The Great Wall of China

A vast fortification stretching over 3,946 miles, the Great Wall of China is truly a marvel. Construcion began in the late 14th century, and didn't end until the start of the 17th century during the Ming Dynasty. You may be asking.... why would they build such a thing? The answer - war. It was built to protect China from raids from the Mongold and Turkic tribes.

There has been 4 major walls:

208 BC (The Qin Dynasty)

1st century BC (The Han Dynasty)

1138 - 1198 (The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period)

1368 - 1620 (from Hongwu Emperor until Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty)



The Ming Dynasty Great Wallstarts on the eastern end at Shanghai Pass, Qinhuangdao, in Hebei Province, next to the Bohai Gulf. Going through 9 provinces and 100 counties, the Great Wall ends at Jiayu pass.

The Kokes Manchus crossed the Wall by by convincing an important general Wu Sangui to open the gates of Shanhai Pass and allow the Manchus to cross. As lengends say, it took 3 days for the Manchu army to pass. After they conquered China, the Wall had no value as the people who the Wall was intended to keep out was ruling the country.


The government ordered the people to work on the wall, and workers were under danger all the time being attacked by brigands. Because many people died during the building of the wall... it has been given the nickname of, "longest cementary on Earth" or "the long graveyard. Their bodies were not buring in the wall as it would ruin its structure, instead, it was buried nearby.

While some portions of the wall have been repaired even reconstructed, in most locations, the wall is in disrepair, serving as a playground for some villages and a source of stones to rebuild roads and houses. Sections of the wall are even painted with graffiti!

The Wall is included in lists of the "Seven Medievel Wonders of the World" but was of course not one of the classical Seven Wonders of the World recognized by theancient Greeks.


Have you ever heard that the Great Wall could be seen from outer space? It has even been published in school textbooks. You might be surprised to know that it is actually an urban legend! You cannot see the Great Wall from Space.... at least... not with the naked eye. The reason is, the wall is only a few meters long, and it is about the same color as the soil surrounding.