In May 2022 Alison and I completed a multi-year goal of visiting the 7 Wonders of the Modern World. The 7 Wonders of the Modern World is a list of some of the most significant monuments in the world. The list is meant to echo the 7 wonders of the ancient world, which is a famous list of seven notable structures present during classical antiquity. To qualify a monument needed to be man-made and have rich cultural, historical, or heritage value. The original list also considered the limited architectural tools available when the monument was built. Thus making it a "wonder" that it still stands today. The New 7 Wonders (N7W) Foundation started with a list of 200 potential monuments. This list was whittled down and eventually, N7W held a giant global poll, still one of the largest - if not the largest - poll on record, to determine the New 7 Wonders.
Alison and I decided on this goal during our 2017 trip to the Middle East. This was our first international trip together (and my first international trip ever). On that trip, we saw the great pyramids in Egypt (the last surviving wonder of the ancient world) and Petra one of the New 7 Wonders. Both of these sites were incredible and stirred within us excitement to see the world.
We thought it would take a decade or more to visit all of these sites, but we ended up seeing them (and many more amazing places) in less than 5 years. We would have finished the list in 2020, but COVID threw a wrench in that plan. When we first began this travel journey we could not have predicted the whirlwind of travel that we would experience, especially over the past two years.
I wanted to take a moment to reflect on our visit to each of these sites. I have listed them below in order of most to least favorite.
Monument: Taj Mahal
Location: Agra, India
Built: 1631 and 1648 AD
Date visited: September 28 - 29, 2019
This was without question our favorite monument among the New 7 Wonders of the World. I still remember the first views we had of the Taj Mahal. We were in the Mahtab Bagh, or moonlit garden, across the river and we watched the sun set causing the flawless white marble to shimmer and sparkle in the fading light. What a way to be introduced to this spectacular monument.
The next morning we visited the Taj Mahal at sunrise. It is beautifully built and immaculately maintained. We learned the history as we walked the gardens before ascending to the marble pedestal. Our perspective shifted the nearer we came to the Taj Mahal. From a distance, the Taj Mahal looks completely white, but up close it’s easy to see the flowers, calligraphy, and motifs that decorate the complex. There are in-laid stone flowers throughout the white marble in addition to verses from the Koran. The relief sculpture flowers were meant to be quite exotic. Around the bottom of the dome there are upside down lilies to represent mourning. When the light hits the white marble, the stones start to glisten and light up, so the colors change with the sun. It’s quite spectacular.
We enjoyed spending time at the Taj Mahal so much that we left and then came back for another visit in the afternoon. We enjoyed spending about 90 more minutes in the presence of this gorgeous monument. We were both so happy. Even if we could have spent the entire day there, it would never be enough time. It’s such a gorgeous building and we felt such a strong connection to it.
Monument: Machu Picchu
Location: Peru
Built: ~1490 AD
Date visited: May 11, 2022
This is one of the last monuments we visited and was one we waited the longest to see. We originally had a trip scheduled to visit Machu Picchu in May 2020, but COVID spoiled those plans. Two years later in May 2022 we finally got to take the trip. We were not disappointed - Machu Picchu exceeded our high expectations.
We woke early to be among the first people into Machu Picchu for the day. Getting there early had the added benefit of allowing us to watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu. It was a beautiful blue sky day so watching the sun rise over this monument was epic. We spent the morning exploring the ruins and learning the history of this remarkable city.
We topped off our visit to this monument with a hike to the top of Huayna Picchu. This hike was steep and brutal, but the views overlooking Machu Picchu were breathtaking. These views were 100% worth the effort.
We could not have asked for a better visit to Machu Picchu - the weather, low crowds, early morning, and our guide Luis all came together perfectly to make for a memorable experience at the ''Lost City of the Incas'.
Monument: Petra
Location: Kingdom of Jordan
Built: 312 BC
Date visited: November 27, 2017
This was our first visit to one of the 7 Wonders of the World. This was the monument that inspired us to visit all of the other monuments on this list. I still remember my sense of awe and wonder as I was hiking through a slot canyon half a world away from home and in the distance through the narrow canyon walls I could see the breathtaking beauty of the Treasury.
Now there is more to Petra than the Treasury and we spent the entire day hiking around this ancient Nabataean city. The other highlight was visiting the Monastery. We went on a moderate hike up the stone steps carved into a mountain (the alternative to hiking was to ride a donkey up) to this other building carved out of the stone. The Monastery is quite spectacular and from there we had views of the ancient city below.
We squeezed every allotted moment we had in this city and it still was not enough. I don't know if we will ever make it back to this place, but I would love to return in the future. This site inspired much of our desire to travel and see amazing sites around the world.
