Wonders of the World facts for kids

Have you ever wondered about the most amazing places and buildings on Earth? People throughout history have made lists of the Wonders of the World. These lists celebrate the most incredible natural sights and amazing structures built by humans.

The very first famous list was the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It showed off the most impressive buildings from a long time ago. This list became well-known in a book called Octo Mundi Miracula in 1572. These ancient wonders were all found around the Mediterranean Sea and the Near East. The number seven was special to the ancient Greeks. They thought it meant perfection and completeness. It also matched the number of planets they knew about (five), plus the Sun and Moon.

The Octo Mundi Miracula shows imagined pictures of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. These pictures helped create the modern list of seven wonders. From left to right, top to bottom, you can see: the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and the Temple of Artemis. The artist also added the Colosseum as an eighth wonder.

A map showing places listed in different Wonders of the World lists.

Amazing Ancient Wonders

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only ancient wonder still standing today.

The original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were truly incredible. They were all built a very long time ago. Only one of them still stands today!

The Original Seven Wonders

Here are the seven amazing ancient wonders:

• Great Pyramid of Giza, in Giza, Egypt. This is the oldest wonder and the only one you can still visit! It was finished around 2560 BC.
• Colossus of Rhodes, on the Greek island of Rhodes. This was a giant statue of the sun god Helios, standing over a harbor.
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon, in ancient Babylon, Iraq. These were beautiful terraced gardens, a marvel of ancient engineering.
• Lighthouse of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt. One of the tallest man-made structures for centuries, guiding ships.
• Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, in Halicarnassus, Turkey. A grand tomb built for Mausolus, a ruler of the Achaemenid Empire.
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia, in Olympia, Greece. A huge, seated statue of the god Zeus, made of ivory and gold.
• Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, in Ephesus, Turkey. A magnificent temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis.

Wonders from Different Times

Over the years, people kept making new lists of wonders. Some writers in the 1800s and early 1900s created lists called "Wonders of the Middle Ages." The Middle Ages was a time in history between ancient and modern times.

These lists often included buildings that were very old but still famous. They showed off amazing architecture and engineering from different periods.

Famous Medieval Structures

Here are some famous structures often found on these "Middle Ages" lists:

• Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, in Alexandria, Egypt. These are ancient underground tombs from the 2nd century.
• Colosseum, in Rome, Italy. A huge ancient arena where gladiators once fought, built in the 1st century.
• Great Wall of China. This massive series of walls was built to protect China. Some parts are over 2,700 years old!
• Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey. This building was first a church, then a mosque, and now a museum. It was built in the 6th century.
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, in Pisa, Italy. This famous bell tower started leaning shortly after it was built in the 12th century.
• Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, in Nanjing, China. A beautiful pagoda built in the 15th century, known for its porcelain bricks.
• Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, England. A mysterious circle of huge stones, built thousands of years ago in the Stone Age.

Modern Wonders and New Discoveries

People today still love to make lists of wonders! Many groups and organizations have created new lists. These lists include both old and new marvels, and both natural places and human-made structures.

Engineering Marvels of Today

The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, was once the tallest freestanding structure in the world.

In 1994, a group called the American Society of Civil Engineers made a list. They wanted to celebrate the best civil engineering projects of the 20th century. Civil engineering is about designing and building things like roads, bridges, and buildings.

USA Today's Special List

The historic Old City of Jerusalem was chosen as a wonder.

In November 2006, the newspaper USA Today and the TV show Good Morning America created their own "New Seven Wonders" list. Judges picked these wonders, which included both natural places and human-made sites. Later, the Grand Canyon was added as an eighth wonder because many viewers wanted it included.

Nature's Own Seven Wonders

The powerful Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Just like human-made wonders, there are many amazing natural places. Many groups have tried to list the "Seven Natural Wonders of the World." Here is one popular list, made by CNN in 1997:

• Aurora, seen in Earth's polar regions. These are beautiful natural light displays in the sky.
• Grand Canyon, in Arizona, United States. A massive canyon carved by the Colorado River.
• Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The world's largest coral reef system, full of sea life.
• Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A stunning natural harbor surrounded by mountains.
• Mount Everest, on the border of Nepal and China. The tallest mountain in the world.
• Parícutin volcano, in Michoacán, Mexico. A volcano that grew quickly in a farmer's field.
• Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. A huge waterfall, one of the largest in the world.

