The Great Wall of China is a grandiose structure in the entire history of mankind that performs a defensive function. The reasons for the creation of such a large-scale building arose long before the start of the long construction. Many principalities of the north and kingdoms of China in general built protective walls from raids of hostility and simple nomads. When all the kingdoms and principalities united (3rd century BC), the emperor named Qin Shi Huang, with all the forces of China, began the centuries-long and difficult construction of the Chinese Wall.

Shanhai-guan is the city where the Great Wall of China begins. It is from there that it stretches in wavy curves, skirting more than half the borders of Central China. The width of the wall is on average 6 meters, and the height is about 10. At some point in time, the wall was even used as a good, flat road. On some sections of the wall there are fortresses and fortifications as additions.

2450 meters is the length of the Chinese Wall, although the total length, taking into account all the branches, bends and meanders, is almost 5000 km. Such large and endless dimensions have long given rise to many legends, myths and fairy tales, for example, one of the most common is that the wall can be seen from the Moon and Mars. In fact, the Wall of China is only visible from orbit and in satellite images.

According to a widespread legend, a huge imperial army, about 300,000 people, was spent on the construction of the wall. In addition, tens of thousands of peasants were accepted and involved in construction, as the number of builders decreased by various reasons, and it was necessary to compensate for this with new people. Fortunately, there are no problems with “human resources” in China to this day.

The geographical location of the wall itself is very interesting: it is a symbol that divides the country into two parts - the north belongs to the nomads, and the south to the landowners.

Another interesting and tragic fact is that this is the longest and largest cemetery in the world in terms of the number of burials. History is silent about how many people were buried during construction and during the entire period in general. But the figure is probably incredibly large. The remains of the dead are found even today.

During the entire existence of the wall, it was restored more than once: its reconstruction was carried out from the 14th to the 16th centuries, and then from 16 to 17. At this point, special signal towers were added, which made it possible to notify the enemy’s attack through fire and smoke (transmitted from one tower to another).

As a means of defense, the wall performed very poorly, because such a height is not a hindrance for a large enemy. Therefore, the guards for the most part looked not at the north side, but at the south. The reason was that it was necessary to keep an eye on the peasants who wanted to leave the country to avoid taxes.

Today, in the 21st century, the Great Wall of China is an officially recognized symbol of its country, known throughout the world. Many of its sections have been reconstructed for tourism purposes. One part of the wall runs directly next to Beijing, which is a winning option, because it is in the capital that the most a large number of tourists.

SOME Russian researchers (President of the Academy of Basic Sciences A.A. Tyunyaev and his like-minded person, honorary doctor of the University of Brussels V.I. Semeiko) express doubts about the generally accepted version of the origin of the protective structure on the northern borders of the Qin Dynasty state. In November 2006, in one of his publications, Andrei Tyunyaev formulated his thoughts on this topic as follows: “As you know, to the north of the territory of modern China there was another, much more ancient civilization. This has been repeatedly confirmed by archaeological discoveries made, in particular, in Eastern Siberia. Impressive evidence of this civilization, comparable to Arkaim in the Urals, not only has not yet been studied and comprehended by the world historical science, but did not even receive proper assessment in Russia itself.”

As for the so-called “Chinese” wall, it is not entirely legitimate to talk about it as an achievement of ancient Chinese civilization. Here, to confirm our scientific correctness, it is enough to cite only one fact. THE LOOPS on a significant part of the wall ARE NOT DIRECTED TO THE NORTH, BUT TO THE SOUTH! And this is clearly visible not only in the most ancient, unreconstructed sections of the wall, but even in recent photographs and works of Chinese drawing.

It is generally accepted that it began to be built back in the 3rd century BC. to protect the state of the Qin dynasty from the attacks of the “northern barbarians” - the nomadic Xiongnu people. In the 3rd century AD, during the Han Dynasty, construction of the wall was resumed and it was expanded westward.

Over time, the wall began to collapse, but during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), according to Chinese historians, the wall was restored and strengthened. Those parts of it that have survived to this day were built mainly in the 15th - 16th centuries.

