The New Seven Wonders of the World

[kryszcztov]

The experts know their subject better, but they sometimes don't represent the population (who will enjoy the wonders as tourists) very well. But then, people can vote with bias, with small knowledge, or just for fun, and not everybody voted or knew about the vote. This was just a pseudo-democratic election, like all the time. I myself heard about it once or twice, didn't bother, and only heard about it again this week. The only solution is to enlighten the whole world population. A real dream.

As for my personal list, I would have tried not to think too long about it, and tried to place them in different continents and different eras. Something like (chronological order) :
- Pyramids in Giza, Egypt : the only link to the old list of wonders, still a huge structure, you just can't miss it ; BTW in the old list, only Kheops's Great Pyramid is listed.
- Acropolis in Athens, Greece : little bias from my part, as it represents the best of my favourite culture, but then again Ancient Greece does mean something, and this place is just too incredible to miss - way above the massive but more boring Colosseum of Rome to me.
- Great Wall, China : to represent one of the most impressive civ - only human feature you can see from space (no ?), absolutely huge, and nice to have one wonder with a military function.
- Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey : to represent the Muslim world, with some Byzantine (Roman) heritage - just a very beautiful but still massive monument.
- Taj Mahal, India : to represent another impressive civ - another beautiful monument, immediately recognizable.
- Eiffel Tower in Paris, France : probably the only bias in my list, but then again, immediately recognizable, a unique building, representing Europe's golden age in a certain way.
- Hmm... I'd like to end my list with something from the USA, probably from the 20th century... maybe the Empire State Building ? The Statue of Liberty is too close to the Eiffel Tower anyway. This spot is left for a future decision.

Hmm, all in all, I liked the old list.

 

[bode404]

I am Brazilian, from Rio, I see the Christ statue almost everyday, and I can tell you: It IS great, it's a beautiful statue atop a mountain. However, I'm no stupid nationalist: it didnt deserve to be one of the chosen wonders.
As the Statue of Liberty didnt.

I'm impressed no one mentions the Moai statues. They're just so amazing!

 

[UnspokenRequest]

I could think of many reasons to visit Brazil, but the statue isn't among them. In fact, I'm pretty shure I would't even bother to see it even if I was in the city.

Contrary to Angkor Wat. I'm thinkin on goin to Cambodia, just for that.

I'm Canadian. I was in Rio last november.
Saying you wouldn't even want to see it if you were in the city is very ignorant. It is the first spot I wanted to got to when I got there. I'm SURE almost everyone going to Rio for the first time will want to visit this site.

Believe me, if you were there, you'd definitely want to visit the statue. THE VIEW IS SIMPLY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AWESOME.

The Wonder is not the statue per se. The Wonder is the view. Rio de Janeiro's landscape is a NATURAL and Civilizational wonder. Oddly shaped mountain, the city snakes between the numerous peaks, the laguna and the beaches. A top the Corcovado (the mountain where the Cristo Redentor stands) you can grasp all of Rio's majestic beauty. I cought Rio at sunset atop the Corcovado. It's a sight to behold. I was there with my girlfriend. It was a very magic moment.

However, the Statue shouldn't be considered one of the seven wonder. Angor should have been there instead. The Acropole too (instead of the colosseum).

However the other two Latin american site are worthy of being included in the Seven Wonder.

A few poster critized Machu Pichu. I really don't agree with you. I find some of these comments against Machu Pichu very ignorant. The Incans who build Machu Pichu had very limited techniques. We're not even sure how they moved the stones, since the Incas didn't have wheels... They didn't even have I find it even more amazing than Chichen Itza (which is awesome).

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

My thoughts:
Too biased with South America, Cristo Redentor should be replaced. And why is the Colosseum, a tribute to brutality and barbarism, on there?

The Taj Mahal should definitely be there, along with the Great Wall, and so should the Statue of Liberty. I'm fine with the Macchu Picchu, and with Petra.

I also agree with keeping the New Seven Wonders disparate from the Seven Ancient Wonders.

 

[bkn42]

Leaving something to the people the vote for it doesnt make it neccesarily the best choice. (Just look at the U.S. presidential votes the past 2 times! )

Another IMO, I think that the Christ Redeemer statue being the top 7 invalidates the the vote in the worldwide public opinion. If another of the few buildings that I suggested was selected, I think that the poll would stand a decent chance of standing. But the C.R. throws it away, reflecting the regional bias of the vote.

As far as the Statue of Liberty, I think it's definitely up there on the overall wonder list, but top 7 is questionable. And the Eiffel Tower is a notch or so behind it. But that's my opinion, of course, coming from my American bias.

 

[blunt3d]

I think if more people/country's would've took this poll with more interest the results wouldve been alot more different but i guess only china,india and south & central america took the time to get there whole country involved. I know if the U.S and Europe took time and invested money into this there would probably be no wonder from south or central america on the list,
and there would'nt be as many people complaining on the board.

 

[Falk]

And why is the Colosseum, a tribute to brutality and barbarism, on there?

Well, one could argue that a tribute to religion isnt any better... so this isnt a good criterion.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

I think if more people/country's would've took this poll with more interest the results wouldve been alot more different but i guess only china,india and south & central america took the time to get there whole country involved. I know if the U.S and Europe took time and invested money into this there would probably be no wonder from south or central america on the list,
and there would'nt be as many people complaining on the board.

