Architecture Wonders of the World - With A Modern Twist

Numerous lists of the Wonders of the World have been created which include monuments from ancient world to the modern day. Everyone has a different perspective of beauty and a different ranking for the world's most magnificent manmade structures and architectural wonders.

From my research and reading, I’m attempting to create my favorite list and share information on history and architecture with a modern twist (not so subtle hint: Minecraft and Google Earth). So far I have been lucky to visit one of these beautiful sites. Hoping to see all or many of these beautiful monuments in the near future.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a circular stone structure which consists of multiple stones that are 13 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and 25 tons in weight. The stones are in the middle of a complex array of henges. A henge is an architectural term for a circular or oval-shaped flat area enclosed by a border of earth. Stonehenge was built in circa 2000 BCE and is an example of Prehistoric British architecture.

Location: Wiltshire, England

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@51.178882,-1.826215,101.74445271a,632.71054679d,35y,0h,45t,0r

Seeing it in real life: Awesome feeling

Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids, the Pyramids of Giza. The Great Pyramid has a height of 455 feet (and an elevation of 26 feet). The Pyramid construction was completed in the year 2540 BCE and it was the tallest structure in the world until 1311 CE, making it the tallest for 3800 years. The pyramids are a great example of the ancient Egyptian style of architecture.

Location: Giza Necropolis, Egypt

Architect: Hemiunu

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@29.9787326,31.13407196,62.49113967a,691.53756255d,35y,91.28393377h,0.28984187t,360r

Fun Fact: The exact coordinates of the Great Pyramid of Giza are 29.9792458°N which is exactly the same as the speed of light which travels at 299,792,458 metres per second.

The Parthenon

The Parthenon was a former temple on the Acropolis, Greece. This temple was dedicated to Athena, whom the people of Athens considered to be their patron god. The Parthenon was completed in 438 BCE. It stands at 45 feet tall and had a 40 foot tall gold statue of Athena in the center. It was destroyed in 1687 CE and was looted for its gold and marble. The Parthenon was built in a Classical Architecture style.

Location: Athens, Greece

Architect: Iktinos, Callicrates

Google Earth Link: https://earth.google.com/web/@37.97161748,23.72565145,149.88037127a,793.6903749d,35y,137.86336061h,44.99988514t,0r

The Colosseum

The construction of the Colosseum started in 72 CE and was finished 8 years later. Built mainly out of limestone and concrete bricks, this oval amphitheater could host 50,000 spectators, making it the largest amphitheater of its time. Gladiator and animal fights, chariot races, plays, executions, and even naval battles were held to please the population. The building is 157 feet tall and is built in an Ancient Roman architecture. The Colosseum is an example of how cruel the ancient Romans were to their enemies.

Location: Rome, Italy

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@41.8902102,12.4922309,15.49764127a,762.41818904d,35y,0h,45t,0r

The Great Wall

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortification systems built across the historical northern borders of China to protect and consolidate territories of Chinese states and empires against invaders

Location: China

Architect: Especially famous is the wall built in 220–206 BC by Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@40.43141417,116.57505282,457.07621609a,1951.80585295d,35.00002634y,102.58994142h,0t,0r

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble Islamic mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the city of Agra, India. It was built in the years between 1631 and 1653 for Shah Jahan’s (the Mughul emperor) favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Both Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are buried in the marble structure. It is an example of Mughal architecture, a mix of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles.

Location: Agra, India

Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@27.1738042,78.04229449,164.87370325a,453.67378706d,35y,350.35069911h,0t,0r

Fallingwater

Fallingwater is a house 43 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, designed by the famous Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935. It is one of his greatest and most notable building. This is an example of organic architecture. Wright blurred the lines of man-made structure and nature to create this masterpiece, accompanied with its iconic waterfall.

Location: Mill Run, Pennsylvania

Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@39.9062739,-79.4677754,404.65502778a,0d,60y,199.15399228h,81.90933781t,0r

Taipei 101

This tower, in Taipei, Taiwan, was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010, when the Burj Khalifa was built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This tower has 101 floors, elevators that can travel 37.65 miles per hour, and a height of 1474 feet, plus a bonus 197 feet to the tip. Even today it is the world's largest and highest-use green building.

Location: Taipei, Taiwan

Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@25.03284278,121.56704254,20.57070929a,0d,60y,295.72333174h,126.66086315t,0r