“A long wall of 10,000 li” is what the Chinese themselves call this miracle of ancient engineering. For a huge country with a population of almost one and a half billion, it has become a source of national pride, a calling card that attracts travelers from all over the world. Today, the Great Wall of China is one of the most popular attractions - approximately 40 million people visit it every year. In 1987, the unique site was included by UNESCO in the list of world cultural heritage.
Locals They also like to repeat that anyone who does not climb the wall is not a real Chinese. This phrase, uttered by Mao Zedong, is perceived as a real call to action. Despite the fact that the height of the structure is approximately 10 meters with a width of 5-8 m in different areas (not to mention the not very comfortable steps), there are no fewer foreigners who want to feel like true Chinese, at least for a moment. In addition, from above, a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area opens up, which you can admire endlessly.
You can’t help but be surprised at how harmoniously this creation of human hands fits into the natural landscape, forming a single whole with it. The solution to the phenomenon is simple: the Great Wall of China was not laid across desert terrain, but next to hills and mountains, spurs and deep gorges, smoothly bending around them. But why did the ancient Chinese need to build such a large and extensive fortification? How did the construction proceed and how long did it last? These questions are asked by everyone who has been lucky enough to visit here at least once. Researchers have long ago received answers to them, and we will dwell on the rich historical past of the Great Wall of China. It itself leaves tourists with an ambiguous impression, since some areas are in excellent condition, while others are completely abandoned. Only this circumstance in no way detracts from the interest in this object - rather, on the contrary.
History of the construction of the Great Wall of China
In the 3rd century BC, one of the rulers of the Celestial Empire was Emperor Qing Shi Huang. His era fell on the Warring States period. It was a difficult and contradictory time. The state was threatened from all sides by enemies, especially the aggressive Xiongnu nomads, and it needed protection from their treacherous raids. Thus was born the decision to build an impregnable wall - high and extensive, so that no one could disturb the peace of the Qin Empire. At the same time, this structure was supposed to be, to put it modern language, demarcate the boundaries of the ancient Chinese kingdom and promote its further centralization. The wall was also intended to solve the issue of “purity of the nation”: by fencing off the barbarians, the Chinese would be deprived of the opportunity to enter into marriage relations with them and have children together.
The idea of building such a grandiose border fortification was not born out of the blue. There were already precedents. Many kingdoms - for example, Wei, Yan, Zhao and the already mentioned Qin - tried to build something similar. The State of Wei built its wall around 353 BC. BC: the adobe structure divided it with the Qin kingdom. Later, this and other border fortifications were connected to each other, and they formed a single architectural ensemble.
Construction of the Great Wall of China began along Yingshan, a mountain system in Inner Mongolia, in northern China. The emperor appointed commander Meng Tian to coordinate its progress. There was a lot of work to be done. Previously built walls needed to be strengthened, connected with new sections and extended. As for the so-called “internal” walls, which served as boundaries between individual kingdoms, they were simply demolished.
The construction of the first sections of this grandiose object took a total of a decade, and the construction of the entire Great Wall of China lasted for two millennia (according to some evidence, even for as long as 2,700 years). At its different stages, the number of people simultaneously involved in the work reached three hundred thousand. In total, the authorities attracted (more precisely, forced) about two million people to join them. These were representatives of many social strata: slaves, peasants, and military personnel. The workers worked in inhumane conditions. Some died from backbreaking labor as such, others fell victim to severe and incurable infections.
The terrain itself was not conducive to comfort, at least relative. The structure ran along the mountain ranges, skirting all the spurs extending from them. The builders moved forward, overcoming not only high climbs, but also many gorges. Their sacrifices were not in vain - at least from the perspective of today: it was precisely this landscape of the area that determined the unique appearance of the miracle structure. Not to mention its size: on average, the height of the wall reaches 7.5 meters, and this does not take into account the rectangular teeth (with them the entire 9 m is obtained). Its width is also uneven - at the bottom 6.5 m, at the top 5.5 m.
The Chinese popularly call their wall the “earth dragon.” And it is by no means accidental: at the very beginning, any materials were used during its construction, primarily compacted earth. It was done like this: first, shields were woven from reeds or twigs, and between them clay, small stones and other available materials were pressed in layers. When Emperor Qin Shi Huang got down to business, they began to use more reliable stone slabs, which were laid close to each other.
Surviving sections of the Great Wall of China
However, it was not only the variety of materials that determined the heterogeneous appearance of the Great Wall of China. The towers also make it recognizable. Some of them were built even before the wall itself appeared, and were built into it. Other elevations appeared simultaneously with the stone “border”. It is not difficult to determine which ones were before and which ones were built after: the first ones have a smaller width and are located at unequal distances, while the second ones fit organically into the building and are exactly 200 meters apart from each other. They were usually built rectangular, on two floors, equipped upper platforms with loopholes. Observation of enemy maneuvers, especially when they were advancing, was carried out from signal towers located here on the wall.
