An Australian architectural marvel, the Sydney Opera House, has made a short-list of 21 for the new Seven Wonders of the World.
The list, handled by a Swiss-based group, includes landmarks such as Paris's Eiffel Tower, the Acropolis in Athens, New York's Statue of Liberty and the Great Wall of China.
Project co-ordinator Bernard Weber said he wanted people to vote for the new seven wonders by Internet or telephone.
"The ancient Seven Wonders were declared by a single man about 2000 years ago, so I thought as a millennium project it would be fun to combine the latest technology...(and have) all the people of the world select what they decide to be the new Seven Wonders of the World," he told ABC Radio.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma told AAP reporters that the Opera House deserved international recognition.
"It's not just a wonder, it's an icon."
"The Opera House, since it was opened, has become an instant symbol of recognition for Australia, not just for Sydney."
The Opera House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973 and was born from the idea that Australia needed a national concert hall and opera house.
In January 1956 the Government established an architectural competition, which attracted designs from 233 applicants around the globe. The competition officially closed in December 1956 and a Danish architect named Jørn Utzon was declared the official winner in 1957.
The construction was a significant event for Sydney and was the largest engineering project the city had seen since construction of the Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932.
The Sydney Opera House has become one of the most recognisable Australian icons and is expected, as an architectural and engineering wonder, to last the next 500 years.
The results for the new Seven Wonders of the World are expected to be published in 12 months time.
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