A series of stone and earthen fortifications, the Great Wall of China was built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to defend the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of consecutive dynasties. The most well-known is the wall built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Though only little of it remains today, Great Wall of China was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty.
The Great Wall of China is noted as one of the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over about 6,500 km from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that approximately outline the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The Ming Wall of the Great Wall of China was protected by more than one million men. It is said that an estimated 2 to 3 million Chinese people died as part of the centuries-long project of building this great wall. Much of its global fame and its inclusion in the list of popular destinations in China is due to the hard work and skill of those people.
In the beginning, the Great Wall was built mainly of bricks, from Earth or Taipa, stones, and wood. Later in the Ming Dynasty, the bricks were a lot used in many parts of the Great Wall of China, as were materials such as tiles, lime, and stone. The size and weight of the bricks made them easier to work with than earth and stone, thus quickening the overall construction. In addition, bricks could bear more weight and tolerate better than rammed earth. Latter on, stones cut in rectangular shapes were used for the foundation, inner and outer brims, and gateways of the wall to make it more strong.
|
|
The battlements line of the Great Wall of China forms the highest portion of the vast majority of the wall. This is counted as one of the most special attractions of China. While some portions in the wall north of Beijing have been conserved and even reconstructed, in other places the Wall is in great disrepair. Those parts of the wall serve as a village playground or a source of stones to rebuild houses and roads. Segments of the Great Wall of China are also prone to graffiti and vandalism in recent times and parts have been destroyed because the Wall is in the way of construction of other structures.
Log on to tourstravelworld.com to know more about The Great Wall of China and other relevant information on Special Attractions of China
|