During the three centuries of the Manchu Qing dynasty (from 1644), the defensive structure became dilapidated and almost everything was destroyed, since the new rulers of the Celestial Empire did not need protection from the north. Only in our time, in the mid-1980s, did restoration of sections of the wall begin as material evidence of the ancient origin of statehood in the lands of Northeast Asia.

Previously, the Chinese themselves made the discovery that ancient Chinese writing belonged to another people. There are already published works proving that these people were the Aryan Slavs.
In 2008, at the First International Congress “Pre-Cyrillic Slavic Literature and Pre-Christian Slavic Culture” in Leningrad state university named after A.S. Pushkin Tyunyaev made a report “China is the younger brother of Rus'”, during which he presented fragments of Neolithic ceramics from the territory
eastern part of North China. The signs depicted on the ceramics did not look like Chinese characters, but demonstrated almost complete coincidence with the Old Russian runica - up to 80 percent.

The researcher, based on the latest archaeological data, expresses the opinion that during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages the population of the western part of Northern China was Caucasian. Indeed, throughout Siberia, right up to China, mummies of Caucasians are being discovered. According to genetic data, this population had the Old Russian haplogroup R1a1.

This version is also supported by the mythology of the ancient Slavs, which tells about the movement of the ancient Rus in an eastern direction - they were led by Bogumir, Slavunya and their son Scythian. These events are reflected, in particular, in the Book of Veles, which, let us make a reservation, is not recognized by academic historians.

Tyunyaev and his supporters point out that the Great Wall of China was built similarly to European and Russian medieval walls, the main purpose of which was protection from firearms. The construction of such structures began no earlier than the 15th century, when cannons and other siege weapons appeared on the battlefields. Before the 15th century, the so-called northern nomads did not have artillery.

Pay attention from which side the sun is shining.

BASED ON THIS DATA, Tyunyaev expresses the opinion that the wall in eastern Asia was built as a defensive structure marking the border between two medieval states. It was erected after an agreement was reached on the delimitation of territories. And this, according to Tyunyaev, is confirmed by the map of that
time when the border between the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire passed precisely along the wall.

We are talking about a map of the Qing Empire of the second half of the 17th-18th centuries, presented in the academic 10-volume “ World history" That map shows in detail a wall running exactly along the border between the Russian Empire and the empire of the Manchu dynasty (Qing Empire).

There are other translation options from the French phrase “Muraille de la Chine” - “wall from China”, “wall delimiting from China”. After all, in an apartment or in a house we call the wall that separates us from our neighbors the neighbor’s wall, and the wall that separates us from the street - outer wall. We have the same thing when naming borders: Finnish border, Ukrainian border... In this case, the adjectives indicate only the geographical location of the Russian borders.
It is noteworthy that in medieval Rus' there was a word “kita” - a knitting of poles that were used in the construction of fortifications. Thus, the name of the Moscow district Kitai-Gorod was given in the 16th century for the same reasons - the building consisted of a stone wall with 13 towers and 6 gates...

According to the opinion enshrined in the official version of history, the construction of the Great Wall of China began in 246 BC. under Emperor Shi Huangdi, its height was from 6 to 7 meters, the purpose of construction was protection from northern nomads.

Russian historian L.N. Gumilyov wrote: “The wall stretched for 4 thousand km. Its height reached 10 meters, and watchtowers rose every 60-100 meters.” He noted: “When the work was completed, it turned out that everyone armed forces There won't be enough China to mount an effective defense on the wall. In fact, if you place a small detachment on each tower, the enemy will destroy it before the neighbors have time to gather and send help. If large detachments are placed less frequently, gaps will be created through which the enemy can easily and unnoticed penetrate into the interior of the country. A fortress without defenders is not a fortress.”

Moreover, the towers of the loophole are located on the South side, as if the defenders were repelling attacks from the NORTH????
Andrey Tyunyaev proposes to compare two towers - from the Chinese Wall and from the Novgorod Kremlin. The shape of the towers is the same: a rectangle, slightly narrowed at the top. There is an entrance leading into both towers from the wall, which is blocked round arch, made of the same brick as the wall with the tower. Each of the towers has two upper “working” floors. On the first floor of both towers there are round-arched windows. The number of windows on the first floor of both towers is 3 on one side and 4 on the other. The height of the windows is approximately the same - about 130-160 centimeters.
What does a comparison of surviving towers say? Chinese city Beijing with medieval towers of Europe? The fortress walls of the Spanish city of Avila and Beijing are very similar to each other, especially in the fact that the towers are located very often and have practically no architectural adaptations for military needs. The Beijing towers have only an upper deck with loopholes, and are laid out at the same height as the rest of the wall.
Neither the Spanish nor the Beijing towers show such a high similarity with the defensive towers of the Chinese Wall, as do the towers of Russian kremlins and fortress walls. And this is something for historians to think about.

