Reasons for the construction of the Chinese wall. How the Great Wall of China was built and what it is now
The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest architectural monuments in China and a symbol of the power of Chinese civilization. It stretches from the Liaodong Gulf northeast of Beijing through Northern China to the Gobi Desert. There are several opinions about its exact length, but what can be said for sure is that it stretches for a distance of more than two thousand kilometers, and if you take into account other ramparts extending from it, the total is 6000-6500 km.
The Great Wall is 6 to 10 meters high and 5.5 to 6.5 meters wide. Watch towers, casemates and signal towers were built on different parts of the wall, and fortresses were built near the main mountain passes.
The Great Wall was built as many separate elements at different times. Each province built its own wall and gradually they united into a single whole. In those days, protective structures were simply necessary, and were built everywhere. In total, more than 50,000 kilometers of defensive walls have been erected in China over the past 2,000 years.
The foundation was usually made of rock blocks. Some were up to 4 meters in size. Walls and towers were built on top. All this was fastened with lime mortar of extraordinary strength. Unfortunately, the recipe for this mixture is now lost. I must say that the Great Wall of China really became an insurmountable obstacle in the way of many conquerors. The Xiongnu, or the Guns, the Khitan, the Churgeni - their insane attacks more than once crashed against the gloomy gray stones of the Great Wall. Even without armed detachments, it was a serious obstacle for the nomads. Those needed to somehow drag horses over it, and even get over themselves. All this created certain difficulties. They were especially felt by small detachments, who did not have the opportunity to carry with them a large number of boards and build bulky platforms. The height of the shaft was only 6 meters. It would seem not much, but in order to get close to it, at the beginning of three hundred meters it was necessary to climb almost a sheer mountain, and with heavy weapons, under a hail of arrows and stones. Even after hundreds of years, the excellent army of Genghis Khan, which immediately swept away everything in its path, with great difficulty overcame this formidable obstacle after two years of exhausting siege.
The first sections of the wall were built in the 7th century BC. e., at a time when China was still divided into many small states. Various princes and feudal rulers marked the boundaries of their possessions with these walls. Further construction of the Great Wall began in the 220s BC by order of the ruler Qin Shi Huangdi and was designed to protect the northwestern border of the country from the raids of nomadic peoples. The construction of the great wall lasted hundreds of years and stopped only after the establishment of the Qing Dynasty.
During the construction of the wall, it was necessary to fulfill several conditions at once. For example, each of the towers of the wall must certainly be in the visibility zone of two neighboring ones. Messages between them were transmitted using smoke, drumming or fire (in the dark). The width of the wall, 5.5 meters, was also specially calculated. In those days, this allowed five infantrymen to march in a row or five cavalrymen to ride side by side. Today, its average height is nine meters, and the height of the watchtowers is twelve.
The wall was supposed to be the extreme northern point of the planned expansion of the Chinese, as well as to protect the subjects of the “Celestial Empire” from being drawn into a semi-nomadic lifestyle, and assimilation with the barbarians. It was planned to clearly define the boundaries of the great Chinese civilization, to promote the unification of the empire into a single whole, since China was just beginning to form from a multitude of conquered states.
Observation towers were built along the length of the Great Wall in even sections and could be up to 40 feet high. They were used to monitor the territory, as well as fortresses and garrisons for troops. They had reserves necessary products and water. In case of danger, a signal was given from the tower, torches, special beacons or just flags were lit. The western section of the Great Wall, with a long chain of watchtowers, served to protect caravans that traveled along the Silk Road, a famous trade route.
To get inside the state, it was necessary to pass through its checkpoints, which were closed at night and under no circumstances were not opened until the morning. Rumor has it that even the emperor of China himself somehow had to wait for dawn to get into his state.
