date=October 29, 2014|last1=Carrington|first1=Hereward|date=September 2010|publisher=Kessinger |archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201125716/https://books.google.com/books?id=btDWYgEACAAJ&q=the+carrington+collection|url-status=live}}</ref> Typically representative of such lists are:<ref name="brewers">{{cite book|author=Evans, I H (reviser|title=Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable|edition=Centenary edition Fourth impression (corrected)|location= London|publisher=Cassell|date= 1975|page= 1163}}</ref><ref name="carrington" /><ref name="latham">{{cite book|author=Latham, Edward|title=A Dictionary of Names, Nicknames and Surnames, of Persons, Places and Things|date=1904|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XnuUd4 |oclc=01038938|page= 280}}</ref><ref name="miller">{{cite book|last1=Miller|first1=Francis Trevelyan|author-link1=Francis Trevelyan Miller|title=America, the Land We Love|date=1915|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UAMqLz88aXAC&pg=PA201|oclc=00334597|page=201|access-date=October 16, 2020|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201125659/https://books.google.com/books?id=UAMqLz88aXAC&pg=PA201|url-status=live}} Excerpts from speeches by ], ], and ].</ref>
{{anchor|Seven Wonders lists about the Middle Ages}}


*], a 2nd-century funerary complex in ], Egypt.
== Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages ==
*], a 1st-century amphitheatre in the centre of the city of ], Italy.
]
*], a series of defensive fortifications built across the historical northern borders of China, with some segments dating to as early as the 7th century BC.
*], a 6th-century cathedral and mosque in ], Turkey.
*], a 12th-century bell tower in ], Italy.
*], a 15th-century pagoda on the south bank of the external ] in ], China.
*], a Neolithic henge monument in ], England dated to the 3rd millennium BC.


Other structures sometimes included on such lists include:
Seven Wonders lists about the ] are existing historical lists for which there is no unanimity of opinion about origin, content or name.<ref name=carrington>] (1880-1958), "The Seven Wonders of the World: ancient, medieval and modern", reprinted in the ''Carington Collection'' (2003) ISBN 0-7661-4378-3, .</ref> These historical lists go by names such as "Wonders of the Middle Ages" (implying no specific limitation to seven), "Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages", "Medieval Mind" and "Architectural Wonders of the Middle Ages". The lists are more properly seen as a continuing type or ] in the Seven Wonders tradition than a specific list.
<!-- NOTE: Sources must be included -->
* ], a 13th-century Islamic fortification in ], Egypt.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades|date=2001| page =153}}</ref>
* ], a 10th-century Benedictine monastery in ], Saône-et-Loire, France.<ref>{{cite book|title=Cluny Abbey|work=]|volume=4|date=1913|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2GcQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA73|oclc=06974688|page=73|editor-first=Charles George|editor-last=Herbermann|access-date=October 16, 2020|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201125734/https://books.google.com/books?id=2GcQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA73|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ], a (currently Anglican) cathedral originally built in the 11th century in ], England.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Rough Guide To England|date=1994| page= 596}}</ref>


{{Anchor|Wonders of the modern world}}
It is unlikely the lists originated in the Middle Ages. Brewet's calls them "later list"<ref name=brewers/> suggesting the lists were created after the Middle Ages. This is supported because the word ] was not even invented until the ]-era, and the concept of a "Middle Age" did not become popular until the 16th century. Further, the ] movement glorified all things related to the Middle Ages, or more specifically anything pre-Enlightenment era, suggesting such lists would have found a popular audience in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Some items found on some of the lists are not technically from the Middle Ages (according to modern historical standards), but we know the lists were not created by modern medieval historians, so such standards did not apply.


==Recent lists==
Typically representative of the seven:<ref name=carrington/><ref name=latham>]. ''A Dictionary of Names, Nicknames and Surnames, of Persons, Places and Things'' (1904), .</ref><ref name=miller>], ], ], ]. ''America, the Land We Love'' (1915), .</ref><ref name=brewers>I H Evans (reviser), ''Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'' (Centenary edition Fourth impression (corrected); London: Cassell, 1975), page 1163</ref>
Following in the tradition of the classical list, modern people and organisations have made their own lists of wonderful things, both ancient and modern, natural and artificial. Some of the most notable lists are presented below.


