The Seven Wonders of the Forgotten World
1. Introduction
The Seven Wonders of the World are commonly classified into Ancient Wonders, Forgotten
Wonders, Modern Wonders, and Natural Wonders. Of all the World wonders, our team has
chosen to study the following Seven Wonders of the Forgotten World. We will analyze the
history of the wonders, when was it built, where is it located, why was it built and how was it
built.
2. Angkor Wat of Cambodia
Angkor Wat is located in Angkor in Northwestern Cambodia. Wat is the khmer word for
temple. Angkor Wat which is the most beautiful and most famous monument in the city lies
about one kilometer south of the Royal town of Angkor Thom which was founded by
Jayavarman VII.
Angkor Wat is a huge pyramid structure which covers an area of 1,500 m by 1,300 m (4,920 by
4,265 ft) and is surrounded by a vast moat which is 180 m (590 ft) wide. The Temple of Angkor
Wat was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between AD
1131 and 1150.
The Temple was build over a period of 30 years, and shows some of the most beautiful Khmer
and Hindu art. Covering an area of about 81 hectares, the complex consists of five towers,
which are now presently shown on the Cambodian national flag. These towers are believed to
represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, the Home of Gods and Center of the Hindu Universe.
Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer
gallery walls, relating stories from Hindu myths.
Buddhist monks are daily visitors to Angkor Wat, and their orange robes are a bright contrast to
the stone grey of the temple.
With the decline of the Ancient Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat was turned into a Buddhist Temple
and was continuously maintain, which helped its conservation until today. In 1992, the
UNESCO World Heritage Committee declared the monument, and the whole city of Angkor, a
World Heritage Site.
3. Borobudur Temple
The Borobudur Temple is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world. This temple is
located at Borobudur District, South of Magelang, Central Java. It is the largest Buddhist temple
and it was built by one of the kings of the Cailendra Dynasty in the 8 th century. In 950,
Borobudur was abandoned. About the same time, an eruption of the volcano Merapi buried the
temple which was found again in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, who was then the
Governor of Java.
The overall height of the temple was 42 meters, but was only 34.5 meters after restoration, and
had the dimension of 123 x 123 meters. There were 10 floors. The first floor up to the sixth
floor was square form; the seventh to the tenth floor were round form.
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Originally, the Borobudur had three levels, each of them corresponding to a level of the
Mahayana Buddhism universe: Kamadhatu, the lower level of human life, a world of passions
overwhelming the human beings, is represented by the lower level of the temple, which is now
partly buried. Ruphadhatu is the second level. It is represented in the temple by the processional
terrace and by the four rectangular terraces.
Above the rectangular terraces, three circular ones are ornamented by 72 stupas of stone. These
stupas are bell-shaped, representing the sacred shape of Buddhism. Each of them encloses a
statue of the Buddha. Above these circular terraces, the higher level corresponds to the world of
total abstraction (Arupadhatu), represented by a large stupa, about 15 meters in diameter.
The Dutch realized the full importance of the monument early in the Twentieth Century and
begin its reconstruction. This first attempt was a failure as they encountered serious technical
problems. In the early 1960's, the reconstruction job, twice delayed by earthquakes, was
interrupted because of financial difficulties. In 1983, with the support of UNESCO, the temple
of Borobudur was eventually opened to the public. Borobudur is now recognized as a World
Heritage monument.
4. Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower is located at Pisa, Italy. No one knows who exactly the architect of this bell
tower is but it was believed that this construction began in the year of 1173. The plan of the bell
tower exists and it’s an admirable one.
This way the construction of the Bell tower began – when the construction reached about one
and half meters up on the third floor, because of marshy and unstable soil, it leaned fearfully, so
the work was suspended. There was surely 2 phenomenon took place, which were the reasons
for the inclination: the building subsided due to the excess weight on the soils and the soils
themselves underwent differential settlement.
More than a century after the laying of the foundation stone was once again begun in 1275 by
Giovanni di Simone, who added four more levels, correcting the axis of the Campanile. In the
sixth “loggette” (stories) some arch windows for the bells were made. The lean continued to
concern the Opera dell’ Duomo, so on the 15th March 1298, the Institution gave Giovanni
Pisano, Guido, the con of the dead master Giovanni di Simone and Orsello, the task of
measuring the slope.
