Booklet

7
WONDERS

OF
THE
WORLD

BY: MUQRIZ ZAMRI, AFIQ HISHAM

CONTENTS

Taj Mahal 1-2
Machu Picchu 3-4
Great Pyramid of Giza 5-6
Colosseum 7-8
Chichen Itza 9-10
Petra 11-12
The Great Wall of China 13-14

1

TAJ MAHAL

An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra
between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor

Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife.
The Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one
of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's

heritage.
For the transportation of the construction materials,

more than 1,000 elephants were employed.

2

The tomb is the centrepiece of
a 17-hectare complex, which

includes a mosque and a
guest house, and is set in
formal gardens bounded on
three sides by a crenellated

wall.
The Taj Mahal was designated
as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1983. It is regarded by
many as the best example of

Mughal architecture and a
symbol of India's rich history.

3

MACHU PICCHU

Machu Picchu, site of ancient Inca ruins located about 50
miles from Cuzco, Peru, in the Cordillera de Vilcabamba of

the Andes Mountains.
Due to its strategic location at the top of a high mountain,
there are various theories about what it could mean for the

Incas. Some argue that it was a mausoleum for the Inca
Pachacútec, while others claim that it was an important

administrative and agricultural center.

4

When the explorer Hiram Bing-
ham III encountered Machu
Picchu in 1911, he was looking
for a different city, known as
Vilcabamba. This was a hidden
capital to which the Inca had
escaped after the Spanish con-
quistadors arrived in 1532.
Over time it became famous as
the legendary Lost City of the
Inca.
Machu Picchu was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu
was voted one of the New
Seven Wonders of the World in
a worldwide internet poll.

5

GREAT PYRAMID
OF GIZA

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a giant 4,500-year-old
limestone statue situated near the Great Pyramid

in Giza, Egypt.
It is one of the most recognizable relics of the
ancient Egyptians, though the origins and history

of the colossal structure are still debated.

6

The Great Pyramid of Giza is
a huge pyramid built by the
Ancient Egyptians. It stands
18.4 km from Cairo, Egypt.
It is the oldest of the Seven

Wonders of the Ancient
World, and the only one to

remain mostly intact.

There are three known chambers inside the
Great Pyramid. The lowest was cut into the

bedrock, but remained unfinished. The
so-called Queen's Chamber and King's
Chamber are higher up, within the pyramid

structure.
Khufu's vizier, Hemiunu, is believed by some

to be the architect of the Great Pyramid.

7

COLOSSEUM

The famous Roman amphitheater, the Colosseum,
was built between A.D. 70 and 72 and was enjoyed
by Roman citizens during the height of the Roman
Empire.
It was built during the reign of the Flavian emperors
as a gift to the Roman people.

8

When the Colosseum first opened, the emperor
Titus celebrated with a hundred days of gladiatorial
games. Emperors traditionally attended the games.
By the 20th century, nearly two-thirds of the origi-
nal building had been destroyed. Today it is one of

modern-day Rome’s most popular tourist attrac-
tions, hosting millions of visitors a year.

9

CHICHEN ITZA

Chichen Itza was a large Mayan city by the Maya civilization.
It is on the Yucatán Peninsula, about 120 km to the east of
Mérida.
Some of the most famous parts of Chichen Itza include: the
temple of Kukultán, the Plumed Serpent, known in Spanish
as El Castillo. It has four sides, and each side has 91 steps.

10

New discoveries are still being unearthed in the area, providing
even more insight into the culture and accomplishments of the

Mayans prior to the arrival of European colonists.

11

PETRA

Petra, originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu
or Raqēmō, is a historic and archaeological city in

southern Jordan.
The area around Petra has been inhabited from as
early as 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans might have
settled in what would become the capital city of their

kingdom, as early as the 4th century BC.

12

The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who invested
in Petra's proximity to the incense trade routes by

establishing it as a major regional trading hub.
In 2007, Al-Khazneh, believed to be the mausoleum

of the Nabatean King Aretas IV, was voted one of
the New 7 Wonders of the World.

13

THE GREAT WALL
OF CHINA

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications that
were built across the historical northern borders of ancient

Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against
various nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe.

Apart from defense, other purposes of the Great Wall have
included border controls, regulation or encouragement of

trade and the control of immigration and emigration.

14

Several walls were built from as early as
the 7th century BC, with selective
stretches later joined together by Qin
Shi Huang , the first emperor of China.
Today, the defensive system of the Great
Wall is generally recognized as one of
the most impressive architectural feats
in history.