Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China
considered World Heritage by UNESCO and one of the greatest man made wonders of the world, is like a giant dragon, which extends up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, covering an area of approximately 6700 km (4163 miles) from east to west. Built over 2000 years, some sections of the Great Wall are in ruins or have disappeared, but remains one of the most amazing man made, its architectural grandeur and historical importance are breathtaking. The construction of the Great Wall was started by the Qin Dynasty between the 7th and 8th centuries BC and took over 1800 years to complete. It is thought that it was originally conceived as a military fortification against intruders from the north, but over time grew to become not only a symbol of defensive efficiency, but also the great power of the emperor. The architecture of the Great Wall of China is a wonderful old building. The armament of the time consisted only of swords, lances, spears and bows and arrows, with walkways to walls, towers and signal towers, became an important part of a defensive military strategy. After the work done by the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), the later sections of the Great Wall include a system with even more sophisticated defensive garrison towns, bridges, fortifications, the additional wall structures, watchtowers and beacon towers allowed the imperial court to stay in touch with their military and thereby achieve a more effective defense. For the uninformed tourist, the wall is just one man’s act of inspiration. By taking the arduous journey through the various sections, it is difficult to understand how many men must have been necessary for the construction of almost 8 m (26 ft) in diameter and as large quantities of stones must have been transported here. The views are wonderful on the emerald green hills and valleys on watching can feel the history and the effort it took to build the great wall. Visit this historic site and one of the wonders of humanity does not leave anyone indifferent. Beijing is an excellent starting point to visit one of the most famous sections of the Great Wall of China. The most famous sections are Badaling, 80 kms northwest of Beijing, Mutianyu, 70 kms northeast of Beijing, Juyong Pass, 50 kms from Beijing, Simatia, 120 kms northeast of Beijing, Jinshanling, 125 northeast of Beijing and Gubeikou north of Beijing. Hotels in Beijing