Great Wall of China: reviews, price and practical tips

Visiting the Great Wall of China

Back in the 3rd century BCE, the best way to safeguard a frontier was to build a wall that was both tall and wide. When you have thousands of kilometers of borders to defend, however, that becomes far more complicated. Unless you are China.

History

The structure known as the "Great Wall of China" was built over a period stretching from -596 to 1642. In other words, nearly every Chinese dynasty left its mark on this monumental achievement. Initially, the Qin Dynasty simply connected earthen walls erected by local administrations to create a unified territorial defense. As the empire expanded, those fortifications had to be torn down and rebuilt. The Great Wall as we know it today is a defensive barrier established along the northern border of the country. Its primary purpose was to block incursions by nomadic tribes living in the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian steppes.

A Monument of Immeasurable Scale

A few figures help describe this improbable structure. The Great Wall spans a distance of 6780 km, and satellite studies have revealed an additional 1000 km of buried sections. The wall measures between 5 and 7 metres wide, reaching heights of up to 17 metres. Guard towers and fortified bastions dot its entire length. Finally, it stands as the most popular site in China, drawing 15.5 million visitors every year.

Trivia

The bright white color of the wall's mortar sparked a persistent rumor that human bones had been mixed into it. Studies have since shown that the only addition to the mortar was 3% sticky rice, which is far less macabre.

The Great Wall of China is the largest construction in human history, and that says it all.