On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was elected one of the New 7 Wonders of the Modern World. More than 100 million people from all over the world participated in this election, through an open online vote. The wonders were released in random order by the New Open World Corporation (NOWC). Know details of this choice of Machu Picchu. Also discover some of his most important awards.

• How was the event that crowned Machu Picchu?
• Meet the 7 wonders of the modern world
• Some recognitions of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, Wonder of the World

How was the event that crowned Machu Picchu?

• 78 monuments from around the world were selected, but the list was narrowed down to 21 and then 7. The election was broadcast from Lisbon, Portugal, to more than 170 countries, and was viewed by around 1.6 billion people.
• That is, one in 4 people in the world watched the live broadcast. The hosts were actresses Hilary Swank, Bipasha Basu and actor Ben Kingsley.
• Among the special guests were Astronaut Neil Armstrong, Bertrand Piccard, Federico Mayor and soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as dozens of leaders.
• Bernard Weber founder of the New Open World Corporation (NOWC) said the following: “Machu Picchu is testimony to the incredible value and vision that the Incas had of engineering. Despite the wait, I was impressed when I saw the first terraces (andenes) and majestic houses on the side of this tall, incredible and steep mountain (and I thought I had climbed the mountains of Switzerland!). I was speechless.”
• Then he continued: “The entire New7Wonders team was moved by the sight. The good condition and conservation of the houses, patios and, of course, the Intihuatana, show how sophisticated the Inca society was, with its knowledge of astronomy, agriculture and engineering.”

Meet the 7 wonders of the modern world

• Although many people do not know it, there are “7 wonders of the modern world” and “7 wonders of the ancient world“. Being a total of 14 different wonders. However, of the ancient wonders, 6 have disappeared, leaving only the great Pyramid of Giza.
• The 7 wonders of the world are a set of amazing constructions, considered by many people as the 7 best constructions in the world. These are the seven wonders of the modern world, in no particular order:
  • The Great Wall of China (China)
  • Petra (Jordan)
  • Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
  • Machu Picchu (Peru)
  • Chichen Itza (Mexico)
  • The Colosseum in Rome (Italy)
  • The Taj Mahal (India)

  And this is the list of the Wonders of the Ancient World in no particular order:

  • The Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt)
  • The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (Turkey)
  • The statue of Zeus (Greece)
  • The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Iraq)
  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria (Egypt)
  • The Temple of Artemis (Turkey).
  • The Colossus of Rhodes (Turkey)

The seven wonders of the modern world

Some recognitions of Machu Picchu

• Machu Picchu means old mountain in Quechua, is a stone city, built by the Incas around XV.
• It is located between the mountains Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, is surrounded by the Valley of the Urubamba River, and by more mountains of the Cordillera del Vilcanota.
• Machu Picchu is located 130 kilometers from the city of Cusco and since the explorer Hiram Bingham made it known to the world in 1911, it has received many titles and recognitions.
• All this popularity has meant that tickets to Machu Picchu must be booked in advance.
• These are just some of the recognitions to the Inca city of Machu Picchu:
  • 1983: Declared Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
  • 2008: It led the list of the 22 best-selling Tourist Destinations in the world.
  • The luxury website VeryFirstTo.com chose Machu Picchu among the 20 most beautiful sites, which are also World Heritage Sites.
  • National Geographic Traveler included Machu Picchu in the list of the 50 destinations of a lifetime.
  • Lonely Travel considers Machu Picchu as one of the 10 most representative constructions in the world made by the hand of man.
  • Machu Picchu, chosen best Green Destination by the World Travel Awards.
  • 2014: Machu Picchu is considered one of the most photographed places in the world, by Google Sightsmap and Panoramio.
  • Machu Picchu was called “a fantastic city above the clouds”, and was mentioned among the 10 most amazing spiritual destinations in the world by the prestigious magazine “Skyroad”
  • 2016: Machu was declared the best destination in the world by the largest community of travelers in the world, TripAdvisor.

Advice from people who have been there

Machu Picchu

By: Monica G

“Absolutely incredible“

“Machu Picchu is spectacular ... What an amazing and magical place. The best landscape, the mixture of nature and the Inca constructions, is a dream. Everyone should go!“

By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last updated, July 11, 2022