===American Society of Civil Engineers===
]
] in Toronto, Canada]]
In 1994, the ] compiled a list of Seven Wonders of the Modern World, paying tribute to the "greatest ] achievements of the 20th century".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asce.org/Content.aspx?id=2147487305 |title=American Society of Civil Engineers Seven Wonders |website=ASCE.org |date=July 19, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100802060056/http://www.asce.org/Content.aspx?id=2147487305 |archive-date=August 2, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asce.org/history/seven_wonders.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402072318/http://www.asce.org/history/seven_wonders.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-04-02 |title=Seven Wonders of the Modern World|website=ASCE.org|author=American Society of Civil Engineers}}</ref>


{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
<!--DO NOT MODIFY LIST-->
|+American Society of Civil Engineers Wonders
<!--ONE. STONEHENGE-->*]
|-
<!--TWO. COLOSSEUM-->*]
!scope="col"| Wonder
<!--THREE. CATACOMBS-->*]
!scope="col"|Date started
<!--FOUR. GREAT WALL-->*]
!scope="col"|Date finished<!-- Official opening -->
<!--FIVE. NANJING-->*]
!scope="col"|Location
<!--SIX. HAGIA SOPHIA-->*]
!scope="col"|Significance
<!--SEVEN. PISA-->*]
|-
<!--DO NOT MODIFY LIST-->
!scope="row"| ]

| data-sort-value="1987-12-01"| December 1, 1987
Other sites that have been mentioned include:
| data-sort-value="1994-05-06"| May 6, 1994
<!--NOTE: Sources must be included-->
| ], in the ] between the ] and ]
*]<ref>''Palpa, as You Like it'', )</ref>
| Longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world
*]<ref>''The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades'' (2001, page 153))</ref>
|-
*]<ref>''The Rough Guide To England'' (1994, page 596))</ref>
!scope="row"| ]
*]<ref>'']'', v.16 (1913), </ref>
| data-sort-value="1973-02-06"| February 6, 1973

| data-sort-value="1976-06-26"| June 26, 1976
{{anchor|Seven Wonders of the Modern World}}
| ], Ontario, Canada
{{anchor|Wonders of the modern world}}
| Tallest freestanding structure in the world from 1976 to 2007 <!-- Tower construction completed in 1975 and opened to the public in 1976 -->

|-
== American Society of Civil Engineers Seven Wonders of the Modern World ==
!scope="row"| ]
In the tradition of the ], many other lists of wonders have been proposed, including both human feats of engineering and wonders of Nature. However, these lists are rather informal, and there is no consensus on any particular list.
| data-sort-value="1930-03-17"| March 17, 1930

| data-sort-value="1931-04-11"| April 11, 1931
]
| ], New York, United States
| Tallest structure in the world from 1931 to 1954; tallest freestanding structure in the world from 1931 to 1967; tallest building in the world from 1931 to 1970; first building with 100+ stories
|-
!scope="row"| ]
| data-sort-value="1933-01-05"| January 5, 1933
| data-sort-value="1937-05-27"| May 27, 1937
| ], north of ], California, United States
| Longest main span of any suspension bridge in the world from 1937 to 1964
|-
!scope="row"| ]
| data-sort-value="1970-01-01"| January 1970
| data-sort-value="1984-05-05"| May 5, 1984
| ], on the border between ] and ]
| Largest operating hydroelectric facility in the world in terms of annual energy generation<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/three-gorges-dam-worlds-largest-hydroelectric-plant?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects |title=USGS: Three Gorges Dam is bigger than Itaipu Dan but annual output is about the same because of river variability |access-date=October 9, 2019 |archive-date=April 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427061325/https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/three-gorges-dam-worlds-largest-hydroelectric-plant?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"| Netherlands North Sea Protection Works (] and ])
| data-sort-value="1920-01-01"| 1920
| data-sort-value="1997-05-10"| May 10, 1997
| ], ], ], ] and ], Netherlands
| Largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the 20th century
|-
!scope="row"| ]
| data-sort-value="1880-01-01"| January 1, 1880
| data-sort-value="1914-01-07"| January 7, 1914
| ]
| Allows passage of oceangoing vessels between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken
|}


===''USA Today''{{'}}s New Seven Wonders===
The ] compiled another list of wonders of the modern world:<ref></ref>
]]]
In November 2006, the American national newspaper '']'' and the American television show '']'' revealed a list of the "New Seven Wonders", both natural and human-made, as chosen by six judges.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2006-10-26-seven-wonders-experts_x.htm |title=New Seven Wonders panel |work=USA Today |date=October 27, 2006 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> The ] was added as an eighth wonder on November 24, 2006, in response to viewer feedback.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Jayne |url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2006-11-23-7-wonders-grand-canyon_x.htm |title=The world's 8th wonder: Readers pick the Grand Canyon |work=USA Today |date=December 22, 2006 |access-date=May 3, 2013 |archive-date=June 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619213041/http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2006-11-23-7-wonders-grand-canyon_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>


