Introduction

The seven wonders are recognized as the valuable achievements of art and architecture
and serve as a testament of the heights of human capability in the past. However, their
history and heritage remind us about the consequences of human conflict and
embellishment In 2000 a campaign was launched by a Swiss Foundation in order to select
which landmark is appropriate to be included in the new Seven Wonders of the World. The
list of the old seven wonders was compiled in the 2 nd century BCE.

Objectives: 1)To describe and analyze the ancient and new seven wonders of the world.

2) To compare between ancient and new seven wonders of the world

Research instrument:

I have done survey of relevant literature, documents, and webpage searches as methods of collecting
data and details.

Methodology: To conduct a comparative analysis between ancient and new seven wonders of the world,
I have made some specific groups on the basis human settlement, structural feature, funery monument,
and sacred place(temple). Then, I find out similarities and differences between the groups

Ancient wonders of the world

Lighthouse of Alexandria: It was a very lofty piece of architecture (lighthouse) and affirmed by historians
as the first lighthouse built in the world situated on the southeast edge of Pharos in the city of Alexandria
on the north coast of Egypt.  This lighthouse used to be one of the tallest structures in the world, since the
definite height of the lighthouse is unknown, 338 to 387 feet is an approximate range for its height.

Hanging gardens of Babylon:

Greek and Roman texts paint vivid pictures of the luxurious Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Amid the hot, arid
landscape of ancient Babylon, lush vegetation cascaded like waterfalls down the terraces of the 75-foot-high
garden. Exotic plants, herbs and flowers dazzled the eyes, and fragrances wafted through the towering
botanical oasis dotted with statues and tall stone columns.

The temple of Artemis:

The Temple of Artemis, sometimes called the Artemisium, was a huge, beautiful place of worship that was built around 550
BCE in the rich, port city of Ephesus (located in what is now western Turkey). When the beautiful monument was burned down
200 years later by the arsonist Herostratus in 356 BCE, the Temple of Artemis was built again, just as large but even more
intricately decorated, thus it was built on the remains of older temples.The Temple of Artemis was again destroyed in 262 CE
when the Goths invaded Ephesus, but the second time it was not rebuilt.
The statue of Zeus at Olympia:
466-456 BC saw the development and creation of the Temple of Zeus. The temple was constructed by Libon, a famous
architect of the time, in the classic Doric style. The Greeks of the time didn’t believe that the temple alone was enough to
appease Zeus so they commissioned a statue to be erected in the temple to honor the god.The Statue of Zeus was
created in 430 BC by the Greek sculptor Phidias. Phidias is highly regarded as the most famous sculptor in ancient
Greece. The statue took years to complete and is included as one of his two great masterpieces with the other
masterpiece being the statue of Athena in the Parthenon. The statue measured 13m tall (42 feet), 6m wide (21 feet), and
had a perimeter of 13m (43 feet). The statue was constructed from a wooden frame that was covered in expensive
materials for the time. These materials included: gold, ebony, ivory, silver, and precious stones. Historical accounts say
that his hair and beard were made from gold and that his unclothed flesh was rendered in ivory. His sandals and robe
were constructed from gold. The stool beneath his feet were upheld by two golden lions. In his left hand he held a
scepter that gave him dominion over the Earth. Olive oil was used to clean the statue daily in order to keep the ivory in
good condition.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus:
1886 German engraving by Frederick Knab of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, also known as the Tomb of Mausolus,
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This giant tomb was built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus
(present day Bodrum, Turkey) for Mausolus, a Satrap (province governor) of the Persian Empire and Artemisia II of Caria,
who was both his wife and his sister. It was designed by the Greek architects Satyros and Pythius of Priene and stood
approximately 45 metres high, but was destroyed by successive earthquakes from the 12th to the 15th century.

