From Antiquity, our ancestors had already qualified as wonders of the world seven sites remarkable for their architecture, their majestic character or their beauty. Only the pyramids of Giza in Egypt are still visible among these sites. But, from China to Italy, via Peru or Jordan in particular, many places in the world deserve the name of "wonders of the world". We have selected for you the 10 most beautiful wonders of the world to visit once in a lifetime.
If you travel to China, the Great Wall is a must. This imposing work, originally built as a military defense between the 3rd century BC and the 17th century AD, is more than 20,000 km long, from Shanhaiguan, in the east of the country, in Hebei province, in Jiayuguan, in the eastern province of Gansu. The Great Wall of China, the only human construction visible from the Moon, testifies by its architecture to the richness of Chinese civilizations through time. The Great Wall can be visited from sites such as Badaling, the most touristic, Mutianyu, the wildest or Simatai, the most authentic. It is also possible to hike along the Great Wall of China between Simatai and Janshanling.
Petra is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the Near East. Located between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, in Arabah in Jordan, Petra is a city built and carved out of the rock inside a circle of mountains, pierced with corridors and parades. Its architecture is marked by the Eastern and Greek civilizations which occupied it in turn. Numerous and spectacular temples and tombs, carved directly into the rock face, make this site a must-visit place.
This gigantic statue of Christ with arms outstretched, known throughout the world, dominates the city of Rio in Brazil, on Mount Corcovado, 710 meters above sea level. It is 30 meters high, 38 meters if we count its base. It is the most famous monument in Brazil, just like the Statue of Liberty in the United States or the Eiffel Tower in France. It is also one of the most important symbols of Christianity in the world. Once at the foot of the statue, the visitor can admire the whole city of Rio and its bay. A magnificent landscape.
Certainly the most impressive city erected by the Inca civilization, Machu Picchu, in Peru, is located at an altitude of 2,400 meters in an extraordinary mountainous site. This remarkable site was originally a center as much religious as it was dedicated to astronomy or agriculture, hence its exceptional architecture. Long remained inaccessible, Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 and, since then, many visitors frequent this wonder of the world classified as World Heritage by Unesco.
Famous for its recognizable Pyramid of Kukulcán, the city of Chichén Itzá was one of the largest Mayan sacred cities in Yucatan, a region between Merida and Cancún in Mexico. The Mayas and the Toltecs are the two peoples of South America who left their unique and grandiose architectural footprints in this sacred city. There are still many traces of the particular vision of the world and the universe of these advanced civilizations.
The amphitheater of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy is one of the wonders of the world to visit at least once in a lifetime. The only one visible in Europe in our ranking. Rome would not be what it is without the Colosseum which sits proudly in its city center, in the ancient Roman forum, with its floors supported by its famous columns. Built between 72 and 82 AD, this majestic building could accommodate up to 50,000 people who came to watch gladiator fights. Only half of the Colosseum remains intact, the other having suffered from the degradation of time, earthquakes and the reuse of its stones for other monuments.
This huge white marble building, built between 1631 and 1648 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to perpetuate the memory of his favorite wife, is certainly the most famous monument in the world. Located in the city of Agra, it is the emblem of India, visited by 3 million visitors a year. The Taj Mahal stands out in the middle of a huge garden of nearly 17 hectares. It is considered the greatest architectural gem of Indo-Islamic art.
The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, built more than 5,000 years ago, are the oldest of the wonders of the world to visit on the planet. The most famous of these pyramids is that of Cheops, which contains the tomb of the Pharaoh of the same name and many hidden treasures and corridors which have not yet revealed all their secrets and which remain an enigma for archaeologists. These pyramids symbolize all the excess and genius of Egyptian civilization.
Angkor is one of Southeast Asia's major archaeological sites, located in Cambodia's northern province of Siem Reap. This 400 km2 site has countless temples, dykes, canals and roads. Its best known and most impressive temple is that of Angkor Wat, adorned with numerous sculptures, typical of the excellence of Khmer architecture.
The Forbidden City in Beijing, China, which contains the grand imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, was built between 1406 and 1420 by Emperor Ming Zhu Di. This palace is a unique model of ancient Chinese building techniques and architectural art. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Forbidden City is being renovated until 2020, but part of it is accessible to visitors.
