1. Taj Mahal (India):

The famous mausoleum made entirely of white marble is not considered an architectural masterpiece for nothing, attracting millions of visitors every year – most of them from India. It is said to be the late favorite wife of an Indian Mughal emperor in whose honor the stunning building is said to have been commissioned in 1631. It is hardly surprising that the Taj Mahal is now a popular destination for newlywed Indian couples.

2. Chichén Itzá (Mexico):

The former center of power of the Mayas is now only a ruin. Between the 8th and 11th centuries, the stone pyramid and associated temple of Kukulkán on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula was both a major political and economic center.

A phenomenon that occurs every year at the astronomical beginning of spring is particularly fascinating: due to the special solar radiation and the formation of shadows projected a bright band on the 91 steps of the pyramid that gives the impression of a snake sliding down. Tens of thousands of visitors make the pilgrimage to Chichén Itzá every year to admire this spectacle.

3. Great Wall of China (China):

At 6,260 km long, the “Great Wall” is the largest structure ever created by man. What today as “the” Great Wall of China, but is only part of the huge walls, whose total length approx 21,196 km – which roughly corresponds to the distance from Stockholm to Cape Town.

Originally built as a border fortification for the Chinese Empire, there are also tombs of 13 deceased emperors in the masonry. But it is said to have been customary to bury the workers who died during construction in the resulting wall made of clay, rice and straw. However, their exact number can no longer be precisely reconstructed today.

4. Machu Picchu (Peru):

In German simple “old mountain” or “old peak” – a description that does not do justice to the mysterious ruined city. The abandoned city of the Incas is still not fully developed, neither archaeologically nor historically. Both its discovery and the entire extent of the “capital city” The Incas are entwined with numerous myths and legends.

Almost exactly 111 years ago, on July 24, 1911, the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham rediscovered the city high above the Andes, which he thought was lost and was overgrown with lianas. He was neither the first nor the only one to find the legendary city after the Incas left it in the 16th century fleeing from the Spanish conquerors. However, the professor of history at Yale University was the one who presented his accidental find not only to science, but to the entire world public. Since then he has been considered a “explorer” the ancient Inca city.

5. Christ the Redeemer (Brazil):

Probably the most famous Christ in the world is in Brazil. With almost 38 meters enthroned “Christ the Redeemer” high above the roofs of Rio de Janeiro, at the top of the Corcovado Mountains. With arms spread wide, shines “Christ the Redeemer” wanting to embrace the whole world, its silhouette inevitably reminiscent of that of a giant cross.

The colossal statue in the city of carnival is not the largest in the world – it is about 1500 km further in Rio Grande do Sul. Curiously, a statue in western Poland also towers above the world-famous original. However, none of the replicas could trigger a comparable fascination.

6. Colosseum (Italy)

Today, the Flavian amphitheater in the Italian capital Rome is no longer teeming with brave gladiators and wild animals, but mostly with millions of tourists from all over the world. An incredible 1.2 million visitors were recorded in 2020 according to statista.com.

While what is probably the most famous monument in the Italian capital now lies in ruins, it has survived two world wars and has lost none of its magic – despite the daily influx of tourists.

7. Rock City of Petra (Jordan):

The rock city of Petra, in the middle of the stony desert of Jordan, is also one of the most spectacular sights in the world. The 40 meter high facade of the treasury is like a huge painting “Al Khazneh” carved into the sandstone rock massif.

More than 2000 years ago, Petra was built as the capital of the Nabataean people in Wadi Musa, the so-called Moses Valley. Due to its favorable location on the Incense Route, which led from Yemen along the west coast of Arabia to Damascus and Gaza, it was an important trading point at the time. The first European to rediscover the magical ruined city in 1812 was the Swiss Johan Ludwig Burckhardt. It is said that he was led to the ancient rock city disguised as a Muslim sheikh.