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Saturday, July 07, 2007

The New `Seven Wonders of The World' Chosen

The World’s new seven wonders have been chosen , according to this London Times article.

A private Swiss foundation started a campaign to name the new wonders of the World back in 1999, and got something like 200 nominations. After the list was narrowed, a pol was taken over the internet that garnered tens of millions of votes.

Money raised by the New Seven Wonders organization will be used to rebuild the giant statues of Buddha destroyed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

As can be expected, various countries did a lot of `electioneering'..

But here are the winners, as announced by actors Ben Kingsley and Hillary Swank in Lisbon: India’s Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Jordan’s Petra, Brazil’s statue of Christ Redeemer, Peru’s Machu Picchu, Mexico’s Chichen Itza pyramid and the Colosseum in Rome.

The Egyptians were miffed that the Great Pyramid in Giza didn't make the cut, but apparently there were some assurances to the Egyptians that the Pyramid would retain its status in addition to the new seven. It's the only one of the original wonders still standing.

The other original wonders, all since destroyed, were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the statue of the Colossus of Rhodes and the lighthouse of Alexandria.

My nominations ( not that anyone cares) would include the Kotel (the remaining Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem), Ankor Wat, Mount Rushmore, The Golden Pagoda in Kyoto, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Potala in Tibet and the Eiffel Tower.

Yours???

2 comments:

  1. You know I'd pick the Kotel too!

    4 years ago when we visited Israel, we went on a tour around the the Temple Mount (well from the south to the north along the Western side). Our guide pointed out that the (massive) stones were not cemented into place, but held in place by gravity. Thus when the Romans sought to destroy it, it required a huge effort to dislodge the stones they managed to force out. He also pointed out that according to Josephus (I think) ruler from all over the world used to visit Yerushalayim, it was considered that wondrous 2000+ years ago.

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  2. Yeah, I know what you mean, I dunno, but to me a wonder needs some kinda spiritual content...

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