When the Han Dynasty, which ruled from 206 BC to 220 AD, came to power, the Great Wall of China was expanded westward to Dunhuang. During this period, the object was equipped with a whole line of watchtowers that went deep into the desert. Their purpose was to protect caravans with goods, which often suffered from raids by nomads. Most of the sections of the wall that have survived to this day were built during the Ming Dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644. They were built mainly from more reliable and durable materials - stone blocks and bricks. Over the three centuries of the reign of the said dynasty, the Great Wall of China “grew” significantly, stretching from the coast of Bohai Bay (Shanhaiguan Outpost) to the border of the modern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province (Yumenguan Outpost).
Where does the wall begin and end?
The man-made border of Ancient China originates in the north of the country, in the city of Shanghai-guan, located on the shores of the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea, which once had strategic importance on the borders of Manchuria and Mongolia. This is the easternmost point of the 10,000 Li Long Wall. The Laoluntou Tower is also located here, it is also called the “dragon’s head”. The tower is also notable for the fact that it is the only place in the country where the Great Wall of China is washed by the sea, and it itself goes as much as 23 meters into the bay.
The westernmost point of the monumental structure is located in the vicinity of the city of Jiayuguan, in the central part of the Celestial Empire. Here the Great Wall of China is best preserved. This site was built back in the 14th century, so it also might not stand the test of time. But it survived due to the fact that it was constantly strengthened and repaired. The westernmost outpost of the empire was built near Mount Jiayuoshan. The outpost was equipped with a moat and walls - internal and semicircular external. There are also main gates located on the western and eastern sides of the outpost. The Yuntai Tower stands proudly here, considered by many almost as a separate attraction. Inside, Buddhist texts and bas-reliefs of ancient Chinese kings are carved on the walls, which arouse the constant interest of researchers.
Myths, legends, interesting facts
For a long time it was believed that the Great Wall of China could be seen from space. Moreover, this myth was born long before flights into low-Earth orbit, in 1893. This is not even an assumption, but a statement made by The Century magazine (USA). Then they returned to this idea in 1932. The then famous showman Robert Ripley claimed that the structure could be seen from the moon. With the advent of the era of space flight, these claims were generally refuted. According to NASA experts, the object is barely visible from orbit, from which it is approximately 160 km from the Earth's surface. The wall, and then with the help of strong binoculars, was able to be seen by the American astronaut William Pogue.
Another myth takes us directly back to the construction of the Great Wall of China. An ancient legend says that powder prepared from human bones was allegedly used as a cementing solution that held the stones together. There was no need to go far to get the “raw materials” for it, given that many workers died here. Fortunately, this is just a legend, albeit a creepy one. Ancient masters actually prepared the adhesive solution from powder, but the base of the substance was ordinary rice flour.
There is a legend that a large fiery Dragon paved the way for the workers. He indicated in which areas the wall should be built, and the builders steadily followed in his footsteps. Another legend tells of a farmer's wife named Meng Jing Nu. Having learned about the death of her husband during construction, she came there and began to cry inconsolably. As a result, one of the plots collapsed, and the widow saw the remains of her loved one underneath, which she was able to take and bury.
It is known that the wheelbarrow was invented by the Chinese. But few people know that they were prompted to do this by the beginning of the construction of a grandiose project: the workers needed a convenient device with which they could transport building materials. Some sections of the Great Wall of China, which were of exceptional strategic importance, were surrounded by protective ditches, filled with water or left in the form of ditches.
Great Wall of China in winter
Sections of the Great Wall of China
Several sections of the Great Wall of China are open to tourists. Let's talk about some of them.
The outpost closest to Beijing, the modern capital of the People's Republic of China, is Badaling (it is also one of the most popular). It is located north of the Juyunguan Pass and only 60 km from the city. It was built during the era of the ninth Chinese emperor, Hongzhi, who reigned from 1487 to 1505. Along this section of the wall there are signal platforms and watchtowers, which open onto great view, if you climb to its highest point. At this location, the height of the object reaches an average of 7.8 meters. The width is sufficient for 10 pedestrians to pass or 5 horses to pass.
Another outpost quite close to the capital is called Mutianyu and is located 75 km from it, in Huairou, a municipal district of Beijing. This area was built during the reign of Emperors Longqing (Zhu Zaihou) and Wanli (Zhu Yijun), who belonged to the Ming Dynasty. At this point the wall takes a sharp turn towards the northeastern regions of the country. The local landscape is mountainous, with many steep slopes and cliffs. The outpost is notable for the fact that at its southeastern end three branches of the “great stone border” come together, and at a height of 600 meters.