During the reign of the Qin dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), after the unification of various Chinese territories into one whole, the first emperor of the Celestial Empire, Qin Shi Huang, connected the walls of the three northern states - Qin (Qin), Zhao (Zhao) and Yan (Yan). These combined sections formed the first "Wan Li Chang Cheng" - a wall 10 thousand li long. Li is an ancient Chinese measure of length equal to half a kilometer.
During the period of the Han Dynasty (206 - 220 BC), the building was expanded to the west to Dunhuang. Many watchtowers were built to protect trade caravans from attacks by warring nomads. Almost all sections of the Great Wall that have survived to this day were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During this period, they built mainly from bricks and blocks, due to which the structure became stronger and more reliable. During this time, the Wall ran from east to west from Shanhaiguan on the coast of the Yellow Sea to the Yumenguan outpost on the border of the provinces of Gansu and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
The Qing Dynasty of Manchuria (1644-1911) broke the resistance of the defenders of the Wall due to the betrayal of Wu Sangui. During this period, the building was treated with great disdain. During the three centuries of the Qing in power, the Great Wall was almost destroyed by the influence of time. Only a small section of it, passing near Beijing - Badaling - was kept in order - it was used as a "gateway to the capital". Nowadays, this section of the wall is the most popular among tourists - it was the very first open to the public back in 1957, and also served as the finish point for the cycling race at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The last battle at the wall took place in 1938 during the Sino-Japanese War. There are many traces of bullets from those times in the wall. The highest point of the Great Wall of China is at an altitude of 1534 meters, near Beijing, while the lowest point is at sea level near Laolongtu. The average height of the wall is 7 meters, and the width in some places reaches 8 meters, but in general it varies from 5 to 7 meters.
In 1984, on the initiative Deng Xiaoping a program was organized to restore the Chinese wall, and financial assistance from Chinese and foreign companies was attracted. A collection was also held among private individuals, everyone could donate any amount.
In our time, a 60-kilometer section of the wall in the Shanxi region in northwest China is undergoing active erosion. main reason This is due to the intensive agricultural practices in the country, when, starting in the 1950s, groundwater gradually dried up, and the region became the epicenter of the emergence of extremely severe sandstorms. More than 40 kilometers of the wall have already been destroyed, and only 10 kilometers are still in place, but the height of the wall has been partially reduced from five to two meters.
During construction, the Great Wall of China was nicknamed the longest cemetery on the planet, as a large number of people died at the construction site. According to approximate calculations, the construction of the wall cost the lives of more than one million people.
The wall was built three times over a period of 2700 years. Prisoners of war, prisoners and peasants were driven to the construction site, who were pulled out of their families and sent to the northern regions. Approximately two million people died during the construction of the wall, and their remains were immured in its foundation. Therefore, the people of the Great Wall of China are still often called the Chinese “Wailing Wall”.
According to Chinese legend, the husband of a girl named Meng Jiangnu was sent to build the Great Wall immediately after their marriage. The young wife spent three years waiting, and the husband never returned home. In order to bring him warm clothes, she set off on a long and dangerous journey to the wall. Upon reaching the Shanhaiguan outpost, Meng Jiangnu learned that her husband had died from overwork and was buried under the wall. The young woman sobbed bitterly, and then there was a sudden collapse of a large section of the wall, revealing the corpse of her beloved husband. The Chinese people immortalized in legends the memory of the hard work of the builders of the wall.
There was a whole tradition of burying those who died on the construction of the wall. Members of the family of the deceased carried the coffin, on which was a cage with a white rooster. The crowing of a rooster was supposed to keep the spirit of a dead person awake until the procession had crossed the Great Wall. Otherwise, the spirit will forever wander along the wall.
During the Ming Dynasty, more than one million soldiers were called upon to defend the country's borders from enemies on the Great Wall. As for the builders, they were drawn from the same defenders in peacetime, peasants, simply unemployed and criminals. There was a special punishment for all convicts and the verdict was the same - to build a wall!