Monument: Great Wall of China
Location: China
Built: 680 BC – 1681 AD
Date visited: May 16, 2018
Visiting the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall was one of our first stops on our trip to China. What a way to start a trip. To get to this section we took a chairlift, which was a cool way to be introduced to the Great Wall because on a smoggy day (like the one we visited on) the wall appears to rise up out of the forest. At the top we had a choice - right or left. We ultimately chose both. We started out heading right were we climbed so many stairs. It was hot and humid so we were sweaty. We went as far as we could in that direction and then headed back and went as far to the left as we could, until we ran out of time. While we were running all over we saw so much - steep stairs, tall towers, and flat open sections. We also climbed down to the ground next to the wall and looked up to see it towering overhead.
When it was time to leave the Great Wall we took a toboggan down. Then we ate lunch on an outdoor patio where we could see the Great Wall snaking along the ridgeline above us. The Great Wall was a pretty spectacular. I wish it wouldn't have been as smoggy, but I think those conditions are more likely than not these days. Despite the smog, visiting the Great Wall was one of or favorite experiences in China.
Monument: The Colosseum
Location: Rome, Italy
Built: 70 AD
Date visited: September 16, 2018
Alison and I both enjoy learning about history so Ancient Rome was right in our wheelhouse. The highlight of Ancient Rome is the Collosseum. It is easy to see why this landmark made the list of the 7 Wonders of the World. We scheduled our tour for first thing in the morning and we arrived early for the tour. This meant we got to spend a few minutes outside the monument when there was next to no one else there. If possible, I prefer spending some time at these amazing sites when no one else is around.
We met our tour group and we got to skip the line. Since we were among the first ones inside we got to wander around while our guide told us the history of the Colosseum. Our guide told us to enjoy these first few moments because she said we would probably never see the coliseum with this few people inside again. She was right - by the end of our tour the Colosseum was full of people want to see this Wonder of the World. I don't blame them at all. The Colosseum is incredible and was the highlight of our visit to the remnants of Ancient Rome.
Monument: Chichen Itza
Location: Yucatan, Mexico
Built: ~400 AD
Date visited: February 19, 2019
Getting to Chichen Itza for us was a challenge. We didn't necessarily want to spend an extended amount of time in Mexico. So we took a cruise that had a stop in Progresso where we could take an excursion to see Chichen Itza. Visiting Chichen Itza via a cruise is an all-day event. It is ~2.5 hour drive each way. Once we arrived at this monument we immediately knew it was worth the long drive. The grandeur and scale of these ruins make it easy to see why this is designated as one of the 7 Wonders of the World. We loved exploring this monument, learning about the history and culture of the people in this region, buying a jaguar whistle, and taking about a millions photos. This is quite the photogenic place and the weather could not have been more perfect. It was warm with blue skies and a few scattered clouds. That made for an enjoyable day wandering around the ruins of the most famous Mayan city.
Monument: Christ The Redeemer
Location: Brazil
Built: 1922-1931 AD
Date visited: May 18, 2022
While the Christ the Redeemer statue is a nice monument, it was without a doubt the least impressive of the 7 Wonders of the World. Props to the Brazilian people for mobilizing the vote to get this monument on the list. The monument is large and impressive up close, but the viewing platform is pretty small that is basically always crowded. Still it was fun to visit and there was a sense of accomplishment since this was the last Wonder on our list. While it wasn't our favorite monument to visit, we did love the way the Christ the Redeemer statue is an integral part of Rio De Janeiro. From so many points in the city you look up and see it towering over the city. This monument was more impressive from a distance.
We also have two honorary monuments that we visited during our travels to include on this list - the last remnants of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.
Monument: The Pyramids of Giza
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Built: ~2500 BC
Date visited: November 25, 2017
To say the Pyramids of Giza are grand is maybe the world's biggest understatement. I was beyond excited to visit it. And visiting them was beyond epic. We started at the Great Pyramid and it was absolutely spectacular. It is over 400 feet tall and was built with blocks weighing between 5-10 tons. As we drove up and the pyramid came into view it was overwhelming. The size is so huge. No pictures or words do justice of the majesty of the sight. We stopped at a viewpoint where we got to see the panoramic view that is in so many of the pictures. Then we rode camels from the viewpoint to the pyramids. Riding across the desert to the pyramids is a site we will never forget. Our last view of the pyramids and the sphinx had the sun sinking behind them. What a way to end a day! I will never forget the time we visited the Pyramids of Giza.
Monument: Temple of Artemis
Location: Ephesus, Turkey
Built: ~550 BC
Date visited: March 25, 2021
This site is not particularly impressive. While we were in Ephesus we visited the Temple of Artemis. Really what is left of it. This was once one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, but sadly all that is left is one solitary column and some ruins. Most of the columns and building materials were pilfered for use in other buildings. Still it was fun to visit this site and imagine what this monument would have been like in its heyday.
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