{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
<!-- THE SEVEN WONDERS AS COMPILED BY THE "American Society of Civil Engineers"-->
|+''USA Today''{{'}}s New Seven Wonders
{| class="wikitable"
|- |-
!scope="col"| Wonder
!| '''Wonder'''||'''Date Started'''<!--Beginning of Construction-->||'''Date Finished'''<!--Official opening-->||'''Locations
!scope="col"| Location
|- |-
!scope="row"| ]
|]
|], ] | ], Tibet
|], ]
|], between ] and ]
|-
|]
|], ]
|], ]<!--Tower construction completed in 75 and opened to the public in 76-->
|], ], ]
|- |-
!scope="row"| ]
|]
| ]{{refn|Both the '']'' article and the '']'' broadcast described this wonder as "Jerusalem's Old City, Israel." The Old City is located in ], which is claimed by both the ] and the ]. The UN and most countries do not recognize Israel's claim to East Jerusalem, taking the position that the final status of Jerusalem is pending future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. See ] for more information.|group="n"}}
|], ]
|], ]
|], ], ]
|- |-
!scope="row"| ]
|]
| Earth's ]s (Arctic and Antarctic)
|], ]
|], ]
|], north of ], ], ]
|- |-
!scope="row"| ]
|]
| ], United States
|January 1970
|], ]
|], between ] and ]
|- |-
!scope="row"| ]
|]
| Worldwide
|1950
|], ]
|], ]
|- |-
!scope="row"| ]
|]
|], ] | ], México
|], ]
|], ]
|- |-
!scope="row"| ] of ] and ]
| ] and ]
|-
!scope="row"| ] (viewer-chosen eighth wonder)
| ], United States
|} |}


===Seven Natural Wonders of the World===
== Travel wonders ==
] ]]]
Similar to the other lists of wonders, there is no consensus on a list of seven natural wonders of the world, and there has been debate over how large such a list should be. One of many existing versions of this list was compiled by ] in 1997:<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/9711/natural.wonders/ |title=Natural Wonders |work=CNN |date=November 11, 1997 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721011803/http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/9711/natural.wonders/ |archive-date=July 21, 2006 }}</ref>
<!-- THE SEVEN WONDERS AS COMPILED BY "CNN" -->
*], in the Earth's ] (around the ] and ])
*], in ], United States
*], off the coast of ], Australia
*] of ], Brazil
*], on the border of ] and ]
*] volcano, located in the state of ], Mexico
*], on the border of ] and ]


===New 7 Wonders of the World===
Noted travel writer ] has compiled lists of the top man-made<ref>{{cite web
] at ]]]
| last = Hillman
In 2001, an initiative was started by the Swiss corporation New7Wonders Foundation to choose the ] from a selection of 200 existing monuments through online votes.<ref name=New7Wonders101>{{cite web|title=The multimedia campaign to choose the New 7 Wonders of the World is in its final stage.|url=http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=3&L=0|publisher=New7Wonders|access-date=10 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103164233/http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=3&L=0|archive-date=January 3, 2007 }}</ref> The Great Pyramid of Giza—part of the ], the only remaining wonder of the traditional Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was not one of the winners announced in 2007 but was added as an honorary candidate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Egypt's pyramids out of seven wonders contest|url=https://dailynewsegypt.com/2007/04/20/egypts-pyramids-out-of-seven-wonders-contest/|access-date=25 June 2018|date=April 20, 2007|work=]|archive-date=June 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625132520/https://dailynewsegypt.com/2007/04/20/egypts-pyramids-out-of-seven-wonders-contest/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/08/1972797.htm |title=Reuters via ABC News Australia "Opera House snubbed as new Wonders unveiled" 7 July 2007 |publisher=ABC |location=Australia |date=July 8, 2007 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629014102/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/08/1972797.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| first = Howard
| authorlink = Howard Hillman
| title = World's top 10 man-made travel wonders
| publisher = Hillman Quality Publications
| url = http://www.hillmanwonders.com/top10/man_made.htm#_vtop
| accessdate = 2007-07-07 }}</ref>
and natural<ref>{{cite web
| last = Hillman
| first = Howard
| authorlink = Howard Hillman
| title = World's top 10 natural travel wonders
| publisher = Hillman Quality Publications
| url = http://www.hillmanwonders.com/top10/natural.htm#_vtop
| accessdate = 2007-07-07 }}</ref>
tourist travel wonders of the world:


