Wonders of the World

Machu Picchu, a city of rock that is thought to have been built for Incan royalty in the 1400s, was rediscovered by an American explorer in 1911 on a high mountain ridge in Peru. Machu Picchu is also known as The Lost City of the Incas and has been designated a World Heritage site by the UN.

The Great Wall of China, an ancient fortification that was built to protect China from Mongolian invaders, has been said to be the only man-made object that can be seen from the moon. That is a myth, as the wall is comparable in width to some modern-day highways. First built in the third century B.C., the wall stretches nearly 4,000 miles.

Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the oldest– the Great Pyramid of Giza, in Egypt– still exists today. The other wonders, ranging from a statue of Zeus to a lighthouse on the Mediterranean, have been destroyed by fire, earthquakes and war.

Stonehenge, which derives its name from Old English words meaning hanging stones, is a Bronze Age structure in England composed of giant, freestanding stones. Experts have theorized that the circle of stones was built for everything from religious and funerary purposes to use as an ancient astronomy observatory.

Easter Island, a territory of Chile, is known for more than 600 enormous stone statues that dot the island coastline. Thought by archeologists to be carved sometime in the 17th century, the monolithic statues are part of the Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Angkor Wat, an immense complex of temples deep in the forests of Cambodia, is considered one of the most important archeological sites in Southeast Asia and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built between the 9th and 15th centuries, the complex stretches over 400 sq. miles.

Originally built as the cathedral bell tower in the Italian city of Pisa, the tower began leaning almost immediately after construction began in 1173. It took nearly 200 years to complete the tower as builders tried to figure out how to straighten the building. To this day, the tower still leans.

The largest Mexican archeological site built before Europeans discovered the Americas, Chichen Itza is a Mayan complex in Yucatan, Mexico. The Mayans built palaces, temples, baths, markets, stages and ballcourts on the site, many of which still stand today.

Both the Acropolis, an ancient Greek temple complex in Athens, and the Colosseum, an ancient Roman stadium in Rome, are located in cities that have hosted the Olympics.

The Taj Mahal, an elaborate white marble mausoleum in India, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, after she died in childbirth. This labor of love took nearly 20 years and 20,000 laborers to complete– and cost the equivalent of $500 million to build.

At 12,828 feet, Japans Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is the worlds longest suspension bridge. The Tacoma Narrows, however, is perhaps most famous; nicknamed Gertie, Washingtons longest suspension bridge collapsed in 1940 in heavy wind.