One of the few areas where the Great Wall of China has been preserved almost in its original form is Symatai. It is located in the village of Gubeikou, which is 100 km northeast of Miyun County, which belongs to the municipality of Beijing. This section stretches for 19 km. In its southeastern part, impressive with its impregnable appearance even today, there are partially preserved observation towers (14 in total).
The steppe section of the wall originates from the Jinchuan Gorge - it is east of the county town of Shandan, in Zhangye County, Gansu Province. In this place, the structure stretches for 30 km, and its height varies between 4-5 meters. In ancient times, the Great Wall of China was supported on both sides by a parapet that has survived to this day. The gorge itself deserves special attention. At a height of 5 meters, if you count from its bottom, several carved hieroglyphs can be seen right on the rocky cliff. The inscription translates as "Jinchuan Citadel".
In the same Gansu province, north of the Jiayuguan outpost, at a distance of only 8 km, there is a steep section of the Great Wall of China. It was built during the Ming Empire. It received this appearance due to the specifics of the local landscape. The bends of the mountainous terrain, which the builders were forced to take into account, “lead” the wall to a steep descent straight into the crevice, where it runs smoothly. In 1988, Chinese authorities restored this site and opened it to tourists a year later. From the watchtower there is a magnificent panorama of the surroundings on both sides of the wall.
A steep section of the Great Wall of China
The ruins of the Yanguan outpost are located 75 km southwest of the city of Dunhuang, which in ancient times served as the gateway to the Celestial Empire on the Great Silk Road. In ancient times, the length of this section of the wall was approximately 70 km. Here you can see impressive piles of stones and earthen ramparts. All this leaves no doubt: there were at least a dozen sentinel and signal towers here. However, they have not survived to this day, except for the signal tower north of the outpost, on Mount Dundong.
The section known as the Wei Wall originates in Chaoyuandun (Shaanxi Province), located on the west coast of the Changjian River. Not far from here is the northern spur of one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism - Huashan, which belongs to the Qinling Range. From here, the Great Wall of China moves towards the northern regions, as evidenced by its fragments in the villages of Chennan and Hongyan, of which the first is best preserved.
Measures to preserve the wall
Time has not been kind to this unique architectural object, which many call the eighth wonder of the world. The rulers of the Chinese kingdoms did everything in their power to counteract the destruction. However, from 1644 to 1911 - the period of the Manchu Qing dynasty - the Great Wall was practically abandoned and suffered even greater destruction. Only the Badaling section was maintained in order, and that was because it was located near Beijing and was considered the “front gate” to the capital. History, of course, does not tolerate the subjunctive mood, but if not for the betrayal of the commander Wu Sangui, who opened the gates of the Shanhaiguan outpost to the Manchus and let the enemy through, the Ming dynasty would not have fallen, and the attitude towards the wall would have remained the same - careful.
Deng Xiaoping, the founder of economic reforms in the PRC, paid great attention to preserving the country's historical heritage. It was he who initiated the restoration of the Great Wall of China, the program of which started in 1984. It was financed from a variety of sources, including funds from foreign business structures and donations from individuals. To raise money in the late 80s, an art auction was even held in the capital of the Celestial Empire, the progress of which was widely covered not only in the country itself, but also by leading television companies in Paris, London and New York. A lot of work was done with the proceeds, but sections of the wall remote from tourist centers are still in poor condition.
On September 6, 1994, the Great Wall of China Thematic Museum was inaugurated in Badaling. Behind the building, which resembles a wall with its appearance, she herself is located. The institution is designed to popularize the great historical and cultural heritage of this, without exaggeration, unique architectural object.
Even the corridor in the museum is stylized like it - it is distinguished by its tortuousness, along its entire length there are “passages”, “signal towers”, “fortresses”, etc. The excursion makes you feel as if you are traveling along the real Great Wall of China: it’s so here everything is thought out and realistic.
Note to tourists
On the Mutianyu section, the longest of the fully restored fragments of the wall, located 90 km north of the capital of the People's Republic of China, there are two funiculars. The first is equipped with closed cabins and is designed for 4-6 people, the second is an open lift, similar to ski lifts. Those suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights) are better off not taking risks and prefer a walking tour, which, however, is also fraught with difficulties.
Climbing the Great Wall of China is quite easy, but descending can turn into real torture. The fact is that the height of the steps is not the same and varies between 5-30 centimeters. You should go down them with extreme care and it is advisable not to stop, because after a pause it is much more difficult to resume the descent. One tourist even calculated: climbing the wall at its lowest section involves climbing 4 thousand (!) steps.
Time to visit, how to get to the Great Wall of China
Excursions to the Mutianyu site from March 16 to November 15 are held from 7:00 to 18:00, in other months - from 7:30 to 17:00.
