The world is packed with incredible things to see – some of which are rightly considered wondrous. A trip to any of these locations is likely to create memories that will last a lifetime and allow you to check another item off your bucket list.
Taj Mahal
This iconic white-marble mausoleum was commissioned by Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, for his late wife Mumtaz Mahal. As well as the tomb itself, the complex also includes a mosque, an impressive garden, and space for guests.
This was a truly regional project, with master craftsmen being drafted in from many of the Empire’s territories, and hundreds of elephants being used to carry the materials. It took around twenty years to finish, all in all.
Petra
This Jordanian wonder is also known as the ‘Rose City’, because of the red-hued stone used to construct it. Think of the city, and a few key structures might spring to mind – but the city is actually spread over more than a hundred square miles. For those who are looking at Jordan tours or things to do in Jordan, this is an essential stop.
According to UNESCO, which named Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985, the site is among the most precious properties of our global collective cultural heritage.
The Great Barrier Reef
This enormous mass of coral sits just off the east coast of Australia. It stretches over more than two thousand miles and provides a habitat for thousands of rare species, including rare marine turtles and whales. You can explore the reef with the help of a scuba mask, or you can simply observe it from afar, courtesy of a nearby island.
The Great Wall of China
No list of the world’s wonders would be complete if it didn’t make mention of the most famous of them all: the Great Wall of China. The wall runs over more than six thousand kilometers, between Shanhaiguan and Lop Lake. That’s enough wall – almost – to half-encircle the globe.
The wall actually began life as several disparate structures, built by different states and peoples. It was the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, who joined them up and made general improvements, staffing the wall with convicts, conscripted peasants, and prisoners of war. The wall was developed more than a thousand years after that, with the most famous and impressive sections being attributable to the Ming dynasty.