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The wonders of the world have always been discussed, so much so that both ancient and current wonders are officially recognized. In this article I will discuss those that are for me. Especially the reasons why I consider them to be so, which are very personal and related to subjective emotions.
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
- Pyramid of Cheops (Giza, Egypt)
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Babylon, Mesopotamia)
- Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Ephesus, Asia Minor)
- Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Olympia, Greece)
- Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (Halicarnassus, Asia Minor)
- Colossus of Rhodes (Rhodes, Greece)
- Lighthouse of Alexandria (Alexandria, Egypt)
Of these only the pyramid of Cheops still stands, and they were chosen in the 3rd century BC. Here is a summary table. I am fortunate to have seen the most famous pyramid in the world, although for me there is even better in Egypt.
Seven Wonders of the Modern World
- Colosseum (Rome, Italy)
- Great Wall of China (China)
- Petra (Jordan)
- Machu Picchu (Cusco, Peru)
- Chichén Itzá (Yucatán, Mexico)
- Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Taj Mahal (Agra, India)
These were selected in an online referendum in 2000. This link also has the other finalists, i.e., those that could have been voted on.
Personally, I have only seen the Colosseum, several times, Petra and Machu Picchu, while I have seen as many as 10 of the other 13 finalist wonders. I hope to see them all sooner or later.
My list is different from the official one, although many wonders coincide, especially with the finalists. I realize they all have some special episode, and in fact I was almost always, in some way, in the company.
My wonders and why
Obviously this is a game, and my list has no scientific basis. I also only consider what I’ve seen, which is starting to be enough, but I’m missing so much and pointing to 8 instead of 7.
- Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany)
- Macchu Picchu
- Angkor Wat (Cambodia)
- Petra (Jordan)
- Abu Simbel Temple (Egypt)
- Red Square (Russia)
- Sultanahmet (Turkey)
- Pompeii (Italy)
Macchu Picchu
It is hard not to share the official ranking regarding this place (featured photo). I had the chance to get there among the first so before it got crowded. To do so I remember the 3 a.m. wake-up call and the endless waiting on my feet and in the cold, so the wonder also comes from the effort it takes to get there, not so much physical, because it is one of the sites with the least demanding altitude in Peru (2,400 meters). Of the Andean country, however, the most wonderful place, in my opinion, is another (the Rainbow Mountains) and so I will make my own list of natural wonders.
Angor Wat
I didn’t get to see this one without crowds, but it is so great that I enjoyed it, especially since I toured it on my own. For me a lone traveler, I have to admit that what made the experience even more wonderful was that I experienced it with a Parisian girl I met there.
Petra
Petra also ends up on my list of wonders reinforced by a shared emotion, but not with human beings. On the second day of the visit, I showed up at the opening gate at 6:30 a.m.; I had the huge site all to myself. After a very long and tiring flight of steps, I arrived first among humans in front of the tomb called the Monastery. I shared the spectacle with two small dogs who, however, were too busy playing with each other to admire the carved facade.
Abu Simbel
For goodness sake, the pyramids are a wonder, and of the many, certainly that of Cheops, with the nearby Sphinx is the most famous. There are also many temples in Egypt. But Abu Simbel for me is a notch above all, not least because of the history behind how it was moved. Even of this site I have a subjective episode that makes me remember it most vividly.
I was on a group trip together with my fiancée, she had made little information deciding to get a little carried away. I, on the other hand, knew what awaited us and especially that we would find the majestic façade suddenly, bypassing a small hill that said nothing, and yet is really the back of the temple. Here, I enjoyed her standing open-mouthed and wide-eyed, knowing the exact moment when she would see it.
In Europe
Neuschwanstein Castle
There are thousands of castles in Europe, and there are many beautiful ones to visit; for the interior or the exterior; the surroundings or the importance; for everything.
Probably for many the most beautiful is precisely the one that inspired Walt Disney. It is for me, too, because of a particularly favorable circumstance, which is to have seen it surrounded by snow. Also, it was out of the blue, as soon as I got into the parking lot, I didn’t know it could be seen from there as well. I turned around as I got out of the car and took what is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever taken.
Red Square
Another indelible moment for me was when I walked out of the Red Square subway station, and suddenly found myself in the full splendor of St. Basil’s. It was in the evening, and looking in any direction at the super-lit square would have been superlative. But that Basilica, even considering that Stalin would have wanted it torn down, is magical.
Sultanahmet
I consider the whole old heart of Istanbul, indeed of Byzantium not to say Constantinople. In fact the various wonders are all ancient. The view from the bridge over the Bosphorus (this modern one) at night is the apotheosis of beauty in my opinion. I have been there both in company and solo, and I must say that in this case I particularly enjoyed it alone and returning there after years of other travels. I really enjoyed the evening as a conscious traveler, even of the fact that maybe I wouldn’t go back and that I was at my best.
Pompeii
To choose the most wonderful Roman or Greek rest is difficult; the Colosseum is the most famous, one of the best kept, certainly the largest. In Rome but I particularly like the Pantheon. But I, even considering all the history behind it, I choose Pompeii, the whole city as a whole. Also because I have a childhood memory related to the first time I went there. It was me and my 3 brothers together with my parents, on that vacation I probably understood that I liked to discover the world and history. That afternoon also we lost a brother. I remember looking for him with the younger two, twins, in the double stroller, between the thistle and the decumanus.
All links with articles
In the following list are the home pages of the trips I discuss in this article, as well as generic pages.
Go to Prague, plus see Snow White’s castle
Visiting Angkor with Parisian lawyer.
Organized travel, Tunisia, Egypt and visit Abu Simbel
Welcome to Jordan (and Israel)
Travel to Peru: going to the Andes
Going to Russia with the wrong travel companion
Tales about Pompeii and Istanbul solo are forthcoming.
Other Miscellaneous
Trips taken, travel stories divided by continent
Countries visited in my travel stories
Anecdotes, divided by type in travel narratives
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