The Badaling site is available for visits from 6:00 to 19:00 at summer period and from 7:00 to 18:00 in winter.
You can get acquainted with the Symatai site in November-March from 8:00 to 17:00, in April-November - from 8:00 to 19:00.
A visit to the Great Wall of China is provided both as part of excursion groups and on an individual basis. In the first case, tourists are delivered by special buses, which usually depart from Beijing's Tiananmen Square, Yabaolu and Qianmen streets; in the second, curious travelers are offered public transport or a private car with a driver hired for the whole day.
The first option is suitable for those who find themselves in the Celestial Empire for the first time and do not know the language. Or, on the contrary, those who know the country and speak Chinese, but at the same time want to save money: group excursions are relatively inexpensive. But there are also costs, namely the significant duration of such tours and the need to focus on other members of the group.
Public transport to get to the Great Wall of China is usually used by those who know Beijing well and speak and read at least a little Chinese. A trip by regular bus or train will cost less than even the most attractively priced group tour. There is also time savings: a self-guided tour will allow you not to be distracted, for example, by visiting numerous souvenir shops, where guides love to take tourists in the hope of earning their commissions from sales.
Renting a driver and a car for the whole day is the most comfortable and flexible way to get to the section of the Great Wall of China that you choose. The pleasure is not cheap, but it is worth it. Wealthy tourists often book a car through the hotel. You can simply catch one on the street, like an ordinary taxi: this is how many residents of the capital earn money, readily offering their services to foreigners. Just don’t forget to get the driver’s phone number or take a photo of the car itself, so you don’t have to look for it for a long time if the person leaves or drives off somewhere before you return from the excursion.
The most recognizable symbol of China, as well as its long and vibrant history, has become. This monumental structure consists of numerous walls and fortifications, many of which run parallel to each other. Originally conceived for protection against nomadic raids by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (circa 259-210 BC). Great Wall of China (China) became one of the most ambitious construction projects in the history of mankind.
The great Wall of China: Interesting Facts
VKS is the longest wall in the world and the largest building of antiquity.
Stunning scenery, from the beaches of Qinhuangdao to the rugged mountains around Beijing.
Consists of many sections:
Badaling
- Huang Huancheng
- Jiuyunguan
- Ji Yongguan
- Shanhaiguan
- Yangguan
- Sponge
- Giancu
- Jin Shan Ling
- Mutianyu
- Symatai
- Yangmenguang
Length of the Great Wall of China
Contrary to popular belief, the wall is not visible from space without a good approach.
Already during the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), sticky rice dough was used for construction as a kind of material for holding stone blocks together.
Labor force At the construction site there were military personnel, peasants, convicts and prisoners, naturally not of their own free will.
Although officially 8,851 km, the length of all the branches and sections built over thousands of years is estimated at 21,197 km. The circumference of the equator is 40,075 km.
There is a popular legend about Meng Jing Nu, whose husband died at a construction site. Her cry was so bitter that the Great Wall of China collapsed, exposing her husband's bones, and the wife was able to bury him.
There are still traces of bullets in the Gubeik area; there was a fierce battle here in the past.
During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), many stones from the wall were stolen to build houses, farms and reservoirs.
Northwestern sections of the wall (eg in Gansu and Ningxia provinces) will likely disappear within 20 years. The reason for this is both natural conditions and human activity.
The most famous part of the Great Wall, Badaling, has been visited by more than 300 heads of state and dignitaries from around the world, the first being the Soviet politician Klim Voroshilov in 1957.
The Great Wall of China (China): history of creation
Significance: The longest fortification ever built by man.
Purpose of construction: protection of the Chinese Empire from Mongol and Manchu invaders.
Significance for tourism: the largest and at the same time the most popular attraction of the PRC.
Provinces where the Great Wall of China passes: Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu.
Start and end: From Shanhaiguan Pass (39.96N, 119.80E) to Jiayu Belt (39.85N, 97.54E). The direct distance is 1900 km.
Closest site to Beijing: Juyunguan (55 km)
Most visited site: Badaling (63 million visitors in 2001)
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills. Great Wall of China, China extends from the Bohai coast in Qinhuangdao, around the northern part of the Chinese Plain, across the Loess Plateau. Then it goes along the desert province of Gansu, between the Tibetan plateau and the loess hills of Inner Mongolia.
Altitude: from sea level to more than 500 meters.
Most the right time years to visit the Great Wall of China: areas that are best visited near Beijing in spring or autumn. Jiayuguan - from May to October. Shanhaiguan Passage - in summer and early autumn.
The Great Wall of China is the largest cemetery. More than a million people lost their lives during its construction.
