The 7 wonders of the world - here you go to see them

The 7 wonders of the world - here you go to see them is written by Cecilie Saustrup Kirk.

When you think of the 7 wonders of the world, you probably expected to see distinctive monuments like Angkor Wat , the statue of Liberty, Acropolis or of course The little Mermaid. But in the period 2000 to 2007, over 100 million voted on which relics of the past should be classified as the 7 new wonders, and none of the above made it onto the list. 7 others did in return.

Taj Mahal in India - the most romantic of the 7 wonders of the world

One of the world's greatest love stories dates back to 1600th century India, when the great mogul Shah Jahan lost his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth, giving birth to the couple's 14 and last child.

Inconsolably out of grief, the emperor shielded himself from the world and only came out after a year - according to legend, white-haired, crooked back and with his face full of wrinkles and pain. With him he had a plan: He would build the world's most beautiful mausoleum in honor of his wife, so the world would never forget her.

Only the best materials were good enough, and more than 1000 elephants were used to pick up the materials from all corners of the world. White marble from Rajasthan formed the framework of the monument. The white marble was inlaid with jade from China, jasper from Punjab, sapphires from Sri Lanka - a total of 28 different gemstones.

The construction would have been translated into today's currency at a cost of around six billion kroner. Over 20.000 artists and architects work on the work, and yet it took 22 years to complete the first marvel on our list: the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra in northern India.

Emperor Shah Jahan had plans to build an identical palace on the opposite side of the Yamuna River - just in black. Whether it was intended as just an extension of the Taj Mahal or as his own burial site is not known, but his death before construction even began put an end to it. He was buried next to his much-loved wife, and the Taj Mahal then became a symbol of immortal love for both of them.

Chichen Itza - Mexico's pyramid-shaped wonder

To find out more about our next wonder, we travel 800 years back in time to the Mayan realm of the past in the present Mexico. The Mayans had several large cities in their possession, but among the largest we find Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula. The city's architecture is characterized by having been influenced by many different peoples, such as the Incas and Aztecs.

The city center is concentrated around the Kukulcán Temple in honor of the Mayan feathered serpent god of the same name, and to this day the Pyramid Temple is still one of the city's best-preserved landmarks.

Here is a good flight offer to Mexico - click on "see offer" on the page to get the final price

The Great Wall of China - by far the longest of the 7 wonders of the world

Furthermore, the journey goes back to Asia and the world's largest population in terms of population: China. The oldest marvel on the list is the Great Wall of China. Parts of the wall date back to 700 BC.

China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who united China into one empire, began in his reign to connect the individual existing walls and ramparts. He created the first unbroken stretch of wall, but the major defense project was continually improved and expanded throughout most of China's history. The most famous sections today are from the Ming Dynasty 500 years ago.  

Cristo Redentor - Brazil's all - embracing pride

There are several famous statues of Jesus Christ, but none as famous or as beautifully placed as the one in  Rio de Janeiro i Brazil. Raised on a 710 meter high mountain, the 38 meter tall Jesus embraces the city below him with outstretched arms havet in the background. The statue was completed in 1931 and received a distinguished visit from Pope John Paul II, who visited Rio and Jesus on 2 July 1980.

When it came to voting for the 7 Wonders of the World, Brazil launched an extremely extensive campaign to get their over 190 million inhabitants to vote for the statue in Rio de Janeiro. It succeeded and Cristo Redentor is now on the list of the 7 wonders of the world.

Colosseum - the bloodiest of the 7 wonders of the world

The closest wonder to Denmark we find in Rome in Italy. The Colosseum dates back to the heyday of the Roman Empire and was built by the emperors Vespasian and Titus. The construction took 10 years and was completed in the year 80, making it Rome's largest amphitheater.

With seats for 50.000 seated and 5000 standing guests and no less than 80 entrances, it formed the setting for the bloody gladiator fights, which Rome and not least the Colosseum itself became known for. The building is made of, among other things, cement, and today about half of the building remains and gives an impressive insight into the architecture of the Roman Empire.

Petra - the treasure of antiquity

The second oldest of the 7 wonders is located in Jordan, namely the ancient city of Petra. This beautiful prehistoric city should have been uninhabitable as it is located in the middle of the desert. Nevertheless, the city manages to become a trading center for the caravans of the time.

The inhabitants of the city knew how to control the water supply, and when the inhabitants succeeded in creating an artificial oasis and bringing the water flow through the city streets, it became a hub for past trade and itineraries.

Several of the city's buildings are built directly into the red cliffs; including theaters, tombs and temples. Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom and dates from about the year 300 BC. The city is by far one of Jordan's most visited tourist destinations and is definitely worth a visit.

Machu Picchu - Peru's best view

To reach the last of the 7 wonders of the world on the list, we must ascend the mountains. In fact, a full 2.057 meters up. Here is Machu Picchu, built around the year 1400 by Sapa Inka Pachacuti - King of the Inca Empire. The city is in all probability built as a recreational city for powerful Inca leaders and wealthy nobles.

The city was left behind and forgotten after the Spanish invasion and only rediscovered in 1911. Peru is in the process of rebuilding the city and has already recreated the Temple of the Sun, the Space With The Three Windows and the sacred 'calendar stone' Intihuatana.

See all the best and wildest trips with Danish travel agencies here

Have you seen all the 7 wonders? If not here's a new product just for you!