The list of new world wonders includes The Great Wall of China, Petra (Jordan), Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Machu Picchu (Peru), The Roman Coliseum (Italy), and Taj Mahal (India).
The Mayan city of Chichen Itza, located in the Mexican state of Yucatan, was chosen as one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World” by approximately 100 million people around the globe, who cast their ballots by phone and Internet.
“The selection of Chichen Itza is recognition of the extremely vast and ancient historical and cultural heritage of Mexico, of which very few countries in the world can boast,” said Francisco Lopez Mena, director of Mexico’s Tourism Promotion Council (CPTM).
The archaeological center of Chichen Itza, the most important Maya capital at the end of the classic period (750 to 1200 A.D.), was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
Chichen Itza, which in the Mayan language means “at the mouth of the well of the Itza,” was one of the most important Mayan political, commercial and religious centers of the classic period.
The city is home to several buildings that are remarkable both for their architectural design and their religious and scientific significance. Among these are the Temple of Kukulkan (Feathered Serpent), the Observatory, the Temple of the Warriors and the Sacred Cenote (Well of Sacrifice).
Thanks to all the people who voted, Chichen Itza today is a new wonder of the world, considered an icon of universal importance for humanity. As a result of this global and democratic selection process, the world will know Mexico for one of its 173 archaeological jewels, tangible evidence of the plurality and ethnic richness of the country’s past.
