As we keep growing and keep traveling, there are some things that we never let go of and one of these things is our knack to visit architectural marvels. Whenever we are traveling to any place, one thing that remains constant on our bucket list is to see the architectural wonder of that place so that we get an idea of the essence of the place and the concept behind that architectural structure. 

When one goes to such monumental places, there are a couple of things we observe. One of the dominant things that we notice first is the whole building structure of the architectural wonder following which we trace the idea and concept behind such a structure. The pertinent feature of this whole architectural marvel is that the structure was built in a historical period when technology was not even introduced. It should be remembered that it was certainly not an easy task for the workers to contribute to the building of the structure. 

Hence, as an individual, we should strive to know as to what is the kind of architecture that the previous generations have been involved in and how these structures set an example for other architects and inspire other professionals to use the same or similar ideas in the field of architecture, construction, and design. 

Let us take a look at some of the architectural designs and their ideas to understand the whole theme of the structure and some of the lesser-known facts about these architectural marvels: 

The Great Wall of China, China – It was built under the rule of Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Win Dynasty. Building this wall took around 20 years to finish. This wall is 21,196 kilometers long. The lesser-known fact is that this wall is the longest cemetery in the world as a huge number of people died while constructing this wall. Many archaeologists have found several human remains buried under the parts of the wall. Visiting this site perhaps reminds an individual about the amount of sacrifice that has gone both in effort and labor.   

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – This statue is 125 feet tall designed by Heitor da Silva Costa and sculpted by French sculptor Paul Landowski. This statue is prone to and at times vulnerable to climatic disasters such as lightning. This statue otherwise gets struck with lightning around three to six times a year. Yet it still stands tall and firm, thanks to the quality of materials used by the architects. 

Petra, Jordan – This is a man-made marvel, also known as the Rose City. This city is built out of pink sandstone. This structure serves as evidence that the Middle East was the most influential region of the world in the Middle Ages due to which such an elaborate city was constructed. This city was built strategically which is enclosed by the towering rocks and was supported by the flow of the perennial water stream. This shows that this city not only served as a fortress town but had commercial utility advantages in the middle ages such as having a transportation passage to several other important places like Gaza, Bosra, Damascus, and the Persian Gulf. 

Machu Picchu, Peru – Also known as the Lost City of the Incas that was built in 1450 and was abandoned after 100 years. The structure was made out of dry-stone walls. The surprising fact is that several stones that were used to build the city were more than 50 pounds in weight. In addition what is even shocking to know is that in that historical time, no wheels were used to transport such huge rocks up the mountain.  

Colosseum, Italy – Another famous architectural marvel that was built between 70 AD and 82 AD by Emperor Titus Vespasian. This structure is the most ancient, iconic, and large amphitheater in the world. The seating capacity is  50,000 spectators. A lot of events took place such as the infamous gladiator fights, animal hunts, executions, and dramas. Sometimes the events were so brutal that during certain games a huge number of animals would be killed in a single day. 

Chichen Itza, Mexico – This structure’s name is known as the “At the mouth of the well of Itza”, the largest Mayan city ever built. The city is designed in such a way that unusual sounds can be heard like if one claps once from one end of the Ball Court, it reverberates and creates nine echoes in the middle of the court. 

Taj Mahal, India – One of the marvelous architectural structures, the Taj Mahal is built by emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his late wife. A popular story about this structure is that the emperor had the hands of the architects and sculptors cut off so they could not replicate the design for any other person. Another fascinating fact about this structure is that 1000 elephants were used to transport construction material by the workers. 

Hence, these are some of the fun insights into the seven wonders of the world. While we keep hearing the same story about these structures or cities, there is more to it as mentioned above. One will know more interesting facts from the locals who know the ins and outs of these places. One should always go beyond theoretical knowledge and see all things in perspective. 

By Acad Studio – Consultant of Architecture, Home Interior Design, Interior Decorators in Gurgaon