{| class="wikitable sortable"
=== Man-made travel wonders ===
<!-- THE TOP MAN-MADE TRAVEL WONDERS AS COMPILED BY THE "Hillman Wonders"-->
<!-- ONE--># ]
<!-- TWO--># ]
<!-- THREE--># ]
<!-- FOUR--># ]
<!-- FIVE--># ]
<!-- SIX--># ]
<!-- SEVEN--># ]
<!-- EIGHT--># ]
<!-- NINE--># ]
<!-- TEN--># ]
<!-- NO ELEVENTH WONDER-->

=== Natural travel wonders ===
]

<!-- THE TOP NATURAL TRAVEL WONDERS AS COMPILED BY THE "Hillman Wonders"-->
<!-- ONE--># ]
<!-- TWO--># ]
<!-- THREE--># ]
<!-- FOUR--># ]
<!-- FIVE--># ]
<!-- SIX--># ]
<!-- SEVEN--># ]
<!-- EIGHT--># ]
<!-- NINE--># ]
<!-- TEN--># ]
<!-- NO ELEVENTH WONDER-->

== Natural wonders ==
]

Similar to the other lists of wonders, there is no consensus on a list of seven natural wonders of the world, as there has been debate over how large the list should be. One of the many lists was compiled by ]:<ref></ref>
<!--THE SEVEN WONDERS AS COMPILED BY "CNN"-->
<!-- ONE-->*]
<!-- TWO-->*]
<!-- THREE-->*Harbor of ]
<!-- FOUR-->*]
<!-- FIVE-->*]
<!-- SIX-->*] volcano
<!-- SEVEN-->*]
<!-- NO EIGHTH WONDER-->

== Underwater wonders ==
]

This list of underwater wonders is of unknown origin, but has been repeated sufficiently often to acquire a degree of notability:<ref></ref> <ref></ref>
<!--THE SEVEN WONDERS AS COMPILED BY "consensus" (see notes)-->
<!-- ONE-->*]
<!-- TWO-->*]
<!-- THREE-->*]
<!-- FOUR-->*]
<!-- FIVE-->*]
<!-- SIX-->*]
<!-- SEVEN-->*]
<!-- NO EIGHTH WONDER-->

== New Open World Corporation New Seven Wonders of the World ==
]
{{Main|New Seven Wonders of the World}}

In 2001 an initiative was started by Swiss corporation New Open World Corporation (NOWC) to choose the ] from a selection of 200 existing monuments for profit.<ref></ref> ] were announced ], ].<ref></ref> Egypt was not happy with the fact that the only original wonder would have to compete with the likes of the Statue of Liberty, the Sydney Opera House, the Taj Mahal, and other landmarks; and called the project absurd. To solve this, Giza was named an honorary Candidate.<ref></ref> The results were announced on ] ]<ref></ref> and are:<p>

{| class="wikitable"
|- |-
! Wonder ! Wonder
! Date of construction ! Date of construction
! Present-day location
! Location
|- style="vertical-align: middle;" |- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| ] | ]
| data-sort-value=-0700| Since 7th century BC<ref name="Brit">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/243863/Great-Wall-of-China|title=Great Wall of China|encyclopedia=]|date=|access-date=February 16, 2012|archive-date=May 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502181216/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/243863/Great-Wall-of-China|url-status=live}}</ref>
| 5th century BC – 16th century
| ] | ]
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "

|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
| ] | ]
| data-sort-value=-0100| c. 100 BC
| ''unknown''
| ], Jordan
| ]
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| '']''
| data-sort-value=1931| opened to the public October 12, 1931
| ], Brazil
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| ]
| data-sort-value=1450| c. AD 1450
| ], Peru
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| ]
| data-sort-value=0600| c. AD 600
| ], Mexico
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| ]
| data-sort-value=0080| completed AD 80
| ], Italy
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| ]
| data-sort-value=1648| completed c. AD 1648
| ], India
|- style="vertical-align: middle; "
| '']'' (honorary candidates)
| data-sort-value=-2560| completed c. 2560 BC
| ], Egypt
|}


{{Anchor|New Seven Wonders}}
|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
| ]
| Opened ] ]
| ]


===New 7 Wonders of Nature===
|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
]]]
| ]
A similar contemporary effort to create a list of seven natural (as opposed to human-made) wonders chosen through a global poll, called the ], was organized from 2007 to 2011 by the same group as the ] campaign.
| ''c.''1450
| ]


