Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy)

Image Source

This third oldest structure in Italy serves as a free standing bell tower of a cathedral. This wonder was built in 1173. It began to lean after its construction because of poorly laid foundation. Scientifically, the building will not just topple easily, why? because the center of gravity is still within the base of the building.  The height of the tower is 55.86 meters and is slanted 3.97 degrees from vertical.

Image Source

There are seven bells installed inside the bell tower namely: L’assunta (1654), Il Crocifisso (1572), San Ranieri (1719 – 1721), La Terza (1473), La Pasquereccia (1262), Il Vespruccio (14th century), Dal Pozzo (1606).

Temple of Inscriptions (Mexico)

Image Source

This pyramid was built by the Mayans for the monument of K’inich Janaab Pakal, the king of Palenque, Mexico. But what was very interesting was that although this wonder was already visited and studied for 200 years, the tomb was not discovered until the year 1952 by Alberto Ruz Lhuillier, a Mexican archeologists. Aside from the funerary monument the hieroglyphic text found on tablets within the temple is also notable. The temple was completed around 683 A.D. Some evidences show that the structure was occupied as early as 300 B.C., but was mysteriously abandoned.

Aztec Temple (Mexico)

Image Source

This temple was used by the Aztecs for worshipping their gods, and this temple is also used for human sacrifices. They thought that sacrificing a human for their gods will bring peace. This temple was built specifically built to honor Huitzilopochtli (the god of war and the sun) and Tlaloc (the god of rain and fertility).The Aztec people documented 84, 000 people being sacrificed at the temple.

Suez Canal (Egypt)

Image Source

An artificial water way that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, an arm of the Red Sea. The construction of this wonder is to shorten the time traders take to travel from European and American ports. The first canal was built by Seti I or Ramses II, but then after many years the canal was destroyed. The effort to bring it to a good condition was kept until the 8 century A.D. The action to again reexcavate the canal did not succeed until the year 1854, a French diplomat and Engineer Vicomte Ferdinand Marie de Lesseps succeeded in convincing an Egyptian viceroy to gain interest in the project. 

Image Source

Just imagine if the waterway was not built, the traders will still go around the country to export and import goods.

The Parthenon (Greece)

Image Source

This wonder in Athens was built in honor for the goddess Athena in the year 472 and 433 BC. This structure received even more recognition from archeoloigsts than the Great Pyramid of Egypt because of its incomparable setting. As we all know, while most of the civilizations were facing their dark times, the Greeks were the only ones that were advancing. The construction of the Parthenon was done shortly after the battle of Marathon in the year 490-488 BC. The name of the structure was yet unknown but according Jeffrey M. Hurwit the word “Parthenon” means “the virgin’s place” which was related to Athena which was a virgin goddess.

Image Source

The Parthenon was destroyed during the Venetian siege but was now rebuilt.