This is probably one of the few buildings of humanity that has gathered so many interested scientists, researchers, historians, and ordinary tourists. People from all over the world come to gaze at the Great Wall of China. It is rightfully considered one of the most grandiose structures ever created by humanity. The main symbol of China, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

During the time that has elapsed from the time of construction to the present day, this structure has been rebuilt more than once, something was completely destroyed, considered unnecessary or superfluous, something was completed, adjusting it to today's needs. But, one way or another, this historical monument has survived to this day and is ready to welcome tourists.

By the way, few people know that Mao Zedong once wrote an expression near the entrance. According to him, a Chinese who has not seen this monument cannot be called a real Chinese.

Today the wall is considered a majestic monument, a national symbol, a landmark and a calling card of China. After all, this building witnessed many events in the history of the Chinese Empire.

This grandiose structure begins in the city of Shanhai-guan. From that place the wall stretches, passing half the country and ending in Central China. To some, its location resembles the movements of a snake, while the Chinese themselves associate it with the rise of a dragon. It is probably because of such associations that it has become a national symbol for the people of China.

The length of the Great Wall of China is 8851.8 kilometers. The width of the wall ranges from 5 to 8 meters, and the height in some places reached 10 meters.

The structure is so strong that one section, 750 kilometers long, was once turned into a real road. In some places near the wall, fortresses and fortifications were built, which has a historical and logical explanation.

The most popular sections of the wall among tourists are Simatai and Badaling.. There is nothing surprising in this, because they are located next to, 75 kilometers from the capital.

By the way, there is a widespread myth that the Great Wall is visible even from space. The astronauts say that this is not so - no one has ever seen a wall from space with the naked eye.

History of construction

Construction of the Great Wall of China began in the 3rd century BC. Historians have not even argued about who built the Chinese wall. This idea belonged to Emperor Qin Shi Huang. In history, he became famous as a cruel ruler thirsty for change. During his reign, he completely changed the life of his people. This was especially felt by the aristocrats and princes, from whom the emperor took away their privileges and subjugated them to himself.

Historians claim that the original purpose of building the Great Wall of China was to protect the emperor’s possessions from raids by nomadic tribes. But the researchers deny themselves, saying that the northern tribes of that time did not pose any particular danger to the emperor and his country. Therefore, it was pointless to defend against raids in this way. And on this basis, historians have come up with a new version: the purpose of such a huge construction was to mark the borders of the Chinese Empire, which was supposed to prevent the merging of the Chinese with the nomads.

221 BC - 300 thousand people arrived on the northern border of the Chinese Empire. The “parade” was led by commander Meng Tian. These people were given the task of building a wall of stones and bricks in the place where the earthworks had been. It is worth noting that most of the wall was in hard to reach places, which, of course, made the work of its builders more difficult. To keep the construction under control, all people were distributed to 34 bases, around which settlements appeared over time.

The construction of the wall began with towers. There were 25 thousand of them then. It must be said that they were significantly different from each other, had different densities and sizes. But all such structures looked like real fortifications. Their average length was 12 meters.

The distance between the towers was measured by “arrow flights”, which were supposed to be equal to two. The defensive structures (towers) were interconnected by a wall whose height reached seven meters. By the way, the width of the wall was measured by a line of eight people.

There is very interesting story, or rather a legend, about how the border was determined Great Wall. The emperor decided to travel around his possessions on horseback. His route became the boundary of the wall. And the places for the towers were designated in areas where the ruler’s horse stumbled.

The protective function of the wall is also cast in doubt by the fact that during its construction the features of the terrain were taken into account. For example, in the north it separates uninhabitable mountain areas from fertile lands. Scientists have expressed their opinion on this matter. According to them, this structure was intended to separate the fertile south of the Chinese Empire from the nomadic north.

