In 2001 an effort to name the New Seven Wonders of the World was initiated. Plans to select seven of the roughly 200 agreed upon monuments were laid. The Swiss-born Canadian filmmaker, museum curator, and explorer Bernard Weber led the project. The six year project was organized by the New 7 Wonders Foundation (N7W) based in Zurich, Switzerland. Polling, both web and telephone based, led to the team’s final decision. The program sparked a wide range of reactions from across the globe.
Many felt it was necessary to note the poll was ‘unscientific’ because people may have cast votes multiple times. Some countries jumped on board and advocated for their finalists while others downplayed or criticised the polling. UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) distanced itself from the project on multiple occasions because it felt the contest was in contradiction to their stated rules which requires them to treat all World Heritage Sites equally.
Ultimately the list of two hundred was dwindled down to seventy seven choices, twenty one finalists, and seven winners. The project received no public funding and relied completely on private donations. Since its completion of this project, the New 7 Wonders Foundation has run two additional projects: the New 7 Wonders of Nature and the New 7 Wonders Cities. With polling completed in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
The Complete List of the Seven New Wonders of the World:
- The Great Wall of China – Built in 700 BC by the first ruler of unified China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, this popular tourist site was awarded the first place on the new list.
- Petra – Located in Ma’an, Jordan, Petra is often referred to as the Rose City. Its unique sandstone material secured it a spot on the list.
- Colosseum – Located in Rome, Italy is the famous arena that held thousands of events including hand to hand combat and person to animal competitions.
- Chichén Itzá – Located in Yucatán, Mexico, this temple was built by the Maya people for the g-d Kukulcan.
- Machu Picchu – The only non-man made item on the list is the famous mountain of Machu Picchu located in Peru.
- Taj Mahal – Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, the Taj Mahal is the most famous piece of Muslim art in India.
- Christ the Redeemer – This famous statue was built in 1931 AD and stands on the top of a mountain in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