At the beginning of the 14th century the bells were placed in the sixth level, in the large opening
still visible in the marble cylinder beyond the loggia. Between 1350 and 1572 Tommaso di
Andrea Pisano (according to Vasari) terminated the installation of the belfry on the summit of
the sixth order of loggias, increasing the correction of the axis, and thus diminishing the load on
the side that was in inclination.
The interior of this building is of stones and mortar of the best quality lime, such that the porous
wall structure is elastic and able to resist the tremendous pressure and continuous movements.
The covering is made of marble perfectly connected and smoothed, that are 40 to 60cm thick on
the exterior part and a little bit less on the inside of the wall. The stairs are lighter in weight; a
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spiral of 293 steps, one meter wide, construction between the inner and outer walls. There were
also seven bells were installed in the tower:






l’Assunta
il Crocfisso
San Ranieri
la Pasquereccia
Del Pozzetto
la Terza
il Vespruccio
The Bell Tower, because of its lean, which looks like it dares the laws of static’s, is one of the
most original works of art of the whole European Middle-Ages, and enjoys an enormous
popularity. Nowadays, it has been become a tourist’s attraction.
5. Abu Simbel Temple in Egypt
Abu Simbel is a temple built by Ramesses II (c.1279-1213 B.C.E.) in ancient Nubia. The first,
and largest of the temples, is dedicated to the sun god Ra-Harakhte, while the second, which is
smaller, and a few meters to the north, was dedicated to his beautiful wife, Nefertari, to be
worshipped together with other deities.
These two temples attracted world-wide attention when they were threatened by inundation by
the waters of Lake Nasser. In response to an appeal by the Arab Republic of Egypt, UNESCO,
in 1959, initiated an international donations campaign to save the monuments of Nubia. The
salvage of the Abu Simbel temples began in 1963, and cost about 36 million dollars. The Abu
Simbel temples were then relocated on the plateau to greet the sunrise every morning.
The grandest and most beautiful of temples is 33 meters high, and 38 meters broad, and guarded
by four statues of Ramses II, each of which is 20 meters high. The head and torso of the statue
to the left of the entrance were damaged during ancient times. This temple faces the east, and
Re-Horakhty, one manifestation of the sun god, is shown inside the niche directly above the
entrance. The temple is unique because the sun shines directly into the innermost sanctuary to
enlighten the seated statues of Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramesses II, and Re- Horakhty twice a year
which is on February 21, the king's birthday, and October 22, the date of his coronation.
The Smaller Abu Simbel Temple which is located north of the Greater Temple was carved in
the rock by Ramses II. The Facade is ornamented by six statues, four to Ramses II and two to
his wife Nefertari. The entrance leads to a hall containing six pillars bearing the head of the
goddess, Hathur.
6. The Stonehenge of England
At this present day, Stonehenge is situated in a vast plain, surrounded by hundreds of round
barrows, or burials mounds. In many peoples' minds, it is the most mysterious place in the
world. This set of concentric rings and horseshoe shapes on the empty Salisbury Plain, is, at the
age of 4,000 years, one of the oldest, and certainly best preserved, megalithic (that means large,
often ancient, stone) structures on Earth. It is a fantastic construction with many of the larger
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stones involved weighing 25 tons and quarried from a location 18 miles away. The rings and
horseshoes of Sarsen (a type of sandstone) also carry massive lintels connecting them so that
when they were all in place there was a ring of stone in the sky as well as on the ground.
Stonehenge is surely Britain’s greatest national icon, symbolizing mystery, power and
endurance. No one knows is sure of what is the purpose or aim for it; however some have
speculated that it was a temple made for the worship of ancient earth deities. It has been called
an astronomical observatory for marking significant events on the prehistoric calendar while
others claim that it was a sacred site for burial of high- ranking citizens from the societies of
long ago.
It was believed that the construction began approximately 5000 years ago. However, no one
knows who built the Stonehenge until today. The monument’s construction has been attributed
to many ancient peoples throughout the years, but most captivating and enduring attribution has
been to the Druids (members of an order of priests in ancient Gaul and Britain who appear in
Welsh and Irish legend as prophets and sorcerers.)
Stonehenge at about 1500 BC consisted of a circular ditch, with a raised bank on the inside.
