The Great Wall of China | Definition, History, Length, Map

What is it?

A large portion of China’s northern frontier is protected by the Great Wall of China. The Ming Dynasty constructed the Great Wall, which is almost 5,500 kilometers long. The total length of the wall, including all the sections erected by each Chinese dynasty and various branches, is 13,171 miles long. It makes sense why it is called the Great Wall.

Why was the wall constructed?

To help deter northern invasions like the Mongols, the wall was constructed. Over time, smaller walls had been constructed, but Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, determined he needed a single, enormous wall to defend his northern frontiers. He gave the order to construct a solitary, powerful wall with thousands of lookout towers so that soldiers could guard and defend his realm.

Who designed it?

The Qin Dynasty initiated construction of the first Great Wall, and succeeding dynasties continued the project. The wall was later reconstructed by the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty constructed a large portion of the Great Wall as we know it today.

Peasants, slaves, criminals, and other individuals who the emperor chose to punish built the wall. The wall was constructed by soldiers, who also oversaw the laborers.

Millions of people, according to estimates, labored on the wall for more than a millennium. According to some scientists, as many as 1 million people perished while constructing the wall. The treatment of the wall’s construction workers was appalling. When they passed away, many folks were just buried beneath the wall.

What did they use to construct it?

Typically, whatever materials were close hand were used to build the wall. The earliest walls had a stone outside and were made of compacted soil inside. The subsequent Ming wall was largely constructed out of bricks.

Was it just a wall?

In reality, the wall served as a barrier to guard the northern border. There were watchtowers, beacon towers for signaling, and blockhouses for housing soldiers in addition to the wall. The walls and towers were being watched over by soldiers. Additionally, communities were constructed along the wall to house soldiers so they could reach the wall quickly in the event of a significant attack. At the height of the Ming Dynasty, the great wall was reportedly guarded by nearly a million troops.

Interesting facts about the Chinese Great Wall

The Great Wall contains more than 7,000 lookout towers.

The walls are still eroding today, but historians are working to preserve what they can.

Over its length, the wall’s height and width change. The Ming Dynasty constructed the existing wall, which is typically 33 feet tall and 15 feet broad.

It is the world’s longest man-made structure.

Outside the wall, wide moats were frequently created in flat terrain to hinder an enemy’s approach.

To announce an attack, smoke signals were utilized. The more smoke signals the enemies would emit, the more they would be attacking.

One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, so called.

Many claim that the Great Wall can be viewed unaided from the Moon. But this is merely a myth.

Undoubtedly, the Chinese who invented the wheelbarrow contributed significantly to the construction of much of the wall.

The wall stretches into the highlands and across all kinds of terrain. Its peak rises more than 5,000 feet above sea level.