7 Wonders of the World

Peter Wade

What a difficult task to create my own personal list of only seven structures and natural features that represent the most amazing things I’ve seen in person. First, I would need to contemplate the various lists of wonders circulating about the Internet compiled by committees, experts, and popularity polls. I’ll consider which of those I should keep and which I should replace.

I can draw on my personal experience since I’ve visited all but one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and the New 7 Wonders of the World. I’ve also visited the only remaining structure of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the estimated locations of five of the other six ancient wonders. And I’ve seen most of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Those experiences have ranged from underwhelming to life changing! But how can I narrow down a world full of beauty and wonder?

I’ve eliminated a few of the wonders that were visually less than impressive to me, although each represents something fascinating:

• The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy (Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• Paricutin volcano in Mexico (Seven Natural Wonders of the World)
• Stonehenge in England (Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• Zuiderzee Works in the Netherlands (Seven Wonders of the Modern World)

The finalists

Like any good search committee, I’ve narrowed down the massive pool of candidates to a short list of finalists. I’ve decided that my seven wonders will be comprised of four scenic locations, two manmade structures, and one that incorporates both natural and manmade influences. I’ve consulted many lists of wonders, read through dozens of rankings of the world’s most beautiful places and the most impressive feats of human construction, and I’ve also added some of my own choices.

• 10 scenic finalists we’ve visited (PICK FOUR)
• The Amazon rainforest in South America (New 7 Wonders of Nature)
• The Grand Canyon in Arizona (Seven Natural Wonders of the World)
• The Great Barrier Reef in Australia (Seven Natural Wonders of the World)
• Hạ Long Bay in Vietnam (New 7 Wonders of Nature)
• Iguazú Falls in Brazil (New 7 Wonders of Nature)
• The Norwegian fjords in Norway (not on any wonders lists)
• The Skeleton Coast in Namibia (not on any wonders lists)
• Tongariro National Park in New Zealand (not on any wonders lists)
• Torres del Paine National Park in Chile (not on any wonders lists)
• Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming (not on any wonders lists)
• 10 manmade finalists we’ve visited (PICK TWO)
• The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa in Egypt (Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• The Channel Tunnel in England/France (Seven Wonders of the Modern World)
• The CN Tower in Canada (Seven Wonders of the Modern World)
• The Colosseum in Italy (New 7 Wonders of the World, Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• The Empire State Building in New York (Seven Wonders of the Modern World)
• The Giza Pyramids in Egypt (Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, New 7 Wonders of the World)
• Hagia Sophia in Turkey(Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta (not on any wonders lists)
• The Palace of Versailles in France (not on any wonders lists)
• The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing in China (Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• 10 feats of human construction amidst natural scenery we’ve visited (PICK ONE)
• Angkor Wat in Cambodia (not on any wonders lists)
• Christ the Redeemer (New 7 Wonders of the World) and Guanabara Bay in Brazil(Seven Natural Wonders of the World)
• The Golden Gate Bridge in California (Seven Wonders of the Modern World)
• The Great Wall of China (New 7 Wonders of the World, Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)
• The Hoover Dam in Arizona/Nevada (Seven Wonders of the Industrial World)
• Machu Picchu in Peru (New 7 Wonders of the World)
• Mont-Saint-Michel in France(not on any wonders lists)
• The Sphinx Observatory in Switzerland (not on any wonders lists)
• The Taj Mahal in India (New 7 Wonders of the World)
• Volubilis in Morocco (not on any wonders lists)

My personal Seven Wonders of the World

These are the final selections for my personal seven wonders. Unfortunately, I’m leaving out some amazing places that I wish I didn’t have to eliminate. Four of my top five don’t even appear on the typical seven-wonders lists.

1.) Antarctica (not on any wonders lists)

Immediately, I’ve gone off script. But I promise this is the only addition outside of the finalists listed above. While composing the final list, I reflected on my exploration of Antarctica. It’s simply the most stunning, untouched, otherworldly place I've ever visited. Nothing will ever top the feeling of immersing myself in this raw, untarnished continent with its unfathomable scale, pristine water, brutal weather, resilient wildlife, volcanic influences, and an unimaginable volume of ice occupying nearly 3% of our planet’s total land area. The world’s most remote continent must rank #1 on my list.

2.) Torres del Paine National Park in Chile (not on any wonders lists)

The South American region of Patagonia is a massive area largely untouched by human influence. Its one-of-a-kind scenic views are diverse and numerous. It’s simply one of the most surreal places on the planet. And Torres del Paine National Park is the perfect microcosm of Patagonia condensed into only 448,280 acres (181,414 ha). Wildlife from condors and flamingos to pumas and penguins flourish here. From its penetrating glaciers and jagged peaks of the Patagonian Andes to riverways and shockingly bright blue waters, this is one of the most worthwhile adventures on earth.

3.) Norwegian fjords in Norway (not on any wonders lists)

The fjords along Norway’s western coastline are probably the most heavenly features I’ve ever seen in person. The snow-capped mountains, deep blue water, fields of wildflowers, dramatic valleys etched by glaciers, and even a few remote sandy beaches make this collectively one of the most amazing representations of nature you’ll ever see.

4.) The Giza Pyramids in Egypt (Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, New 7 Wonders of the World)

The photographs often convince us that Egypt’s three most famous pyramids are situated in the middle of a remote desert. When you finally visit them in person, you might be surprised by the buzzing touristy atmosphere and its juxtaposition against the urban dwellings of Cairo’s metropolitan area. But stare at these ancient structures, block out the noise, and consider that the tallest manmade thing in the world for nearly 4,000 years was impossibly constructed around 2570 BC. For its sheer size and durability as the last remaining ancient wonder of the world, it must be ranked on my personal list.

5.) Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming (not on any wonders lists)

While many national parks in the United States rank among the most beautiful places in the world, Yellowstone is special. Not thoroughly explored by European immigrants until the 1860s, this unbelievably diverse region contains over half the world’s geysers and hydrothermal features in an area one-fifth the size of Switzerland. There are more than 300 waterfalls and over 1,000 archeological sites dating back to 11,000 years of human influence. Yellowstone supports significant populations of bison, wolves, elk, and grizzly bears, and over 300 species of birds. While it pains me to leave out the parks of Alaska, Utah, and Canada, this is surely one of the most important natural areas in the world.

6.) Machu Picchu in Peru (New 7 Wonders of the World)

The perpetual hype that Machu Picchu receives from travel experts did not diminish the overwhelming awe we experienced in person. It lives up its reputation. This intricate village constructed in a shockingly inhospitable location in the mid-1400s had 1,000 households and a cleverly terraced farming system on sheer cliffs. Interesting architectural features on their own, it’s the staggering views of the eastern Andes towering over the Sacred Valley of the Incas that make this my favorite blend of nature and human presence.

7.) Hagia Sophia in Turkey (Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages)

Built of Roman brick as far back as AD 346, this is one of the most impressive religious structures I've visited, comparable to the jaw-dropping effect of seeing cathedrals like Sagrada Familia in Spain (1882), St. Peter’s in Vatican City (1626), and Duomo di Milano in Italy (1386). But Hagia Sofia predates these by at least a thousand years and boasts stunning interior detail and a staggering size. Its age and architecture make this mosque truly incredible, and I’ve always marveled at how such an amazing building could have been built so long ago. I’ll add it as the second structure on the list.

Honorable Mention:

The Skeleton Coast in Namibia (not on any wonders lists)

The uniqueness of the ocean crashing into the desert and a wide array of wildlife made this one of the most memorable adventures we’ve ever taken. If I made a list of seven natural wonders, this would definitely be included.