Petra came into existence around 100 B.C. when the people of the Nabataean empire carved a city entirely out of stone. The Nebataean people conducted business in Petra, making it an important silk and spice trade city. Petra is located in southern Jordan.
Machu Picchu was a secret ceremonial city erected by the Inca. The ruins of Machu Picchu include baths, temples, storage rooms and palaces, all of which were carved out of the gray mountain granite on which they reside. Not much is known about the social or religious use of the monuments, however, it has been speculated that the site was a sort of training ground for priestesses or brides that would later go on to serve or marry Inca nobility.
The Mayans built the archaeological site known as Chichén Itzá sometime around 600 A.D. This region of the Yucatan Peninsula was designated as a local capital by the Mayans, centralizing economic, political and ideological life.
The Taj Mahal was erected by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. Construction of the mausoleum lasted 22 years and employed over 20,000 workers. The Taj Mahal was completed in 1648 A.D. and is located in Agra, India.
The Statue of Christ Redeemer is a 38- meter-tall statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was constructed in 1931 and sits atop the Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. The statue was sculpted by the French artist Paul Landowski.
The Colosseum is widely considered the finest Roman architectural achievement. It was built between 70 and 80 A.D. and hosted crowds of nearly 50,000 people. Spectators gathered to watch gladiatorial events, which pitted man against beast.
The Great Wall of China is approximately 4,000 miles long and is the world's longest human-built structure. The wall was built, fortified, rebuilt and maintained between the fifth and 16th centuries with the intention of protecting the Chinese Empire's northern border.
