The Seven Wonders of the Modern World
Chosen by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Click on each wonder's title to view ASCE description and
click on "Map of..." to view the location of each wonder.
Channel
Tunnel
Map of Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a 50.45km rail tunnel that runs beneath the English
Channel, connecting England and France. After openining in 1994, the
second-longest rail tunnel in the world took over seven years to complete.
The tunnel consists of three seperate tunnels that provide a shuttle
for vehicles, Eurostar passenger linking London and Paris, and freight trains.
The CN Tower
Map of CN Tower
The CN Tower, located in Toronto Canada,
stands 553.33m (1,815ft, 5inches) and is currently the world's
tallest completed freestanding structure on land. The CN Tower was built in
1976 to demonstrate Canada's industrial strength by erecting the world's
tallest structure. The popular Canadian tourist attraction provides breath-
taking views for approximately 2 million people each year.
The Empire State
Building
Map of Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is not a wonder of the world merely for its
impressive structure, but for the efficiency in which it was completed. The
building, built during the depression, was completed in 1931 only after
18 months of construction. Currently New York City's tallest standing
structure, the Empire State Building reigned as the tallest building in the
world from 1931-1972.
The Golden
Gate Bridge
Map of Golden Gate
Bridge
Spanning nearly 9,000 feet, the Goldent Gate Bridge connects San Francisco,
California and Marin County, California. This suspension bridge became the
longest spanning bridnge in the world when it was completed in 1937.
This world wonder is no longer the longest bridge, but certainly
considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing examples of modern bridge
engineering.
The Itaipu Dam
Map of Itaipu Dam
The Itaipu Dam is located on the Parana River on the borders of Brazil and
Paraguay. Completed in 1991, the dam is the world's largest hydroelectric
power facility. Its hollow concrete gravity dam has a powerhouse capable
of generating 14,000 megawatts of electricity. It accounts for 72 percent
of Paraguay's total enegery consumption and 28 percent of Brazil's electric
engergy.
Netherlands North
Sea Protection Works
Map of Netherlands
Because much of the Netherlands lies below sea level, the Dutch have had to put
up with a barging North Sea flooding the land for centuries. Construction of
The Netherlands North Sea Protection Works took place between 1927 and
1931 and sought to combat the sea in two ways. Its primary defense is
a 19-mile-long enclosure dam. The other protection system is a
two-mile barrior of tell gates slung between concrete piers that is
only implemented when stormwaters threaten.
The Panama Canal
Map of Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is one of the biggest civil engineering accomplishments in
history because of the huge undertaking that took place ahead of its time,
and because of how successful it has become. The canal runs through Panama
and unites the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which created a new shipping route that replaced
the rough journey around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America.
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