The Wonders of the World (Free Spanish Lessons for Kids)

Thousands of years ago, a Greek traveler was the person who selected the seven wonders of the ancient world. Centuries later, a man named Bernard Weber decided to ask millions of people to select the new seven modern wonders of the world, and they did!

Today we are going to learn all about the seven wonders of the ancient world and the seven modern wonders of the world. We will also explore how many of the seven wonders of the ancient world still exist today, where they are, what are the seven modern wonders of the world, who made them, and why they are so important for human history!

Let’s begin! seven wonders of the ancient world

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Ancient Wonders of the World

As it was stated before, a Greek traveler called Philon of Byzantium was the one who picked the seven wonders of the ancient world. That explains why all these impressive structures are located just taking into consideration a little portion of the world—Persia, Babylonia, Greece, and Egypt— because those were the areas the Greeks usually traveled around! 

Old travelers described the wonders through poems, artwork, and even travel guides for others to use! Is thanks to those elements that we have knowledge of these impressive places, given that most of them don’t exist anymore.

The seven wonders of the ancient world are a testament to human achievements, but also remind us that even the largest feats can be fleeting. 

Let’s check out all these interesting seven wonders of ancient world information!

1. Great Pyramid of Giza

La Gran Piramide de Giza (Great Pyramid of Giza) was built thousands of years ago by the Egyptians near the Nile River. And the most amazing thing about the Great Pyramid of Giza is that it is the only Ancient Wonder that still exists today.

This enormous structure—tall as a 32-story building and as long as two football fields—was built using more than two million stone blocks and its purpose was to be a pharaoh’s tomb. Building the Great Pyramid of Giza took more than 20 years and around 100,000 workers. 

Of all the pyramids that there are in Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the most famous one, and it serves as an icon of the country, as well as an example of how grand Ancient Egypt was!

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Los jardines colgantes de Babilonia (Hanging Gardens of Babylon) is considered as an Ancient Wonder but there is almost no proof that they actually existed, beyond texts and some descriptions.

The people who visit them describe them as some kind of marvelous engineering place, full of blooming flowers, with fruits, trees, and waterfalls all around them. They were not only wonderful in a natural sense of the word, but human intervention helped to make them amazing. 

If the gardens actually existed, they were probably built around the year 600 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar II and would have been in what is the territory of Iraq now.

3. Statue of Zeus

La estatua de Zeus (Statue of Zeus) was built by Phidias, a famous sculptor in ancient Greece.

Phidias sculpted the statue and placed it in the Temple of Zeus, in Olympia, Greece. The sculpture depicted Zeus, one of the most important Greek gods, seated on an elaborate throne.

It was almost as tall as a 3-story building and larger than the other elements of the temple.

Sadly, the statue was destroyed by a massive earthquake in the 5th century BC.

4. Temple of Artemis

El templo de Artemis (Temple of Artemis) was one of the most important buildings of its time.

A man called Philo of Byzantium, who was a writer and an engineer had the opportunity to visit several of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Of all the places he visited he describes the temple as the most wonderful of all, putting all the others to shade.

The temple of Artemis was built to honor the Greek goddess of hunting Artemis, but it was torn down and rebuilt several times. The most important and most known version of it was finished in the year 550 BC, and descriptions let us know that it was decorated with sculptures and paintings.

Sadly, a man called Herostratus—who was a criminal— burned down the temple, and what we can visit today is just a vestige of how grand it was.

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5. Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Un mausoleo, or mausoleum in Spanish, is a building that serves as a monument but also as a burial chamber of a person or people. 

El mausoleo de Halicarnassus (Mausoleum of Halicarnassus) was built around 350 BC to honor a Babylonian governor. It was designed by Greek architects and it would have been in the territory where Turkey is today.

The mausoleum stood for centuries! It was well designed and built, and even survived a raid by Alexander of Macedonia! But a lot of earthquakes during the centuries slowly began to destroy it. Today, we can only visit a few pieces of the floor that was used as a foundation, but we can always imagine how magnificent it was.

6. Colossus of Rhodes

Imagine this:

You are coming back after months in the sea, full of adventures to tell about your family, but there is one more stop before going home: the island of Rhodes. You know you are close, it is a little bit foggy but, there! You can see a really huge figure in the distance. Is the Colossus of Rhodes!

El coloso de Rodas, or Colossus of Rhodes was an impressive and colossal statue of the Greek god of the sun Helios and was built around the year 280 BC to honor the victory of the island over an invasion. 

Sadly, an earthquake destroyed the statue just 56 years after it was built. Now we only have descriptions about it. But we can be sure it was amazing! 

7. Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria

El faro de Alejandría, or the Lighthouse of Alexandria, was an ancient lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt that was so perfectly built that its model is still used for modern lighthouses.

It was built around 247 BC on the Egyptian island of Pharos, now known as Alexandria, and it was used to help ships and sailors navigate their way to the port during the night and during difficult weather.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was slowly destroyed by earthquakes, and by the year 1480, it was completely gone.

Modern Wonders of the World

Because the ancient Greeks didn’t know about the existence of other civilizations around the world, they didn’t travel beyond the world they knew, and that is something a man called Bernard Weber knew, and he thought that with our world being so big and amazing, we needed 7 modern wonders to celebrate humanity.

But instead of selecting them himself as Philon did, he asked millions of people to vote on who they thought the most impressive structures made by humans deserved the title of “Modern Wonders of the World”. These are the places the people choose:

1. Taj Mahal

Let’s begin this seven modern wonders of the world list with a bang:

This beautiful and imposing structure in Agra, India, is one of the most iconic structures in the world, with built-in ivory-white marble and decorated with precious stones. It attracts from 7 to 8 million visitors a year and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.