How the Great Wall of China was built
Everyone is interested how the Great Wall of China was built structures. Here's the whole story chronologically.
7th century BC: Feudal warlords began construction of the Great Wall of China.
Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC): Sections of the wall that had already been built were joined together (along with the unification of China).
206 BC - 1368 AD: restoration and expansion of the wall in order to prevent the plunder of the lands by nomads.
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644): The Great Wall of China reached its greatest extent.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911): The Great Wall of China and surrounding lands fell to Manchu invaders in alliance with a traitorous general. Maintenance of the wall ceased for more than 300 years.
Late 20th century: Various sections of the Great Wall of China became architectural monuments.
The Great Wall of China on the world map:
The longest defensive structure in the world is the Great Wall of China. Interesting facts about her today are quite numerous. This masterpiece of architecture is fraught with many mysteries. It causes fierce debate among various researchers.
The length of the Great Wall of China has not yet been established precisely. It is only known that it stretches from Jiayuguan, located in Gansu Province, to (Liaodong Bay).
Wall length, width and height
The length of the structure is about 4 thousand km, according to some sources, and according to others - more than 6 thousand km. 2450 km is the length of a straight line drawn between its end points. However, it must be taken into account that the wall does not go straight anywhere: it bends and turns. The length of the Great Wall of China, therefore, should be at least 6 thousand km, and possibly more. The height of the structure is on average 6-7 meters, reaching 10 meters in some areas. The width is 6 meters, that is, 5 people can walk along the wall in a row, even a small car can easily pass. On its outer side there are “teeth” made of large bricks. Internal wall protects a barrier, the height of which is 90 cm. Previously, there were drains in it, made through equal sections.
Start of construction
The Great Wall of China began during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. He ruled the country from 246 to 210. BC e. It is customary to associate the history of the construction of such a structure as the Great Wall of China with the name of this creator of a unified Chinese state - the famous emperor. Interesting facts about it include a legend according to which it was decided to build it after one court soothsayer predicted (and the prediction came true many centuries later!) that the country would be destroyed by barbarians coming from the north. In order to protect the Qin Empire from nomads, the emperor ordered the construction of defensive fortifications, unprecedented in scale. They subsequently turned into such a grandiose structure as the Great Wall of China.
Facts indicate that the rulers of various principalities located in Northern China erected similar walls along their borders even before the reign of Qin Shi Huang. By the time of his accession to the throne, the total length of these ramparts was about 2 thousand km. The emperor first only strengthened and united them. This is how the unified Great Wall of China was formed. Interesting facts about its construction, however, do not end there.
Who built the wall?
Real fortresses were built at checkpoints. Intermediate military camps for patrolling and garrison service, and watchtowers were also built. "Who built the Great Wall of China?" - you ask. Hundreds of thousands of slaves, prisoners of war and criminals were rounded up to build it. When workers became scarce, mass mobilizations of peasants also began. Emperor Shi Huang, according to one legend, ordered a sacrifice to the spirits. He ordered that a million people be immured in the wall under construction. This is not confirmed by archaeological data, although isolated burials were found in the foundations of towers and fortresses. It is still unclear whether they were ritual sacrifices, or whether they simply buried dead workers in this way, those who built the Great Wall of China.
Completion of construction
Shortly before Shi Huangdi's death, the construction of the wall was completed. According to scientists, the reason for the impoverishment of the country and the turmoil that followed the death of the monarch was precisely the enormous costs of building defensive fortifications. The Great Wall stretched through deep gorges, valleys, deserts, along cities, across the whole of China, turning the state into an almost impregnable fortress.
Protective function of the wall
Many later called its construction pointless, since there would have been no soldiers to defend such long wall. But it should be taken into account that it served to protect against the light cavalry of various nomadic tribes. In many countries they were used against steppe inhabitants similar structures. For example, this is the Trajan Wall, built by the Romans in the 2nd century, as well as the Serpentine Walls, built in the south of Ukraine in the 4th century. Large detachments of cavalry could not overcome the wall, since the cavalry needed to break through a breach or destroy a large area to pass. And without special devices it was not easy to do this. Genghis Khan managed to do this in the 13th century with the help of military engineers from Zhudrjey, the kingdom he conquered, as well as local infantry in huge numbers.
How different dynasties cared for the wall
All subsequent rulers took care of the safety of the Great Wall of China. Only two dynasties were an exception. These are the Yuan, the Mongol dynasty, and also the Manchu Qin (the latter, which we will talk about a little later). They controlled the lands north of the wall, so they did not need it. The history of the building went through different periods. There were times when the garrisons guarding it were recruited from pardoned criminals. The tower, located on the Golden Terrace of the Wall, was decorated in 1345 with bas-reliefs depicting Buddhist guards.