<!-- ONE -->*], on the ] of the ] of ] and the Brazilian state of ]
|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
<!-- TWO -->*], in ], Vietnam
| ]
<!-- THREE -->*], in the ] of South Korea
| ''c.''600
<!-- FOUR -->*], in ], Philippines
| ]
<!-- FIVE -->*], overlooking the city of ], South Africa
<!-- SIX -->*], one of the ] that comprise the Republic of Indonesia
<!-- SEVEN -->*], located in ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]


===New 7 Wonders Cities===
|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
]]]
| ]
], a third list organized by New7Wonders and determined by another global vote, includes entire cities:
| Completed 80 AD
| ]


*], South Africa
|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
*], Philippines
| ]
*], Cuba
| Completed ''c.''1648
*], Malaysia
| ]
*], Lebanon
*], Qatar
*], Bolivia


===Seven Wonders of the Underwater World===
|- style="vertical-align: middle;"
]]]
| ] (Honorary Candidate)
The list of "Seven Wonders of the Underwater World" was drawn up by CEDAM International, an American-based non-profit group for divers that is dedicated to ocean preservation and research. In 1989, CEDAM brought together a panel of marine scientists, including ], to choose underwater areas which they considered worthy of protection. The results were announced at The National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., by actor ], star of TV's '']'':<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wonderclub.com/WorldWonders/UnderWaterWonders.html/ |title=Underwater Wonders of the World |publisher=Wonderclub |access-date=August 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613234745/http://wonderclub.com/WorldWonders/UnderWaterWonders.html |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
| Completed ''c.''2560 BC
<!-- THE SEVEN WONDERS AS COMPILED BY "consensus" (see notes) -->
| ]
<!-- ONE -->*]
|}
<!-- TWO -->*], Belize
<!-- THREE -->*], Australia
<!-- FOUR -->*] (worldwide)
<!-- FIVE -->*], Ecuador
<!-- SIX -->*], Russia
<!-- SEVEN -->*], bordered by ] and ] on the eastern shore, and ], ], ], and ] on the western shore


===Seven Wonders of the Industrial World===
]
]
British author ] wrote '']'', a book telling the stories of seven great feats of engineering of the 19th and early 20th centuries.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/nov/08/featuresreviews.guardianreview7|title=Review: Seven Wonders of the Industrial World by Deborah Cadbury|work=The Guardian|author=Kumar, Manjit|date=7 November 2003|access-date=December 13, 2016|archive-date=September 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921205115/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/nov/08/featuresreviews.guardianreview7|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2003, the ] aired a seven-part ] exploring the same feats, with Cadbury as a ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/seven_wonders_01.shtml|access-date=2015-03-25|title=British History in Depth: Seven Wonders of the Industrial World|author=Cadbury, Deborah|date=17 February 2011|archive-date=December 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227012826/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/seven_wonders_01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>


<!-- THE SEVEN INDUSTRIAL WONDERS -->
{{anchor|New Seven Wonders}}
<!-- ONE -->{| class="wikitable sortable"
==USA Today's New Seven Wonders==
|+
In November 2006 the American national newspaper '']'' in conjunction with the American television show '']'' revealed a list of "New Seven Wonders" as chosen by six judges.<ref></ref> The wonders were announced one per day over a week on ''Good Morning America''. An eighth wonder was chosen on ] from viewer feedback.<ref></ref>
!Wonder

!Description
{| class="wikitable"
!Completed
! Number
! Wonder
! Location
|-
| 1
| ]
| ], ]
|- |-
|]
| 2
|British oceangoing passenger steamship
| ]
|1858
| ]
|- |-
|]
| 3
|In the ] off the coast of ]
| ]s
|1810
| ]s
|- |-
|]
| 4
|In ], New York, United States
| ]
|1883
| ], ]
|- |-
|]
| 5
|Serving ], England
| ]
|1870
| N/A
|- |-
|]
| 6
|{{convert|1,912|mi|km|adj=on}} continuous railroad line connecting existing rail networks in ], ], ], ], ], and ] in the United States
| ] ]
|1869
| ], ]
|- |-
|]
| 7
|{{convert|51|mi|km|adj=on}} artificial waterway crossing the ] and connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
| Great Migration of ] and ]
|1914
| ] and ]
|- |-
|]
| 8
|On the ], spanning the border between ] and ] in the ]
| ] (viewer-chosen eighth wonder)
|1936
| ], ]
|}<!-- TWO --><!-- THREE --><!-- FOUR --><!-- FIVE --><!-- SIX --><!-- SEVEN --><!-- NO EIGHTH WONDER -->
|}