Within the bank was a circle of 30 Sarsen stones with lintels creating a raised circle. Within the
ring were five "trilithons" (two massive upright stones supporting a lintel) arranged in a
horseshoe. On the open side of the horseshoe, outside the ditch, was the heel stone, some 120
feet from the ring. Once a year, on summer solstice (the longest day of the year), the sun will
rise in alignment with the heel stone as seen from the center of the ring. In addition to the Sarsen
stones there were a less elaborate set of blue stones. Some set in a ring outside the trilithons, and
the others in a horseshoe within the thrilithon horseshoe. There are also four "station stones" set
in a rectangle outside the ring. The station stones may have been used to predict the movement
of the moon.
The stones that we see today represent Stonehenge in ruin. Many of the original stones have
fallen or been removed by previous generations for home construction or road repair. There has
been serious damage to some of the smaller bluestones resulting from close visitor contact and
the prehistoric carvings on the larger sarsen stones show signs of significant wear.
7. Taj Mahal in India
Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the wonders of the world. It is one of the most beautiful
masterpieces of architecture in the world and some Western historians have noted that its
architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj is also the most beautiful monument
built by the Mughals. Taj Mahal is located at Agra , about 200 kilometer south of New Delhi .
Agra was the capital of the Mughals (moguls), the Muslim Emperors who ruled Northern India
between sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Mughals were the descendents of two of the
most skilled warriors in history: the Turks and the Mongols. The Muhgal dynasty reached its
highest strength and fame during the reign of their early Emperors, Akbar, Jehangir and Shah
Jehan.
Taj Mahal was built under the under of Emperor Shah Jehan (died 1666 C.E.) in the memory of
his dear wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal at Agra , India . Mumtaz and Shah Jehan were married
in 1612 and over the next 18 years, has 14 children together. The Empress used to accompany
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her husband in his military campaigns, and it was in 1630, in Burhanpur, that she gave birth to
her last child, for she died in childbirth. As Mumtaz Mahal lay dying, she asked four promises
from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he
be kind to their children; fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. However, he
only kept the first and second promises.
The construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years later. It is not known for sure
who planned the Taj, however, the name of an Indian architect of Persian descent, Ustad Lahori,
has been cited in many sources. As soon as the construction began, masons, craftsmen,
sculptors, and calligraphers were summoned from Persia , the Ottoman Empire , and Europe to
work on the masterpiece.
The site was chosen near the Capital, Agra on the southwest bank of river Yamuna. The
architectural complex is comprised of five main elements: the Darwaza or maingateway, the
Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or rest house, and the Rauza or
the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual tomb is situated inside the Taj.
The unique mughal style combines elements of Persian, Central Asia and Islamic architecture.
Most impressive are the black and white chessboard marble floor, the four tall minarets which is
40 meters high, at the corners of the structure, and the majestic dome in the middle. On closer
look, the lettering of Quran verses around the archways appears to be uniform, regardless of
their height. The lettering spacing and density has been customized to give this impression to
beholder. Other illusionary effects have been accounted for in the geometry of the tomb and the
tall minarets. The impressive pietra dura artwork includes geometric elements, plants and
flowers, most common in Islamic architecture. The level of sophistication in artwork becomes
obvious when one realizes that a 3 centimeter decorative element contains more than 50 inlaid
gemstones.
8. Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest wonders of the world. It just look like a gigantic
dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across the deserts, mountains, grasslands and
plateaus stretching approximately 6700 kilometers from east to west of China. It has a history of
more than 2000 years, some of the section of the Great Wall are now in ruins or even entirely
disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world
owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.
No one knows when the Great Wall was built but it was believed that it started as a military
fortification against intrusion by tribes on the borders in order to protect different States during
the earlier Zhou Dynasty. It was not until Qin dynasty(221-206 B.C.) that the separate walls ,
constructed by Qin, Yan and Zhao kingdoms, were connected to form a defensive system on the
northern border of the country by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. He was also called Qin Shi Huangdi
or the First Emperor. After the emperor unified the country in 214 B.C., he ordered the
construction of the wall which took about 10 years to finish and formed the first ‘”Wan Li
Chang Cheng” (10 thousand li Great Wall, li is a Chinese length unit, 2 li = 1km)
A great army of manpower, composed of soldiers, prisoners, and local people, built the Wall.
