Are there better world wonders than the Seven Wonders of the World?

Are the traditional Seven Wonders of the World truly the best, or do hidden gems deserve the spotlight? Photo / 123rf

Are the Seven Wonders of the World deserving of their coveted title, or are there better “wonders” out there? Dominick Merle weighs in

If you’ve seen one Great Wall, you’ve seen ‘em all. Same with the Taj Mahal. As with most of the Seven Wonders of the World, a repeat visit often disturbs that initial “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.

Then there are those “runner-up wonders” that never made the list but are well worth viewing time after time. (Who votes on these lists anyway?)

Of the Seven Modern World Wonders - the Great Wall (China), Taj Mahal (India), Machu Picchu (Peru), Christ Redeemer Statue (Brazil), Colosseum (Italy), Chichen Itza (Mexico), Petra (Jordan) - only Machu Picchu and Petra are definite repeaters, in my estimation, because of their extensive ruins of lost civilisations.

Oh, the Great Wall is far and away the most extensive of all, but once you march off a few steps the thrill is usually gone unless you’ve got a little goat in your blood. And the Colosseum does look a little tacky the second time around with all those day-job gladiators in shabby costumes hounding you for photo money.

Don’t miss any of them if you have the chance, but don’t rush back before thinking it over after a good night’s sleep.

Now, on to five Near-Wonders of the World, in no particular order:

CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY

As close as you can get to the lunar surface without leaving Planet Earth. Three volcanoes erupted here zillions of years ago, and over the centuries created a bizarre skyline of conical rock towers. Some resemble huge tents, others space rockets ready to launch and still others Whirling Dervishes, those mysterious dancers who spin themselves like tops and into a trance, who actually come from this area. By hollowing out the soft soil, people, businesses, even churches once occupied these large rock towers. Byzantine Christians even used them as hideouts in the first century when they were fleeing the Romans.

Cappadocia's rock formations were created by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Photo / Getty Images

NAZCA PLAINS, PERU

Mysterious and huge line drawings on the plains, so colossal that they can only be observed from the air at low altitudes, have baffled archeologists and scientists for centuries. A crocodile or lizard over 180m long, giant birds, whales, and monkeys, a pair of perfectly spaced parallel lines over 3km long which go over highways and hills without the slightest deviation. The figures and lines look like they have been drawn by giants with 100-foot rulers. They were the basis for the controversial book, Chariot of the Gods, which contended that the area was a type of airport for space aliens many centuries ago. The book sold well, but hardly anyone bought the aliens.

The Nazca Lines in Peru are so large they can only be seen from the air. Photo / 123rf

GRAND CANYON, US

First, consider the size. The canyon is 445km long, up to 29km wide and more than 1.5km deep. To completely navigate its zig-zag rim would be close to 1287km. Nowhere else will one find such a dazzling variety of colours - hues of brown, green, aqua, blue, rust and some shades with no name. At once, your mind can see traces of the great Inca and Aztec civilizations ... an Asian temple over there and in the distance, some Greek ruins. Tomorrow, your mind will make some new discoveries in this masterwork of nature’s “art” that continues to unfold. You may be tempted to toss your camera into the canyon itself, for you will never capture what you see.

Grand Canyon National Park is one of Arizona's most famous sights. Photo / Getty Images

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS, CHINA

Often described as the 8th Wonder of the World, this incredible display of a Chinese army, constructed solely with clay, lay buried for 2200 years before being discovered by a group of farmers in 1974. China’s first emperor believed the army would protect him in his afterlife. Located near Zian in northwest China, it contains life-size figures of more than 8000 soldiers, 130 chariots and 520 horses, no two alike. A museum complex has been built over the area with a platform that offers a spectacular view of the Terracotta Warriors and their weaponry. Yet, as magnificent as it is, one viewing may be enough.

The Terracotta Warriors in China were buried for 2200 years before being discovered. Photo / 123rf

PLACE JEMAA EL FNA, MOROCCO

The jawbreaker name may not ring a bell, but its loose translation, “End of the World”, pretty much sums it up. It’s a huge square in Marrakech’s old quarter where pure pandemonium has ruled for almost 850 years - definitely the strangest show on earth. There are snake charmers with toothless cobras, acrobats, musicians, spell-weavers, storytellers, voodoo, black magic, remedies and cures for everything, even some on-the-job training dentists and doctors. In addition, there are more than 5000 shops in the souk, and rows of food stalls sprinkled here and there. The show changes daily, one never knows what new acts will appear tomorrow. Definitely worth a repeat visit anytime you’re in the area.

Place Jemaa el Fna is known for its chaotic and vibrant daily performances. Photo / Getty Images

That’s it. I’m sure there are many more “sleepers” out there worthy of joining the runners-up. But I also wonder how the original Seven Wonders of the World would do today.

I’m pretty sure I’d return to the Colossus of Rhodes for a few selfies.