LISBON CÂMARA is to back an historic initiative hosted by the city.
The New Seven Wonders of the World will be released in Lisbon at the city’s Estádio da Luz football stadium on July 7, 2007.
Already, 30 million people have voted online from all over the world as to what they think should be the new wonders of the world.
From the list, 21 world monuments will be selected, from which only seven will eventually be chosen.
It was in Ancient Greece that the first Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were chosen as: Pyramids of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria, Statue of Zeus in Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, King Maussollos Tomb in Persia and the Colossus of Helios at Rhodes.
The Seven Wonders of the World are presently: the Empire State Building, the Itaipú Dam, the CN Tower, the Panama Canal, the Channel Tunnel, the North Sea Protection Works and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The President of Lisbon Câmara said that the event was very important for Lisbon. “It will be a very special and unique event, that is not likely to be repeated again in the near future,” he added.
During the period of the event, Lisbon will receive 21 model replicas of the finalists, which will be placed around the city centre.
Up to 50,000 people are expected to witness the selection of the final seven monuments at the Estádio da Luz stadium, which will host a spectacular show promising to be a glamourous mixture between the Oscars and the Olympic Games opening ceremony, with tickets costing between 80 and 100 euros.
So far, the Coliseum in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Statue of Liberty in New York, St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, the Parthanon in Athens, Ankor Wat in Cambodia, Petra in Jordan, the Taj Mahal in India, Neuchwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Stonehenge in England, the Sydney Opera House and the Statues on Easter Island are all high up in the running.
There are 230 days left to vote and this can be done via the website address: http://www.new7wonders.com
By Chris Graeme