===Seven Wonders of the Solar System===
]
In a 1999 article, ] magazine listed the "Seven Wonders of the Solar System". This article was later made into a video.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aaa.org/dvdlibrary |title=Seven Wonders of the Solar System Video |publisher=Aaa.org |date= 1999|access-date=2014-02-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401000851/http://www.aaa.org/dvdlibrary |archive-date=April 1, 2014 }}</ref>

* ], a moon of ]
* The ] of ], a massive and persistent anticyclonic storm in the planet's southern hemisphere
* The ], a region of innumerable small solid bodies located between the orbits of ] and Jupiter
* The ] of the ]
* The ]s of ]
* The ]
* ], an enormous shield volcano on Mars and the tallest planetary mountain in the Solar System


== National lists of Seven Wonders == ===Other lists of wonders of the world===
Many authors and organisations have composed lists of the wonders of the world that have been published in book or magazine form.
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


'']'' is a 1956 film in which ] searches the world for natural and artificial wonders and invites the audience to try to update the ancient Wonders of the World list.
== See also ==
* ]
* ] — a list by ]


==References== ==See also==
* ]
{{reflist}}
* National Seven Wonders
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
** ]
* ]
* ] (Fore Abbey, Ireland)
* ] – a list of over 1,200 sites deemed by ] to be of "outstanding universal value"


==Notes==
== Further reading ==
{{Reflist|group="n"}}
* Cox, Reg, and Neil Morris, "''The Seven Wonders of the Modern World''". Chelsea House Publications: Library. October 2000. ISBN 0-7910-6048-9
* Cox, Reg, Neil Morris, and James Field, "''The Seven Wonders of the Medieval World''". Chelsea House Publications: Library. October 2000. ISBN 0-7910-6047-0
* D'Epiro, Peter, and Mary Desmond Pinkowish, "''What Are the Seven Wonders of the World? and 100 Other Great Cultural Lists''". Anchor. ], ]. ISBN 0-385-49062-3
* Morris, Neil, "''The Seven Wonders of the Natural World''". Chrysalis Books. ], ]. ISBN 1-84138-495-X


==References==
== External links ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
* - a list of architectural, engineering and natural wonders by Howard Hillman, a renowned travel writer.
* - a "list of lists", with information about most wonders.
* - a list of modern wonders compiled by the ]
* , a virtual satellite tour made with Google Earth
* - A list compiled by the Chicago Tribune and voted on by readers.
* - a website searching for the greatest human construction achievements in Europe.
* - a website presenting the seven wonders of the ancient world and the genius of our ancestors.
* - vote for a new list of seven wonders of the world, promoted for purposes of profit, to be announced on July 7, 2007.
* - sets of seven abandoned, deserted, underwater and underground wonders of the world.


==External links==
{{Commons category|Seven Wonders of the World}}
* A list of world wonders linking the ancient 7 Wonders of the World and the World Heritage List by UNESCO


{{Seven Wonders of the Ancient World}}
]
{{list of lists |geography |listcat=Ancient history |sort=Wonders of the World}}
]
{{portalbar|Geography|Africa|Ancient Egypt|Netherlands|Australia|Latin America|Ecology|Gardening|Religion|Queensland|Ancient Greece|San Francisco Bay Area}}
]
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Wonders of the World}}
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 22:22, 29 December 2024

Subjective lists of natural features and artificial structures on Earth This article is about natural and human-made phenomena and structures of the world. For other uses of "Wonders of the World", see Wonders of the World (disambiguation).

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (from left to right, top to bottom): Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (also known as the Mausoleum of Mausolus), Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria as depicted by 16th-century Dutch artist Maarten van Heemskerck.
Map of places listed in various Wonders of the World lists

Various lists of the Wonders of the World have been compiled from antiquity to the present day, in order to catalogue the world's most spectacular natural features and human-built structures.

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the oldest known list of this type, documenting the most iconic and remarkable human-made creations of classical antiquity; it was based on guidebooks popular among Hellenic sightseers and as such only includes works located around the Mediterranean rim and in the ancient Near East. The number seven was chosen because the Greeks believed it represented perfection and plenty, and because it reflected the number of planets known in ancient times (five) plus the Sun and Moon.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Main article: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
The Great Pyramid of Giza, the only wonder of the ancient world still in existence

The Greek historian Herodotus (484 – c. 425 BC) and the scholar Callimachus of Cyrene (c. 305–240 BC), at the Museum of Alexandria, made early lists of seven wonders. These lists have not survived, however, except as references in other writings.

The classic Seven Wonders were:

Lists from other eras

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, some writers emulated the classical list by creating their own lists with names such as "Wonders of the Middle Ages", "Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages", "Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind", and "Architectural Wonders of the Middle Ages". It is unlikely that any of these lists actually originated in the Middle Ages since the concept of a "Middle Age" did not become popular until at least the 16th century and the word "medieval" was not invented until the Enlightenment era. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable refers to them as "later list", suggesting the lists were created after the Middle Ages.

