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The Great Wall of China Facts

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If you are thinking of trekking the Great Wall of China, here are some interesting facts about the Great Wall that we thought you might like to know before you head out on this unforgettable adventure trip!

  • The Great Wall of China was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.
  • The Great Wall is on the list of the 100 most endangered buildings in the world.
  • Construction on the Great Wall started in the Spring and Autumn Period -770-476BC and carried on over eight dynasties. The wall was built of local materials, which included willow, reeds, sand, loess, cement, bricks and stone – and even sticky rice juice was used to cement the bricks together!
  • The Official length is 13,170 miles. However erosion and destruction by man have led to the collapse of many sections. At the same time, parts of the wall are being re discovered. In 2015 a ten kilometer section of the wall was discovered by archeologists in the northwest of the country.
  • The Wall was constructed by peasants, solders and convicts – Peasant farmers were forced to work on the construction of the wall and over 300,000 soldiers were ordered to work on the wall in the Qin dynasty. Over 1,000,000 people died building the wall and many are buried in it.
  • The most famous fable about the wall regards a lady, Meng Jiangnu. Her husband, Fan Qiliang was taken by federal officers and forced to work on the Great Wall. When Meng Jiangnu failed to hear from her husband, she set off to find him.  On learning of his death at the Great Wall, she cried uncontrollably and her howl of grief led to part of the wall collapsing. This revealed the body of her dead husband and Meng Jiangnu was able to remove the body and give him the proper burial he deserved.
  • It is debateble if the wall can be seen from space – the wall was built from materials local to the area of construction, and therefore often blends into the landscape.  However, the wall was photographed from space on one occasion following a snowstorm!
  • During the Cultural Revolution, parts of the wall were used for building houses, reservoirs and factories.
  • Due to natural erosion and the results of climate change on the environment, it is predicted that a substantial part of the remaining wall will have disappeared by 2040.

Not only a World Heritage Site but also one of the seven wonders of the world – The Great Wall of China is something everyone should get to experience in their lifetime.

For more information on our trip to trek The Great Wall of China, simply contact us today on 0176 930 9007. We will be happy to answer any questions you have!

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