Especially for this construction, the Chinese invented a wheelbarrow and used it everywhere in the construction of the Great Wall. Some of the most dangerous parts of the Great Wall were surrounded by defensive ditches, which were either filled with water or left as ditches.
The wall is a symbol of China. Mao Tse Tung's inscription, made at the entrance to the restored part, reads: "If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese." It is a misconception that only tourists visit the Wall. There are more Chinese there than travelers. And it is understandable, visiting the Great Wall of China is the duty of every self-respecting Chinese.
The Great Wall was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 as one of China's greatest historical landmarks. In addition, this is one of the most visited attractions in the world - about 40 million tourists visit here every year.
The most popular places to see the Great Wall of China
Shanghaiguan outpost
Shanghai Guan Outpost is located northeast of Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province. It is called the First Outpost of the Great Wall. The outpost has four gates: Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern. But speaking of the "First Outpost of the Middle Kingdom", they mean the Eastern Gate of the Shanghai Guan Outpost. The view of the eastern facade of the outpost is very impressive, above, under the very roof, a banner with the hieroglyphs "The First Outpost of the Celestial Empire" is fixed. In front of the Eastern Gates, an additional fortification in the form of a semicircle was erected, in addition, compacted earth embankments were made at the base of the wall for greater strength, and there is a moat filled with water around the outpost. On the territory of the outpost there are barracks where the troops were stationed, and a signal tower. In a word, the Shanhaiguan outpost is an example of a well-fortified defensive structure of the Ming era.
Zhangjiakou
On the route of the Great Wall near the Xuanfu village of Hebei province, there is a strategically important mountain pass - Zhangjiakou. Here in 1429, under the Ming Emperor Xuande, a small fortress outpost was built. Under Emperor Chenghua (1480), the outpost was expanded, and as a result of the work undertaken by Emperor Jiaqing (1529), the outpost was rebuilt anew, turning into a powerful fortress. Then it was called the Zhangjiakou outpost. In 1574, under the Wanli Emperor, all the buildings were rebuilt with bricks. Zhangjiakou is an important passage on the way from Northern China to Inner Mongolia. Due to its exceptionally important strategic importance ("Northern Gate of the Chinese Capital"), the Zhangjiakou outpost was more than once a point, the right to own which was disputed by the warring parties.
Lanyakou Outpost
Lanyakou Gate is located at the junction of Longxiutai Village (Lingqiu County, Shanxi Province) and Lanyakou Village (Yilaiyuan County, Hebei Province). It was built in the Ming era. The name "Langyakou" (Wolf's teeth) was given to the outpost because it is located on a jagged, jagged mountain peak (1700 meters high). The outpost was built in a saddle separating two powerful mountain peaks. On both sides of the outpost, a brick-lined, well-preserved fortress wall stretched. Arched gates through which the path went from south to north have also been preserved.
Huangyaguan Outpost
The Huangyaguan Post is located at the top of Chongshanling Peak, in the northern part of Jixian County near Tianjin. The outpost is called "Northern Ji Outpost" after the name of the county. The beginning of the construction of the adjacent section of the wall dates back to 557, when the Northern Qi kingdom was in these places. During the Minsk period, the old wall was restored and faced with brick. To the east, a segment of the Ji wall is bordered by a steep drop in the mountain range, and to the west by a sheer mountain range. At this point the wall crosses the river. The outpost was well equipped with everything necessary for a long-term defense: observation battle and signal towers, barracks for personnel, etc. were built in the vicinity. Moreover, the difficult terrain made this section of the wall difficult for the enemy to reach. Unlike other sections of the Great Wall, highly artistic architectural structures were built in this section: the Terem of Fenghuang, the Northern Arbor, a grove of stone stelae has been preserved, there is a museum, and "a city in the spirit of eight trigrams - bagua".
