These Are All Wondrous? Really?

On July 07, 2007 (07.07.07), the newest list of the seven [man-made] wonders of the world was revealed. This list was a years-long un-scientific survey of people from around the world who voted for what they considered the current list of seven wonders. Frankly, I would like to call for a re-vote, because not everything on the final seven list is the most wondrous of items available.

On July 07, 2007 (07.07.07), the newest list of the seven [man-made] wonders of the world was revealed. This list was a years-long un-scientific survey of people from around the world who voted for what they considered the current list of seven wonders. Frankly, I would like to call for a re-vote, because not everything on the final seven list is the most wondrous of items available.

For the record, the final seven are: Chichen Itza, Mexico; Petra, Jordan, Christ Redeemer, Brazil, Roman Colosseum, Italy; The Great Wall, China; Taj Mahal, India, and Machu Picchu, Peru.

The other finalists were: Timbuktu, Mali; Kiyomizu Temple, Japan; Kremlin/St. Basil, Russia; Acropolis, Greece; Sydney Opera House, Australia; Hagia Sophia, Turkey; Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany; Alhambra, Spain; Stonehenge, United Kingdom; Eiffel Tower, France; Pyramids of Giza, Egypt; Angkor, Cambodia; Statue of Liberty, USA; Statues of Easter Island, Chile.

I thought six of these were a slam-dunk. I mean, if you look at them you are immediately in the thralls of awe and wonder. The Great Wall, Machu Picchu, Petra, Easter Island, the Giza Pyramids, and Stonehenge are everything you’d think was necessary for a top-seven ranking. Turns out, only half of this list made the cut. Do the candidates that supplanted the three also-rans deserve their spots?

Chichen Itza, can make and argument of being no less deserving than the Giza Pyramids. This ziggurat/pyramid mix is impressive and gives meso-America a listing. While I would argue the Great Pyramid at Giza is more wondrous, I can see the desire not to be too redundant with choices.

The Roman Colosseum. It’s big. It’s visually stunning, even in ruins, but is it wondrous? Is it more wondrous than Stonehenge? You know, I’d have to say no. It’s a stadium. Yes, its an early form that most of the others have been based on, but it’s still just a stadium. That said, if it weren’t in ruins, if it could still function, I’d definitely put it on the list. But to put it on the list and not put on the Acropolis makes me curious (and I didn’t vote for the Acropolis, even though it was my personal sentimental favorite).

The Taj Mahal. Like the Colosseum, it’s visually stunning. While not in ruins, it could use some spackling here or there. I could see this on the top seven if, say the Easter Island Statues made it ahead of it. For while this mausoleum is jaw-dropping beautiful, I can’t say that it’s more wondrous than the enigmatic statues on that out-of-the-way Chilean island.

That leaves us with Christ Redeemer. I took a peek at several fora when the list came out, and this selection is overwhelmingly viewed as not deserving to be on the list. I mean, it’s just a statue…no more special than the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty. So many also-rans are so much more wondrous than this that comparisons would be much too lengthy. Let’s just say that the global public totally blew it with this one.

So, given that I had what I thought was a slam-dunk top six, who would be my seventh? Would it be one of the four that did make the public’s list? While I could concede Chichen Itza or Taj Mahal without a huge amount of griping, I just can’t bring myself to elevate them. In my heart, I’d love to have the Acropolis on the list, but the fact that it is in ruins will keep it off. There is one finalist, though, that when I first saw it in Smithsonian Magazine (I believe), I was immediately awed that it existed. I think that qualifies it for Wonder status. That place is Angkor, Cambodia. Though the jungle has tried valiantly to swallow it, it still has the power to make you marvel at it. It’s beautiful and unlikely.

If you look at my list, then, you see than nothing is particularly modern. An argument for some of the selections was that they were modern marvels. I would counter that while we build impressive things, they often lack all of the elements necessary. Often, too often, impressive modern constructs lack an aesthetic necessary for jaws to drop. Making it pretty/artistic, making it organic, making it imposing, making it any of those things that make something truly inspiring is at best an afterthought to economics and functionality. There also needs to be a sense of Man exerting his will against nature, which is why a building has to be extraordinary to warrant a listing here.

I’m sure people will have as much objection to my list as I do to the official one. That’s fine. If we all agreed…well, THAT would be a wonder worthy of the list.