After the Yuan dynasty was defeated, during the reign of the next (Ming) in 1368-1644, work was carried out to strengthen the wall and maintain defensive structures in proper condition. Beijing, the new capital of China, was only 70 kilometers away, and its safety depended on the safety of the wall.
During the reign, women were used as sentries on the towers, monitoring the surrounding area and, if necessary, giving an alarm signal. This was motivated by the fact that they treat their duties more conscientiously and are more attentive. There is a legend according to which the legs of the unfortunate guards were cut off so that they could not leave their post without an order.
Folk legend
We continue to expand on the topic: “Great Chinese Wall: interesting facts." The photo of the wall below will help you imagine its greatness.
Folk legend tells about the terrible hardships that the builders of this structure had to endure. The woman, whose name was Meng Jiang, came here from a distant province to bring warm clothes to her husband. However, upon reaching the wall, she learned that her husband had already died. The woman was unable to find his remains. She lay down near this wall and cried for several days. Even the stones were touched by the woman’s grief: one of the sections of the Great Wall collapsed, revealing the bones of Meng Jiang’s husband. The woman took the remains of her husband home, where she buried them in the family cemetery.
Invasion of the “barbarians” and restoration work
The wall did not save the “barbarians” from the last large-scale invasion. The overthrown aristocracy, fighting with the rebels representing the Yellow Turban movement, allowed numerous Manchu tribes into the country. Their leaders seized power. They founded a new dynasty in China - the Qin. From that moment on, the Great Wall lost its defensive significance. It completely fell into disrepair. Only after 1949 did restoration work begin. The decision to start them was made by Mao Zedong. But during the “cultural revolution” that took place from 1966 to 1976, the “red guards” (Red Guards), who did not recognize the value of ancient architecture, decided to destroy some sections of the wall. She looked, according to eyewitnesses, as if she was subject to an enemy assault.
Now it was not only forced laborers or soldiers who were sent here. Service on the wall became a matter of honor, as well as a strong career incentive for young people from noble families. The words that one who was not there cannot be called a fine fellow, which Mao Zedong turned into a slogan, became a new saying right then.
The Great Wall of China today
Not a single description of China is complete without mentioning the Great Wall of China. Local residents say that its history is half the history of the entire country, which cannot be understood without visiting the building. Scientists have calculated that from all the materials that were used during the Ming Dynasty during its construction, it is possible to build a wall whose height is 5 meters and thickness is 1 meter. It is enough to encircle the entire globe.
The Great Wall of China has no equal in its grandeur. This building is visited by millions of tourists from all over the world. Its scale still amazes today. Anyone can purchase a certificate on the spot, which indicates the time of visiting the wall. The Chinese authorities were even forced to restrict access here in order to ensure better preservation of this great monument.
Is the wall visible from space?
For a long time it was believed that this was the only man-made object visible from space. However, this opinion has recently been refuted. Yang Li Wen, China's first astronaut, sadly admitted that he could not see this monumental structure, no matter how hard he tried. Perhaps the whole point is that during the first space flights the air over Northern China was much cleaner, and therefore the Great Wall of China was visible earlier. The history of its creation, interesting facts about it - all this is closely connected with many traditions and legends that surround this majestic building even today.
The visiting card of the Celestial Empire - the Great Wall of China - has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1987 as a historical heritage of the whole world. By decision of the public it is considered one of the new wonders of the world. There is no other defensive structure of this length on the planet.
Parameters and architecture of the “wonder of the world”
Contemporaries calculated the length of the grandiose Chinese fence. Taking into account areas that have not been preserved, it is 21,196 km. According to some studies, 4000 km have been preserved, others give the figure - 2450 km, if you connect the starting and ending points of the ancient wall with a straight line.
In some places its thickness and height reaches 5 m, in others it grows to 9–10 m. outside The wall is complemented by rectangles of 1.5-meter battlements. The widest section of the wall reaches 9 m, the highest from the ground surface is 7.92 m.
Real fortresses were built at the guard posts. On the most ancient sections of the wall, every 200 m of the fence there are towers made of brick or stones of the same style. They contain observation platforms and loopholes with rooms for storing weapons. The further from Beijing, the more often towers of other architectural styles are found.
Many of them have signal towers without interior spaces. From them, the watchmen lit a fire, signaling danger. For that time it was the most quick way warnings. According to legend, during the reign of the Tang family, women were placed as watchmen on the towers and their legs were deprived so that they would not leave their post without permission.
"The longest cemetery in the world"
The beginning of the construction of the grandiose Chinese structure dates back to the 7th century BC, the end - to the 17th century. According to historians, at least 10 rulers of small Chinese provinces made efforts to build it. They fenced their possessions with high mounds of earth.
