Time is fleeting. Civilizations are changing, leaving behind a grandiose architectural heritage. Unfortunately, everything is subject to destruction, especially that which was built by human hands. That is why the ancient seven wonders of the world, the description of which is known to every culturally enlightened person, for the most part have not survived to our time. They were replaced by others that still exist. The seven wonders of the world of our time were chosen long enough and meticulously. The result of this work was seven grand architectural structures, famous throughout the world.
Definition of a concept
What are the wonders of the world, and for what they got such a proud name? Why did they stand out among all the monumental works of the ancient world and modernity? And they are named so because they are above the category of time. These monuments of architectural thought are now admired in the same way as they were admired in antiquity. Legends add up about them.
Until recently, the ancient seven wonders of the world existed. The Cheops Pyramid is the only one that has survived to this day. Others, such as the Hanging Gardens or the statue of Zeus, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, did not survive. About them is known only from manuscripts, contemporaries' essays and paintings, recreated from the descriptions.
How a new list was elected
Thus, it was necessary to choose the new seven wonders of the world. Architectural monuments survived this competition (it was conducted by an independent organization, “New Open World Corporation”). All modern means were involved, including the voices were received both on the Internet and via SMS messages. 90 million people around the world voted for the monument, which they considered the most worthy to bear such an honorary title. Thus, among several dozens of applicants in 2007, seven wonders of the world of our time were selected. We will talk about each of them in more detail below. In the meantime, I want to list those that were only a step away from the highest award. So, in the finals participated Red Square in Moscow, the building of the Opera House in Sydney, Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower and the Acropolis in Greek Athens.
It is noteworthy that the Giza pyramids were also finalists of the competition, but the Egyptian authorities refused to participate in it. Most likely, they do not consider it possible that these monuments of architecture are included in the new seven wonders of the world, because they already appear in the ancients.
the great Wall of China
There are many legends and beliefs about how the Great Wall of China was built. So, many are still convinced that the people who worked on its construction are buried right inside the building - this is not so. Although the fact that more than a million people died during the construction is true.
So, the construction of the Great Wall of China originates in the III century BC. The emperors of the Qin Dynasty conceived its construction . The construction pursued many goals, the main of which were:
- land protection from nomadic tribes;
- the inadmissibility of the assimilation of foreigners with the Chinese nation;
Thus, construction began, which dragged on for centuries. The rulers changed: some were dismissive of the construction (the Qing dynasty of Manchuria), while others, on the contrary, watched the construction with great care.
It should be said that a significant part of the wall collapsed because it was not properly monitored. Only the site near Beijing was lucky - for a long time it served as a kind of gateway to the capital. Nevertheless, in the late eighties of the XX century, large-scale restoration work began, and in 1997 the Wall entered the seven wonders of the world of our time.
Why did she receive such an honorary title? This is the world's longest architectural structure: the total length is 8851.8 kilometers. How did they build the Great Wall of China, so that they could achieve such an unprecedented size? The process has been going on for millennia, systematically. However, it is worth saying that this is not an integral structure. There are gaps throughout the Wall. This is what allowed the great Genghis Khan to conquer China and rule in it for 12 years. Every year, tens of millions of tourists visit this wonder of the world today.
Rio: Christ statue
On the other side of the planet, in Rio de Janeiro, stands the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. It rises above the city, arms outstretched, as if hugging all the inhabitants and guests of a multi-million city.
The monument was built in honor of the centenary of the independence of Brazil. A truly picturesque place was chosen for its construction: Mount Corcovado, with which you can see all of Rio, with its peak “Sugarloaf”, famous beaches, in full view.
They collected the whole country for the construction: the “O Cruzeiro” magazine announced a subscription, the funds from which went to the erection of the monument. The project was entrusted to Silva Costa, although other options were offered before him: for example, the arms of Christ spread out like a crucifix were proposed by K. Oswald, the artist.
Brazil at that time was a poor, non-industrial country, therefore, it was impossible to implement such a large-scale project. France came to the rescue - it was there that the statue of Christ the Redeemer was made in detail. And then it was transported to Brazil. Details were delivered to the construction site by a small railway, which still functions. Millions of tourists annually climb one of the most famous buildings of our time.
Taj Mahal
In the Indian Agra, on the banks of the Jamna, there is the greatest Taj Mahal palace-mausoleum. This is the tomb of the wife of the great descendant of Tamerlane, Shah Jahan. The woman's name was Mumtaz-Mahal, she died during childbirth.