Wall of Bones

Until 213 BC, builders managed to complete most of the wall. Peasants were also brought in to help the soldiers. Most commoners could not work for a long time in such conditions and at such a shocking pace, and died from exhaustion. What was done with their bodies? They were walled up in the wall.

Since historians made this public historical fact, many statements have appeared on this topic. Some called the Great Wall of China "the longest cemetery in the world". Someone reproachfully said that the wall was built on human bones. And such thoughts are not without reason: About 400 thousand Chinese are immured in the wall. At that time, people considered this huge construction project a great disaster. These motifs can be found in ancient Chinese songs, fairy tales and legends.

Whatever it is, no matter what they say, but even the nickname “the longest cemetery in the world” e" will not be able to scare away tourists who want to touch ancient history, look at the greatest construction of the Chinese people.

The further fate of the wall

After waiting for the death of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, in 210 BC the people rebelled and overthrew the Qin dynasty. This made it possible to stop construction of the wall. A period of stagnation began in the fate of the Chinese Wall. Further history says that not all emperors undertook to complete the construction of the defensive structure. Many had high hopes for the troops, but neglected the wall as an opportunity to strengthen the borders of the empire.

When the Mongol Khan came to power, the wall was completely abandoned. Its restoration began only in the 15th century.

How to get to the Great Wall of China

To see this grandiose monument of the Chinese Empire, you can go in several ways:

• go on a tour
• get there by taxi
• take the train express

Please note that in addition to other costs, you will need to buy an entrance ticket to the wall, which costs 45 yuan.

Bus excursion tours

A guided tour is the easiest way. For those who don't speak Chinese or are afraid to travel alone, a group of tourists led by a guide is a great option.

Sightseeing buses await tourists to Yabaolu, Tiananmen and Qianmen. In addition, such information can be found at the reception desk of any hotel.

Prices for such pleasure are reasonable, from 100 to 500 (depending on the number of people in the group). But the price, most often, only includes travel to Badaling. You will have to buy your own entrance ticket and food. But after visiting the wall you will be taken to the tombs of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty.

The only disadvantage of this option is the limited nature of the tour. You cannot decide when and where to go, because you need to focus on other tourists. Therefore, if you want to spend the whole day on the Great Wall of China, then Bus tours– not for you. Although in most cases there is nothing to do there all day.

Taxi ride

You can get to the historical monument by hiring a private car with a driver. There are more than enough people offering such services in Yabaolu. You can also order a car through the hotel, but it will be a little more expensive.

The cost of a taxi can fluctuate around 400-800 yuan. But do not forget that food and entry tickets again remain on your shoulders.

This method is much more convenient than the previous one, the driver will take you anywhere, because here only you are in command of the parade.

By train express to Badaling

Especially for the Chinese Olympics, an express train was built for those wishing to visit the section of the wall located in Badaling. The journey takes one and a half hours. The train departs from Beijing North Station, located at Xizhimen Subway Station - the intersection of the Circle Line. Directly from the metro station there are signs that say "Beijing Railway Station North".

The cost of the trip will be minimal, and will cost no more than 20 yuan per person in both directions. Tickets are sold directly at the station. The train schedule is constantly changing, but the express train leaves every hour. The numbers of all trains departing for Badaling begin with S2. Please note that the station is not the final one and you need to get off together with the main crowd of passengers, you definitely can’t go wrong.

Of the minuses, it is worth noting that you will encounter huge queues, and you will have to stand while driving.

Before the trip, be sure to eat well and buy water, as everything on the wall is very expensive. At the same Xizhimen station there is a large shopping mall, there are many cafes and fast foods here, for example, Burger King and McDonald's.

Don't forget to dress warmly, since the wall is located on a hill and there is often a strong, piercing wind blowing here.

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. Each kingdom built protective fences on certain sections 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 uniform style and at the same distance from each other - 200 m, equal to the flight range of the 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?

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 has been made into a symbol of the perseverance of the Chinese people, and a calling card of the country has been created from it. 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 fill up masonry. 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.

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 most long 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.
The labor force at the construction site 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.
The most suitable time of year to visit the Great Wall of China: areas near Beijing are best visited 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: