Seven wonders of the world - interesting facts and photos

The beautiful city of Petra was built by the Nabateans, from 4th century BC to 2nd century AD. It was built along the old silk route and spice trading routes and stands as a testimony to the old times. The beautiful facades here are built into the canyons, so intricately carved that the place comes alive under the sun everyday.

This city was built by the Maya-Toltec civilisation from 5th century to 13th century by the Maya-Toltec civilisation. It is one of the prominent ancient Mayan cities, and was a flourishing one till 1200 AD. The Temple of Kukulkán is a major attraction here; with its 365 steps reflecting days of a year, it is also a specimen of Mayan's expertise in astronomy and science.

This statue is perhaps the most famous attraction of Rio de Janeiro, and rightly so. It was built from 1926 to 1931, and stands 125 ft tall. This masterpiece is also believed to be the largest art deco sculpture in the world. It overlooks the very beautiful Rio from a 710m mountain top, which also makes it vulnerable to bad weather conditions.

One of India's most famous landmarks, Taj Mahal is also one of the seven new wonders of the world. It is also one of the finest specimens of Mughal architecture and took almost 16 years and 20,ooo workers to build. Currently, efforts are on to protect the monument, made largely out of white marble, from pollution.

This famous masterpiece was commissioned and built during the first century of the Roman Empire. It is an ampitheater, and was used as a venue for gladiator sports and even public executions. One third of the structure is still in place here, as much of it has been damaged in earthquakes. Restoration efforts are currently on here, and have been continuing for years now.

The Great Wall of China is a rage with travellers and is also one of the most photographed spots in the world. It was built from 220 BC to 1644 AD, and is estimated to be as long as 20,000 km. It is built over mountainous terrain and is a sight to behold.

Back in the 60s, Machu Picchu was one of the highlights of the hippie trail. This intriguing settlement was built by the Incans. It sites in the Andes Mountains in Peru and is one of the most visited sites in the world. So much so that it also suffered from ill-effects of overtourism before COVID-19 put most tourist activities to a stop. A once thriving settlement, it was eventually abandoned for unknown reasons.