The Taj Mahal was commissioned to be built by the emperor Shah Jahan in the year 1632 to show the world how much he loved his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. This impressive building is not only one of the most popular and beautiful tourist spots to visit in India, but it also serves as a mausoleum.

The Taj Mahal is the resting place of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, and anyone who visits it becomes a witness of the emperor’s love for his wife. 

2. Great Wall of China

Located in the northern area of China, there are a series of several fortifications that we know today as the Great Wall or la Gran Muralla in Spanish.

The Great Wall began to be built in the 7th century BC, and the most important sections were built during the Ming dynasty, from the years 1368 to 1644. 

This massive construction has a length of 13,170 miles (21,196 km) and its purpose was to protect and mark the territories of states and empires in China. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most important tourist attractions in China and is visited by millions of people every year.

3. Petra

Located in the southern area of Jordan, the ancient city of Petra was formerly known as Raqmu by its inhabitants, who, experts think, lived there since the year 7000 BC.

Petra is also known as Rose City, because of the color of the stone it is carved. To access the city, you have to go through a less than a mile gorge called “the Siq”, which leads you directly to the temple of Al-Khazneh, one of the most impressive structures in Petra.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site was rediscovered by Johan Ludwing Burckhardt in 1812, and since then its rock-cut and carved architecture and water conduit engineering system makes it a popular site to visit by thousands of people. 

4. Colosseum

El Coliseo Romano, or Colosseum, is one of the most impressive modern structures made by the Romans. 

The Colosseum, or the Flavian Amphitheatre—as it is also known—is located in the center of Rome. It is built in an oval shape with almost only concrete and sand. Its construction began in the year 72 under the rule of Emperor Vespasian and was completed by Emperor Titus in the year 80.

The Colosseum can host almost 80,000 spectators, and it was used by the Romans for gladiator contests, public spectacles, mock sea battles (yes, it could be filled with water!), animal hunts, battle reenactments, executions, and even mythological dramas.

Today, the Colosseum is one of the most iconic historical attractions in Rome and visiting is a must if you are there. 

5. Machu Picchu

Located in a 7970 ft (2.45km) mountain ridge in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru, is the ancient city of Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is the most known city of the Inca civilization and it was built around the year 1450 and abandoned a century later when the Spanish began the conquest of the territory. Interestingly enough, the Spanish never knew about Machu Picchu, and it wasn’t until 1911 where its existence was brought to light by historian Hiram Bingham. 

This ancient city is built in polished dry-stone walls and is surrounded by nature and mountains, creating a breathtaking picture. This beautiful place was declared Peruvian Historic Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

6. Christ the Redeemer Statue

This Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ is probably one of the most recognized Brazilian icons there are. 

El Cristo Redentor, or Christ the Redeemer, is a collaborative piece. It was created by the French sculptor Paul Landowski, built by the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, French engineer Albert Caquiot and his face was sculpted by Romanian Gheorghe Leonida. The construction of this art piece began in 1922 and was completed in 1931.

It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, weighs around 635 metric tons, and is located at the peak of the Corcovado mountain at Tijuca Forest National Park. This colossal statue overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro.

7. Chichen Itza

Located in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, this pre-Columbian city built by the Mayan people of the area is one of the most beautiful and mystic places you can visit. 

Chichen Itzá was an important political and economical center for the Mayans during their golden era. Today, it is one of the most visited archeological sites in Mexico, because of the beautiful temples and buildings. It is highly recommended you visit this place near the two equinoxes to watch some impressive shadow shows in one of the most important pyramids in the place. 

It was designated one of the 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mexico in 1988 and is a place you have to visit at least once in your life.

Wonders of the World in Spanish!

Today we learned a lot about faraway places, and there is a lot of information to remember, so let’s check out the next vocabularies so you can talk all about the Wonders of the World in Spanish! 

Let’s begin with the names of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World in Spanish:

Now, the names of the seven wonders of the modern world in Spanish:

Here are some adjectives to describe the seven wonders of the ancient and modern world:

Maybe you have noticed before, but some names change in Spanish and in English. Here are the names of the countries that are the home of a Wonder of the World and how they are called in Spanish: 

And here are some words in Spanish that you can use when talking about the wonders of the ancient world as well as the wonders of the modern world!

You can also download our worksheets to use with your kids and practice all the new knowledge acquired today! 

Let’s Keep Learning 

Our world is huge and full of diversity. Just look at how many people live in our world! We, humans, are a diverse species, and our history and society are proof of that!

Spanish is a great way to expand your child’s global awareness and help them understand diversity! Learning a new language opens our eyes to a world full of new cultures, words, and friends. It also teaches them to respect and celebrate diversity. 

What’s more, young children have an incredible ability to pronounce foreign and unfamiliar sounds and understand complex grammar rules. The earlier they begin, the easier it is for them to learn—although any age is a great time to start! 

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“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. I have appreciated the one on one interaction and teaching that my son gets from his teachers. He has gotten to know his teachers, which has increased his confidence in speaking Spanish. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”

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Carmen Rizzo

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I’m a native Spanish speaker from Guatemala with a B.A. in Psychology. I have a passion for teaching Sunday school in my spare time and for learning and sharing valuable information. I'm a cat lover who gets excited over cartoons, anime, and video games. I dabble in digital illustration and animation. I'm inspired by sharing my culture, traditions, food, and beliefs with others, while learning about theirs in return.

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