Eighth Wonder of the World facts for kids

The Eighth Wonder of the World is a special, unofficial title. People sometimes give it to amazing new buildings, structures, projects, designs, or even people. It means they are thought to be as impressive as the original Wonders of the World.

Amazing Places and Creations

Many different things have been called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" because they are so incredible. These include natural places and things built by people, both old and new.

Natural Wonders

These are incredible places made by nature itself.

• Burney Falls in California, United States. Theodore Roosevelt, a former U.S. President, called it this.
• Deadvlei Clay Pan in Namibia, a unique desert landscape.
• Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, famous for its interlocking basalt columns.
• Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, Canada, known for its stunning fjords and mountains.
• Milford Sound in New Zealand. The writer Rudyard Kipling gave it this name.
• Natural Tunnel in Virginia, United States. William Jennings Bryan, a famous speaker, called it this.
• Niagara Falls, a huge waterfall between Canada and the United States.
• Pink and White Terraces in New Zealand. These beautiful terraces were thought to be destroyed in 1886. But in 2017, researchers found their locations again.
• Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, known for its towering granite peaks.
• The great wildebeest migration. This happens in the Maasai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti in Tanzania. Millions of animals move across the plains.

Older Creations (Before 1900)

These are amazing things built by people a long time ago.

Sigiriya in Sri Lanka is an ancient rock fortress and palace.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is a huge temple complex.

The Citadelle Laferrière in Haiti is a large mountaintop fortress.

The Church of Saint George in Ethiopia is carved right out of rock.

The Chapel of the Rosario in Mexico is known for its detailed gold decoration.

• Amber Room in Russia, a room decorated with amber panels.
• Angkor Wat in Cambodia, a huge and beautiful temple complex.
• Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines, ancient terraces carved into mountains.
• Borobudur in Indonesia, a large Buddhist temple.
• The Citadelle Laferrière in Haiti, a massive fortress on a mountaintop.
• The Eads Bridge in St. Louis, United States, an early steel arch bridge.
• The Erie Canal in New York, United States, an important waterway.
• Monastery of El Escorial in Spain, a grand royal palace and monastery.
• The Forth Railway Bridge in Scotland, an iconic railway bridge.
• Great Wall of China, a very long series of walls and fortifications.
• The original 1882 Kinzua Viaduct in Pennsylvania, United States, a tall railway bridge.
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, famous for its tilt.
• Machu Picchu in Peru, an ancient Inca city high in the Andes mountains.
• The moai statues of Easter Island, Chile, large stone figures.
• The Obelisk of Axum in Ethiopia, an ancient stone monument.
• The Polhem dry dock in Sweden, an old shipyard.
• The rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, Ethiopia. These churches are carved directly into the ground.
• Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands, a grand city palace.
• Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, an ancient rock fortress.
• Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, United States, a symbol of freedom.
• Stonehenge in England, a prehistoric stone monument.
• The Taj Mahal in India, a beautiful marble mausoleum.
• Chapel of the Rosario in Puebla City, Mexico, known for its stunning gold interior.
• The Terracotta Army in China, an army of clay soldiers buried with an emperor.
• The original rail-only Victoria Bridge (Montreal), Canada, an early railway bridge.
• Thames Tunnel in London, United Kingdom, an underwater tunnel.

Newer Creations (After 1900)

These are impressive structures built in more recent times.

The Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, is known for its unique shell-like roof.

• Aswan Dam in Egypt, a large dam on the Nile River. Nikita Khrushchev, a Soviet leader, called it this.
• Bahá'í terraces in Haifa, Israel, beautiful garden terraces.
• Delta Works in the Netherlands. This huge system of dams and barriers protects the country from floods. It is often called one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
• Empire State Building in New York City, United States, a very tall skyscraper.
• George Washington Bridge in New York City, United States, a large suspension bridge.
• Great Manmade River in Libya, a project to bring water from underground. Muammar Gaddafi, a former Libyan leader, gave it this title.
• Hibernia Oil Platform in Newfoundland, Canada, a massive offshore oil platform.
• Houston Astrodome in Texas, United States, an early domed sports stadium.
• Karakoram Highway in Pakistan and China, one of the highest paved roads in the world.
• Palm Islands of Dubai, artificial islands shaped like palm trees.
• Panama Canal in Panama, a famous waterway connecting two oceans.
• Pikeville Cut-Through in Pikeville, Kentucky, United States, a large engineering project that moved a river and railroad. The New York Times called it this.
• Queensway Tunnel in Liverpool, United Kingdom, a road tunnel under the River Mersey.
• Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) in Toronto, Canada, a stadium with a retractable roof.
• Statue of Unity in Kevadia, India, the world's tallest statue. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gave it this title.
• Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, famous for its unique design. An opera was even written about its construction called The Eighth Wonder.
• Thames Barrier in London, United Kingdom, a flood control barrier on the River Thames.
• Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, China, the world's largest power station.
• West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana, United States, a historic hotel with a huge dome.
• West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Canada, one of the largest shopping malls in the world.

In Fiction

Sometimes, fictional characters or creations in movies are also called the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

• King Kong is a giant fictional gorilla from movies. When he is captured, his owners promote him as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
• Similarly, Gorgo is a large dinosaur-like creature from a British movie. After being caught, Gorgo is also promoted as the "8th Wonder of the World" at a circus.

See also

In Spanish: Octava maravilla del mundo para niños

• New Seven Wonders of the World
• Wonders of the World
• Andre the Giant (a famous professional wrestler who was nicknamed 'The 8th Wonder of the World')
• Aishwarya Rai (a beauty pageant winner and actress who was also called '8th Wonder of the World')