Badaling Outpost
The Badaling Outpost is located north of the Jiuyongguan Pass, 60 km. from Beijing. The beginning of the construction of this section of the Great Wall dates back to the 18th year of the reign of the Ming Emperor Hongzhi (1505). climbed on highest point Badaling offers a beautiful view of the watch towers and signal platforms that rise along the wall to the north and south. The average wall height is 7.8 meters. The foundation of the wall is lined with oblong blocks of granite, the width of the wall allows five horses or 10 pedestrians to pass in a row. FROM outside the walls were erected to reinforce the wall ledges, every 500 meters there is a watchtower and premises for accommodation of personnel, storage of weapons and guard duty.
Mutianyu Outpost
Mutianyu Gate is located in Sanduhe County, Huaizhu County, 75 km. northeast of Beijing. This site was built under the Ming emperors Longqing and Wanli. Here the route of the wall bends sharply, taking a direction to the northeast. The relief of the local mountains is majestic and formidable, replete with steep slopes and cliffs. On the southeastern edge of the site, at an altitude of 600 meters, there is a place where three branches of the wall converge. The Corner Tower rises here, nearby there is an observation tower "Jiankou", behind it is a peak with a height of 1044 meters, about which they say that it is inaccessible even to a soaring eagle.
Symatai
The section of the Great Wall of Simatai is perhaps the only place where the wall was not repaired and retained its original appearance. It is located in the town of Gubeikou, which is northeast of Miyun County near Beijing. The length of the Symatai section is 19 km. The eastern part of the site, where the remains of 14 observation towers have been preserved at a distance of a kilometer, still amazes with formidable impregnability. Particularly stand out are the stepped wall and the Fairy Tower.
wei wall
In the era of the Warring States, the ruler of the kingdom of Wei undertook the construction of a fortress wall to block the way for the troops of the western kingdom of Qin, which by that time had grown stronger and began to undertake campaigns against its neighbors. This section of the wall retained the name of Wei. In the south, this section of the wall begins in the town of Chaoyuandong on the western bank of the Changjian River, not far from the northern spur of Huashan Mountain (Huaying, Shaanxi Province). Further, the wall goes to the north, its route can be traced along the remains of the wall in the villages of Hongyan and Chengnan. The best preserved Wei wall is at a site in Chengnan village.
steep section
In historical documents, this section of the Great Wall is called the "Western section of the wall." It is located 8 km. north of the Jiayuguan outpost in Gansu province. Built in the Minsk period. Here the wall, following the curves of the mountainous terrain, descends steeply into a crevice, and in the crevice the wall was built up so that it was impossible to climb on it. In the crevice, the wall actually runs smoothly, and does not wind, like neighboring sections, along a winding ridge. For this, she was nicknamed "abrupt". In 1988, a section of the steep wall was restored and opened to tourists in 1989. Climbing the watch tower for signal fire, you can view the panorama on both sides of the wall.
Steppe section of the wall
This section of the wall starts from the Jinchuan Gorge, which is located to the east of the county town of Shandan Prov. Gansu. The length of the gorge is 35 km. On a rocky cliff at a height of 5 meters from the bottom of the gorge, the hieroglyphs "Jinchuan Citadel" are carved. To the north of the exit from the gorge is the Great Wall. Here it enters the steppe region, where the height of the wall is 4-5 meters. The length of the steppe section is 30 km. A parapet has been preserved, supporting the wall on both sides.
Yangguan outpost
75 km. southwest of the city of Dunhuang are the ruins of the ancient outpost of the Great Wall - Yangguan. In the old days, the wall on the Yanguan-Yuymenguan highway had a length of 70 km. There were observation and sentinel-signal towers, now already destroyed. Judging by the heaps of stones and earthen ramparts near the Yangguan outpost, there were more than a dozen watchtowers. Of these, the largest and best-preserved is the signal tower atop Dundong Mountain, north of Yangguan Gate.
