Published : 2025-07-07
On July 7, 2007, the results of the selection for the world's "New Seven Wonders" were announced in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.
The Great Wall of China, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, the Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen Itza, the Roman Colosseum, and the Taj Mahal in India were named the world's "New Seven Wonders."
The Great Wall of China topped the list of the "New Seven Wonders" due to receiving the most votes.
The unveiling ceremony of the selection results was held at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, with more than 100 countries around the world simultaneously watching the broadcast.
Then Portuguese President Cavaco Silva, along with more than 50,000 people on-site, witnessed the birth of the "New Seven Wonders."
After the announcement of the selection results, organisers of the event presented commemorative medals to representatives from the countries of the "New Seven Wonders."
Han Guowei (韓國偉), the Chinese Great Wall Society representative, who attended the unveiling ceremony, told the media that the Great Wall is a world cultural heritage belonging to all mankind, and it was chosen as one of the world's "New Seven Wonders" due to its great charm.
In the 3rd century BC, Phoenician traveller Antipater of Sidon summarised the great man-made landscapes he viewed as the "Seven Wonders," which included the Pyramids of Giza and the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus in Turkey, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Statue of Zeus at Olympia in Greece.
The selection for the world's "New Seven Wonders" was initiated by the private organisation "New7Wonders Foundation."
This foundation launched the global selection activity, and chose seven out of 21 world landmarks as the "New Seven Wonders" through internet, phone, and SMS voting methods. The organisation claimed that over 90 million people participated in the voting.
There was also a minor incident during the selection, as Egypt strongly opposed having the "Pyramids" compete for a place, considering it an insult.
Therefore, the "New7Wonders Foundation" decided to classify the "Pyramids" as an honorary candidate and not subject them to voting.