The Taj Mahal in India is the pinnacle of Mughal architectural style. It included a synthesis of the art of Indians, Persians and Arabs. The most famous building element is a huge snow-white dome. The mausoleum itself is made of white marble. It is a five-domed palace, in which are located the tombs of both the shah himself and his wife. It is noteworthy that the four minarets located at the edges are slightly inclined - this protects the tombs from destruction in case of earthquakes, which are not uncommon in India. A park with picturesque fountains and a lake adjoins the mausoleum itself. The Taj Mahal was built in 1653. 20 thousand builders managed with such a large-scale project in 22 years.
The mausoleum itself, thanks to numerous visitors, brings considerable funds to the treasury of India.
Chichen Itza
The legendary Mayan city is located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This is not an ordinary city - it served as the capital, political and religious center. Chichen Itza was erected in the 7th century AD. Most of the structures belong to the Mayan culture, some of them were erected by the Toltecs. At the end of the XII century in Chichen Itza there were no inhabitants at all. One of the puzzles is connected with this, and no explanation has been found so far: either the culprits are Spaniards who destroyed the Mayans during the invasion of Mexico, or everything happened naturally due to the decline in the economic situation of the capital.
At different times, several architectural structures were found on the territory of the ancient city. However, the most remarkable of them is the Chichen Itza pyramid. This is a kind of focus of the Mayan legendary knowledge, their religious beliefs, the center of worship. 24 meters high, the pyramid has four faces, on which 9 steps are made. Stairs located on each side of the pyramid have 91 steps. If you add their number, you get 364 plus one, leading to a small temple crowning the pyramid. It turns out 365 - the number of days in a year.
The balustrade along the edges of the stairs is the body of a snake, whose head is at the base of the pyramid. In the days of the equinox, it seems that the snake is moving. And in the fall down, and in the spring up.
Ritual temples are located at the top of the pyramid and inside it. They were probably used for sacrifices.
Coliseum
The new seven wonders of the world of our time include European monuments. This is the famous Roman Colosseum. His appearance is partly due to the autocratic rule of Nero. He, having committed suicide, left behind a grand palace with a lake in the very center of Rome. Vespasian, who came to power, decided to permanently erase the cruel Nero from the memory of the people. It was decided to give the chic palace to imperial institutions, and to build a huge amphitheater on the site of the lake. And so the Colosseum appeared. Initially, after construction in the year 80, it was called the Flavian Amphitheater. The construction got its modern name only in the VIII century, most likely due to its impressive size.
Initially, it was used to amuse people with gladiatorial battles, persecution of animals, etc. It even celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Rome. However, in the Middle Ages, due to the invasion of the barbarian tribes, the Colosseum was partially destroyed, a powerful earthquake of the 14th century played an important role in this process. After a grandiose construction, they are pulled apart in bricks for construction purposes.
Only in the 18th century did Pope Benedict XIV begin to protect the Colosseum as an important architectural object. Now it is a symbol of Rome, which is visited by a great many tourists from all over the world.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a unique city in South America, located at an altitude of almost 2500 thousand meters above sea level. The Spanish conquerors could not reach it, which is why the architecture of the ancient city remained untouched.
Opened Machu Picchu was only at the very beginning of the XX century, a professor at Yale University. It is noteworthy that very little is known about the city, they do not know anything about the population, nor about the purpose of construction, and so on. One thing is obvious: Machu Picchu has a very clear structure and layout.
It is currently under protection. UNESCO has limited the number of daily visitors to 2500 people.
Petra - The Pearl of Jordan
A city in a rock - this is how one more miracle of the world of the modern world, Jordanian Petra, can be described. The path to the city lies through natural gorges, which are the city walls. In ancient times, Petra was of great importance - it lay on the trade route between Damascus and the Red Sea, as well as Gaza and the Persian Gulf. Trade city and lived.
The inhabitants of Petra were able to not only masterfully process the stone, but also collect water. In fact, the city has become an artificial oasis in the middle of the desert.
The main attraction that attracts tourists is Al Khazneh. According to scientists, this is a temple-mausoleum. Many legends are associated with the construction. According to one, this is the place where the pharaoh hid his riches during the time of Moses; according to others, this is the storehouse of the robber's loot.
Tourists around the world Petra and its main temple are known for the film about the adventures of Indiana Jones.