Many of the structures on these lists were built much earlier than the Middle Ages but were well known throughout the world. Typically representative of such lists are:

Other structures sometimes included on such lists include:

Recent lists

Following in the tradition of the classical list, modern people and organisations have made their own lists of wonderful things, both ancient and modern, natural and artificial. Some of the most notable lists are presented below.

American Society of Civil Engineers

CN Tower in Toronto, Canada

In 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers compiled a list of Seven Wonders of the Modern World, paying tribute to the "greatest civil engineering achievements of the 20th century".

American Society of Civil Engineers Wonders
Wonder Date started Date finished Location Significance
Channel Tunnel December 1, 1987 May 6, 1994 Strait of Dover, in the English Channel between the United Kingdom and France Longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world
CN Tower February 6, 1973 June 26, 1976 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Tallest freestanding structure in the world from 1976 to 2007
Empire State Building March 17, 1930 April 11, 1931 New York City, New York, United States Tallest structure in the world from 1931 to 1954; tallest freestanding structure in the world from 1931 to 1967; tallest building in the world from 1931 to 1970; first building with 100+ stories
Golden Gate Bridge January 5, 1933 May 27, 1937 Golden Gate Strait, north of San Francisco, California, United States Longest main span of any suspension bridge in the world from 1937 to 1964
Itaipu Dam January 1970 May 5, 1984 Paraná River, on the border between Brazil and Paraguay Largest operating hydroelectric facility in the world in terms of annual energy generation
Netherlands North Sea Protection Works (Delta and Zuiderzee Works) 1920 May 10, 1997 Zeeland, South Holland, North Holland, Friesland and Flevoland, Netherlands Largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the 20th century
Panama Canal January 1, 1880 January 7, 1914 Isthmus of Panama Allows passage of oceangoing vessels between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken

USA Today's New Seven Wonders

Old City of Jerusalem

In November 2006, the American national newspaper USA Today and the American television show Good Morning America revealed a list of the "New Seven Wonders", both natural and human-made, as chosen by six judges. The Grand Canyon was added as an eighth wonder on November 24, 2006, in response to viewer feedback.

USA Today's New Seven Wonders
Wonder Location
Potala Palace Lhasa, Tibet
Old City of Jerusalem Israel
Polar ice caps Earth's polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic)
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Hawaii, United States
The Internet Worldwide
Mayan ruins Yucatán Peninsula, México
Great Migration of Serengeti and Masai Mara Tanzania and Kenya
Grand Canyon (viewer-chosen eighth wonder) Arizona, United States

Seven Natural Wonders of the World

Victoria Falls

Similar to the other lists of wonders, there is no consensus on a list of seven natural wonders of the world, and there has been debate over how large such a list should be. One of many existing versions of this list was compiled by CNN in 1997:

New 7 Wonders of the World

El Castillo at Chichen Itza

In 2001, an initiative was started by the Swiss corporation New7Wonders Foundation to choose the New 7 Wonders of the World from a selection of 200 existing monuments through online votes. The Great Pyramid of Giza—part of the Giza Pyramids, the only remaining wonder of the traditional Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was not one of the winners announced in 2007 but was added as an honorary candidate.

Wonder Date of construction Present-day location
Great Wall of China Since 7th century BC China
Petra c. 100 BC Ma'an, Jordan
Christ the Redeemer opened to the public October 12, 1931 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Machu Picchu c. AD 1450 Urubamba Province, Peru
Chichen Itza c. AD 600 Yucatán, Mexico
Colosseum completed AD 80 Rome, Italy
Taj Mahal completed c. AD 1648 Agra, India
Giza Pyramids (honorary candidates) completed c. 2560 BC Giza, Egypt

New 7 Wonders of Nature

Jeju Island

A similar contemporary effort to create a list of seven natural (as opposed to human-made) wonders chosen through a global poll, called the New 7 Wonders of Nature, was organized from 2007 to 2011 by the same group as the New 7 Wonders of the World campaign.

