# 100 Wonders to see before you die. How many have you seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 3, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197 "2010-03-03T22:59:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/101 "2010-03-05T05:00:21Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > I’ve been to Bagan. And I was in the Serengeti during the migration, but didn’t see them crossing any rivers. Anyone been to Mecca? I hope to go in the next 5-10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/102 "2010-03-05T10:39:46Z")
26 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/103 "2010-03-05T12:01:46Z")
The New York Skyline, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Niagara Falls, and I only got to Niagara Falls a few months ago. Makes me feel kind of provincial but I haven’t had the chance to travel internationally very much. I’d really like to see the Taj Mahal, Antarctica, Mt. Everest, the Amazon, and Bali, for starters. The Grand Canyon, the Louvre and the British Museum have sort of a ‘well you HAVE to do that’ quality, which doesn’t mean I don’t want to see them. Most of the religious sites don’t interest me all that much and I guess I’m more interested in seeing the natural wonders than the architecture, for the most part. My girlfriend wants to see Venice, so that’s on my list. Come to think of it she’d also like to go to Turkey, so maybe the Hagia Sophia is an option. I studied that one a little bit in an architecture class in college. Maybe I’m picky but I think it’s bullshit that the Burj Khalifa is on this list. Yes, it’s a very big building. I even think it’s a well designed and good looking building. But it only opened a month ago, so declaring it a wonder of the world seems a little premature. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/104 "2010-03-05T13:10:16Z")
Colosseum of Rome St Peter’s Basilica Louvre Museum Canals of Venice Versailles Metropolitan Mus(eum) St Mark’s Basilica Sahara Desert Leaning Tower Pisa New York Skyline Eiffel Tower British Museum 12 (of which I have only seen some from the outside) ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/105 "2010-03-05T13:13:50Z")
23, not counting Neu Schwanstein, which I only saw from a distance while driving. Grand canyon Colloseum St Peters Sistine chapel Louvre Venice Versailles Carlsbad Pomepii Prague Dubrovnik St Basils St Mark’s Florence Kremlin (not inside) Sahara (sort of) Matterhorn New York Eiffel Tower British Museum Yosemite Hermitage San Francisco ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/106 "2010-03-05T14:20:07Z")
Amalfi Drive Grand Canyon Colosseum of Rome Chartres Cathedral St Peter’s Basilica New York Skyline Uffizi Gallery Eiffel Tower Sistine Chapel Niagara Falls Louvre Museum Versailles Florence Cityscape Metropolitan Mus Leaning Tower Pisa Portofino I need to travel more. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/107 "2010-03-05T16:05:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Maybe I’m picky but I think it’s bullshit that the Burj Khalifa is on this list. Yes, it’s a very big building. I even think it’s a well designed and good looking building. But it only opened a month ago, so declaring it a wonder of the world seems a little premature. I don’t think it’s been declared a wonder of the world, just included on a list of things to see before you die, not quite the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/108 "2010-03-05T17:41:20Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I don’t think it’s been declared a wonder of the world, just included on a list of things to see before you die, not quite the same thing. I know it’s just this one guy who runs a web site - which happens to be called Hillman Wonders of the World, by the way - but I stand by my point. It’s nice to look at, it’s _very_ big, but compared to the Great Wall of China or Mt. Everest? They’ll build something taller eventually. Probably in China. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/109 "2010-03-05T17:42:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Maybe I’m picky but I think it’s bullshit that the Burj Khalifa is on this list. Yes, it’s a very big building. I even think it’s a well designed and good looking building. But it only opened a month ago, so declaring it a wonder of the world seems a little premature. I’m with elbows. This is only a list by a man, Howard Hillman, who makes a living from making these lists. I got issues with it also, but what the hey, they’re all still pretty cool places and worth seeing even if other places are worth more seeing. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/110 "2010-03-05T17:49:16Z")
I haven’t seen any of them as of today (I’m 41). We’re going to New York City in April, so I will see the New York Skyline. We’re going to Prague in August, so we may see Old Town then. I expect that we’ll go to France and Italy when the kids are grown (not wasting those trips on them), so we’ll see a few more from the list. I have no interest in going to most of the other places. I expect to die having seen only 5 or so things on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/111 "2010-03-06T08:19:50Z")
For those still planning a trip to the fjords of Norway, I will pass on a suggestion. I am told that one of the most beautiful trips is to take the train from Oslo to Bergen. That was something I intended to do, but I was distracted by something else. Bergen is a small town of a lot of very artistic people. It’s backed up by mountains, but it is on the sea. I did spend a glorious day on a train travelling beside the Oslo Fjord. The day was very sunny so the deep water looked navy blue. The mountains really set it off. It is a beautiful memory. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/112 "2010-03-06T08:45:50Z")