Colossus of Rhodes:

Considered one of the Seven ancient wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes was a feat of ingenuity and
engineering and served as a Rhodian symbol of victory.The Colossus of Rhodes was erected in 280 BCE but was toppled
by an earthquake in 226 BCE. The monumental statue remained fallen until 654 CE, before it was ultimately victim to
destruction, fragmentation, and looting. Now, there is a chance it may be resurrected once more. The Colossus of
Rhodes was said to be 105 feet tall, made of Bronze paneling, and internally supported by columns and iron. It was built
around 280 bc and stood until 226 bc. The statue depicted the sun god Helios, who was a worshiped figure on the island. 

New seven wonders of the world:

Chichen Itza:

Chichen Itza is a complex of Mayan ruins centrally located on the northern half of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. In ancient,
pre-Colombian times, Chichen Itza was a vibrant city with a diverse population of Mayan people extending well into the
tens of thousands. Today, the site is home to the remnants of many ancient Mayan structures, including the famed El
Castillo pyramid that dominates the site’s center. Chichen Itza was founded by the Maya, an ancient people native to the
Yucatan Peninsula. Historians believe that Chichen Itza was built due to its close proximity to the Xtoloc cenote.Chichen
Itza was founded by the Maya, an ancient people inhabiting the Yucutan peninsula. Within the Yucatan Peninsula, Mayan
culture and architectural style varied from area to area, with several groups establishing themselves across the region. At
its height, Chichen Itza was home to Mayan people from all areas of the Yucatan Peninsula. The city exhibits a
multitude of architectural styles, reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico and of the Puuc and Chenes styles
found in the Northern Maya lowlands.

Machu Picchu:

Most archeologists believe that Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Paracuti (1438–1472).
Often mistakenly referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is the most familiar icon of Inca civilization. The Incas built
the estate around 1450 but abandoned it a century later at the time of the Spanish conquest. Machu Picchu is a 15th-
century Inca core fortified area, located in the of southern, on a 2,430-meter (7,970 ft) mountain ridge.

Great Wall of China:

There is a claim that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from space.  The Great Wall of China
has a long history — more than 2,300 years. It was built in different areas by different states/dynasties to protect
different territorial borders. It’s often said that the First Emperor of Qin built the Great Wall. Actually he was not the first
to build it. The Great Wall was first built by three warring states, then extended and rebuilt by at least six dynasties, and
has been restored as a tourist attraction by the Chinese government.
‘

Petra:

Located in southwest Jordan are the ruins of the ancient city of Petra. Massive temples, tombs and monuments have
been cut into the surrounding sandstone cliffs. Petra, which is Greek for “rock,” is also known as “the city in the rock.”
Perhaps the most impressive Petra structure is the Sik al-Khazneh, also known as the Treasury. It is an elaborately carved
and embellished tomb. Besides the decorative tomb facades and monuments, Petra is also known for its highly organized
water system, which included ceramic pipes, intricate water channels and cisterns

Taj mahal:

This 42-acre marble mausoleum complex located in Agra is a stunning and well-known Indian landmark. Shah Jahan, the
fifth Mughal (or Mogul) Emperor, built it as a memorial to his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during
childbirth.The Construction, which started shortly after Mahal’s passing in 1631, spanned more than two decades. It
required more than 20,000 laborers and cost several million rupees.

Christ the redeemer:

Four professionals were responsible for creating the monument. The main artist was Paul Landowski, a French
sculptor, but the face of the Christ was fashioned by Gheorghe Leonida, a Romanian sculptor. The lead engineer
in charge of the construction was Heitor da Silva Costa, a Brazilian engineer, with the assistance of Albert
Caquot, a French engineer. Christ the Redeemer is a statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that was built as a symbol of
Brazilian Christianity. In 1850, the idea of building a religious monument was first suggested by a Catholic Priest. It wasn't
until 1920 when a group petitioned for support to build a landmark statue that it became a reality. The design was
chosen from several ideas and construction began in the 1920s, taking nine years to finish. Today, Christ the Redeemer is
one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Christ the Redeemer is the largest art deco statue in the world. It is 98 feet
tall (not including the 26 foot pedestal), and the arms stretch to 92 feet wide. The statue weighs approximately 635
tonnes. Soapstone, a light-colored stone, was used to build the statue which was taken from the quarry near the city of Ouro
Petro. The base of the statue is hollow and contains a chapel.

