The Great Wall is not only a must-see for China, but also for the planet. Indeed, this monumental building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but is also one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. But why is this wall so remarkable and what is its history? Here’s what you need to know about the Great Wall of China.
The longest wall in the world
The Great Wall of China breaks many records. First of all, it is the largest monument ever built on Earth in terms of length, area or even mass. Its features are enough to impress anyone globally. Indeed, the wall measures on average between 6 to 7 meters in height and is between 4 to 5 meters wide, all over more than 6200 km. Add to that more than 2200 km of trenches and natural barriers such as mountains and rivers. Even more extraordinary, this monument is the only human construction visible from the Moon!
To see this absolute masterpiece with your own eyes, the easiest way is to travel to the Beijing area. Indeed, it is very easy to access this wonder of the world from the capital. Unfortunately, this part of the wall is not restored and it is therefore normally forbidden to climb on it. But the locals still take advantage of this monument to make the economy work by offering tourists to climb the wall in exchange for a small sum of money.
The history of this unique monument
Qin Shin Huang, the king of Qin between 247 to 221 BC. AD began 2000 years ago the construction of what is now called the Great Wall of China. The creation of this building lasted more than 2000 years and therefore crossed many eras and dynasties until the Ming (1368-1644). This set of military fortifications was intended to create a defensive system against invasions from the north.
The Great Wall still has a very important symbolic meaning in the history of the country today. Indeed, even if its goal was to protect the country, it also made it possible to preserve the culture of China against the customs of barbarians from elsewhere. But the wall also caused many people to suffer during its construction, which inspired Chinese literature. There are many works in homage to this difficult time. A legend even says that the bodies of workers who died during construction would have been used as materials in addition to the 180 million cubic meters of earth dedicated to the manufacture of the Great Wall.
Article updated on 7 December 2022
