China Great Wall





Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 8,851.8 kilometers (5,500 miles) from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the sections are now in ruins or have disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

 Great Wall Facts:
Chinese Name: 长城/万里长城
Chinese Pinyin: Cháng Chéng/Wàn Lǐ Cháng Chéng
Length: 8,851.8 km (5,500 miles)
Construction Period: About 2,000 years from the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC) to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)


 Great Wall FAQ
How long is the Great Wall?
Who, when and why built the Great Wall of China?
Who of the world leaders have visited the Great Wall of China?

 Great Wall Sections:

The Great Wall as we see today was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It starts from Hushan Great Wall in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west traversing provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai. This part shows the incredible diversity of scenery and ethnic people along the wall, and offers the most detailed introductions and travel tips regarding famous sections of the wall.

 Badaling  Gubeikou  Huanghuacheng
 Huangyaguan  Jiankou  Jiayuguan
 Jinshanling  Juyongguan  Mutianyu
 Shanhaiguan  Simatai  Yangguan
 Yanmenguan  Yumenguan  Zhenbeitai

 More Sections

Great Wall at Jinshanling
Jinshanling Great Wall, Beijing

 Great Wall Travel:

Making a trip to at least one section of the Great Wall should be a must for your China Trip. Quality tour plans make travel comfortable, memorable and enjoyable. Want to discover the charm of the wall with TravelChinaGuide? Please see our Memorable Highlights Tours. Longing for a real adventure? You can refer to Great Wall Hiking Tours which are carefully designed by experienced hikers. Besides wonderful Great Wall tours, here we offer practical travel tips including the best travel time, packing list as well as health and safety concerns.

 Recommended Tours including the visit to Great Wall:
Beijing Highlights Tour: 4 Days to Great Wall & Forbidden City
Beijing & Guilin Tour: 7 Days Travel of Forbidden City, Badaling Great Wall of Beijing, Li River in Guilin...
Beijing, Xian, Shanghai Tour: 9 Days Luxury China Trip to Badaling, Terracotta Warriors Museum, the Bund...

Mighty Great Wall in Beijing
Tourists on the Mighty Great Wall

 History of Great Wall:

Excitement abounds regarding the origin, vicissitude and nature of the Great Wall of the Qin, Han, and Ming Dynasties.

The Great Wall was originally built in the Spring, Autumn, and Warring States Periods as a defensive fortification by the three states: Yan, Zhao and Qin. It went through constant extensions and repairs in later dynasties. In fact, it began as independent walls for different states when it was first built, and did not become the "Great" wall until the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qin Shihuang succeeded in his effort to have the walls joined together to fend off the invasions from the Huns in the north after the unification of China. Since then, the Great Wall has served as a monument of the Chinese nation throughout history. A visit to the Wall is like a tour through the history backwards, giving tourists a chance to better understand the history of China.

Crenel Stone
Crenel Stone Used to Build the Great Wall

 Great Wall Construction:

The mystery of the construction of the wall is amazing. The construction, which drew heavily on the local resources for construction materials, was carried out in-line with the local conditions under the management of contract and responsibility system. A great army of manpower, composed of soldiers, prisoners, and local people, built the wall. The construction result demonstrates the manifestation of the wisdom and tenacity of the Chinese people. 


 Great Wall Culture:

Great Wall carries a considerable part of Chinese culture. It has long been incorporated into Chinese mythology and popular symbolism. The most beautiful of several legends is about the collapse of a section of the Wall caused by Meng Jiangnu, who cried bitterly over the death of her husband after he died while helping to build the wall. This legend has been spread widely through textbooks, folk songs and traditional operas, and it is well-known in China.


 Great Wall Protection:

Following a forty-five day long survey of 101 sections of the Wall in different provinces, the China Great Wall Academy reported on December 12, 2002 that the forces of nature and destruction at the hand of mankind are bringing about the gradual reduction of its extent with the result that less than 30% remains in good condition. The Academy has called for greater protection of this important relic.

 Shandan Great Wall in Danger
In July 2009, TravelChinaGuide (abbr. TCG) sent a survey group to investigate the condition of the Great Wall in Shandan County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province. This was our second visit there after 2002. The situation was alarming. After comparing the current wall to the wall pictures taken in 2002, it was found that many sections have become shorter, smaller or have disappeared entirely!

Shandan Great Wall
Shandan Great Wall in Danger, Gansu

Travelers' Voices on China Great Wall

1.

Nov. 6,2009 09:41 Reply

Ms.chang tang(china) said:

this is amazing

2.

Nov. 6,2009 08:11 Reply

Mr.bbilly(africa) said:

yes the great wall is an amzing man made wall

3.

Nov. 6,2009 03:44 Reply

Ms.Carol(Philippines) said:

My friend and I plan to go to Beijing from Shanghai on 1 Dec by train (soft sleeper), the bullet train that leaves at night time and reaches Beijing at around 7am. We do not plan to join a group tour. So how do we go to the Badaling from the train station. Are there buses nearby the station that we can ride to go to Badaling? Also, how do we come back to the beijing station on the same day? Are there buses waiting at the foot of the badaling wall? appreciate the advice.

4.

Nov. 6,2009 01:11 Reply

Mrs.bambooo(China) said:

this iss awesomee brooo!!.

5.

Nov. 5,2009 20:34 Reply

Ms.Emily(New Zealand) said:

Hi,i just want to ask....how tall is the wall of china and how wide is it?????
Coz i'm doing a research work on this....Thanx

6.

Nov. 5,2009 11:41 Reply

Mr.Sk8er(Ukraine) said:

i want to go 2 the wall!!!!!

7.

Nov. 5,2009 10:40 Reply

Ms.dominique(U.S..A) said:

i think its really cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8.

Nov. 5,2009 05:08 Reply

Mr.Leo said:

How tall is the Great Wall?

9.

Nov. 4,2009 04:51 Reply

Mrs.Smith(USA) said:

I will go to Beijing in December. I'll visit the wall. Which section should I choose? Any recommendation? I'm middle aged and with two kids.

Nov. 4,2009 19:57
Mr.Zhen replied:

Hi, suggest u visit Badaling for easy transportation and safety concern.

10.

Nov. 4,2009 15:29 Reply

Mr.Coc(USA) said:

how much does it weigh

Nov. 4,2009 19:56
Mr.lin replied:

About 15kg.

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