Introduction
The idea of the New Seven Wonders of the World was based on the Seven Ancient Wonders
of the World, which was compiled by Philon of Byzantium in 200 B.C. Philon�s list was
essentially a travel guide for his fellow Athenians, and all the man made sites were
located in the Mediterranean sea basin.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon,
the Statue of Zeus (Jupiter) At Olympia, the Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus,
the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus at Rhodes, and the Pharos (Lighthouse)
of Alexandria. Of all the Ancient Wonders, the pyramids of Egypt still standing the rest
of them were destroyed by earthquake, fire or other causes.
The Seven Wonders of the World are the amazing work of art, architecture, and
imagination of which human beings are capable. According to the New Seven Wonders
milestone page, Swiss originated Canadian filmmaker and aviator
Bernard Weber
launched
the project in September 1999. The project�s web site started in 2001 when Mr. Weber
paid $700 for a site based in Canada. To be included on the new list, the wonders had
to be man made, completed before 2000, and in an acceptable state of preservation.
By November 24, 2005, 177 monuments were up for consideration. On January 1, 2006, the
New Seven Wonders Foundation said the list had been narrowed to 21 sites. The list was
later reduced to 20 removing the Pyramids of Egypt, the only remaining of the Seven Ancient
Wonders of the World.