No, China and India have earned their place there. Their entries deserve recognition.

Well, one could argue that a tribute to religion isnt any better... so this isnt a good criterion.

Umm, how does my point say a tribute to religion doesn't deserve to be there?

 

[OctopusOverload]

Im against the whole elder council idea, but in this case the wonders should have been chosen by a council of historians, archaeologists and engineers and not by vote. The weak (as in small pop civs) cant fairly compete with the strong (ie large pop civs) when it comes to voting.

Im sticking to the original seven, razed or not!

 

[Heathcliff]

From wikipedia:

The stone for the Christ the Redeemer was taken from Limhamn, in Malmö, Sweden.

My hometown of Malmö takes the honor of half the glory.

 

[Train]

From wikipedia:

The stone for the Christ the Redeemer was taken from Limhamn, in Malmö, Sweden.

My hometown of Malmö takes the honor of half the glory.

Lol! Congrats! Interesting thing, didn't know about it!

 

[Öjevind Lång]

honestly, I think brazil's statue doesn't belong.

IMO:
the 3 automatics:
Great Wall
Taj Mahal
Colosseum

3 perfectly good:
Machu Pichu
Petra
Chichen Itza

The not so good:
Christ Redeemer

It should be replaced with Angkor Wat, the Hagia Sophia, or Stonehenge. (or maybe even Acropolis)

I mean, it's a great building, but I just don't think it deserves to be a new wonder.

I think the inclusions of Christ Redeemer and Machu Pichu smell "quota" a long way. Why not the Angkor Wat and Acropolis or Stonehenge? They would have included Hanging Rock/Uluru from Australia if it could in any way be claimed to have been built by the aborigines, but unfortunately, one can't claim that about mountains.

 

[Öjevind Lång]

Don't agree.
Most of votes came from South America because of a campaign supported by all brazillians who want to see our statue on there. We are trying to change the eyes of people that refer to Christ of Redeemer as a "thing".

If Christ Redeemer was elected, it is because the Christ is a true wonder and it have a big population supporting it. Wonders are not only made by impressive and giant made buildings.

In other words, you did not vote on it for its merits but voted on it for religious and nationalisic reasons. Muslims could vote for tha Qa'ba using exactly the same reasons you use. Pathetic.

 

[Azander]

Christ thingy doesn't fit the list.

What about the little mermaid in copenhagen? Now THAT'S a world wonder!
(just joking)

I seriously doubt it's a good idea to let common people with no understanding of engineering and history choose the worlds wonders..

 

[Train]

In other words, you did not vote on it for its merits but voted on it for religious and nationalisic reasons. Muslims could vote for tha Qa'ba using exactly the same reasons you use. Pathetic.

What I was trying to say on that post is the congratulations to the population of Brasil (also Mexico and Peru too), who made campaigns and voted for their wonders! If this people voted for NATIONALISTIC reasons, it is because most of the world is imperialist and say things like relating the statue as a "thing".

About your RELIGIOUS argument, I did not say anything about religion... If there was a statue with ARABIAN or BUDHIST symbols so impressive like the CHRIST is for me (MY opinion), I would vote for them too.

I am not defending in this thread if the Christ is a new wonders or not. What I am defending here is the way that people talk some things based on nothing! I respect the opinion of those who think that the Christ should not win... What I don't accept is people using lame arguments for that. Maybe the Christ statue is not one of the new world wonders, but it is a impressive and beautiful statue in one of the most beautiful places in the world, different from what people here are thinking, relating it to "just another statue" or a "thing". If I call Statue of Liberty as a "stupid statue", I am sure that the americans in this forum would defend it, that is what I am doing.

 

[Rabbit, White]

It's a real shame that Stonehenge didn't make it. It's one of the most ancient, mysterious and famous human creations, how could it not qualify as a wonder of the world??

 

[bode404]

In fact, here in Rio the Christ statue is hardly related with religion. It is much more associated with the image of the city, geographic beauty, and "arm-openess"

 

[GMTemplar]

The UN who refused to endorse the project because their heads are stuck to far up their anal cavity.

Actually, the UN didn't endorse the project because it was commercial. The guy behind the whole thing probably made a good fortune. I don't see how the UN could have endorsed such a thing, they made the only choice they could. Only a non-profit project would have any chance of getting UNESCO's approval.

The whole thing's a joke anyway and will probably (hopefully) be forgotten in a year or two. Christ definitely shouldn't be there, but neither should Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower. If you want a true engineering marvel how about the ISS? It didn't make the shotlist but that's only because it wouldn't give boost to tourism anywhere even if it won.

 

[botur2young]

Hagia Sophia should definitely have made it.

 

[lionheart]

Umm, how does my point say a tribute to religion doesn't deserve to be there?

I believe that Falk meant that your since you referred to the Colosseum as a place of barbarism, there are many people who think that if the Colosseum should be disqualified because of that, there are plenty of tributes to religion (such as Christo Redentor) that should be cancelled out as well, because as we all know, most religions have a pretty violent past (and present)..

In any case, the only 'list' that matters is UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. The only problem is the fact that there are so many of them, which is why (understandibly) someone wanted to create the new seven wonders..

But, as I've said before, and as others have mentioned as well, the decision should've been left up to a panel of international historians, archeologists, architects and engineers. Also, seven really is a very, very low number, so twenty probably would've been better..