Qin Shi Huang united the lands of small principalities into a single empire, ending the two-hundred-year era of the Warring States. With the help of defensive fortifications, he decided to ensure reliable protection of the state from attacks by nomads, especially the Huns. He ruled China from 246–210 BC. In addition to defense, the wall fixed the borders of the state.
According to legend, the idea was born after a court soothsayer predicted the destruction of the country by nomads who would come from the north. Therefore, they initially planned to build a wall on the northern borders of the country, but then continued to build it in the west, turning China into an almost impregnable possession.
According to legend, the direction and place of construction of the wall was indicated to the emperor by a dragon. The border was laid in his footsteps. Some researchers claim that the view of the wall from above resembles a soaring dragon.
Qin Shi Huang appointed the most successful general Meng Tian to lead the work. By combining the existing earthworks, they were strengthened and completed by more than half a million slaves, peasants, prisoners of war and prisoners. The emperor was opposed to the teachings of Confucius, so he shackled all the Confucian scholars and sent them to construction sites.
One of the legends says that he ordered them to be walled up in the wall as a sacrifice to the spirits. But archaeologists have not found confirmation of the rituality of the single burials found in the towers. Another legend tells of a farmer's wife, Meng Jiang, who brought clothes to her husband, who was mobilized to work on a construction site. But he had died by then. No one could say where he was buried.
The woman lay down against the wall and cried for a long time until a stone fell out, revealing the remains of her husband. Meng Jiang brought them to her native province and buried them in the family cemetery. Perhaps the workers who participated in the construction were buried in the wall. That's why people called it the “wall of tears.”
Construction spanning two millennia
The wall was completed and rebuilt in parts, from various materials- earth, bricks, stones. Active construction was continued in 206–220 by the emperors of the Han clan. They were forced to strengthen China's defenses against the attacks of the Huns. The earthen ramparts were reinforced with stones to protect them from destruction by nomads. All rulers of China monitored the safety of defensive structures, except for the emperors of the Mongol Yuan family.
Most of the grandiose structures that have survived to this day were built by the Ming emperors who ruled China from 1368 to 1644. They were actively engaged in the construction of new fortifications and repair of defensive structures, because the new capital of the state, Beijing, was only 70 kilometers away, so high walls were a guarantee of its safety.
During the reign of the Manchu Qing family, defensive structures lost their relevance because the northern lands were under its control. They stopped paying attention to the grandiose structure, and the wall began to collapse. Its restoration began at the direction of Mao Zedong in the 50s of the twentieth century. But during the “cultural revolution” most of it was destroyed by opponents of ancient art.
Video on the topic
There is no other structure in the world that would arouse as much interest among scientists, tourists, builders and astronauts as the Great Wall of China. Its construction gave rise to many rumors and legends, took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and cost a lot of money. In the story about this grandiose building, we will try to reveal the secrets, solve the riddles and briefly answer many questions about it: who built it and why, from whom it protected the Chinese, where is the most popular part of the structure, is it visible from space.
Reasons for the construction of the Great Wall of China
During the Warring States period (from the 5th to the 2nd centuries BC), large Chinese kingdoms absorbed smaller ones through wars of conquest. This is how the future unified state began to take shape. But while it was fragmented, individual kingdoms were subject to raids by the ancient nomadic Xiongnu people, who came to China from the north. Every kingdom built safety fences on certain parts of its borders. But the material used was ordinary earth, so the defensive fortifications were eventually erased from the face of the earth and have not survived to our times. 
Emperor Qin Shi Huang (3rd century BC), who became the head of the first united kingdom of Qin, began the construction of a defensive wall in the north of his domain, for which new walls and watchtowers were erected, combining them with existing ones. The purpose of the buildings being erected was not only to protect the population from raids, but also to mark the borders of the new state.
How many years and how was the wall built?
A fifth of the country's total population was involved in the construction of the Great Wall of China, which is approximately a million people over 10 years of main construction. Peasants, soldiers, slaves and all criminals sent here as punishment were used as labor. 
Taking into account the experience of previous builders, they began to lay not compacted earth at the base of the walls, but stone blocks, sprinkling them with soil. Subsequent rulers of China from the Han and Ming dynasties also expanded the line of defense. The materials used were stone blocks and bricks, bonded with rice glue with the addition of slaked lime. It is those sections of the wall that were built during the Ming Dynasty in the 14th–17th centuries that are quite well preserved. 
The construction process was accompanied by many difficulties associated with food and difficult working conditions. At the same time, it was necessary to feed and water more than 300 thousand people. This was not always possible in a timely manner, so human casualties amounted to tens, even hundreds of thousands. There is a legend that during construction, all the dead and dead builders were placed in the foundation of the structure, since their bones served as a good bond for the stones. People even call the building “the longest cemetery in the world.” But modern scientists and archaeologists refute the version of mass graves; most likely, most of the bodies of the dead were given to relatives. 