Jiayuguan outpost
The Jiayuguan outpost was the western end of the Great Wall during the Ming period. Of all the outposts along the route of the Great Wall, the Jiayuguan outpost is the best preserved and is also one of the largest. The outpost got its name from the name of the Jiayu Gorge, which stretches between the Qilianshan Mountains and the Black Range and is 15 km long. Just in the middle of the gorge, on its western slope, the Jiayuguan outpost was built. Its construction dates back to 1372 (5th year of the Ming Emperor Hongwu). The fortification ensemble includes an inner wall, an additional wall located in a semicircle in front of the main gate, an earth rampart on both sides of the wall, outer adobe walls and a moat dug in front of the wall.
On three sides of the outpost - eastern, southern and northern - there are reinforcing adobe supports, called " outer walls". The Western and Eastern gates of the inner (core) wall have outer semicircles of additional walls that are connected to the core inner wall. Of particular interest is the corner section of the wall at the junction of the watchtower, north of the Guanghuamen Gate, and the eastern section of the wall.
The first mortgage tower of the Great Wall
At the southern tip of the Great Wall of the Ming period, 7.5 km from the Jiayuguan outpost, there is a giant mortgage tower - a symbol of the beginning of the Great Wall. This tower was erected by the military Taotai Li Han in 1539-1540 (the 18th-19th years of the reign of the Ming Emperor Jiaqing). This tower is also called Taolaihe by the name of the river Taolaihe flowing here. The tower offers a majestic view of the ridge of the Great Wall stretching into the Gobi.
Based on materials: tonkosti.ru, legendtour.ru, lifeglobe.net
Great Chinese Wall(China) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
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It is difficult to find a larger creation of human hands than the Great Wall of China. It is possible to single out perhaps the Egyptian pyramids. And if the structures in the Giza Valley are mainly concentrated in one place, then the wall, like a giant dragon, runs over deserts, fields, mountains and plateaus, stretching for more than 20,000 km from east to west of China. Despite the almost zero effectiveness in protecting against invaders, it still became a symbol of the country's power, a kind of barrier between the Celestial Empire and the rest of the world. Today, millions of tourists annually strive to see this symbol, a significant part of which are residents of China, who believe that if a person has never been on the wall, he cannot be a real Chinese.
A bit of history
The Great Wall of China was not built overnight. This is the result of the work of many states that existed on the territory of modern China. It was erected in the 7th century by the rulers of the state of Chu, and completed in 1878 by the rulers of the Qing empire. The main part of the structure was built 600 years ago. Until the 1980s, the wall was practically not repaired, and only the Badaling segment was in a more or less intact state. But thanks to a large-scale restoration program, the building was saved, although many sections are still in a dilapidated state.
There is an urban legend that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space. Actually, this is not entirely true. The wall is really impressive, but first of all for its length. Its width is relatively small, and visual acuity is simply not enough to see it. But you can still see the wall in a high-quality photograph. She looks like him but thin broken hair.
What to watch
The Great Wall is not a solid structure. Over the 2700 years of its existence, many of its sections have turned into ruins, or even been completely dismantled. Therefore, a trip to certain segments is implied, most often completely restored, located near large cities with a developed tourist infrastructure.
Mutianyu is the most "sleek" 73-kilometer section, located 2 hours from Beijing. The meticulously restored wall with many watchtowers is surrounded by stunning mountain ranges. There are not as many people here as in other segments, so if time permits, it is better to go here. According to many tourists, the architecture here is more interesting than on the super popular Badaling site.
Badaling is often overcrowded - this is "thanks" to a short distance from Beijing (80 km), developed infrastructure (hotels, restaurants, funicular) and, of course, beautiful scenery.
Symatai is one of the few segments that has retained the original appearance 14th century. On the bricks of which the wall is composed, the date when they were laid and the number of the military unit involved in the construction are indicated. This is the only area open in the evening.
A feature of the Jinshanling segment is a well-preserved defensive system with loopholes, clock towers, gates and firing points.
Practical information
The most popular sections of the wall are located in relative proximity to Beijing. Here's how to get to them.
Mutianyu. Take the subway directly from the airport and go to Dongzhimen Station. From there, on weekends at 7:00 and 8:30, bus number 867 leaves for the wall. It spends 2-2.5 hours on the road and leaves back for Beijing at 14:00 and 16:00.
Badaling. Bus No. 877 to Badaling departs from Deshengmen Capital Bus Station from 6:00. You can also get here on the Beijing Tourist Hub tourist bus, plying from the southern tip of Tiananmen Square. The ticket costs 100 CNY, children under 120 cm tall travel free of charge.
Symatai. From Beijing Dongzhimen Station, take Bus No. 980 to Miyun City and then take a taxi to the wall (180 CNY round trip). The total travel time is 2 hours.
Jinshanling. Take the subway to Dongzhimen Station. A tourist bus leaves from there to the wall at 8:00. From Jinshanling it departs at 15:00. Ticket 50 CNY, travel time 2 hours. Prices on the page are for April 2019.
The Great Wall of China is the grandest defensive structure in the history of mankind. The prerequisites for the creation were formed long before the centuries-old construction. So many northern principalities and kingdoms of China built walls to protect themselves from nomadic raids. After the unification of these small kingdoms and principalities in the III century BC. Under the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang was elected emperor. It was he who, with the combined efforts of all of China, began the long construction of the Great Wall of China, designed to protect China from enemy raids.
The Great Wall of China in facts and figures
Where is the Great Wall of China located? In China. The wall originates in the city of Shanhai-guan and from there stretches in serpentine curves across half the country to Central China. The end of the wall is near the city of Jiayuguan. The width of the wall is about 5-8 meters, the height reaches 10 meters. On a stretch of 750 kilometers, the Great Wall of China was once used even as an excellent road. Near the wall in some areas there are additional fortifications and fortresses.
The length of the Great Wall of China, if measured in a straight line, reaches 2450 kilometers. And the total length, taking into account all the meanders and branches, is estimated at 5,000 kilometers. Since ancient times, myths and legends have been telling about the size of this building, it was even said that the wall can be seen from the moon. But this myth in our age of technological progress has been freely exposed. Although from space (from orbit) the Chinese Wall is visible, especially when it comes to satellite images. A satellite map, by the way, can be viewed below.
Satellite view of the wall
The history of China's grandiose structure
The beginning of the construction of the Great Wall of China dates back to 221 BC. According to legend, the army of the emperor (about 300 thousand people) was thrown into the construction. A large number of peasants were also involved here, because the loss of builders had to be constantly compensated for with new human resources, since there were no problems with this in China. There are even a number of people who believe that the Great Wall of China was built by the Russians, but let's leave that as another beautiful guess.
The main part of the wall was erected just under the Qing. The front of the work was carried out to combine the already built fortifications into a single structure and expand the wall to the west. Most of the wall was ordinary earth mounds, which were later replaced by stone and brick.
Unrestored section of the wall
Interest causes geographical position walls. It seems to divide China into two parts - the north of the nomads and the south of the farmers. Further ongoing research confirms this fact.
In combination, the longest fortification is also the longest cemetery. One can only guess about the number of builders buried here. Many were buried right here in the wall and continued building on their bones. Their remains are found today.
Based on the great mortality, many legends have surrounded the wall over the centuries. According to one of them, Emperor Qin Shi Huang was predicted that the construction of the wall would be completed either after the death of a person named Wano, or 10,000 other people. The emperor, of course, ordered to find Vano, kill him and bury him in the wall.
During the existence of the wall, they tried to restore it many times. This was done by the Han and Sui dynasties. Modern look The Great Wall of China gained under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was here that earth embankments were replaced by bricks, and some sections were rebuilt. Watchtowers were also installed here, some of which have survived to this day. The main purpose of these towers was to signal the advance of the enemy. So at night, an alarm was transmitted from one tower to another with the help of a kindled fire, during the day with the help of smoke.
