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Wonders of the World, Old and New

People have been awed by places and monuments of distinct beauty and size since ancient times. As a result, various lists of wonders have been compiled throughout human history. The best known is the list of seven wonders of the ancient world. It is worth noting that in ancient times it was not as “wonders” (thaumata in Greek) that these places or monuments were listed, but as “sights” (theamata in Greek) or things to be seen, pointing out the role played by tourism in popularizing them.

Evolution of Concept

The beginnings of listing places of wonder are set in the middle of the 5th century BCE, when Herodotus (often called the father of history) was fascinated by the achievements of Persians and Egyptians and devoted much attention ...

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