Ancient Wonders of the World

2002 documentary for the Travel Channel. If you had to pick seven ancient wonders of the world, which ones would they be? We ve compiled a list of our top 7, from the soaring heights of the Great Pyramid, to the statues of Easter Island, exotic Mayan temples, a Roman amphitheatre, and the Great Wall of China. In this documentary we explore some of the most awesome ancient wonders, each rich in stories of mystery and intrigue. We take part in the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, walk the Great Wall of China, and join archaeologists in Mexico as they hunt for treasure in the Mayan temples. By searching for clues hidden with these historic monuments we can begin to unlock their secrets and reveal the marvels of these ancient wonders of the world. Great Pyramid of Giza: The three pyramids of Giza have stood on a high plateau by the Nile for more than 4,500 years. These wonders were built by the ancient Egyptian King Khufu, his son, and his grandson. Khufu s Great Pyramid is the largest and most impressive of them all Tower of London: The oldest palace and fortress in Europe. Behind this facade of respectability lie dark blood-curdling tales of terror, sinister acts born of ruthless ambition. For over 900 years these monumental walls have overshadowed the city of London. Even today the Tower of London is one of the capital s most prominent landmarks. The Colosseum: A marvel of Roman engineering and the greatest amphitheatre ever built. This huge stadium was designed so that as many Romans as possible could watch the most cruel and violent games the world has ever seen. Thousands died here in the name of popular entertainment. Stonehenge: Deep in the heart of the English countryside lies what is possibly the oldest structure on Earth. This is Stonehenge. It was built by prehistoric man and yet amazingly this extraordinary monument is aligned with the cosmos. The arrangement of the stones can predict exactly when the sun and the moon eclipse, and on the longest day of the year, they line up precisely with the midsummer sunrise. Great Wall of China: Built across mountain ranges up to 8,000 feet high, the Great Wall of China is a feet of engineering unparalleled in the world. It extends over 4,500 miles from North Korea to the wastes of the Gobi Desert, the same distance as from Miami to the North Pole. The Great Wall of China is the longest manmade structure on the planet. Easter Island Moai: This is one of the most isolated places on Earth, yet every year 20,000 tourists make the journey here to see some of the strangest wonders of the world. Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from the nearest habitation in Chile, it s a place with a tragic history, where the events of the past almost destroyed an entire population. 887 gigantic statues dot the island. Lost City of Palenque: In the 18th century the Spanish priest was sent by his bishop to explore the dense jungle of Central America. Searching for new land to cultivate he stumbled upon some hauntingly beautiful ruins rising spectacularly out of the forest. This was the Lost City of Palenque.