The ancient Roman Colosseum in Italy

The only winner in Europe, the Roman Coliseum -- which could hold 50,000 spectators at a time watching bloody contests performed by gladiators, beasts and captives. The building was created around AD70 by the Emperor Vespasian. Many modern sports arenas still follow the ingenious design of the Coliseum. A number of sites in Europe have been shortlisted for the competition, including Stonehenge in Britain, the Acropolis in Athens and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Vatican condemned the organizers for ignoring Christian monuments -- "contestants" of the 20-strong list. Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, a pioneer of Vatican culture and archaeology, called for attention to buildings such as the Sistine Chapel.