Wonders of the world
The New 7 Wonders of the World
In 2007 more than 100 million votes chose seven new wonders of the world. Every one sits within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here is what makes each exceptional, where it is, and the season that shows it best — plus Giza, the honorary eighth.
01China · the longest structure ever built
Great Wall of China
China · inscribed 1987
Two millennia of walls, watchtowers and ramparts trace mountain ridges across northern China. Restored sections like Mutianyu and wild stretches like Jiankou show both faces of the frontier.
Best time to go
April to May or September to October: clear air and mild hiking weather, avoiding Golden Week crowds.
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02Jordan · a city carved from rose rock
Petra
Jordan · inscribed 1985
The Nabataeans cut tombs, temples and a theatre directly into sandstone cliffs. The walk through the Siq to the Treasury remains one of travel's great reveals.
Best time to go
March to May and October to November; arrive at opening to reach the Treasury before the tour groups.
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03Italy · the Colosseum, heart of an empire
Rome & Colosseum
Italy · inscribed 1980
The Flavian amphitheatre held some 50,000 spectators and sits within a historic centre layering the Forum, Pantheon and two thousand years of continuous city.
Best time to go
April to June or September to October; book timed Colosseum tickets in advance year-round.
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04Mexico · the Maya calendar in stone
Chichén Itzá
Mexico · inscribed 1988
El Castillo's 365 steps encode the solar year, and at the equinoxes a shadow serpent descends its staircase. Ball courts and observatories surround it.
Best time to go
November to March for the dry season; enter at 8 am to beat heat and day-trippers from Cancún.
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05Peru · the Inca citadel in the clouds
Machu Picchu
Peru · inscribed 1983
Built around 1450 on a ridge above the Urubamba, its terraces and precision masonry survived untouched by the Spanish. The Inca Trail arrival through the Sun Gate is legendary.
Best time to go
May to September (dry season); trail permits and entry tickets sell out months ahead.
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06India · a monument to love in white marble
Taj Mahal
India · inscribed 1983
Shah Jahan's mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal is the summit of Mughal architecture, its inlaid marble shifting from pink at dawn to gold at dusk.
Open site guideBest time to go
October to March; go at sunrise, and note it is closed on Fridays.
07Brazil · Christ the Redeemer above Rio
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea
Brazil · inscribed 2012
The statue crowns Corcovado within the UNESCO-listed Carioca Landscapes, where forested mountains, Sugarloaf and the bay merge city and nature.
Open site guideBest time to go
May to October for drier, clearer views; go early, as clouds often cover the summit by midday.
08Honorary · the only surviving ancient wonder
Pyramids of Giza
Egypt · inscribed 1979
The Great Pyramid was the sole wonder of the original ancient list still standing, so it was named an honorary candidate of the New 7 Wonders.
Best time to go
October to April; arrive at opening for cooler air and a quieter plateau.
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