Wonders of the World Quiz

Match each wonder to its country.

The ancient and modern wonders — two very different lists, one of which is almost entirely gone.

Two lists, often confused

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were compiled by Greek writers and are all clustered around the Mediterranean and the Middle East, reflecting what that world knew of itself. Only one still stands.

The New Seven Wonders were chosen by a global public vote concluded in 2007 and span five continents. This is the list most modern quizzes mean.

The ancient seven

The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Only the Great Pyramid survives. The others are known from written descriptions, and several accounts are second-hand or much later than the structures they describe.

The Hanging Gardens may never have existed in the form described, or may have been at Nineveh rather than Babylon. It is the one entry historians genuinely dispute.

The geographic spread is narrow — all seven were within reach of the Greek world, which says more about the compilers than about the ancient world as a whole.

The new seven

Great Wall of China — China
Petra — Jordan
Christ the Redeemer — Brazil
Machu Picchu — Peru
Chichén Itzá — Mexico
Colosseum — Italy
Taj Mahal — India

The Great Pyramid of Giza was given honorary status rather than competing, on the grounds that it is the only surviving ancient wonder and should not have to earn a place by vote.

Worth knowing about the vote

It was an open public poll rather than an expert selection, which drew criticism — the result reflects internet access and campaigning as much as significance, and several countries mounted organised campaigns. Some heritage bodies declined to endorse it.

That does not make the list wrong, but it does explain why it skews toward sites in countries with large, well-connected populations, and why some obvious candidates are missing.

The reliable quiz questions

Which ancient wonder still stands (the Great Pyramid), which one may never have existed (the Hanging Gardens), and which modern wonder is in which country. The Machu Picchu / Chichén Itzá pairing is the one that catches people.

Where to go next

Famous Landmarks covers a much wider set of recognisable sites, including many that appear in quizzes more often than the official wonders do.

Frequently asked questions

Which of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still exists?

Only the Great Pyramid of Giza. The other six are known from written descriptions alone, several of them second-hand or written long after the structures themselves.

What are the New Seven Wonders of the World?

The Great Wall of China, Petra in Jordan, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichén Itzá in Mexico, the Colosseum in Italy and the Taj Mahal in India. The Great Pyramid of Giza holds honorary status rather than a competed place.

Did the Hanging Gardens of Babylon really exist?

It is genuinely disputed. No archaeological evidence has been found at Babylon, and one theory places them at Nineveh instead. It is the only entry on the ancient list whose existence historians seriously question.

How were the New Seven Wonders chosen?

By an open global public vote concluded in 2007. Because it was a popular poll rather than an expert selection, the result reflects internet access and organised national campaigning as well as significance, which is why some heritage bodies declined to endorse it.

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