7 Wonders of the World: List of New Wonders of the world

Our world is full of magnificent structures, buildings, and natural resources. A few of them are man-made while some are built naturally by the earth. The definition of Wonders of the world keeps on changing from time to time. There are a lot of talks going around old and new wonders of the world. But, one thing is true that all of them are must-watch if you are a travel freak. In today’s post, we will discuss 7 wonders of the world 2023. All these destinations attract millions of tourists annually. We are providing multiple lists of 7 wonders that you should definitely consider visiting on your next trip.

Note: Recently, Giza Pyramids in Giza Necropolis, Egypt is also given the honorary status of new Wonder in the world.

The wonders of the world are classified in many ways as explained below –

Seven Wonders of the world

These seven wonders of the world were selected by the Swiss Corporation through online voting.

1. Great Wall of China

Type of Structure – Fortification

Size of the wall – 21, 196 Km (13, 171 mi)

Designated – 1987

Country – China

Region – Asia Pacific

Quick Overview – The great wall of china is a series of fortifications built on the north-western border of China. The aim of building this wall is protection against various nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe. Apart from defense, this wall was extensively used by Chinese emperors for border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade, and the control of immigration and emigration.

The length of this wall is huge i.e. around 21,196 km. It is one of the few structures that can be seen from the space. Ibn Battuta who was a famous traveler from North Africa associated this wall with the legend of the wall mentioned in the Qur’an,[41] which Dhul-Qarnayn (commonly associated with Alexander the Great) was said to have erected to protect people near the land of the rising sun from the savages of Gog and Magog.

2. Taj Mahal, India

Type of structure – Tomb

Area – 17 Hectares

Height – 73 M (24 Feet)

Architectural style – Mughal Architecture

Built in the year – 1632 – 53

Country – India

Overview – Taj Mahal is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture. The literal meaning of the Taj Mahal is “Crown of the Palace”. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a remembrance of his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. The building houses the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal as well as Shah Jahan himself. The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra city India.

UNESCO designated the Taj Mahal as a world heritage site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India”. It is one of the most admired pieces of Muslim architecture in the world. The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631 and was completed in the year 1653. The building costs around 32 million rupees.  It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. It took the efforts of 22,000 labourers, painters, embroidery artists, and stonecutters to shape the Taj Mahal.

3. The Colosseum, Rome

Type of Structure – Amphitheatre

Location – Regio III Isis et Serapis

Founded – AD 70 – 80, 1941 years ago

Builder – Vespasian, Titus

Overview – The Colosseum, Rome is an oval amphitheater that is built in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. It is one of the largest standing amphitheaters in the world today despite its age. The most fascinating thing about the structure is its age. It is a more than 1941 years old building. The name Colosseum is taken from a colossal statue of Nero on the model of the Colossus of Rhodes.

It is true that this building has withstood many earthquakes. Apart from this, it is also ruined by stone robbers. Still, it is one of the most iconic symbols of Imperial Rome and a list of the New 7 wonders of the world. This building is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.

4. Christ the Redeemer Statue

Location – Corcovado mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Material – Soapstone

Width – 28 metres (92 ft)

Height – 30 metres (98 ft), 38 metres (125 ft) with its pedestal

Completion date – October 12, 1931

Overview – Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The size of this statue is humongous. It is around 30 meters tall excluding its 8 meters pedestal. It is a symbol of Christianity across the world and a cultural icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. In a survey, it was voted one of the 7 wonders of the world in 2007. This statue is located at the peak of the 700-metre (2,300 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca National Park overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro.

5. Petra, Jordan – Petra: A rock-cut past

Location – Ma’an Governorate, Jordan

Area – 264 km2 (102 sq mi)

Elevation – 810 m (2,657 ft)

Built – Possibly as early as the 5th century BC

Governing body – Petra Region Authority

Overview – The city of Petra in Jordan is one of the old and fascinating archaeological sites in the world. It is located around  240 km south of the capital Amman and 120 km north of the red sea town of Aqaba. The city is incredibly beautiful attracts millions of visitors every year. Actually, it is not precisely known when the city of Petra was formed.

Many historical documents stated that the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabataean Empire from the 1st century BC, which grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices. Then, in the fourth century, the city was abandoned due to earthquakes and changes in trade routes. In 1812 a Swiss explorer named Johannes Burckhardt set out to ‘rediscover’ Petra. He has to dress like an Arab in order to do so. He eventually convinced his Bedouin guide to take him to the lost city.

6. Machu Picchu

Location – Peru, Cuzco Region

Height – 2,430 meters (7,970 ft)

Founded – 1450

Abandoned – 1572

Cultures – Inca civilization

Designated as UNESCO world heritage site – 1983

Region – Latin America and the Caribbean

Overview  – Machu Picchu is an Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru. It was founded in the 15th century and is located on a mountain ridge at a height of 2, 430 metre. According to most archaeologists, Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti. The citadel was abandoned around 1532 at the time of the Spanish conquest. This building shows amazing classical Inca-style architecture. It also showcases polished dry-stone walls. Since its discovery in 1911, it has been a popular destination for tourists. In Peru, it is the most visited tourist destination in the country and a major revenue generator. Many popular songs and motion pictures are filmed at Machu Picchu.