Watchtowers
Construction acquired a huge scope during the reign of Emperor Wanli (1572-1620). Until the 20th century, many people thought that it was he, and not Qin Shi Huang, who built this grandiose structure.
As a defensive structure, the wall proved to be bad. Indeed, for a major conqueror, the wall is not an obstacle. Only people can interfere with the enemy, but there were problems with people on the wall. Therefore, for the most part, the protection of the wall did not look to the North, but to ... South. It was necessary to keep track of the peasants, tired of taxes and work, who wanted to defect to the free north. In this regard, there is even a semi-myth that the loopholes of the Great Wall of China are directed towards China.
With the growth of China to the North, the function of the wall as a border disappeared completely and it began to decline. Like many other large structures of antiquity, the wall began to be disassembled into building materials. And only in our time (1977) did the Chinese government impose a fine for damaging the Great Wall of China.
Wall in a 1907 photograph
Now the Great Wall of China is a recognized symbol of China. Many sections have been restored again and are shown to tourists, one of the sections even passes near Beijing, which attracts millions of lovers of Chinese culture.
Badaling site near Beijing
This is probably one of the few buildings of mankind, which has gathered around itself so many interested scientists, researchers, historians, and even ordinary tourists. People from all over the world come to stare at the Great Wall of China. It is rightfully considered one of the most grandiose structures ever created by mankind. The main symbol of China, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
During the time that has flown from the time of construction to the present day, this building has been rebuilt more than once, something has been completely destroyed, considering it unnecessary or superfluous, something has been completed, adjusting 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 once Mao Tse-Tung 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 hallmark of China. After all, this building has witnessed many events in the history of the Chinese Empire.
This grandiose building begins in the city of Shanhai-guan. From there, the wall stretches across half the country and ends in Central China. To some, its location resembles the movements of a snake, and the Chinese themselves associate it with the take-off of a dragon. Probably, it is precisely because of such associations that she 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 in some places the height has reached 10 meters.
The construction is so strong that one section, which is 750 kilometers long, was once turned into a real road. In some places, fortresses and fortifications were built near the wall, 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 can be seen even from space. Astronauts say that this is not so - no one has ever seen a wall from space with the naked eye.
Construction history
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, longing for change. During his reign, he completely changed the life of his people. This was especially felt by aristocrats and princes, from whom the emperor took away privileges and subordinated them to himself.
Historians argue 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 then northern tribes 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 deduced 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 Chinese from merging with the nomads.
221 BC - 300 thousand people arrived at the northern border of the Chinese Empire. Commander Meng Tian led the parade. These people were given the task of erecting a wall of stones and bricks where the earthen ramparts had been. It is worth noting that most of the wall passed in hard-to-reach places, which, of course, made the work of its builders difficult. To keep the construction under control, all people were divided into 34 bases, around which settlements appeared over time.
The building of the wall began with towers. There were 25,000 of them then. I must say that they differed significantly from each other, had different density and size. But all such structures were drawn to real fortifications. Their average length was 12 meters.
The distance between the towers was measured by "arrow flights", which should have been equal to two. Protective structures (towers) were interconnected by a wall, the height of which reached seven meters. By the way, the width of the wall was measured by a line of eight people.
There is a very interesting story, or rather a legend, about how the boundary of the Great Wall was determined. The emperor decided to go around his possessions on a horse. His route became the boundary of the wall. And places for towers were designated in areas where the ruler's horse stumbled.
The protective function of the wall is also questioned by the fact that during its construction, the features of the area were taken into account. So, for example, in the north it separates mountainous areas unsuitable for life from fertile lands. On this occasion, scientists expressed their opinion. 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, the builders managed to bring to mind most of the wall. Peasants were also brought in to help the soldiers. Most of the commoners could not work for a long time in such conditions and at such an accelerated pace, and died of exhaustion. What did they do with their bodies? They were immured in the wall.
