| Lists of World Wonders have existed as far back | | | | the Golden Gate Bridge, the Itaipu Dam, the Delta |
| at 484 BCE and were called not ‘Wonders' | | | | Works/Zuiderzee Works and the Panama Canal. |
| but by the Greek word "thaumata", or "things to | | | | The New 7 Wonders Foundation stated an |
| be seen". Each World Wonder is based on man's | | | | initiative to select from nearly 200 existing |
| most remarkable creations, the original listing | | | | monuments that were for profit. With 21 |
| included the classical antiquities, but the more | | | | finalists in 2006, the list was completed in 2007 |
| recent listings include many other amazing man | | | | and included: the Great Wall of China, Petra, |
| made creations. Each lists contains seven | | | | Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, |
| locations. They Greeks used the number seven | | | | the Roman Colosseum, Taj Mahal and the |
| because they believed that this number | | | | Honorary Candidate, the Great Pyramid of Giza. |
| represented perfection and plenty. | | | | Other large organizations such as USA Today |
| The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was | | | | have created their own lists with judges and |
| the first of many lists that have been created | | | | viewer voting. In November of 2006, the |
| over the centuries. Included in the original listings | | | | created their own list consisting of Potala Palace, |
| that historians still know about today are the | | | | the Old City of Jerusalem, the Polar Ice Caps, |
| Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of | | | | Papahanaumokauakea Marine National monument, |
| Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of | | | | the Internet, Maya Ruins, Great Migration of |
| Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum of Maussollos at | | | | Serengeti and Masai Mara and the viewers choice |
| Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, the Ishtar Gat | | | | award, the Grand Canyon. |
| (later replaced in the list by the Lighthouse of | | | | CNN created a highly debated list of the Seven |
| Alexandria). Only the Pyramid of Giza still stands | | | | Natural Wonders of the World. This list includes |
| today. By the time the list was officially compiled | | | | the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, the |
| in the Middle Ages, many of the sites were no | | | | Harbour of Rio de Janeiro, Mount Everest, Aurora, |
| longer in existence. As one can also see, these | | | | Paricutin Volcano and Victoria Falls. The |
| Ancient World Wonders were all located in the | | | | organization Seven Natural Wonders, is a non |
| Mediterranean rim. | | | | profit organization created to preserve these |
| Later came the Wonders of the Medieval World, | | | | established natural wonders. CEDAM International |
| which span a much larger area of the world and | | | | also created the Seven Wonders of the |
| includes Stonehenge, the Colosseum, the | | | | Underwater World dedicated to preservation and |
| Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, the Great Wall of | | | | research. Listed you will find Palau, Belize Barrier |
| China, Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, Hagia Sophia | | | | Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Deep-Sea Vents, |
| and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Some others | | | | Galapagos Islands, Lake Baikal and the Northern |
| that have been added to this list include the Taj | | | | Red Sea. |
| Mahal, Caira Citadel, Ely Cathedral and the Cluny | | | | These are only the largest of lists, as in the past, |
| Abbey. | | | | these lists have been debated, sometimes |
| In terms of the new Modern Wonders of the | | | | changed, or challenged by new lists. You can also |
| World, there are a few listings. The two most | | | | find lists of Industrial Wonders, Travel Wonders, |
| famous are those composed by the American | | | | Natural Travel Wonders- and even Wonders per |
| Society of Civil Engineers and the second by the | | | | country! One can only hope that they can travel |
| New 7 Wonders Foundation. The American | | | | to a small fraction of these ever expanding |
| Society of Civil Engineers has listed the Channel | | | | listings. |
| Tunnel, the CN Tower, the Empire State Building, | | | | |