Extending west from the Yellow Sea to the mountains to the Gobi Desert, the Great Wall is the longest wall in the world.
The Great Wall of China is a symbol of China and the country’s main attraction. According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, China is the largest country in eastern Asia.
What is the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China is a set of walls and ramparts of varying lengths that together form a huge fortress called the “Great Wall of China”.
A long network of fortresses meanders across northern China. If you visit the wall in clear weather, you can see the wall and watchtowers meandering along the mountain walls as far as the eye can see.
The Great Wall of China was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. In 2007, the Great Wall of China was chosen as one of the seven new wonders of the world, including Machu Picchu in Peru and the Taj Mahal in India.
The wall is considered one of the most impressive architectural achievements in world history, and while it cannot be seen from the moon, contrary to old belief, the Great Wall of China should definitely be included in the program of all Chinese travelers.
How Long is the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China is 21,196 km long and thus the longest wall in the world.
A long wall consists of several individual walls that were built during different dynasties and run in parallel or partially in parallel.
Part of the wall now known as the Great Wall of China was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The wall was originally estimated to be more than 6,000 km long, but the official length of the wall has since been reported to be 8,851.8 kilometers.
In addition to the built wall, 8851.8 kilometers also include battle graves as well as natural obstacles such as rivers and steep hills. In addition to these, there are numerous watchtowers, lighthouses, fortresses and other ruins along the way. The wall itself is built of stone and clay and is up to 12 meters high and 10 meters wide. However, the size of the wall varies greatly.
The portion of the Great Wall from the Ming Dynasty extends from the town of Juyongguan in Gansu Province to Hushan, in Liaoning Province near the North Korean border.
Much of the original Ming Dynasty wall has sadly been destroyed over the years.
History of the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China was built as a defense system against enemies from the north.
Today, the wall no longer has a symbolic meaning reminiscent of Chinese history and ancient achievements.
The Great Wall of China is an excellent example of the advanced engineering skills of China’s ancient civilizations. The ancient Chinese excelled especially in the field of military architecture and technology.
When was the wall built?
The Great Wall of China was built for nearly 2,000 years, from 220 BC. until 1633 share.
The wall was built in stages with different dynasties in power.
According to some sources, construction first began as early as 770 BC. However, experts are broadly in agreement that official construction of the wall began in 220 BC. During the Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC). After coming to power, Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the separate sections of the wall to be merged into one long wall.
The last section of the wall was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Why was the wall built?
The purpose of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was to create a unified defense system to protect against attacks by nomadic peoples from the north.
At this time, the primary task of the wall was to fight enemies.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 BC), the wall continued west to protect the merchants along Silk Road.
Today, construction work on the remaining portion of the wall began in 1471 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. The purpose of this newer wall was also to defend the country’s borders.
However, the Great Wall of China served more as a psychological barrier and a symbol of Chinese power than a concrete barrier for the conquerors, for the purpose for which it was originally built.
After the end of the Ming Dynasty, the construction or maintenance of the wall was no longer considered necessary. Due to natural erosion and human activity, the wall fell into disrepair until its restoration began in the 20th century.
Want to visit the Great Wall of China?
Millions of tourists visit the Great Wall of China every year. It’s easy to see why the wall attracts so many visitors. The wall, which stretches for miles along scenic mountains, is an impressive sight.
The restored sections of the Great Wall of China make it possible to visit many different places. The best-preserved and most popular sections among tourists are located near Beijing.
Mutianyu is one of the best preserved parts of the wall, however, with fewer visitors.
Here, the wall meanders along the mountain ridge, and can be reached either by walking or along the cable car by gondola lift. The scenery from the wall is breathtakingly beautiful.
