Eighth Wonder of the World explained

Eighth Wonder of the World is an unofficial title sometimes given to new buildings, structures, projects, designs or even people that are deemed to be comparable to the seven Wonders of the World.

Candidates for the Eighth Wonder of the World

Natural places

• Burney Falls in California, United States; called so by Theodore Roosevelt^[1]
• Deadvlei Clay Pan in Namibia^[2]
• Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland
• Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, Canada^[3]
• Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States^[4]
• Milford Sound in New Zealand; called so by Rudyard Kipling^[5]
• Natural Tunnel, Virginia, United States, so dubbed by William Jennings Bryan^[6]
• Niagara Falls, between the province of Ontario, Canada and the state of New York, United States.^[7]
• Pink and White Terraces in New Zealand, prior to their disappearance following the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera.^[8]
• Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, with a series of tufa lakes that are connected by waterfalls, along with very deep caves.^[9]
• Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.^{[10] [11]}
• The great wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, Kenya and Serengeti, Tanzania^[12]

Pre-1900 creations

• Amber Room in the Catherine Palace near Saint Petersburg, Russia^[13]
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia^[14]
• Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines^{[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]}
• Borobudur, in Magelang, Indonesia^[21]
• The Citadelle Laferrière, Haiti^[22]
• The Eads Bridge, St. Louis, Missouri, United States^[23]
• The Erie Canal, New York, United States.^[24]
• Monastery of El Escorial, Spain.^[25]
• The Forth Railway Bridge in Scotland^[26]
• Great Wall of China, China^[27]
• The original 1882 Kinzua Viaduct (railway bridge) in Pennsylvania, United States.
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
• Machu Picchu, Peru^[28]
• The moai statues of Easter Island, Chile^[29]
• Newgrange, Ireland^[30]
• The Obelisk of Axum, Ethiopia^[31]
• The Polhem dry dock, Karlskrona, Sweden^[32]
• The rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, Ethiopia^[33] (Church of Saint George, Lalibela)
• Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands^[34]
• Sigiriya, Sri Lanka^{[35] [36] [37]}
• Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), New York Harbor, United States^[38]
• Stonehenge, England^[39]
• The Taj Mahal, India^{[40] [41]}
• Chapel of the Rosario, Puebla City, Mexico^[42]
• The Terracotta Army, China^[43]
• The original rail-only Victoria Bridge (Montreal), Canada.^[44]
• Thames Tunnel, London, United Kingdom^[45]

Post-1900 creations

• Aswan Dam in Egypt, called as such by Nikita Khrushchev^[46]
• Bahá'í terraces, on Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.^[47]
• Delta Works, the Dutch provinces of Zeeland and South Holland, the Netherlands. The Delta Works has been called one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by Quest magazine and the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by several other sources.^[48]

• Empire State Building, New York City, United States.^{[49] [50]}
• George Washington Bridge, New York City, United States^[51]
• Great Manmade River in Libya; given the title by Muammar Gaddafi.^[52]
• Hibernia Oil Platform, Newfoundland, Canada^[53]
• Hoover Dam, Nevada, United States^[54]
• Houston Astrodome, Texas, United States^[55]
• Karakoram Highway in Pakistan, and China^[56]
• Palm Islands of Dubai^[57]
• Panama Canal, Panama^[58]
• Pikeville Cut-Through in Pikeville, Kentucky, United States; given the title by The New York Times.^{[59] [60] [61]}
• Queensway Tunnel, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom^[62]
• Rogers Centre, originally named SkyDome, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada^[63]
• Statue of Unity, Kevadia, India, given the title by Shanghai Cooperation Organization.^{[64] [65]}
• Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia;^[66] the story of its construction was recounted in the opera The Eighth Wonder
• Thames Barrier, London, United Kingdom.^[67]
• Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, China^[68]
• West Baden Springs Hotel in West Baden Springs, Orange County, Indiana, United States.^[69]
• Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield, New South Wales, Australia - Ground of the West Tigers and West Tigers Women NRL teams.^[70]

In fiction

• King Kong, a fictional giant movie monster resembling a colossal gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. His captor promotes public exhibitions of the caged Kong with the tagline: "Eighth Wonder of the World".^[71]
• Similarly, Gorgo, a fictional 65-foot tall dinosaur-like creature captured off the coast of the fictitious Irish isle of Nara Island from the British kaiju film of the same name is promoted as the "8th Wonder of the World" while on display at a circus in London.^[72]

See also

• New Seven Wonders of the World
• Wonders of the World
• Andre the Giant (a pro wrestler who was given the nickname 'The Eighth Wonder of the world')

