The Seven Wonders

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The Seven Wonders



The earliest extant list of seven wonders was compiled by Antipater of Sidon in 240 BC, chronicling the ancient giants of architecture. His selection highlighted the most remarkable constructions of the Hellenistic world, structures designed to impress through scale, artistry, and engineering skill. Though varied in function, these monuments were built to inspire awe and assert human ingenuity over the natural world. While most have not survived, their reputations persist through historical accounts, shaping perceptions of ancient architectural achievement. The tradition of cataloguing wonders continued into later periods. By the 18th century, English and French writers adapted the concept to reflect mediaeval craftsmanship and religious devotion. Their selections often focused on structures that demonstrated technical ingenuity or spiritual significance, broadening the geographical scope beyond the Mediterranean. Without a fixed list, different sources included a variety of monuments, many of which had endured centuries of social and political change. By the late 20th century, the emphasis had shifted towards modern engineering. A new list compiled in 1994 recognised feats of infrastructure and design that redefined possibilities in construction. These structures, designed to overcome natural barriers, facilitate transport, and expand urban skylines, reflected the priorities of an era shaped by industrialisation and global connectivity. In the 21st century, the concept evolved again through a global vote conducted in 2007. This new selection, rather than focusing solely on engineering, incorporated historical and cultural significance, resulting in a more diverse representation of human achievement. Unlike earlier lists, which had been put together by scholars or engineers, this one reflected contemporary perspectives on heritage and identity, blending ancient legacies with more recent landmarks. Each iteration of the Seven Wonders reflects the values and aspirations of the time in which it was compiled. What began as a celebration of Hellenistic grandeur has expanded to encompass mediaeval ingenuity, industrial progress, and global heritage. These evolving lists offer insight into how different generations have defined greatness, demonstrating the shifting nature of cultural memory and architectural admiration.


The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
#	Construction	Location	Date Built	Fate
1	Pyramids of Egypt	near Cairo, Egypt	btw 2700 and 1800 BC	extant
2	Hanging Gardens of Babylon¹	Iraq, exact site uncertain	early 500s BC	unknown
3	Temple of Artemis/Diana	Ephesus, south of Izmir, Turkey	550 BC-430 BC	Destroyed by the Goths, c. AD 263. Most of the remains were reused in other constructions. Remains survive.
4	Statue of Zeus/Jupiter	Olympia, Elis, Greece	c. 430 BC²	Destroyed by fire, AD 475. Remains of the temple discovered in 1829.
5	Mausoleum at Halicarnassus	Bodrum, Turkey	c. 285 BC	Damaged by an earthquake, 1200s. In 1402, most of its remains were used by the Crusaders to construct their castle at Bodrum. Remains survive.
6	Colossus of Rhodes	Rhodes, Greece	c. 285 BC	Destroyed in 225 BC by an earthquake. Remains sold off by Arab conquerors in AD 654.
7	Lighthouse of Alexandria	Isle of Pharos, Egypt	c. 279 BC	Destroyed by an earthquake, c. 1303. Remains used by Sultan Qaiy Bey to build a fort, 1480. Underwater remains found in 1994.


► Seven wonders of the ancient world in art by Philips Galle, Bernard Rantwyck, and William Harvey

The Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages
#	Construction	Location	Date Built
1	Colosseum of Rome	Rome, Italy	AD 80
2	Catacombs of Alexandria	Alexandria, Egypt	2nd century AD
3	Great Wall of China	China	204 BC
4	Stonehenge	Wiltshire, England	c. 2000 BC
5	Leaning Tower of Pisa	Pisa, Italy	1174
6	Porcelain Tower of Nanking	Nanking, China	1413. Destroyed between 1853 and 1864
7	Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque	Istanbul, Turkey	532-537

The Seven Wonders of the Modern World
#	Construction	Location	Date Built
1	Panama Canal	Panama	1914
2	North Sea Protection Works	The Netherlands	from 1927
3	Empire State Building	New York, USA	1932
4	Golden Gate Bridge	San Francisco, USA	1937
5	CN Tower	Toronto, Canada	1976
6	Itaipu Dam	Brazil and Paraguay border	1982
7	Channel Tunnel	British Channel, France and England	1994

The New Seven Wonders of the World
#	Construction	Location	Date Built
1	Chichén Itzá	Yucatan, Mexico	9th century AD
2	Great Wall of China	China	204 BC
3	Taj Mahal	Agra, India	btw 1628-58 (mausoleum)
4	Colosseum of Rome	Rome, Italy	AD 80
5	Christ the Redeemer Statue	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	1926
6	Machu Picchu	Andes Mountains, Peru	15th century AD
7	City of Petra	Jordan	from c. 300 BC

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Notes

The list of ancient wonders was compiled by Antipater of Sidon, 240 BC.
The Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages list originates from English and French writers in the 18th century.
The list of modern wonders was composed by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994.
The New Seven Wonders list was decided by popular vote on 7 July 2007.

1. Constructed during King Nebuchadnezzar reign (c. 605–562 BC)
2. Built by the Athenian sculptor Pheidias