The New7Wonders of the World were announced in 2007. The winners were revealed on 7 July 2007 at a ceremony held at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, after a worldwide public voting campaign.
The initiative began in 2001, when the New7Wonders Foundation launched a poll to select seven modern landmarks from a large group of existing monuments. Voting took place through the internet and telephone systems, and the campaign attracted enormous public attention.
The final list included the Great Wall of China, Petra, the Colosseum, Chichén Itzá, Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal and Christ the Redeemer. The pyramids at Giza received honorary status because the Great Pyramid is the only surviving wonder from the traditional ancient list.
The result is sometimes confused with UNESCO’s World Heritage programme. UNESCO was not responsible for the poll and publicly distanced itself from the campaign. The New7Wonders selection was a popularity contest rather than an archaeological or scientific ranking, and critics noted that voters could cast multiple votes.