Of all the world wonders, there have been some magnificent creations that can quite often miss the cut.
Here is a list of seven often forgotten world wonders.
1. Aztec Temple, Mexico
The Aztecs held deep belief in the sacrifice of people for the gratification of the Gods, and at one point this number reached a ghastly 20,000 per year. For these rituals and ceremonies, the Aztecs built temples and adorned the walls of the temples with skulls of the dead. The largest temple is called the Pyramid of Huitilopochtli. This temple is dedicated to the Aztec God, Huitilopochtli who beheaded his sister Goddess Coyolxauhqui. The Aztec pyramids differ from those of the Egyptians by having a flat top rather than a pointed top.
2. Red Fort, India
One of the most popular tourist sites in India, the Red Fort in Delhi was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639 AD. This fort was built to serve as a palace for the new capital city Shahjahanabad which was the seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site. The wall of red sandstone which surrounds it is 2.5km long and varies in height. Inside the fort you will find a fantastic collection of Persian, European and Indian art work.
3. The Throne Hall of Persepolis, Iran
At the foot of the Kouh-e Rahmat lie the ruins of Persepolis, which was one of the capital cities in the Persian Empire. The Throne Hall of Persepolis was the second largest building in the city at that time and it was also called the Hall of a Hundred Columns, a name derived from the presence of 100 pillars that supported the roof. The pillars were made of wood and only their stone bases remain today. The Throne Hall of Persepolis served as a place where the king received nobles, dignitaries and envoys bearing tributes. It was also a place to store the royal objects which could not find a place in the royal court.
4. Borobudur Temple, Indonesia
One of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, the Borobudur temple is a vast complex which lies in the midst of a beautiful landscape and between four volcanoes in central Java. The temple is said to have been built between the end of the seventh century and the beginning of the eighth, and features six square platforms adorned with 2672 relief panels and 504 statues of the Buddha.
5. Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2000-year-old terraces built in the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines. The special thing about these terraces is that they were engraved by farmers using only their hands and a few tools, in the shape of an amphitheatre. Engineers are still in awe at this feat. The terraces are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, but farmers still use them for rice and vegetable farming. An ancient irrigation system located in the rainforests above the mountains feeds the rice terraces. These rice terraces are sometimes considered to be the eighth wonder of the world.
6. The Temple of the Inscriptions, Mexico
In the ruined city of Palenque in Mexico sits one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the world. Built by Hanab Pacal, the Temple of the Inscriptions gets its name from the writing on the walls. The ruins of Palenque were discovered in 1773 but were discovered and rediscovered several times until they were introduced to the world in 1841.
7. Petra, Jordan
Petra is an archaeological city in southern Jordan, famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. Another name for Petra is the Rose City, due to the colour of the stone out of which it is carved. Established possibly as early as 312 BC as the capital city of the Arab Nabataeans, it is Jordan’s most visited tourist attraction. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The site remained unknown to the western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as “a rose-red city half as old as time” in a Newdigate Prize-winning poem by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”.
Have you visited any of these amazing places? Do you know of any other places that should be added to the list of world wonders?
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