The Seven Ancient Wonders of Neopia

Neopia’s first Ancient wonder on this list is the city of Old Maraqua. The entire city was a masterpiece, a tribute to the thousands of years of rich history that Maraqua had evolved through. The beautiful buildings were inlaid with glowing Maractite, and the ornate detail of the palace itself was immaculate to say the least. Almost all of the buildings were carved out of solid stone, sourced from the sides of the volcanic undersea mountains. The distinct style of Old Maraqua was instantly recognizable, with large windows and columns that supported the stone arches of the city.

The city was a place of riches and it thrived undersea sourcing most of its food from the surroundings. The wealth of the city went unmatched for thousands of years until the pirates discovered the location of the historic city and plundered the riches of Old Maraqua. Today Old Maraqua is visited by the very few, perhaps seeking a game of Whirlpool or a chance to catch a large fish, or perhaps even to visit the mysterious statue at the bottom of the ocean.

The second Ancient Wonder of Neopia is the Tyrannian Concert Hall. Built perhaps thousands of years ago, the building of the Tyrannian Concert Hall brought the techniques of creating such buildings to a whole new level. The process by which the stones were raised is remarkable in itself. Workers levelled thousands of trees and, using stone carved from the face of Terror Mountain, rolled the immense blocks of rock on tree trunks to the centre of Tyrannia. These block created the pillars and walls of the Tyrannian Concert Hall. From this they used a pulley system to hoist up the stones; this was the first type of this type of technology ever seen in Neopia.

As well as this the Concert Hall has withstood the challenge of time; the entire structure is seemingly as it was hundreds of thousands of years ago. Built to create a place for many musical groups to perform, the Concert Hall has seen its fair share of Neopian superstars over its time. Thousands of Neopians from all over the Neopia come every day to see a variety of acts, namely Chomby and the Fungus Balls, or even Jub Zambra and the Cobralls from the scorching climate of the Lost Desert.

The third Ancient Wonder of Neopia is Altador city itself. The distinct style as well as the precise layout of the entire city have inspired many people from all over Neopia. Many people seek knowledge and wisdom from many of the scholars and teachers who reside in the buildings in Altador. The elaborate design of all of the buildings is reflective of the intricate and knowledge-filled land. Furthermore, the repitition of the white washed walls and the orange terracotta tiles give the entire city a simplistic yet grand design.

The layout of Altador is very well structured as well and is the first of its kind in Neopia. The city of Altador is built in four sections, all meeting at the Hall of Heroes in the centre of the city. This simple yet effective system allows the city to run in a very organized manner. The Water Distribution Plant is also one of a kind. Built with technology thousands of years ahead of its time, the distribution of water allowed the city to easily gain access to water without any form of plumbing. Altador is certainly a place filled with Neopian history, and the knowledge found in this ancient place is unmatched anywhere else in Neopia.

Sutek’s Tomb with the Gebmids together are the fourth Ancient Wonder of Neopia. Built around 10,000 BN, they are reflective of the great power Sutek held over the Lost Desert and Neopia. Although small and merely a petpet, Sutek was a hero and a king to the people and renowned for his wisdom, courage and strength. Built from sandstone found only in the Lost Desert, this monument was built by one thousand able Neopians. Work took an estimated twenty years to complete the Gebmids.

Designed by Sutek's friend Donkor and built in the shape of Sutek himself, Sutek’s Tomb was filled with the “the most sophisticated traps ever built”. This would stop thieves from looting the unimaginable riches of the tomb. As well as this, if any thieves did get past the trap, according to legend there would be a code so elaborate and sophisticated that no Neopian could open it. Most of this was lost until the world famous archaeologist, Sarina Salen, uncovered some of the truths about the mysterious codes, puzzles and locks found throughout the Gebmids. Today much of the joy in code breaking is found in Sutek’s Tomb; an impassable door which guards the entrance to Sutek’s Tomb. Young and old alike attempt to crack the code, but none have done so... of yet.

The fifth Ancient Wonder of the Neopia is Fyora’s Castle. The pink walls of the castle along with the purple roofing are instantly recognizable for Neopians. Here resides Fyora, Queen of the Faeries. The castle itself dates back to the beginning of Fyora’s rule over Faerieland. The castle sits above Faerie City on a cloud hill, where Fyora can observe the everyday life of her fellow Faerie people.

The castle also contains the Hidden Tower, where those privileged enough to afford the artefacts contained within often purchase the rarest weapons, toys and magic around. Unimaginable riches as well as power lay within the walls of Fyora’s Castle. Wars have been fought in and around the tower, where evil Neopians try their chance at stealing some form of the powerful magic behind the walls of Fyora’s Castle. However, none of them ever succeed; Fyora’s range of powerful weapons has made even the toughest Neopians shudder with fear.

Number six is the Lunar Temple. The distinct Shenkuu architecture is reflected in this grand building. It sits on top of a steep hill in the city of Shenkuu, surrounded by mist and pine trees, waterfalls cascading down the slopes of the city. The temple is instantly recognizable; the red brick is in stark contrast with the black roof tiles and the yellow flag mounted on top.

The temple itself was built with only one main purpose; to measure time. The importance of the Lunar Temple is paramount and the denizens of Shenkuu rely on this for their lunar calendar. This harbours great importance for Shenkuu. Festivals, traditions and lifestyles rely on this timing to be perfect. Neopians from all over attempt to crack the code for the lunar cycle in the Lunar Temple; however, only the most knowledgeable can understand the cycle. Shenkuu depends on the calculations to be perfect, and the Lunar Temple is indeed one of the most important buildings in Neopia.

The final Ancient Wonder of Neopia is the Darigan Citadel. The infamous dark grey building set along a purple skyline often makes the average Neopian shudder with fear. The distinct shape of the shady, spiked tower and the seemingly impenetrable fortress is set in many minds of Neopians. Most notable for its prison and Lord Darigan’s Chambers, the Citadel has borne much history through battles. Most well known is the battle between Meridell and the Citadel, both sworn enemies.

The technology used in the Darigan Citadel is also well known throughout Neopia; unknown machines work endlessly to keep the Citadel suspended over Meridell. As well as this, the citizens of the Citadel also are distinctly painted; their horns and red eyes often stare at average Neopians unfortunate enough to find themselves in the Darigan Citadel.

*Disclaimer: These are listed in no particular order of importance. (: