Various lists of the World’s Wonders have been compiled: from structures built in antiquity, all the way to present-day notable buildings. That’s understandable, because it really is quite fascinating to catalogue the world’s most spectacular natural features and human-built structures. Following in the tradition of the classical lists, modern organizations have made their own lists, both natural and man-made. Some of the most notable are presented below.
Who Built the Pyramids?
The Pyramids of Giza are truly among the wonders of the world. Although many people are quite secure in their belief that they were built by slaves in ancient Egypt, Professor Jennifer Tobin from U. Illinois explains that there actually were no slaves in Egypt back then; it was primarily farmers that built them during times when they couldn’t plant or harvest crops.
He Was Totally Wrong about The Grand Canyon
In 1857, an army expedition led by Joseph Christmas Ives first came across The Grand Canyon. They didn’t hang around for long, though, deeming it a worthless, arid dry land that no one would ever want to see. He predicted that visitors would eventually grow bored and that he would likely be one of the last to try to explore it. 165 years later, Emory Professor Patrick Allitt correctly stated: “In the entire course of history, nearly no one else has ever been so completely and utterly wrong.”
What’s Under the Colosseum?
As remarkable and awe-inspiring as the Roman Colosseum was (and is), American Academy in Rome Professor Andrew Kranis points out that the area under the main stage was likely even more incredible. It was called the Ipogei, which actually translates to “underground.”
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It’s a Mile Walk First, But Worth It
The Siq is the mile-long passage through the mountains that is the only way to enter the ancient city of Petra. Only at the very end can you finally see why this site in Jordan, built in the fifth century BC, is so awe-inspiring and famous worldwide. University of Arkansas Professor, Thomas Paradise, shows us what it’s like to walk through the narrow, “magical” mountain passage.
All This and Everest, Too!
When Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made it to the summit of Mount Everest on May 29th,1952, they held the news for three days so it could be announced on the same day as Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. According to Brandeis Professor Daniel Breen, the UK’s Daily Express newspaper even ran the headline “All This and Everest, Too!”
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