new 7 on 07.07.07

"Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary."
--Mark Twain

of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the pyramids of giza, egypt remain standing to this day. all the rest had been lost to fire or earthquake.

this year, on july 7, 2007, a new list of seven wonders of the world will be revealed in lisbon, portugal. currently, 21 man-made treasures have the potential to be included in the big 7 list.

the selection of the new 7 wonders of the world is in its final phase and the "biggest global vote ever to have taken place" is on!

out of the 21 structures officially listed, here are what i believe should be part of the big list...


the pyramids of giza (2600-2500 B.C.).
"testimony to perfection in art and design, never subsequently achieved. the pyramids are the purest of constructions, built for eternity. they reflect the greatest human dream of all - immortality & eternity!"


as the "oldest and only ancient wonder still standing", the pyramids of giza, egypt deserve their own place in the new list. thoughts of all the efforts put into their construction alone awe me. if i put side to side the design, environmental conditions, and level of technological advancement during the time they were built and how they actually turned out (they still stand to this day!!!), the first word that comes to my mind is this: mindblowing.

i hope i get to see them with my own two eyes someday soon.


angkor wat (12th century)
"the most important monument of the south-east asian khmer empire and the world’s largest sacred temple. it is noted for its intricate ornamentation and striking beauty"


i've never been there (or maybe i should say: actually, i've never been anywhere outside of my own country) but i've long admired the angkor wat of cambodia in the pictures. i find its over-all appearance very unique and visually arresting. it's the one structure in south-east asia which i'm very interested to see.

i would happily have my picture taken with it as a background.


easter island statues (10th-16th century)
"collection of enormous stone sculptures which have long fascinated the world and endowed the island with a mythical atmosphere"


if i had not read about these statues last year and relied only on the information provided by the new7wonders site, i wouldn't be compelled to include the easter island statues in my list. BUT these huge stone sculptures known as moai got my attention last year when my lab buddy introduced me to them and why they're interesting.

25-meter high moai are found standing around the perimeter of chile's easter island. there are so many of them and they are all monolithic, that is, every stone structure was carved out of a single piece of huge stone. why they were made is a puzzle to archeologists and historians. their positions on the island are quite intriguing. even more intriguing is how the moai were transported from the quarry where they were formed to their respective positions. according to write-ups, depending on the size of the finished moai, about 50-100 people (whoa!!!) are needed to transport a single moai.

the easter island statues are quite an accomplishment of the early inhabitants of the island. the answers to why they took the pains of making enormous stone sculptures and even transported them to long distances, the world might never really know. their monumental structures stand to this day and speak of their dedication.

if ever i'd find myself in easter island, i'd stand next to a moai. for sure, i would be too small.


the great wall of china (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.)
"the largest man-made monument ever to have been built"


i can only think of the back-breaking work and the very long time it took to build this structure...

...and the fact that it still stands.


machu picchu (15th century)
"extraordinary settlement halfway up the andes plateau, deep in the amazon jungle, and above urubamba river. this incan city remained 'lost' for over three centuries until it was rediscovered in 1911"


in the old civilization, there were incas, mayans, and aztecs. the machu picchu of peru is the lost city of the incas and it showcases the classic inca architectural style. walls were made from blocks of stone cut so perfectly and made to fit tightly without mortar (talk about precision and genius!!!). it is an entire city situated high up in the mountains and a picture of admirable architectural feat.

i want to see this UNESCO world heritage site.


stonehenge (3000 B.C. - 1600 B.C.)
"a truly amazing feat of engineering. it is not clear who built it and for what purpose"


for me, the stonehenge in amesbury, united kingdom is as interesting as the moai of easter island, chile. in order to make this monument, builders dealt with stones weighing approximately 50 tons each. exactly how and why? i don't know, too. i was born just yesterday.

whether it's a temple, an astronomical observatory or a sacred burial site or all three, the configuration of the structure is interesting. it's not a product of child's play.


the acropolis of athens (450 - 330 B.C.)
"built atop the "sacred rock" of athens, the temples of the acropolis have become some of the most famous architectural landmarks of ancient and modern history"


the acropolis of athens, greece is an existing testimony to the glory that was greece.


taj mahal (1630 A.D.)
"regarded as the most perfect jewel of muslim art in india"


it's so grand. it looks very beautiful and very polished. it's so hard to believe that it's actually a mausoleum. the dead wife for whom this was built's so lucky.


i hope more than half of my bets will make it to the new 7 list on 07.07.07. if you really counted, you'd notice that i chose 8. ;-)

how about you, care to share your own chosen 7 out of the given 21?


note: the philippines' banaue rice terraces didn't make it to the list of top 77. it's one of the UNESCO world heritage sites though -- to be more specific, it is an endangered world heritage site.