For
the Chinese people, the Great Wall is an iconic symbol of their country, but
what makes the wall one of the wonders of the world is its longevity, length
and the role it played as the largest defensive military construction project.
History
The history of the Great Wall of China is
actually built on two walls. The first part was built in 200 B.C., and the
final fortifications were completed in the 16th century, during the Ming
Dynasty.
Purpose
China built the Great Wall to help keep back
marauding nomadic tribes from the north. This was not always successful, as the
fierce warrior horsemen often captured Chinese citizens and carried them off to
serve as slaves.
Length
The exact length of the Great Wall of China
is disputed. Some experts include ruined sections and natural barriers such as
rivers and mountain divides that were incorporated into the design. Others
count only the existing parts of the wall. The entire route is more than 5,000
miles from Shanghai, China, on the Pacific coast, west to the Himalayan Tibetan
Plain.
Design
The wall is 20 feet high and 20 feet wide
along most of the route, and 40-foot-tall watchtowers are located every 200
yards. Among visitors, the most popular sections are those near Beijing.
Myth
It is a myth that the Great Wall of China can
be seen from space, according to NASA. The local earth and stones used to build
the wall blend into the surrounding landscape in photos shot from space
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