The New 7 Wonders of the World (Voted by You!)

El Castillo at Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan city.

In 2001, a Swiss group started a project to choose the "New 7 Wonders of the World." People from all over the globe voted online for their favorite monuments. The Great Pyramid of Giza was already an ancient wonder, so it was made an honorary candidate.

The New 7 Wonders of Nature (Voted by You!)

Jeju Island in South Korea, known for its volcanic landscapes.

The same group that chose the New 7 Wonders of the World also organized a vote for natural wonders. From 2007 to 2011, people voted for the "New 7 Wonders of Nature."

• Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil. A stunning system of waterfalls.
• Hạ Long Bay, in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam. Famous for its thousands of limestone islands.
• Jeju Island, in Jeju Province, South Korea. A beautiful volcanic island.
• Puerto Princesa Underground River, in Palawan, Philippines. A long underground river system.
• Table Mountain, overlooking Cape Town, South Africa. A flat-topped mountain, a famous landmark.
• Komodo Island, in Indonesia. Home to the Komodo dragon.
• Amazon rainforest, located in South America. The largest rainforest in the world, full of unique wildlife.

The New 7 Wonders Cities

Calle Crisologo, a historic street in Vigan City, Philippines.

Another list created by New7Wonders was for "New 7 Wonders Cities." This global vote chose entire cities as wonders.

• Durban, South Africa
• Vigan, Philippines
• Havana, Cuba
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Beirut, Lebanon
• Doha, Qatar
• La Paz, Bolivia

Wonders Under the Sea

The amazing Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

A group called CEDAM International, which works to protect oceans, made a list of "Seven Wonders of the Underwater World." In 1989, marine scientists picked these special underwater places that needed protection.

• Palau. An island nation known for its rich marine life.
• Belize Barrier Reef, Belize. A large coral reef system.
• Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The world's biggest coral reef.
• Deep-sea hydrothermal vents (worldwide). Underwater hot springs that support unique ecosystems.
• Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Islands famous for their unique wildlife, which inspired Charles Darwin.
• Lake Baikal, Russia. The deepest and oldest freshwater lake in the world.
• Northern Red Sea. A sea known for its clear waters and coral reefs.

Wonders of the Industrial Age

The historic Bell Rock Lighthouse in Scotland.

British author Deborah Cadbury wrote a book called Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. It told the stories of seven amazing engineering projects from the 1800s and early 1900s. The BBC also made a TV show about these feats.

Wonders of Our Solar System

Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons, known for its icy geysers.

In 1999, Astronomy magazine listed the "Seven Wonders of the Solar System."

• Enceladus, a moon of Saturn. It has icy geysers erupting from its surface.
• The Great Red Spot of Jupiter. A giant, long-lasting storm on the planet Jupiter.
• The asteroid belt. A region between Mars and Jupiter filled with many rocky objects.
• The surface of the Sun. The bright, visible surface of our star.
• The oceans of Earth. Our planet's vast bodies of water, full of life.
• The Rings of Saturn. The beautiful and complex rings made of ice and rock particles.
• Olympus Mons. A huge volcano on Mars, the tallest mountain in our Solar System.

Other Exciting Lists

Many other authors and groups have created their own lists of world wonders in books and magazines.

The 1956 film Seven Wonders of the World showed Lowell Thomas traveling the globe. He searched for natural and human-made wonders, inviting viewers to update the ancient list.

See Also

In Spanish: Maravillas del mundo para niños

• Eighth Wonder of the World
• National Seven Wonders
  • Seven Wonders of Brazil
  • Seven Wonders of Canada
  • Seven Wonders of Colombia
  • Seven Wonders of Poland
  • Seven Wonders of Portugal
  • Seven Natural Wonders of Romania
  • Seven Wonders of Romania
  • Seven Wonders of Russia
  • Seven Wonders of Ukraine
  • Seven Wonders of Wales
  • Seven Wonders of Dauphiné
• 12 Treasures of Spain
• Seven Wonders of Fore (Fore Abbey, Ireland)
• World Heritage List – a list of over 1,200 sites deemed by UNESCO to be of "outstanding universal value"