Since historians made public this historical fact, there have been many statements on this subject. 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 400,000 Chinese are immured in the wall. At that time, the people considered this huge construction site a great disaster. These motifs can be found in ancient Chinese songs, fairy tales and legends.
Whatever it was, no matter what they said, 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 constructions 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 suspend the construction of the wall. A period of stagnation began in the fate of the Chinese Wall. Further, the story says that not all emperors undertook to complete the construction of the defensive structure. Many had high hopes for the troops, and the wall, as an opportunity to strengthen the borders of the empire, was neglected.
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
- take a taxi
- take the train express
Please note that among other expenses, you will need to buy an entrance ticket to the wall, which costs 45 yuan.
Bus tours
A guided tour is the easiest way. For those who do not know Chinese or are afraid to travel alone, a group of tourists and a guide at the head is a great option.
Tour buses are waiting for tourists in Yabaolu, Tiananmen and Qianmen. In addition, such information can be found at the reception of any hotel.
Prices for such pleasure are acceptable, from 100 to 500 (depending on the number of people in the group). But the price, most often, includes only travel to Badaling. You will have to buy the entrance ticket and meals yourself. 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 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 are 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. In Yabaolu, those offering such services are more than enough. 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 an entry ticket 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 an hour and a half. The train departs from Beijing North Station, located at Xizhimen Subway Station - Circle Line Intersection. Directly from the subway station there are signs saying "Beijing Railway Station North".
From here, the express goes to the wall - Xizhimen Station 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 departs every hour. 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 can’t go wrong.
Of the minuses, it is worth noting that you will encounter huge queues, and you will have to go standing up.
Before the trip, be sure to eat well and buy water, as everything is very expensive on the wall. At the same Xizhimen station, there is a large shopping center, there are many cafes and fast foods, such as Burger King and McDonald's.
Don't forget to dress warmly as the wall is on a hill and there is often a strong piercing wind.
The Great Wall of China is a unique and amazing structure of all times, which has no equal in the whole world.
The grandiose building is recognized as the longest structure ever erected by man; according to some sources, its length is almost 8,852 kilometers. At the same time, the average height of the wall is 7.5 meters (and the maximum is up to 10 meters), and the width at the base is 6.5 meters. The Chinese wall originates in the city of Shaihanguan, and it ends in the province of Gansu.
The Wall of China was built to protect the Qin Empire from threats from the north. Then in the 3rd century b.c. Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of an incredibly large defensive fortification, the construction of which involved more than a million people (slaves, peasants and prisoners of war). During the construction of the wall, tens and hundreds of thousands of people died, so it is also considered the largest cemetery in the world. With all this, the quality of construction is amazing - even after 2000 years, most of the wall remained intact, although rammed earth served as the main material for it, and ordinary rice flour was found in the composition of the mortar for laying stones and bricks. But still, some sections of the wall were restored already in a later period, since over time they were destroyed under the influence of natural conditions.
It is worth noting that, despite all the efforts of the emperor to build such a large-scale defensive structure, the Qin dynasty was later overthrown.
The grandeur of the Chinese Wall has given rise to many myths. So, for example, it is believed that it can be seen from space, but this opinion is erroneous. In addition, one of the most terrible and sinister myths says that real human bones, crushed into powder, were used as "cement" for the construction of the wall. But as mentioned earlier, this is fundamentally wrong. There is also an opinion that people who died during construction were buried directly in the wall to make it stronger, but this is not true either - the dying builders were buried along the structure.
Today, the Great Wall of China is one of the most popular attractions in the world. Every year, more than 40 million people come to China to see with their own eyes an architectural monument that strikes with its grandeur. And the Chinese even claim that without visiting the wall, it is impossible to truly understand China itself. The most popular section of the Chinese wall among tourists is located in close proximity to Beijing - just 75 km away.
Chinese wall brief information.
