Angkor Wat temple (Photo: www.angkor-ruins.com) is selected as one of the finalist for the Seven World Wonders. The public is invited to cast their vote for the final group of seven wonders at: http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=315By Jennifer Viegas, Travel Channel News
April 27, 2006— Only 21 finalists remain in the final stretch of the public's selection of the new seven most noteworthy landmarks in the world, the Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation has told Discovery News.
The goal of the project is to revise the original "seven ancient wonders of the world," since only one — the pyramids of Egypt — still exists today.
Finalists for the new group are, in alphabetical order: the Acropolis in Athens; the Alhambra in Granada, Spain; Angkor, Cambodia; Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico; Christ Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro; the Colosseum in Rome; Easter Island Statues, Chile; Eiffel Tower, Paris; Great Wall, China; Hagia Sofia, Istanbul; Kyomizu Temple, Kyoto, Japan; Kremlin/St. Basil, Moscow; Machu Picchu, Peru; Neuschwanstein Castle, Füssen, Germany; Petra, Jordan; Pyramids of Giza, Egypt; the Statue of Liberty, New York; Stonehenge, Amesbury, United Kingdom; Sydney Opera House, Australia; the Taj Majal, Agra, India; and Timbuktu, Mali.
Over 19 million votes cast online and over the phone resulted in the finalists. Foundation spokesperson Tia Viering told Discovery News, "We were not surprised by the choices. We were happy that all regions of the world are now represented, but this was not a criteria for them being chosen!"
She added, "We're celebrating the amazing diversity of our cultural heritage, and you can really see this diversity in the 21 finalist monuments. We have such different structures, with different purposes and histories and that evoke different emotions."
Viering indicated that one goal of the project is to draw attention to these important landmarks, which require regular upkeep and repair.
She said, "The only exception is Timbuktu, which is really a special case, since this monument can be compared to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon of the ancient seven wonders. While there are no physical structures associated with it, it revolves around a myth more than anything else, with writings and other valuable items that give life and substance to the myth."
The idea of compiling such a list of seven goes back to Philon of Byzantium, who lived from around 280 to 220 B.C. Philon was a Greek scientist who, in addition to his ancient seven wonders list, wrote about mechanics and mathematical puzzles.
Philon's wonders list consisted of manmade monuments built between 2500 B.C. to toward the end of his lifetime. Aside from the pyramids and the hanging gardens, they were the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
Federico Mayor, former director general of UNESCO, thinks revising the list is important.
He said, "With New7Wonders, we can contribute to a project which involves people of all continents and cultures, and which features their different visions in different periods — a catalyst for a more peaceful world."
Mayor added, "This project has a mobilizing effect to show to the world what people are able to create!"
Not everyone, however, is pleased with the list of entries. According to a Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies report, Hassan Abbassi, who is the director of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Commission in Iran, expressed disappointment that no Iranian cultural heritage landmarks made it to the new wonders list.
He suggested that Iranian monuments, such as the Persepolis and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square of Isfahan, should have been added.
Abbassi indicated that Iran must do a better job at promoting its historical monuments to the international community.
Individuals can now vote via phone or Internet for the final group of seven wonders. Information is at http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=315. Between May-October of this year, the public will have a chance to visit the 21 finalists by hot air balloon, airship and plane.
The winning seven landmarks will be announced Jan. 1, 2007.
The New7Wonders Foundation was founded and partly funded in 2001 by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber. The foundation is based at the Heidi-Weber-Museum in Zurich.
April 27, 2006— Only 21 finalists remain in the final stretch of the public's selection of the new seven most noteworthy landmarks in the world, the Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation has told Discovery News.
The goal of the project is to revise the original "seven ancient wonders of the world," since only one — the pyramids of Egypt — still exists today.
Finalists for the new group are, in alphabetical order: the Acropolis in Athens; the Alhambra in Granada, Spain; Angkor, Cambodia; Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico; Christ Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro; the Colosseum in Rome; Easter Island Statues, Chile; Eiffel Tower, Paris; Great Wall, China; Hagia Sofia, Istanbul; Kyomizu Temple, Kyoto, Japan; Kremlin/St. Basil, Moscow; Machu Picchu, Peru; Neuschwanstein Castle, Füssen, Germany; Petra, Jordan; Pyramids of Giza, Egypt; the Statue of Liberty, New York; Stonehenge, Amesbury, United Kingdom; Sydney Opera House, Australia; the Taj Majal, Agra, India; and Timbuktu, Mali.
Over 19 million votes cast online and over the phone resulted in the finalists. Foundation spokesperson Tia Viering told Discovery News, "We were not surprised by the choices. We were happy that all regions of the world are now represented, but this was not a criteria for them being chosen!"
She added, "We're celebrating the amazing diversity of our cultural heritage, and you can really see this diversity in the 21 finalist monuments. We have such different structures, with different purposes and histories and that evoke different emotions."
Viering indicated that one goal of the project is to draw attention to these important landmarks, which require regular upkeep and repair.
She said, "The only exception is Timbuktu, which is really a special case, since this monument can be compared to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon of the ancient seven wonders. While there are no physical structures associated with it, it revolves around a myth more than anything else, with writings and other valuable items that give life and substance to the myth."
The idea of compiling such a list of seven goes back to Philon of Byzantium, who lived from around 280 to 220 B.C. Philon was a Greek scientist who, in addition to his ancient seven wonders list, wrote about mechanics and mathematical puzzles.
Philon's wonders list consisted of manmade monuments built between 2500 B.C. to toward the end of his lifetime. Aside from the pyramids and the hanging gardens, they were the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
Federico Mayor, former director general of UNESCO, thinks revising the list is important.
He said, "With New7Wonders, we can contribute to a project which involves people of all continents and cultures, and which features their different visions in different periods — a catalyst for a more peaceful world."
Mayor added, "This project has a mobilizing effect to show to the world what people are able to create!"
Not everyone, however, is pleased with the list of entries. According to a Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies report, Hassan Abbassi, who is the director of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Commission in Iran, expressed disappointment that no Iranian cultural heritage landmarks made it to the new wonders list.
He suggested that Iranian monuments, such as the Persepolis and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square of Isfahan, should have been added.
Abbassi indicated that Iran must do a better job at promoting its historical monuments to the international community.
Individuals can now vote via phone or Internet for the final group of seven wonders. Information is at http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=315. Between May-October of this year, the public will have a chance to visit the 21 finalists by hot air balloon, airship and plane.
The winning seven landmarks will be announced Jan. 1, 2007.
The New7Wonders Foundation was founded and partly funded in 2001 by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber. The foundation is based at the Heidi-Weber-Museum in Zurich.
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