Well we know how the pyramids were built and know that roughly 17-20,000 workers were there every year and probably maxed out around 35-40,000 at the height of the construction of the complex (perhaps when Khufu's was being constructed). We don't even know who built Stonehenge or what the original intent was so that is why it is always considered a wonder. Giant stones, complete mystery, possible complex mathematics/astrology involved, etc. = wonder.
The Pyramids are the most fascinating thing I've ever seen from the ancients but the rest I don't care too much for. And I'll second the anti-stonehedge comments. Come on man...let's be real now.
Jeez, I now live in Oregon and I'm more of a Texan than any of you losers. The only place "Wonders of the World" is appropriate is Texas and things in Texas are bigger, so here are the 8 Wonders: The fact I have to point out the obvious makes me wonder what they are teaching in Texas schools these days. And seriously, Machu Picchu? Those places are a dime a dozen in Texas... I bet they don't even have good nachos.
I would love to watch that show, that is one of the disadvantages of not living in the USA, we do not have a history channel . I'll see if i can buy a dvd of that show.
BUMP! The new 7 wonders are named: 1. Great Wall of China 2. colosseum, Italy 3. Taj mahal, India 4. Petra, Jordan 5. Machu Picchu, Peru 6. christ the reedemer statue, brazil (WTF!! ) This is the only I dont agree begin on the list. 7. Pyramids in Chichén Itzá, México (Yesssss!!! ) http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=633 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070707/ap_on_re_eu/new_seven_wonders_glance_1
they have two seasons on dvd already and you can buy all the episdoes on itunes. i highly recommend it.
I don't agree with the Christ Redeemer either. Seems like Brazil had a concerted effort to get the citizenry out to vote. I mean.. how can it even compare to something like Angkor Wat? It's not like Cambodians really have the technology or priority to vote.. anyways -- good PR stunt anyways -- hopefully it'll get more people to appreciate these sites.
Even though the number 7 is historical I have a hard limiting this to 7. I mean there's so many amazing places that weren't even considered such as Stupa at Borobudur, the Potala Palace, Himeji Castle, The Forbidden City, Chapel of the Familia Sangrida, Anasazi Cliff Dwellings and so on..
Angkor got shafted. Not enough people have seen it, and I'll say from personal experience that it kicks the redeemer statues ass. The Great Wall is amazing in concept, but i think its overrated. First, all the pretty pictures we see are complete reconstructions that occured in the last 30 years. The parts in the middle that have been untouched are mostly just rubble so there really isn't much of the genuine stuff left. Also, its just a freakin wall! yes it takes a lot of effort to build one that stretches for miles and miles, but the engineering wasn't close compared to most of the other candidates. Add that to the urban legend that it can be seen from the moon and that makes the wall overrated to me. It kicks stonehenge's ass and it is a fun hike and good for some photos, but please, pyramids, the taj, the acropolis are better engineering marvels. Between the terracotta soldiers and the great wall, the terracotta soldiers are a bigger engineering marvel based on the simple fact that they can't even open the damn thing. I demand a recount.
A billion plus Chinese are simply not going to let Great Wall get shafted. This thing is basically a popularity contest and the two things that will always win are the Great Wall and Taj Mahal.
The Colosseum- Italy - because they could fill it with water and have naval battles! Stonehenge- United Kingdom - probably the most popular "clock" The Great Wall of China- China - It's big, it's long.....(insert joke) Angkor- Cambodia - Beautiful, exotic, religious Petra- Jordan - Beautifully carved out of and inside rock. The Easter Island Statues- Chile Machu Picchu- Peru With apologies to Stonehenge the last 2 probably deserve to be tied for number one due to the massive effort and sheer size of their project PLUS the fact that people are still trying to figure out to this day HOW these things were created. How on earth do you move massive,heavy stones around a small island or up a freaking mountain!! Granted the others weren't easy to build either, but we are talking about societies that had little or very limited tools.
Ha, I thought of that, but the original is gone and all they have is a smaller version of the San Jac Memorial. If they had something better, it would have replaced the Schlitterbahn
Easter island Statues, Stonehenge.. Same thing. Sorry but they're both about big heavy rocks being moved. Same mystery, same mystique.
In that case, LA has the Hollywood Sign, Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, J. Paul Getty Center, Griffith Park/Observatory, Disneyland, Los Angeles Coliseum, Sunset Strip, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown New York has Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Broadway/Theater District, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden/Penn Station, Grand Central Station, Rockefeller Center, Yankee Stadium, Chinatown, Soho.
The only one i'm also amazed about is the christ reedemer statue, how on earth could that one be voted in. I didn't even like it as a candidate in the first place. Angkor should be on that list, i can agree with the rest, altough i would replace the collosseum with stonehenge, however I can understand this choise. but the Crist reedemer statue???? why??
Seems like the chinese didn't care much.... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/09/wchina109.xml The Great Wall is a wonder - but China isn't watching By David Eimer in Beijing Last Updated: 1:46am BST 09/07/2007 The Great Wall of China was named as one of the new seven wonders of the world over the weekend at a televised ceremony in Lisbon, but no one in China was watching. The Great Wall of China was named as one of the new seven wonders of the world The state broadcaster CTV chose not to screen the event, leaving the thousands of tourists who visited the wall yesterday unaware of the monument's new status. The refusal to celebrate reflects the Chinese public's apathy towards the competition to determine the new seven wonders. Although almost 100 million people around the world voted by phone, text and online, many Chinese people were put off by the 1 yuan (7p) charge to vote by text. Others doubted the validity of the contest and the Chinese heritage department also refused to endorse the competition. China's indifference was in stark contrast to the enthusiasm of other countries. Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, supported the claims of Rio's statue of Christ the Redeemer, while the Jordanian royal family backed the desert site of Petra. Both made the final list, as did the Colosseum in Rome, India's Taj Mahal, the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru and the remains of the Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico. However, Egyptian officials insisted the pyramids of Giza were the only wonder of the world. Egypt's antiquities chief said the competition "has no value", because "the masses do not write history".