This construction result demonstrates the manifestation of the wisdom and tenacity of the
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Chinese people. The wall stretched from Linzhao (in the eastern part of today's Gansu Province)
in the west to Liaodong (in today's Jilin Province) in the east.
It was during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) that the Wall took on its present form, with an
average height of 10 meters and a width of 5 meters, the walls runs up and down along the
mountain ridges and valleys from east to west. The brick and granite work was enlarged and
sophisticated designs were added. The watch towers were redesigned and modern canon were
mounted in strategic areas. This was because the northern nomadic ethnic groups had become so
powerful that the Ming rulers had the Wall renovated 18 times.
For centuries, the Wall served succeeding dynasties as an efficient military defense. . However,
it was only when a dynasty had weakened from within that invaders from the north were able to
advance and conquer. Both the Mongols (Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368) and the Manchurians
(Qing Dynasty, 1644-1911) were able take power because of weakness of the government and
poverty of the people but never due to any possibility of weakness of the Wall.
Today, the Great Wall of China is a must-see for every visitor to China . It has long been
incorporated into Chinese mythology and popular symbolism. The Great Wall is reputed as one
of the wonders in the world not only for its long history, but it massive construction size, and its
unique architectural style as well.
9. Conclusion
The seven wonders of the world, are a set of wonderful and mysterious set of mans creation.
The wonders of the world were created when it was a point in time when man was looking
about, looking right through his world thinking not what he can be doing for his Gods but what
he can do for himself. The wonders of the world are mans wonders. Showing to the world what
man can actually do. The Wonders of the World originate from history. The list we created
shows a summary of mankind's outstanding accomplishments in an unusual architectural
creation.
The ‘old’ list of the Seven Wonders (Ancient) was compiled by the Greeks for the first time as
long ago as the 5th century BC however the recognized list today has been made up from many
different Greek lists written over the period of hundreds of years. The Greeks loved to compile
lists about the greatest monuments and structures in their world, this explains the omission of
the so called 'forgotten wonders' such as Stonehenge, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Taj
Mahal and many others, the Greeks simply did not know they existed.
Most of our forgotten wonders come from the medieval mind. For example, the Taj Mahal as
mentioned is regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Everything about the
Taj Mahal is so wonderful that it is probably the most magnificent and grand mausoleum under
the heavens. Taj Mahal is a picture perfect Crown Palace of India. The marvelous marble,
pulsating pietra dura, gorgeous green gardens, honest hard work of the workers offer impressive
images of the everlasting love between Shah Jahan and his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. This
Wonder of the World has been described as 'a dream in marble. But, to many the breathtaking
beauty of Taj Mahal can never be done justice to in words. Taj is simply put spell binding. The
magic of the monument is considered at par with the other Wonders of the World – Stonehenge,
The Angkor Wat and Leaning Tower of Pisa.
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Angkor is famous for its survival through so many wars. Its architects and sculptors created
stone temples that symbolized the cosmic world and decorated them with wall carvings and
sculptures of Hindu gods and the Buddha. More than 40 of these temple complexes survive in
the Angkor region. In addition, several stone bridges and reservoirs built in the Angkor period
are still in use..
While for Stonehenge, it is still so mysterious to us because the function of the monument
remains unknown: once believed to be a temple for Druids or Romans, Stonehenge is now often
thought to have been either a temple for sun worshippers or a type of astronomical clock or
calendar. As the only natural building stones within 21 km (13 mi) Stonehenge has been
decimated through the centuries by builders and by normal climatic forces.
Another forgotten wonder is the Brooder Temple. We remember we used to learn this in history
before. But at that time we didn’t think that it would be a wonder of the world until we
discovered its wonderful architectural works and story behind it. This temple is very unique in
her own way. The history of this temple makes it so wonderful. There’s even an artist who
imaginated Borobodur as “a big lotus flower bud ready to bloom” which was “floating” on a
lake and there were proofs that the temple used to be a lake. How coincidence can they get?
Out of so many wonders in the world, we’ve chosen these Seven as mentioned. This is because
they have architectural beauties, and despite of their old age they still exist since and they will
not be forgotten. They are special in such way that each of them has either mystery that still
need to be solve or having an interesting history, legend or stories behind them.
Hence therefore, last but not least, a wonderful piece of the “forgotten” architecture is like a
beautiful strain of music frozen in space. This section is dedicated to such strains of music that
compose some of the best architectural wonders of the world.
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