Colossuem:
 The colossuem in Rome is the largest amphitheatre in the world and considered to be one of the greatest architectural
and engineering works. It was used for a variety of events and could hold 50,000 people. It was also known as the Flavian
amphitheatre, for the simple reason that building was started by the first emperor of the Flavian dynasty, Vespasian, in
72 AD. After his death, his son and successor, Titus, finished it in 81 AD. It became known as colossuem because of the
colossal statue of Vespasian’s predecessor Nero which was originally built nearby (Latin colossues, meaning gigantic or
colossal) Constructed using huge blocks of travertine stones, the Colosseum is one of the few ancient Roman structures that
were free standing. An estimated 100000 cubic metres of stone is believed to have been used in the construction of the walls
of this architectural masterpiece. The interior of the Colosseum features a humongous arena bordered by multi-level open as
well as sheltered viewing spaces on all sides.

Comparative analysis and findings:

The findings of the research on the basis of survey of relevant literature, documents and webpage searches on ancient and
new wonders of the world are being disseminated through the following tables with brief illustrations and analysis.

Table 1: Structural identity/ Architectural features

Basis New seven wonders Old seven wonders

a)Human settlement 1) Chichen Itza
2) Petra
3) Machu Picchu

Statue 1)Christ the redeemer 1)Colossus of Rhodes

2)Statue of Zeus of Olympia

Funerary Monument 1)Taj Mahal 1) Great Pyramid of Giza

2) Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Sacred Place (Temple) 1)Petra 1) Temple of Artemis

2)The statue of Zeus at Olympia
Roof top Garden 3) Hanging Garden of Babylon
Military Defense Wall Great Wall of China
Amphitheatre Colosseum
Lighthouse Lighthouse of Alexandria

Here we find three human settlements in New seven wonders, whereas no human settlement found in old seven wonders.
Statues, funerary monument and sacred places found in both wonders though two are found in ancient and one in new
wonders. Rooftop Garden, military defense wall, amphitheatre, and lighthouse are only found in new seven wonders. These
are highly distinct in nature. However, prominent funerary monument Taj Mahal is in new wonders and another two great
funeral monuments is in old seven wonders. Besides, exclusive wonder rooftop garden only found in old seven wonders but
it does not exist today. There are different theories about its location, how it was destroyed and whether or not it existed.
There are controversies among historians and archeologists about whether the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was real or a
myth, in the absence of any real architectural evidence of the gardens it remains as an unsolved mystery. Another
spectacular new wonder is the world’s largest military structure and defense wall which is mainly located in the Northern
China and central plains. We find remarkable Colosseum which is the largest amphitheatre in the world and it stands as a
symbol of the power, genius, and brutality of the ancient Roman Empire. We have found that Taj Mahal and the
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus are quite similar in their purpose and structure. When Mumtaz Mahal wife of Shah
Jahan died due to childbirth he was deeply saddened and as a consequence he planned for a luminous tomb as a
mausoleum and memory of his dead wife. Along with that, the ‘Mahal’ in Taj Mahal was named after his wife
Mumtaz Mahal. Likewise, the tomb of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was revered for its architectural beauty
and splendor besides that when Mausolus died in 353 BCE, his wife Artemisia ordered the construction of this vast
structure in their capital city, Halicarnassus (now called Bodrum) in modern Turkey. Another similarity is that the
name and noun ‘Mausoleum’ in Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was derived and named after the emperor Mausolus.
Hence, both the Taj Mahal and Mausoleum of Halicarnassus were built by grieving rulers for their beloved spouses.
However, the Taj Mahal is more renowned than the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

