The Seven Wonders of the Modern World are engineering marvels selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers to exemplify the ability of humans to construct amazing features.
The Channel Tunnel:
The channel Tunnel, opened in 1994, is a tunnel under the English Channel that connects Folkestone in the United Kingdom with Coquelles in France. The tunnel, which is 50 kilometers (31.4 miles) long, is actually three tunnels: two tunnels carry trains and a smaller middle tunnel is used as a service tunnel.
CN Tower:
Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the CN Tower is a telecommunications tower that was built by Canadian National Railways in 1976. At the present time, the CN Tower is the world’s third largest tower. It stands 553.3 meters (1,815 feet) tall. It broadcasts television, radio, and wireless signals throughout the Toronto region.
Empire State Building:
At the time when it opened—May 1, 1931—the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world and soon became an icon of New York City. The 102-story building stands 1,250 feet tall and has a lightning rod that extends its height to 1,454 feet. The building is designed in the distinctive Art Deco style.
Golden Gate Bridge:
Golden Gate Bridge connects the city of San Francisco with Marin County to its north. When it was completed in 1937 it was the bridge with the longest span in the world. The bridge is 1.7 miles long and about 41 million trips are made across it every year.
Itaipu Dam:
Located on the border of Brazil and Paraguay, Itaipu Dam is the world’s largest operating hydroelectric facility. It was completed in 1984. The dam is nearly five miles long and creates the 100 mile-long Itaipu Reservoir. The dam supplies Paraguay with more than 90% of its electricity.
Netherlands North Sea Protection Works:
About one-third of the Netherlands is below sea level. From 1927 to 1932, a 19 mile-long dike called Afsluitdijk (the Closing Dike) was built which transformed the Zuiderzee Sea into the Ijsselmeer, a freshwater lake. Further protective dikes and works were built which reclaimed the land of the Ijsselmeer. The new land led to the creation of the new province of Flevoland from what had been sea and water for centuries. Overall this project is known as the Netherlands North Sea Protection Works.
The Panama Canal:
Constructed between 1904 and 1914, the Panama Canal is a 48 mile-long (77 kilometer) passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. This passageway saves ships about 8,000 miles from a journey around the southern tip of South America. It takes about three hours to travel through the canal and its three sets of locks.