The seven wonders of the modern world

The seven wonders 

In 2007, Swiss businessman Bernard Weber organized a global vote to choose the seven wonders of the modern world.

Man-made constructions could participate until the year 2000, which were still standing. Although it was very successful, it also had many criticisms as it was a private initiative in which the vote of the countries with the most Internet connections prevailed. 

The New7Wonders Foundation finally drew up a list based on the more than 100 million votes. To find out what these new seven wonders of the world are like, I think it would be best if we talk to those who know them first-hand. 

We start in Mexico, where Chichen Itza is located, one of the seven wonders of the world. There Yetlaneci and his son Michi explain why it is one of the places that everyone should visit at some point. 

Michi: 

Chichén Itzá is the most important Mayan city in the world and it is located in Mexico.

Yetlaneci: 

It is located in the Yucatan peninsula, in southern Mexico. It was founded and built by the Mayans, between 325 and 550 of our era. Chichén Itzá is a Mayan word that means "the city on the edge of the well of the Itza." Los Itzaes is the name of the Mayan people who emigrated to Yucatán in approximately the 4th century. This archaeological zone is famous worldwide for the play of light and shadow that occurs at each equinox, in the spring, and the autumn, on the steps of the main pyramid known as the castle. The rays of the sun project on the main staircase the figure of the feathered serpent, whom the Mayans called Kukulcán. This descends from the top to connect with the feathered head located in the lower part of the basement.

Chichén Itzá

From Mexico, we descend to Peru for Herbert to tell us about another of the wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, in the Andes mountain range, at 2,430 meters above sea level.

Herbert: 

It is not yet known with total certainty what Machu Picchu was. Some say that it was a ceremonial citadel for religious purposes, others that it was the mausoleum of an important Inca ruler, others that it was the center, the axis, the point of union between the Andes and the jungle in Inca times. But the truth is that it is a great treasure, a great sample of what humanity can do. It is surprising, a unique experience, when one is walking along with a kind of path, flutters a little and the great Inca citadel of large stones appears imposing downwards. Stones joined together between which not even a pin fits because of the precision with which they have been put together. It is a great experience and reflects everything that human beings can do. It is a source of pride for Peruvians and, indeed, for all humanity.

From Peru, we jumped to Jordan to meet Constanza, a Spanish social worker and aid worker who has lived in Jordan for almost 15 years. She will be in charge of introducing us to the fascinating world of Petra.

 

 Constance: 

The truth is that I could spend hours talking about historical data that make it special, but I don't want to bore you and I think you can find all that information in any encyclopedia, in Wikipedia, anywhere. But what makes Petra wonderful is her whole outfit. Petra is a whole city. Many people are left with only what they call the treasure, which is that facade carved in stone. But it is a whole city. An entire city that has a part of tombs, which are carved in the stone and caves, which are of colors that few places exist. What is impressive is the fact that the streaks of colors go from gold to yellow, to deep purple, through pink, orange ... It creates a spectacular color combination. Petra has curiosities such as her theater, which they believed to be Roman, but is not. It predates the Romans and is excavated. It is not built. It is an excavated theater for 5,000 people. Petra is not only the treasure and the monastery, but it has mosaics, it has the altar of sacrifice. The wonderful thing about Petra and why I would encourage everyone to visit her is that it is not that she takes you to a movie, like Lawrence of Arabia or Indiana Jones… it is that you can edit your movie. 

Peru

And we are now moving to Brazil, specifically to Rio de Janeiro. There is another of the seven wonders of the world. A giant reinforced concrete statue with spectacular views. We are talking about Christ the Redeemer, about which Marina gives us more details.

Marina: 

Christ the Redeemer, also called Corcovado, is located in Rio de Janeiro. It is a very important representation of Jesus Christ, both for Brazilians in the country and for the 700,000 people who visit it each year. The statue was built in 1931 to celebrate 100 years of Brazilian independence. The Cristo Redentor is 38 meters high and is located 709 meters above sea level. In this way, it is very easy to see Christ from anywhere in the city and the views from up there are really impressive since you can see the wonderful beaches of Rio de Janeiro and the immensity of the city and even the most famous hill. from Rio, the Sugarloaf Mountain.

Christ the Redeemer

From Brazil, we flew to Italy to land in Rome. Luca is waiting for us there to tell us about a monument whose name has changed over the years. Its original name was "Flavian Amphitheater", although now no one knows it that way, except by the name of Colosseum.

Luca: 

The Colosseum is undoubtedly the best-known monument in Rome. It was built in the 1st century AD and its construction began with the emperor Vespasian and ended with Titus in 80 AD This amphitheater was built where there used to be a lake made by Nero and Vespasian dried up that lake to house this huge stadium-like building. Inside, the famous representations of gladiators, who fought against beasts, or representations of naval battles took place. During its long history, its use has changed. From being practically a ruin, it became a cemetery, also a warehouse and during the seventeenth century, it was converted into a religious building. However, during all that time it was used as a stone mine, where the Romans went to remove the stone.

The Colosseum

And from a giant amphitheater, we go to a large mausoleum made up of several buildings, including a great mosque, a guest house, and extensive gardens. It is in India and it is white. Surely you have already guessed that it is the Taj Mahal, but surely you do not know many of the things that Sahana is going to tell us from India.

Sahana:

The Taj Mahal, whose exact translation in Spanish is “'Crown of the palaces”, was built between 1631 and 1654 in the Indian city of Agra. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife. In reality, this imposing white building with its beautiful gardeners, a mosque, and a guest house, is a funerary monument. It is considered the most beautiful example of a palace since it combines the styles of Islamic, Persian, Indian, and Turkish architecture. It is the most visited monument in India.

The Taj Mahal

We finished our tour of the seven wonders of the world in China, with Mavi Doñate, TVE correspondent in the Asian country. She will act as a tour guide for the Great Wall of China.

Mavi Doñate: 

They say that just to see it, it is worth a trip to China. When we talk about having been to the Great Wall, it is understood that we are referring only to a section, to a section, because all of it measures a total of 21,196 kilometers, a distance that would be equivalent to going around half the world. Some sections end at sea. 

the Great Wall of china

The Great Wall is a large fortification that was built and rebuilt between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern border of the Chinese Empire from attacks by the Xiongnu nomads of Mongolia and Manchuria.