It is impossible to answer the question of how many years it took to build the Great Wall of China. Extensive construction took place over 10 years, and about 20 centuries passed from the very beginning to the last completion.
Dimensions of the Great Wall of China
According to the latest calculations of the size of the wall, its length is 8.85 thousand km, while the length with branches in kilometers and meters was calculated in all sections scattered throughout China. The estimated total length of the building, including sections that have not been preserved, from start to finish would be 21.19 thousand km today. 
Since the location of the wall goes mainly through mountainous territory, passing both along mountain ridges and along the bottom of gorges, its width and height could not be maintained in uniform figures. The width of the walls (thickness) is in the range of 5-9 m, while at the base it is about 1 m wider than at the top, and the average height is about 7-7.5 m, sometimes reaching 10 m, outer wall complemented by rectangular battlements up to 1.5 m high. Brick or stone towers with loopholes directed in different directions, with weapons warehouses, observation platforms and guard rooms were built along the entire length. 
During the construction of the Great Wall of China, according to the plan, the towers were built in the same style and at the same distance from each other - 200 m, equal to the flight range of an arrow. But when connecting old areas with new ones, towers of another type sometimes cut into the harmonious pattern of walls and towers. architectural solution. At a distance of 10 km from each other, the towers are complemented by signal towers (high towers without internal contents), from which sentinels watched the surroundings and, in case of danger, were supposed to give a signal to the next tower with the fire of a lit fire. 
Is the wall visible from space?
When listing interesting facts about this building, everyone often mentions that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure that can be seen from space. Let's try to figure out if this is really so. 
Assumptions that one of the main attractions of China should be visible from the moon were outlined several centuries ago. But not a single astronaut reported in his flight reports that he saw it with the naked eye. It is believed that the human eye from such a distance is able to distinguish objects with a diameter of more than 10 km, and not 5-9 m. 
It is also impossible to see it from Earth orbit without special equipment. Sometimes objects in space photographs taken without magnification are mistaken for the outline of a wall, but when magnified they turn out to be rivers, mountain ranges or the Grand Canal. But through binoculars good weather You can see the wall if you know where to look. Enlarged satellite photographs allow you to see the entire length of the fence, distinguishing towers and turns. 
Was a wall necessary?
The Chinese themselves did not believe that they needed the wall. After all, for many centuries it took strong men to the construction site, most of the state’s income went to its construction and maintenance. History has shown that it did not provide special protection for the country: the nomadic Xiongnu and Tatar-Mongols easily crossed the barrier line in destroyed areas or along special passages. In addition, many sentinels allowed attacking troops to pass in the hope of being saved or receiving a reward, so they did not send signals to neighboring towers. 
In our years, the Great Wall of China was made into a symbol of the perseverance of the Chinese people, they were created from it business card countries. Everyone who has visited China strives to go on an excursion to an accessible area of the attraction. 
Current condition and tourist attractiveness
Most of the fence today needs complete or partial restoration. The condition is especially deplorable in the northwestern area in Minqin County, where powerful sandstorms destroy and cover the stonework. People themselves cause great damage to the building by dismantling its components to build their houses. Some areas were once demolished by order of the authorities to make way for the construction of roads or villages. Modern vandal artists paint the wall with their graffiti. 
Realizing the attractiveness of the Great Wall of China for tourists, the authorities of large cities are restoring parts of the wall located close to them and laying excursion routes to them. Thus, near Beijing there are the Mutianyu and Badaling areas, which have become almost the main attractions in the capital region. 
The first section is located 75 km from Beijing, near the city of Huairou. In the Mutianyu section, a 2.25 km long section with 22 watchtowers has been restored. The site, located on the crest of the ridge, is distinguished by the very close construction of the towers to each other. At the foot of the ridge there is a village where private and excursion transport stops. You can get to the top of the ridge on foot or by cable car. 
The Badaling section is closest to the capital; they are separated by 65 km. How to get here? You can arrive by excursion or regular bus, taxi, private car or express train. The length of the accessible and restored section is 3.74 km, the height is about 8.5 m. You can see everything interesting in the vicinity of Badaling while walking along the ridge of the wall or from the cable car cabin. By the way, the name “Badalin” translates as “giving access in all directions.” During the 2008 Olympics, the finish line for the group road cycling race was located near Badaling. Every year in May, a marathon is held in which participants must run 3,800 degrees and overcome ups and downs while running along the crest of the wall. 
The Great Wall of China was not included in the list of "Seven Wonders of the World", but the modern public included it in the list of "New Wonders of the World". In 1987, UNESCO took the wall under its protection as a World Heritage Site.