Notes and References

1. Web site: Welcome to Burney Falls!. Burney-falls.com. 4 November 2014.
2. Web site: Is Deadvlei the 8th Wonder of the World? . Lehmkuhl. Judd . 11 June 2013 . www.safari365.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918072747/https://www.safari365.com/blog/is-deadvlei-the-8th-wonder-of-the-world . 2020-11-01. 18 September 2020.
3. Web site: Geological Landscape: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage . Heritage.nf.ca . 18 January 2013.
4. Web site: 11 Things Billed as the 8th Wonder of the World . Arminio. Mark . 12 November 2011 . Mental Floss. 2024-05-08.
5. News: Travel New Zealand . 19 June 2006 . National Geographic . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060619091040/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/galleries/travelnewzealand/ . 19 June 2006.
6. Web site: Natural Tunnel State Park . Dcr.virginia.gov . December 2012. 18 January 2013.
7. News: The Niagara Mill-Seat. 31 January 2018. New York Times. 10 February 1853. 4.
8. News: Remains of Pink Terraces discovered. The New Zealand Herald. 4 November 2014.
9. Web site: A NEW WONDER OF THE WORLD? PLITVICE LAKES: CROATIA. 10 October 2017 . 10 October 2017.
10. Web site: 8th Wonder of the World . 1 November 2013 . 1 November 2013 . www.virtualtourist.com.
11. Web site: Chile's Torres del Paine National Park Selected as 8th Wonder of the World by VirtualTourist Voters . 1 November 2013 . 1 November 2013 . www.advfn.com.
12. Web site: The Great Wildebeest Migration, Serengeti and Masai Mara . Iserengeti.com . 18 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130106210427/http://www.iserengeti.com/wildebeest-great-migration.html . 6 January 2013.
13. Web site: The Amber Room: The Fate of the World's Greatest Lost Treasure (publisher's comments). Scott-Clark, Catherine & Levy, Adrian . Powells.com.
14. Web site: Angkor Wat, eighth wonder of the world. Reisebilder.ch. 4 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141104235814/http://www.reisebilder.ch/en/ka/ka054.html. 4 November 2014. dead.
15. Web site: Wander Our Wonders . WowPhilippines, official tourism website of the Philippines . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060824111958/http://www.tourism.gov.ph/wow/wonder_of_wonders.asp . 24 August 2006.
16. Web site: Planting rice is never fun: Modern life threatens Ifugao rice terraces. Abano, Imelda Visaya . Philippine Post. February 2002.
17. Web site: 'The Best' of the Philippines – its natural wonders . Filipinasoul.com . 18 July 2007 . 18 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141105023206/http://www.filipinasoul.com/the-best-of-the-philippines-its-natural-wonders/ . 5 November 2014.
18. Web site: Facts & Figures, Ifugao province . Nscb.gov.ph . 18 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121113192746/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/rucar/fnf_ifugao.htm . 13 November 2012.
19. Web site: About Banaue Tourist Attractions . Visitbanaue.com . 18 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192141/http://www.visitbanaue.com/main.php?cat=1&subcatid1=10&subcatid2=0 . 29 October 2013 . dead.
20. News: Villadolid. Alice C.. A Day's Trip To the Ifugao Rice Terraces. 31 January 2018. New York Times. 24 June 1979.
21. News: On NYTimes.com. 31 January 2018. New York Times. 27 December 2008.
22. Web site: Reading Eagle . News.google.com. 4 November 2014.
23. News: The St. Louis Bridge – Description of the Great Roadway Across the Father of Waters The World's Eighth Wonder. 31 January 2018. New York Times. 17 May 1873. 4.
24. Book: Marking . Tonja Koob . Maygarden . Benjamin . Documenting How "Clinton's Folly" Became the Eighth Wonder of the World: The Erie Canal and the Historic American Engineering Record . 16 May 2019 . 15–25 . 10.1061/9780784482377.002 . 9780784482377 . 181367117 . 7 September 2022 . en.
25. News: The Escorial. Catholic Encyclopedia. Newadvent.org. 4 November 2014.
26. Web site: The Forth Bridge Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland. www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk.
27. Web site: The Great Wall of China: Dynasties, Dragons, and Warriors Exhibit Summary. Powerhouse Museum.
28. Web site: World still wonders about the origins of Machu Picchu. Lollar, Michael Lollar. The Commercial Appeal. 21 May 1998.
29. Web site: Easter Island - Eighth Wonder of the World. Impactlab.com. 13 July 2007. 4 November 2014.
30. Web site: Newgrange - one of the seven wonders of the world . 2024-02-01 . www.newgrange.com.
31. News: Ethiopia: The eighth wonder of the world . Telegraph . 7 December 2002 . 5 March 2010.
32. http://www.vhfk.se/polhemsdockan/ "Polhemsdockan kallas ibland världens åttonde underverk"
33. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/01/ethiopia-rock-churches-tourism-lalibela Ancient rock churches put Ethiopia back on tourist map
34. Web site: Amsterdam Heritage: Town hall in the Dam Square (1648/65), now Royal Palace. Municipal Department for Preservation and Restoration of Historic Buildings and Sites of Amsterdam. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060505121746/http://www.bma.amsterdam.nl/adam/uk/groot/paleis.html. 5 May 2006.
35. News: Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Singh, Priyanka . Chandigarh. The Tribune. 10 August 2003.
36. News: Tourist miracles of Sri Lanka. Moin-ul-Haq. Daily News. Sri Lanka. 1 January 2004. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20061008192253/http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/01/01/fea15.html. 8 October 2006.
37. News: Breathtaking castle in the sky. Belliappa, C.P.. Deccan Herald. 15 August 2004. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060524125745/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug152004/sh4.asp. 24 May 2006.
38. News: Archive Search for 'Statue of Liberty wonder of the world' . New York Times . 5 March 2010.
39. Web site: The Eighth Wonder of the World? | Toluna . Uk.toluna.com . 5 March 2010 . 21 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120321071700/http://uk.toluna.com/polls/15449/The_Eighth_Wonder_of_the_World . dead .
40. Web site: Index . 1 December 2007 . Taj Majal Tourism . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071201131515/http://www.tajmahaltourism.com/about-tajmahal/index.html . 1 December 2007.
41. Web site: Images 4 . 25 October 2007 . soygrowers.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071025041057/http://www.soygrowers.com/library/india/images4.htm . 25 October 2007.
42. Book: Philadelphia Museum of Art. Bulletin - Philadelphia Museum of Art. 1908. Philadelphia Museum of Art. 9 February 2017. en.
43. Web site: Introduction of the Terracotta Army, the Eighth Wonder of the World . dreamxian.com . 6 September 2012 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20120906041521/http://www.dreamxian.com/tour-xian-2/introduction-of-terracotta-army-the-eighth-wonder-of-the-world.html . 6 September 2012.
44. Web site: Victoria Bridge: The 8th Wonder – a National Film Board of Canada short. nfb.ca.
45. Web site: What was Proclaimed the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' on Completion in 1843, but 'An Entire Failure' Just a Decade Later? Historic England. 2021-02-02. historicengland.org.uk. en.
46. News: Walz. Jay. Khrushchev and Nasser Join In Diverting the Nile at Aswan. 31 January 2018. New York Times. 15 May 1964. 1.
47. Web site: The 'Eighth Wonder of the World' – in Haifa . July 2001 . Israel-mfa.gov.il . 18 January 2013.
48. News: Deltawerken . 26 March 2011 . VVVZeeland . 20 November 2011 . 27 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170227081922/http://www.vvvzeeland.nl/en/about-zeeland/delta-works . dead .
49. Web site: Empire State Building official site . Esbnyc.com . 18 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130629064031/http://www.esbnyc.com/kids/index.cfm . 29 June 2013.
50. http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/ripples/feature_skaroff.html "Does Extra Security Make it Safe?"
51. News: New Span To Be Lecture Subject. 6 November 1931. The Montclair Times. subscription.
52. Web site: GMR (Great Man-made River) Water Supply Project. Net Resources International. 26 October 2011.
53. Web site: Interesting Facts about Oil and Gas. PetroGEN. 15 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171116074935/http://www.petrogenltd.com/2016/01/22/interesting-facts-about-oil-and-gas/. 16 November 2017. dead.
54. Web site: This Day in History: Construction Began on Hoover Dam . . 7 July 2015 . 8 May 2024.
55. News: Chris . Duncan . Historic Astrodome sits empty, awaits future . 26 March 2011 . The Denver Post . 20 November 2011.
56. Web site: A guide to the Karakoram Highway - from Pakistan to China - Against the Compass. 17 November 2020.
57. Web site: The lessons of Dubai? Let's build some more British isles . Blundell, John . . 9 April 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060507085656/http://www.iea.org.uk/record.jsp?type=news&ID=338 . 7 May 2006.
58. Book: Soley . Culture and Customs of Panama . 20 November 2011 . 978-0-313-33667-6 . 30 December 2008. Abc-Clio .
59. Web site: Pikeville Cut-Through. Pikeville-Pike County Tourism. 25 November 2010.
60. News: Kentucky Town Awaiting Growth Through $22-Million Mountain Excavation. Franklin. Ben A.. 11 October 1970. The New York Times. 25 November 2010.
61. Web site: Pikeville Cut-Through. Virgin Space Travel. 25 November 2010.
62. Web site: Queensway Tunnel . 30 November 2019.
63. Web site: Blue Jays Unveil the '8th Wonder of the World. Los Angeles Times. 3 June 1989. 2 June 2020.
64. Web site: 'Statue of Unity' named as eighth Wonder of World. in.news.yahoo.com. en-IN. 2020-01-14.
65. Web site: Statue of Unity finds place in '8 Wonders of SCO'. 2020-01-14. Livemint. en. 2020-01-14.
66. Web site: Sound Future for Sydney Opera House. Euphonix. 3 July 2002.
67. News: Travel Section: Thames Barrier Visitors' Centre . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131224122039/http://travel2.nytimes.com/top/features/travel/destinations/europe/unitedkingdom/england/london/sight_details.html?vid=1124996111997 . 24 December 2013.
68. Web site: NASA Satellites Watch As China Constructs Giant Dam . Science Daily. 13 June 2007 . 18 January 2013.
69. News: Curtis . Wayne . 2007 . Back home in Indiana . Preservation . 59 . 3 . 40–47 .
70. Web site: Inner West Council . live.
71. Web site: King Kong (1933) . Turner Classic Movies . 4 November 2014.
72. Lourié, Eugène (Director) . 29 March 1961 . Gorgo . Motion picture . King Brothers Productions.