Why be Normal?

I have always wondered about the seven wonders of the world and I thought that it would be a great accomplishment to visit all seven in my lifetime.  What I learned in my research is that there are the original seven wonders, the modern seven wonders, the natural seven wonders and more.  It would be almost impossible to visit all of these wonders, although each has its own draw for tourists. 

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a list comprised of seven monuments created by man, was the inspiration for Mr. Bernard Weber to campaign to establish a New Seven Wonders of the World.

The original list of Seven Wonders was written by Philon of Byzantium in 200 B.C.   The list included:  the Statue of Zeus, the Pyramids of Giza, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, and theTemple of Artemis.  This list was designed to showcase sites around the Mediterranean basin, a travel guide of sorts for Athenians.

Only one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World still exists today which are the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.  The Pyramids were a candidate for the new list of Seven Wonders of the World but did not receive enough votes to make the new list.

The Seven Wonders of the Modern World were decided on July 7, 2007 after worldwide nominations and voting occurred.  The following seven wonders of the world were chosen after careful consideration, and are in no particular order of importance:

1.  The Pyramid at Chichen Itza, on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.  Dated before 800 BC.  ..Chichen Itza is an old Mayan city that has been studied and excavated more than any other place of its kind.  History is not clear and there are many conflicting theories as to the truth of this Mayan city.  What is clear is that between around 700 AD and 900 AD a large Mayan community thrived here.

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3.  The Roman Colosseum, Built 70-82 AD,  located in Rome, Italy. A giant amphitheater that sits in the center of the city of Rome, Italy, was built to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire.  Just about every sports stadium built today shares a similar design to the Roman Colosseum.  The Roman Colosseum is still standing and was the home to cruel fights and games for the joy of spectators in Ancient Rome. ..

4.  The Great Wall of China, 220 BC, and 1368-1644 AD, China.

TheGreat Wall of China, built as a defense system against invading Mongol tribes, is the largest man-made monument.  The Great Wall of China is visible from space and it took many thousands of people to build the wall.

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5.  Machu Picchu, built in 1460-1470 AD, Peru.

Halfway up the Andes Plateau and deep in the Amazon jungle lies the city in the clouds known as
Machu Picchu.  Built by the Incas in the 1400’s, the city was likely abandoned because of a smallpox outbreak. 
Machu Picchu was lost for over three centuries and was rediscovered in 1911 by a man named Hiram Bingham.

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6.  Petra, built 9 BC – 40 AD, Jordan.

The Capital of the Nabataean empire, Petra, lies on the edge of the Arabian Desert.  Great tunnel constructions were created by the Nabataeans who were masters of water technology.  King Aretas IV ruled from 9BC to 40 AD and Petra was the empire he ruled over.

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7.  The Taj Mahal, dated 1630 AD, located in Agra, India.

Shah Jahan order the immense mausoleum built to honor the memory of his beloved late wife.  The most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India, the Taj Mahal is built out of white marble with formally laid out gardens surrounding the mausoleum.

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