Seems more of a wonder than the Eiffel Tower.
Posted on 11/19/2006 9:04:22 AM PST by Paine's Ghost
Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal are candidates for new seven wonders of the world ELIANE ENGELER AND ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) - A global competition to name the new seven wonders of the world is attracting widespread interest, with more than 20 million people voting so far, organizers say. The Egyptian pyramids are the only surviving structures from the original list of seven architectural marvels. Long gone are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Pharos lighthouse off Alexandria. Those seven were deemed wonders in ancient times by observers of the Mediterranean and Middle East.
Candidates for the new list have been narrowed down to 21, including the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal and Peru's Machu Picchu. The public can vote until July 6, 2007, by Internet or phone. The seven winners will be announced July 7 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Choosing world wonders has been a continuing fascination over the centuries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, keeps updating its list of World Heritage Sites, which now totals 830 places.
The "New 7 Wonders of the World" campaign was begun in 1999 by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber, with almost 200 nominations coming in from around the world.
Weber "felt it is time for something new to bring the world together" and to "symbolize a common pride in the global cultural heritage," said Tia B. Viering, spokeswoman for the campaign.
Weber's Switzerland-based foundation aims to promote cultural diversity by supporting, preserving and restoring monuments. It relies on private donations and revenue from selling broadcasting rights.
Nominations were whittled down by public votes to 77 last year. Then a panel of architectural experts, chaired by former UNESCO chief Federico Mayor, shortened the list to 21. Interest has grown as Weber and his 10-member team visit the 21 sites. Their final visit will be March 6 to New York's Statue of Liberty.
In addition to the Statue of Liberty, pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu, the finalists are the Acropolis; Turkey's Haghia Sophia; the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral; the Colosseum; Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle; Stonehenge; Spain's Alhambra; the Great Wall; Japan's Kiyomizu Temple; the Sydney Opera House; Cambodia's Angkor; Timbuktu; Petra, Jordan; Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer; Easter Island; and Chichen Itza, Mexico.
and yes, the World Trade Center
Seems more of a wonder than the Eiffel Tower.
Yes, I forgot about the arch.
What makes us different is that our wonders are functional and real. They were built to serve people and not to be worshiped. And that is the beauty of our wonders.
But make no doubt that America is purposely being shunned by this group. You can vote but the candidates have already been determined.
The U.S. in itself ought to be a wonder of the world. There has been no other nation like us before, and God willing, there will be many more like us to follow.
Yes,
U.S. Interstate highway system. Also, The Pentagon, Internet and the Saturn V rocket.
And here's ours in Birmingham, England! 
There's quite a few things in England that spring to mind as well, but clearly the anglosphere is excluded from this game.
I really cannot believe the Eiffel Tower is included - a rusty electricity pylon with a gift-shop at the top only fit for hanging white flags from. . . . . . ;-)
And the Nimitz class Aircraft Carrier!
I though that "Team America" knocked the Eiffel tower down?
The american highway system.
The Parthenon in Athens Greece
Washington DC as a construction masterpiece and new olympus
Manhatten as a complete unit
The Air Flight control network
Cape Canaveral JFK Space Center
The Twin Towers should have been part of it. (not that monument to falure of the art snobs they are building)
Does anyone have the link to the voting page?
Michelle Pheiffer's nose.
"Turkey's Haghia Sophia"
No, no.... that is Justinian's Haghia Sophia, not Turkey's
Navy Pier in Chicago, the St. Louis Arch, Mount Rushmore,
Definitely Mount Rushmore should be on there! That will last as long as those mountains stand, for Pete's sake!! (Well, I take that back. Once Pelosi & Co. hand the country over to Islamists, they'll blow it up like they did the Buddhist statues.)
Thank you. I voted for the Great Wall. I wanted to vote for something that I visited already. The Great Wall is incredible!!!!! I did visit the Eiffle Tower but does not compare to the Great Wall. The others did not impress me as much as the Great Wall either.
I don't see how they could have left the Clinton presidential library off the list.
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