Table 2: Period of construction

Old Seven Wonders Period of Construction New seven wonders Period of Construction
Great Pyramid of Giza 2550 to 2490 B.C. Great Wall of China 475–221 BCE
Hanging gardens of Babylon 800-900 BC Petra 312BC

Temple of Artemis 800 BC Chichen Itza 832 - 998 CE

The Statue of Zeus at
Olympia 
435 BC Colosseum 70 AD - 80 AD
Mausoleum of 353- 351 bce Taj Mahal 1632 AD - 1648 AD
Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes  292 - 280 BC Machu Picchu 1438 – 1471
Lighthouse of Alexandria 284 -246 BC Christ the redeemer 1922 - 1931 

Great Wall of China Petra Chichen Itza Colosseum Taj Mahal Machu Picchu Machu Picchu Christ the redeemer

Old wonders were built between 2550 B.C to 246 B.C and new wonders were built between 475 BCE to
1648 AD. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest wonder of the world. However, the new wonder Great
Wall of China is oldest wonder among the new wonders of the world. The construction period of the
Great Wall has a longer time span than the Great Pyramid of Giza. The Lighthouse of Alexandria is the
most recent of the old seven wonders whereas, Christ the redeemer is the newest monument of the new
seven wonders. Christ the redeemer has a time span for construction which is shorter than the lighthouse
of Alexandria’s time span for construction.
Table 3: Location

Old Seven Wonders Location New seven wonders Location

Great Pyramid of Giza Al Giza Desert, Giza Great Wall of China Huairou District, China
Governorate, Egypt
Hanging gardens of Babylon Babylon, Iraq Petra Hashemite Kingdom,
Jordan

Temple of Artemis Ephesus, western Turkey Chichen Itza Yucatan, Mexico

The Statue of Zeus at
Olympia 
Olympia, Greece Colosseum Rome, Italy
Mausoleum of Bodrum, Turkey Taj Mahal Agra District,Uttar Pradesh,
India
Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes  Rhodes , Greece Machu Picchu Cuzco, Peru
Lighthouse of Alexandria Pharos, Egypt Christ the redeemer Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Old seven wonders of the world are located in four countries which are Egypt, Iraq, Turkey and Greece.
On the other hand, the New Wonders are situated in seven separate countries. Except Iraq the other
countries have two wonders each. The old wonders are mainly situated in the Middle east and Europe
whereas the new wonder are situated in Asia, South and North America and Europe. Hence, we have also
found that the New seven wonders are situated in a wider variety of locations by comparison to the
ancient seven wonders. By observing this table it is found that the maximum number of Old and new
seven wonders are situated in the Middle East.

Table 4: Mastermind/Builder

Old Seven Wonders Mastermind/Builder New seven wonders Mastermind/Builder

Great Pyramid of Giza Snefru's son, Khufu, Great Wall of China First emperor Qin Shi
second pharaoh of the Huang
Fourth Dynasty
Hanging gardens of Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar II Petra Nabataean civilization

Temple of Artemis Croesus, king of Lydia Chichen Itza the Mayan civilization
The Statue of Zeus at
Olympia 
Phidias, Greek sculptor Colosseum Flavian emperor
Vespasian
Mausoleum of Queen Artemisia II Taj Mahal Mughal emperor Shah
Halicarnassus Jahān
Colossus of Rhodes  Chares of Lindos, Greek Machu Picchu Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui,
sculptor ninth ruler of Inca
Lighthouse of Alexandria Ptolemy I Soter, architect Christ the redeemer Vincentian priest, Pedro Maria
and engineer Boss

In the table above we find that the majority of the old and new seven wonders the mastermind
behind the construction, most of landmarks were Emperors or Kings of their time whereas
Engineer, architects, a priest and sculptors fall in the minority of builders and mastermind.
Diversely there are civilizations who worked as a mastermind and builder for the construction of
the new wonders but there were no civilizations in the old Seven Wonders of the World.

Table 5: Construction materials/Architectural features

Old Seven Wonders Construction materials/ New seven wonders Construction materials/
Architectural features Architectural features
Great Pyramid of Giza Limestone, Pink granite, Great Wall of China Earth, wood, branches, sand,
Basalt, Mud brick, stone, brick,
Mortar

Hanging gardens of Mud brick Petra Sandstone, Wood, Iron,

Babylon waterproofed with lead Bronze

Temple of Artemis Marble and Wood. Chichen Itza Limestone

The Statue of Zeus at Gold, Ivory, bronze, glass, Colosseum Wood, Limestone, Tuff,
Olympia 
wood etc. Tiles, Cement, and Mortar
Mausoleum of Marble Taj Mahal Brick, sandstone, white
Halicarnassus marble, Jade, crystal,
turquoise, sapphire, jasper,
carnelian

Colossus of Rhodes  White Marble, Bronze, Machu Picchu Heavy granite stones, Wood,
Iron Grass

Lighthouse of Alexandria Solid blocks of Christ the redeemer Clad concrete and Soapstone
limestone and granite.

Limestone, Granite, Basalt, brick, stones, wood, bronze and iron were the materials used in the
construction of the old seven wonders. Out of these materials marble was the most commonly used
for the old seven wonders. Earth, wood, branches, sand, stones, bricks, iron, bronze, concrete,
various types of stones, minerals and rocks were used for the construction of the landmarks in the
new seven wonders. Out of this diverse range of materials brick was the most frequently used
material at that time.

Specially for Taj Mahal altogether, 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the
white marble. A prodigious quantity of rare and expensive materials was required for the construction of
the Taj Mahal. Similarly, the statue of Zeus was made of wood covered with gold, ivory and silver, and
Zeus was seated on a painted cedarwood throne ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold and precious stones.
Table 6: Number of visitors

Old Seven Wonders Number of visitors New seven wonders Number of visitors
Great Pyramid of Giza 14.7 million visitors every Great Wall of China
year Over 10 million people every

year
Hanging gardens of Petra More than 1 million people
Babylon
Temple of Artemis 1.5 million Chichen Itza 2 million tourists
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia  Colosseum 1.1 million in 2020.
Mausoleum of 3,500 people Taj Mahal 4.4 million
Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes  Machu Picchu Over 1.5 million visitors per
year
Lighthouse of Alexandria Christ the redeemer 2 million people each year

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still in existence and remains largely intact,
despite being the oldest wonder by about 2,000 years. As observed in the table above we have concluded that the Great Pyramid of
Giza has received the highest number of visitors every year. Thus, it is the most popular tourist attraction among the old and new
seven wonders. Due to these reasons the Great Pyramid of Giza deserves most to be included in the list of the Seven Wonders of
the World.

The exclusive wonder rooftop garden only found in old seven wonders but it does not exist today. There are different
theories about its location, how it was destroyed and whether or not it existed. There are controversies among historians and
archeologists about whether the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was real or a myth, in the absence of any real architectural
evidence of the gardens it remains as an unsolved mystery.

The temple of Artemis is currently in ruins though there are many fragments, especially of sculptured columns, which is
displayed in the British Museum. There is a replica which is a statuette depicting Artemis, placed in a replicated
version of Artemision of Ephesus, the great temple dedicated to the goddess, Artemis.

There is the House of the Temple in Washington DC.It is an exact replica of the lost Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.

The Colossus of Rhodes was also among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Even though the statue was
already destroyed and the remains are no longer available today.

Conclusion

To understand and analyze new and ancient seven wonders thoroughly executed was possible by this research but it was
hard to compare between new and ancient seven wonders because these are not homogeneous by nature and type.
These wonders are mostly centralized in middle east and Europe and were built by the king or empire of their time. Here,
it is found that the Great Pyramid of Giza is the most deserving of all the wonders both old and new.
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3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China
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