The World has Voted for the New 7 Wonders !
Saturday, July 07, 2007. Source New7Wonders Foundation

• Great Wall, China (220 B.C and 1368-1644 A.D.) Perseverance and Persistence

• Petra, Jordan (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.) Engineering and Protection

• Christ Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1931) Welcoming and Openness

• Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Peru (1460-1470) Community and Dedication

• Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico (before 800 A.D.) Worship and Knowledge

• Colosseum, Rome, Italy (70 - 82 A.D.) Joy and Suffering

• Taj Mahal, Agra, India (1630 A.D.) Love and Passion

See: The announcement

The pyramids of Giza, the only surviving structures from the original seven wonders of the ancient world, were assured of retaining their status.

A Peruvian in national costume held up Macchu Picchu's award to the sky and bowed to the crowd with his hands clasped, eliciting one of the biggest cheers from the audience of 50,000 people at a soccer stadium in Portugal's capital, Lisbon.

Petra is known for its dramatic tombs and temple facades, including one that served as a church during Byzantine times. The city’s inhabitants, Nabataean Arabs, carved structures into the soft sandstone more than two millennia ago.

The once bustling city was the capital of the Nabataean Arabs, who controlled the trading routes that passed through Petra to Gaza in the west, Basra and Damascus in the north, Aqaba in the south, and across the desert to the Arabian Gulf.

The 20 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World, alphabetically:

1. Acropolis, Athens, Greece (450 - 330 B.C.) Civilization and Democracy

2. Alhambra, Granada, Spain (12th century) Dignity and Dialog

3. Angkor, Cambodia (12th century) Beauty and Sanctity

4. Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico (before 800 A.D.) Worship and Knowledge

5. Christ Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1931) Welcoming and Openness

6. Colosseum, Rome, Italy (70 - 82 A.D.) Joy and Suffering

7. Easter Island Statues, Chile (10th - 16th Century)  Mystery and Awe

8. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France (1887 - 89) Challenge and Progress

9. Great Wall, China (220 B.C and 1368-1644 A.D.) Perseverance and Persistence)

10. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey (532 - 537 A.D.) Faith and Respect

11. Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto, Japan (749 - 1855) Clarity and Serenity

12. Kremlin/St.Basil's, Moscow, Russia (1156 - 1850) Fortitude and Symbolism

13. Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Peru (1460-1470) Community and Dedication

14. Neuschwanstein Castle, Fussen, Germany  (1869 -1884) Fantasy and Imagination

15. Petra, Jordan (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.) Engineering and Protection

16. Statue of Liberty, New York, USA (1886) Generosity and Hope

17. Stonehenge, Amesbury, United Kingdom (3000 B.C. - 1600 B.C.) Intrigue and Endurance

18. Sydney Opera House, Australia (1954 - 73) Abstraction and Creativity

19. Taj Mahal, Agra, India (1630 A.D.) Love and Passion

20. Timbuktu, Mali  (12th century) Intellect and Mysticism

The vote is organized by a non-profit Swiss foundation called New7Wonders which specializes in the preservation, restoration and promotion of monuments, and the results will be announced on July 7, 2007 -  07.07.07, in Lisbon, Portugal, considered a neutral venue as the country has no contending landmark of its own.