Chapter 1: A world of wonders

Which is the tallest building in the world? Which is the oldest building? Which mountain is the highest? Perhaps you know the answers to these questions – or perhaps you do not. But each of these questions has only one answer. And your answer is either right or wrong.

But you can ask different questions. Which is the most beautiful building in the world? Which is the best waterfall? Which place in the world is the most wonderful? Each of us has different answers to these questions. And no one’s answer is right or wrong. So why do we ask the questions? Because the world is full of wonders, and we cannot see them all. But we want to learn about them, because perhaps – one day – we will see some of

them. And because we like to know that they are still there.

The Greek writer Herodotus asked himself these questions nearly two thousand years ago. He described some of the Wonders of the Old World. Today, nearly all of his Wonders have gone. Only one of his Wonders is still here. Do you know what it is?

The Wonders in the book by Herodotus were all buildings – or statues like the Colossus at Rhodes. This tall statue, more than 30 metres high, stood at the entrance to the harbour on the Greek island of Rhodes.

Another Wonder for Herodotus – his oldest Wonder, and the only Wonder from the Old World still here today – was the Great Pyramid in Egypt. When Herodotus was alive, the Great Pyramid was already an old building, two thousand years old. And for nearly four thousand years, the Great Pyramid was the tallest building in the world.

But for us today, wonders are not all buildings. Some of them are natural – like forests, rivers, mountains, or waterfalls. These are the new wonders of the world. Of course, they are not ‘new’ at all. Our forests, rivers, and mountains are older than any of our buildings. For a long time -for thousands of years – some people did not think that they were wonderful. But then we started to lose them. Now we understand that the world is always changing. Buildings fall down, rivers lose their water, and forests burn.

Because of this, it is important for us to learn about the wonders of the world. If we are not careful, we will lose them. Only one of the old Wonders is still here today, after more than two thousand years.

In the next eleven chapters, you can read about some natural wonders, and some wonders that were made by people. Are they the greatest wonders in the world today? What do you think?