7 New World Wonders

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100m people from around the planet completed voting for the 7 New Wonders of the World on July 8, 2007. The campaign to choose the new seven biggies was launched by a Swiss foundation in 1999. Any money raised by the foundation will be used to recreate the giant Buddha statues in Afghanistan that were destroyed by the Taleban.
UNESCO, however, has rejected the new seven wonders concept as 'neither democratic nor scientific' since the wonders were voted for by the masses, with some countries vigorously encouraging citizens to vote for their indigenous wonders [notably Brazil and China] while other countries ignored the process completely.
Thus the Seven New Wonders of the World amazingly include the statue of Christ the Redeemer [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil] and Rome's Colosseum [Italy] but not The Acropolis [Athens, Greece], Stonehenge [England], Angkor Wat [Cambodia], Easter Island's moai [Chile] or even the Great Pyramid of Giza [Cairo, Egypt], though in the latter case the foundation has made an exception and agreed to retain its heroic status as a special case.

The seven chosen - not without dark mutterings of political machinations - are, in no particular order:
The Taj Mahal [India]; The Great Wall [China]; Petra [Jordan]; Christ Redeemer [Brazil]; Machu Picchu [Peru]; Chichen Itza [Mexico]; the Colosseum [Italy]:

Machu Picchu, Peru. An amazingly scenic and well and mysterious old city built by the Incas on a hilltop surrounded by virgin mountains. Best: April-June, Sept-Nov. OK July, Aug. [winter]. Avoid: Dec-March [rain]. More Machu Picchu tourist information | Machu Picchu Pictures | Peru Travel Guide | Peru Map

Petra, Jordan. An arid fairyland of temples and other monuments in multicoloured rock, unlike anything else on the planet. Best: March-June, Sept-Nov. Avoid: winter [cold] & summer [hot]. Petra Pictures | Jordan Travel Guide | Jordan Map

Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. This atmospheric, jungle enveloped Maya city, displays the planet's most perfect pyramid and other fascinating structures. Best: Nov-Apr. Avoid: May-Oct [rains]. Chichen Itza Pictures | Mexico Travel Guide | Mexico Map

Great Wall, China. A truly magnificent and timeless piece of engineering, offering terrific walks too if you have the time.
Best: April-July, Sept, Oct. Avoid: winter. Great Wall Pictures | China Travel Guide | China Map

Taj Mahal, Agra, India. The extraordinary marble tomb of Shah Jahan's wife, in a calm, rural setting around a river bend from Shah Jahan's Red Fort makes a sensational day's sightseeing. Best: Oct-March. Avoid: the summer [extreme heat]. India Travel Guide | Taj Mahal Pictures | India Map

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. This theatre is certainly impressively big but hardly an outstanding piece of work. The world has many magnificent Roman amphitheatres - Syria, Greece, Tunisia and Turkey all have good examples, though less massive.
The Colosseum is also these days stuck with hideously inappropriate fencing and is poorly organised and displayed. Not a must-see imho, though many of Rome's other sights are more unique - The Pantheon, the Forum, varied fantastic monuments, churches, the Vatican...
Best: April-June and Sept-Oct. Avoid: the summer [extreme heat] See Rome Travel Guide | Colosseum Picture | Italy Map.

The statue of Christ Redeemer [known locally as Cristo Redentor], Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is the most bizarre choice of wonders. There's no question that Rio is a fascinating city in a stunning location and beautifully overlooked by the huge white Christ figure, but the statue is not truly monumental, nor is it especially well built. Brazil Travel Guide | Brazil Pictures | Brazil Map

The original Seven Wonders of the World are [none still exist other than the Great Pyramid]:
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon; the statue of Zeus at Olympia; the temple of Artemis at Ephesus; the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes; the lighthouse of Alexandria; the Great Pyramid of Giza.
The Great Pyramid is the oldest and only of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing on the edge of the desert near Cairo. Best: Oct-May. Otherwise seriously hot. Pyramid Pictures | Egypt Travel Guide | Egypt Map

Taj image by Ashwin Kharidehal Abhirama; Great Wall image by Cat London

World Wonders Tour Operators offering travel to the countries with the best ancient sites are here:
World Wonders Tour Operators

To view the best wonders of the world for each month according to the local climate go to:
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec