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Modern Wonders
pparently, it's time to masterpiece which dated to the
turn the page on the Fifth Century AD and was
original Seven Wonders of senselessly destroyed as a
the World ... blasphemous icon by the Taliban
when their stilted act tyrannized
Since only one of them is left Afghanistan.
standing, and since most people
can't remember what the rest of The original Seven Wonders were
them are, anyway, this is a good so anointed by an ancient geek,
idea for someone who has too much Philon of Byzantium, and an
time on their hands and the ancient Greek, Antipater of
ability to raise money. Sidon. Those were the days before
travel agents and tour guides, so
In this instance, that would perhaps each felt a need to fill
narrow the candidates down to one the void. Whatever their
Bernard Weber. He's a Swiss inspiration, they were not the
idealist who is behind the New 7 first to get the idea.
Wonders Foundation, which he
founded in 2000. The concept of such a list was
first mentioned by Herodotus in
Weber's motivation is simply to his seminal 'The History' in the
call attention to the marvels Fifth Century BC. Later, around
made possible when mankind the Third Century BC, Callimachus
applies positive energy. In fact, of Cyrene, the top logster at the
should his foundation actually legendary Museum of Alexandria in
generate profits, he intends to ancient Egypt, wrote "A
use at least a portion of them to Collection of Wonders around the
rebuild lost marvels. World." These lists varied in
Specifically, he cites the content, but Philon's prevailed,
Bamiyan Buddha statue, a cultural due in part to its mention in
engravings by the Dutch artist 4. The Mausoleum at
Maerten van Heemskerck Halicarnassus, which stood for
(1498-1574) and Johann Fischer 1500 years until the Maltese
von Erlach's 'History of Knights of St John used its
Architecture.' stones to build their own
mega-castle nearby;
Here are Philon's seven wonders:
5. The Colossus of Rhodes, which
1. The Hanging Gardens of towered 120 feet high at the
Babylon, although some historians city's harbor entrance until it
believe they were an ancient was destroyed in an earthquake,
urban legend and never really and which later served as the
existed; inspiration for French sculptor
Auguste Bartholdi when he created
2. The Statue of Zeus, which the Statue of Liberty as a gift
honored the first Olympic games, to the USA;
was later moved to Constantinople
and ultimately destroyed by fire; 6. The Lighthouse of Alexandria
in Egypt, whose beacon had a
range of 100 miles and which
3. The Temple of Diana at stood for 1500 years before
Ephesus, the largest known falling victim to an earthquake
building in ancient times which in the 1300s; and
took a century to build and was
subsequently senselessly 7. The Pyramids of Egypt, the
destroyed as a blasphemous icon lone wonder still standing.
by Christians when their
intolerance tyrannized southern Once Weber confirmed there was no
Turkey; official Seven Wonders of the
World being sanctioned by any
recognized bodies, he established
a website, gathered an impressive - The Easter Island Statues, also
list of professionals --- known as Stone Clones Gone Wild;
architects, engineers and the
like --- and began the process of - Petra in Jordan, for its
nominating structures worldwide mixture of intricacy and
as potential Wonders. During the magnitude in its status as the
subsequent years, visitors to his world's most spectacular city
site answered his call to vote carved out of sandstone;
and the nominees were pared to
77. - Stonehenge, a Druidic version
of the ultimate perpetual
Recently, these were winnowed to calendar with a timeless design;
21 --- another multiple of seven,
if you hadn't noticed --- with - Neuschwanstein Castle in
the voting set to continue Füssen, Germany, because that's
throughout 2006. The new Seven the way castles are supposed to
Wonders will then be announced on look;
New Year's Day, 2007.
- The Taj Mahal at Agra, India,
I've gone to Weber's site, because Richard Halliburton said
perused the finalists and did my so in one of my favorite
cyber-duty by voting. All are childhood tomes, 'The Book of
truly worthy choices, but I Marvels,' and his vivid
didn't find it difficult at all description therein sold me on it
to quickly make my decisions: forever; and
- The Great Wall of China, where - The Hagia Sophia cathedral at
the term 'breathtaking' is an Istanbul, because I think at
understatement; least one Wonder should contain
Viking graffiti, and Halfdan did and when Le Corbusier died, the
the honors --- which are still entity which survived him took up
prominently visible --- during the case against the Webers.
his stint with Byzantium's Among other things, this resulted
Varangian Guard. in a re-christening of the
building to its current title and
One interesting twist to Weber's legal squabbling over everything
foundation is that its home is from exclusivity for artwork
cited as the Heidi Weber Museum sales rights to website domain
in Zurich, which also happens to names.
be a landmark structure designed
by the Swiss architect and visual The Heidi Weber Museum is rarely
artist Charles Edouard Jeanneret, open these days. The irony of its
who became famous under his creative legacy and legal history
nom-d'art of Le Corbusier. This compared to the mission statement
building was commissioned by Mrs of Bernard Weber's New 7
Weber, to be named after its Foundation is rich. Clearly,
designer and to house various universal harmony in the
artworks created by him. It was recognition and preservation of
completed and opened to the famous structures is easier said
public in 1962. However, disputes than done.
arose between the two parties,
About the Author:
J Square Humboldt is the featured columnist at Longer Life's website, which provides information designed to improve the quality of living. He's at http://longerlifegroup.com/cyberiter.html
Source: www.isnare.com |
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