7. Chichen Itza

Official Name – Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza

Location – Yucatan, Mexico

Region – Yucatan

Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site – 1988

Overview – Chichen Itza is an ancient city that was built by the Maya people. According to many archeologists, it was one of the largest Maya cities and it was likely to have been one of the mythical great cities, or Tollans referred to in later Mesoamerican literature. As per a survey in 2017, more than 2.6 million tourists visit this place every year.

8. Giza Pyramid Complex (Honorary Status)

Official Name – Giza Pyramid Complex or the Giza necropolis

Location – Giza, Egypt

Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site – 1979

Overview – The pyramids of Giza are a group of pyramids in Egypt that were built for the Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure at the beginning of the Old Kingdom period. They are known for their symmetrical design and for being aligned with the cardinal points of the compass.

Seven Wonders of the world (Natural)

Given below is the list of seven wonders of the world that are not man-made but created by the nature over the period of time.  

1. Victoria Falls

Type of waterfall – Cataract waterfall

Total height – 108 m (355 ft) (at centre)

Watercourse – Zambezi River

Average flow rate – 1088 m3/s (38,430 cu ft/s)

Designated as world heritage site – 1989

Official name – Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls

Region – Africa

Overview – Located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, “Victoria Falls” is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Please note that it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world. Still, it is classified as the largest based on its combined width of 1,708 metres (5,604 ft) and height of 108 metres (354 ft) resulting in the world’s largest sheet of falling water.

Check: World GK questions and answers

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. In a rough estimate, we can say that the height of Victoria Falls is twice the height of North America’s Niagara Falls. Victoria Falls has more Zimbabwean and Zambian visitors than international tourists. In February 2020, National Geographic announced that climate change and extreme weather conditions are threatening the natural existence of this fall. Global warming making the entire region hotter and drier.

2. Grand Canyon

Type of Structure – Canyon

Floor Elevation – 2600 feet (800 m)

Length – 277 miles

Width – 4 to 18 miles

Age – Around 5 to 6 million years

Location – Arizona, US

Rivers – Colorado River

Overview – The grand canyon is a canyon carved by the colorado river in Arizona, United States. The size of this canyon is very big. It is 277 miles long and 18 miles wide. It also attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). The canyon is built by the Colorado River in millions of years. For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves.  García López de Cárdenas from Spain was the first European to view Grand Canyon. He arrived here in the year 1540.

3. Great Barrier Reef

Location – Off the east coast of the Queensland mainland, Australia

Designated as UNESCO world Heritage Site – 1981

Area – Around 34,870,000 ha

Overview –   Officially, the great barrier reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. The size of this reef system is unbelievable. It consists of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres. CNN placed the Great Barrier Reef in seven natural wonders of the world in 1997. The authorities are taking some serious steps to protect the Great Barrier Reef. It is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

4. Harbor of Rio De Janeiro

Location – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Native name in Portuguese – Baía de Guanabara

Type of wonder – Natural Bay

Maximum length – 31 Km

Maximum width – 28 Km

Overview – Harbor of Rio De Janeiro is better known by its popular name i.e. Guanabara Bay. It is a natural oceanic bay located in the state of Rio De Janeiro in  Southeast Brazil. This bay has 130 small islands that look amazing. Plus, the bay is blessed with a diversified ecosystem. Unfortunately, the bay has been heavily impacted by urbanization, deforestation, and pollution of its waters.

Also check: richest actors in the world

5. Mount Everest

Type – Mountain

Location – Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1, Nepal, Tingri County, Xigazê, Tibet Autonomous Region, China

Countries – Nepal and China

Overview – If you are interested in mountains then you must have heard about Mount Everest. It is the highest peak in the world.  There are two main climbing routes to Everest one is from Nepal and the other is from Tibet (China).

6. Paricutin

Type – Volcano

Height – 2,800 m

Age of Rock – 1941 to 1951

Mountain Type – Cinder Cone

Country – Mexico

Overview – Paricutin is a cinder cone volcano in Mexico, South America. It erupted from 1943 to 1953. The volcano is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country. According to many scientists, Paricutin is the youngest volcano in the world. The nicest thing about Paricutin is that it is quiet although the area still remains volcanically active.

7. Aurora

Type – Natural display in Earth’s sky

Region – Generally visible in Arctic and Antarctic

Overview – An aurora is a natural phenomenon of the display of light in Earth’s sky. It is seen in high-latitude regions (generally around the Arctic and Antarctic areas). These are caused due to disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Please note that auroras occur not only on Earth but also on other planets in the solar system as well.

Other Wonders of the world based on various factors

New 7 Wonders Cities

Given below is the list of cities that are included in the new 7 wonders cities based on an internet-based poll.

Seven Wonders of the Underwater World

Here is the list of seven wonders of the underwater world. This list is created by  CEDAM International. CEDAM is an American non-profit organization.

Seven Wonders of the Solar System

In the year 1999, Astronomy magazine released a list of seven wonders of the solar system. The same list is given below.

Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

The list of seven wonders of the Industrial World is created by the British author Deborah Cadbury. The list is given below.