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About the Great Wall of China

The Legendary Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the world and the longest wall on the planet. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is the most recognizable symbol of China and an example of ancient defensive architecture.

How long is the Great Wall of China?

What is more, the Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west. The wall was built along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches for over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total. The Great Wall of China is also the largest human-made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass, and in ancient times the Ming Wall was guarded at its peak by more than one million men.

History & Facts

The wall was originally conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the 3 century B.C. as a means of preventing invasions from barbarian nomads into the empire in central plains. Today's remaining Great Wall was built in the 14th through 17th centuries A.D., mainly during the mighty Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

As one of the most outstanding architectural miracles of the world, "Wan Li Chang Cheng" (The Great Wall in Chinese) is just like a gigantic dragon that winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, from the east to the west of China. It is a very meaningful place for the nation and as an old Chinese proverb states "One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero".

The profound history and great achievement of engineering have made the Great Wall the most remarkable cultural totem of the Chinese civilization as well as a must-visit in China.