Great Wall of China Grand Canyon Forbidden City Potala Palace Colosseum of Rome St Peter’s Basilica Hong Kong Louvre Museum Versailles Temple Em. Buddha St Mark’s Basilica Li River Cruise Yellowstone NP New York Skyline Eiffel Tower Yangtze Riv. Cruise Yosemite NP Chambord Chateau Lijiang/Shangri La San Francisco The China list has some pretty weak entries. For example, the Yangtze River cruise should not be on it after they built the dam and flooded it so the 3 gorges don’t exist any more. Li River cruise is nice, but you have to “drive” it now a few months per year because the river goes dry. Hong Kong is cool, but I wouldn’t put it up as a top 100 wonder of the world. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/113 "2010-03-06T23:35:15Z")
Nineteen: Pyramids of Egypt Acropolis Terra Cotta Warriors (in Atlanta) Colosseum of Rome St. Peter’s Basilica Hong Kong Sistine Chapel Louvre Museum (pre-pyramid) Canals of Venice Versailles Carlsbad Caverns The Met Florence Stonehenge New York Skyline Eiffel Tower Niagara Falls British Museum Banff NP Scary part is 13 of those were before I turned 21. 16 of them by age 25. Slowed down a bit after that (Banff, Terracotta Dudes and Hong Kong were after 25.) ---
**Author:** ![Jammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@Jammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammer)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/114 "2010-03-07T04:11:37Z")
15 for me. Will be knocking off some more with an upcoming trip to Europe this summer. Grand Canyon Colosseum of Rome St Peter’s Basilica New York Skyline Uffizi Gallery Sistine Chapel Niagara Falls Canals of Venice St Mark’s Basilica Yosemite NP Banff N.P. San Francisco Neuschwanstein Metropolitan Mus Florence Cityscape ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/115 "2010-03-07T04:24:02Z")
1. (Pats myself on the back) I’ve only gone on five “real” vacations in my ~30 years of adulthood: [ul] [li]Hawaii - Maui only; too short.[/li][li]Banff & Jasper - incredible, but we were hiking and worried about bears.[/li][li]Paris & environs - With friends who were fluent in French, and during the off season![/li][li]Italy (Rome & Florence) - four days total; must return.[/li][li]Egypt - mega 19-day private guided tour. We basically met (and tipped) every single person in Egypt.[/li][/ul] I got a lot of hits from the Paris+, Italy & Egypt trips – a frenzy of awesomeness that, combined, totaled 35 days. This seems both impressive and a little sad. I think I remember every moment of those trips. I also think it’s weird that I get two of them (NYC skyline and the Met) just for growing up in Queens. Mt. Everest, the Terra Cotta Warriors and the Taj Mahal should get bonus multipliers. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/116 "2010-03-07T22:10:39Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > For those still planning a trip to the fjords of Norway, I will pass on a suggestion. I am told that one of the most beautiful trips is to take the train from Oslo to Bergen. That was something I intended to do, but I was distracted by something else. Bergen is a small town of a lot of very artistic people. It’s backed up by mountains, but it is on the sea. > > I did spend a glorious day on a train travelling beside the Oslo Fjord. The day was very sunny so the deep water looked navy blue. The mountains really set it off. It is a beautiful memory. The train ride is really stunning. Everyone usually jumps on the [Norway in a Nutshell](http://www.norwaynutshell.com/) trip. It’s a cliched tourist trap that is absolutely wonderful. Bergen is a very cute town. ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/117 "2010-03-07T22:55:39Z")
Nineteen I guess. Flown over the Grand Canyon many times, but that doesn’t count. Colosseum St. Peters Sistene Chapel Louvre Venice Canals Versailles The Met Prague Old Town Uffizi St. Basil’s St. Marks Basilica Florence Kremlin New York Eiffel Tower Niagara Falls Hermitage Museum Chambord San Francisco I can see myself getting to a few more places on that list. Others hold no interest. ---
**Author:** ![Negative\_Lite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Negative\_Lite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Negative_Lite)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/118 "2010-03-07T22:58:23Z")
6 Grand Canyon 25 TerraCotta Warriors 31 Colosseum of Rome 33 St Peter’s Basilica 38 Sistine Chapel 40 Alhambra 41 Louvre Museum 42 Canals of Venice 47 Metropolitan Mus 53 Prague Old Town 58 Mezquita Cordoba 61 Uffizi Gallery 63 Golden Pavilion 67 St Mark’s Basilica 68 Florence Cityscape 81 Yellowstone NP 84 New York Skyline 86 Eiffel Tower 89 British Museum 92 Yosemite NP 99 San Francisco ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/119 "2010-03-07T23:09:31Z")
1. Stonehenge Colosseum St. Peter’s Sistine Chapel Louvre Florence Tower of Pisa Rio New York Amazon Rain Forest Versille Eiffel Tower San Francisco ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197/120 "2010-03-08T09:52:52Z")
Colisseum of Rome St Peters Basilica Hong Kong Sistine Chapel Louvre Venice Versailles Pompeii Chartres St Marks Basilica Florence Leaning Tower of Pisa Mont St Michel Stonehenge Eiffel Tower British Museum NeuSchwanstein So that makes 17. None from Japan. Boo. Lots of good stuff here! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-wonders-to-see-before-you-die-how-many-have-you-seen/531197.md?page=7)