New 7 Wonders Cities

Calle Crisologo, Vigan City

New 7 Wonders Cities, a third list organized by New7Wonders and determined by another global vote, includes entire cities:

Seven Wonders of the Underwater World

The Great Barrier Reef

The list of "Seven Wonders of the Underwater World" was drawn up by CEDAM International, an American-based non-profit group for divers that is dedicated to ocean preservation and research. In 1989, CEDAM brought together a panel of marine scientists, including Eugenie Clark, to choose underwater areas which they considered worthy of protection. The results were announced at The National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., by actor Lloyd Bridges, star of TV's Sea Hunt:

Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

Bell Rock Lighthouse

British author Deborah Cadbury wrote Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, a book telling the stories of seven great feats of engineering of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 2003, the BBC aired a seven-part docudrama exploring the same feats, with Cadbury as a producer.

Wonder Description Completed
SS Great Eastern British oceangoing passenger steamship 1858
Bell Rock Lighthouse In the North Sea off the coast of Angus, Scotland 1810
Brooklyn Bridge In New York City, New York, United States 1883
London sewerage system Serving London, England 1870
First transcontinental railroad 1,912-mile (3,077 km) continuous railroad line connecting existing rail networks in Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California in the United States 1869
Panama Canal 51-mile (82 km) artificial waterway crossing the Isthmus of Panama and connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans 1914
Hoover Dam On the Colorado River, spanning the border between Nevada and Arizona in the United States 1936

Seven Wonders of the Solar System

Enceladus

In a 1999 article, Astronomy magazine listed the "Seven Wonders of the Solar System". This article was later made into a video.

Other lists of wonders of the world

Many authors and organisations have composed lists of the wonders of the world that have been published in book or magazine form.

Seven Wonders of the World is a 1956 film in which Lowell Thomas searches the world for natural and artificial wonders and invites the audience to try to update the ancient Wonders of the World list.

See also

Notes

  1. Both the USA Today article and the Good Morning America broadcast described this wonder as "Jerusalem's Old City, Israel." The Old City is located in East Jerusalem, which is claimed by both the State of Israel and the State of Palestine. The UN and most countries do not recognize Israel's claim to East Jerusalem, taking the position that the final status of Jerusalem is pending future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. See Positions on Jerusalem for more information.

References

  1. Anon. (1993). The Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia (First ed.). Oxford: Oxford University.
  2. "The Seven Wonders of the Medieval World"
  3. ^ Evans, I H (reviser (1975). Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (Centenary edition Fourth impression (corrected) ed.). London: Cassell. p. 1163.
  4. ^ Hereward Carrington (1880–1958). The Seven Wonders of the World: ancient, medieval and modern, reprinted in the Carington Collection (2003). ISBN 0-7661-4378-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. Carrington, Hereward (September 2010). The Carrington Collection. Kessinger. ISBN 9781169692169. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  6. Latham, Edward (1904). A Dictionary of Names, Nicknames and Surnames, of Persons, Places and Things. p. 280. OCLC 01038938.
  7. Miller, Francis Trevelyan (1915). America, the Land We Love. p. 201. OCLC 00334597. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020. Excerpts from speeches by Woodrow Wilson, William H. Taft, and Theodore Roosevelt.
  8. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades. 2001. p. 153.
  9. Herbermann, Charles George, ed. (1913). Cluny Abbey. Vol. 4. p. 73. OCLC 06974688. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  10. The Rough Guide To England. 1994. p. 596.
  11. "American Society of Civil Engineers Seven Wonders". ASCE.org. July 19, 2010. Archived from the original on August 2, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  12. American Society of Civil Engineers. "Seven Wonders of the Modern World". ASCE.org. Archived from the original on April 2, 2010.
  13. "USGS: Three Gorges Dam is bigger than Itaipu Dan but annual output is about the same because of river variability". Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  14. "New Seven Wonders panel". USA Today. October 27, 2006. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  15. Clark, Jayne (December 22, 2006). "The world's 8th wonder: Readers pick the Grand Canyon". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  16. "Natural Wonders". CNN. November 11, 1997. Archived from the original on July 21, 2006. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  17. "The multimedia campaign to choose the New 7 Wonders of the World is in its final stage". New7Wonders. Archived from the original on January 3, 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  18. "Egypt's pyramids out of seven wonders contest". Daily News Egypt. April 20, 2007. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  19. "Reuters via ABC News Australia "Opera House snubbed as new Wonders unveiled" 7 July 2007". Australia: ABC. July 8, 2007. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  20. "Great Wall of China". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  21. "Underwater Wonders of the World". Wonderclub. Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  22. Kumar, Manjit (November 7, 2003). "Review: Seven Wonders of the Industrial World by Deborah Cadbury". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  23. Cadbury, Deborah (February 17, 2011). "British History in Depth: Seven Wonders of the Industrial World". Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  24. "Seven Wonders of the Solar System Video". Aaa.org. 1999. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.

External links

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
The Seven Wonders
Related
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