The Great Wall of China C. Mitchell

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 The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe. Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century bc; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall.

 Especially famous is the wall built 220–206 bc by Qin Shihuang, the First Emperor of China. Little of that wall remains. Since then, the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced; the majority of the existing wall is from the Ming Dynasty.

 Greatest Tourist Attraction in the World: The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world. The longest wall in the world, it is an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery.  Greatest Human Feat in History: The Great Wall is the building project with the longest duration and greatest cost in human lives, blood, sweat and tears. It deserves its place among "the New Seven Wonders of the World" and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China.

How far is the Great Wall from Beijing?  One of the closer sections that is suggested for tourists is Badaling, which is approximately 1.5 hours by car, or about 2.5 hours by tour bus. Mutianyu is about 2 hours by car. What time of year is best to visit?  The fall and spring are the two best times to see the Great Wall. During the fall, the changing colors of leaves and vegetation around the wall make for a spectacular sight, while the Spring brings superb weather and smaller crowds at the higher traffic sections. While the summer is still nice, July and August temperatures can reach the upper 80’s and low 90’s with a higher chance of rain. Winter at the Great Wall means picturesque frost-covered scenes, the cold air feels even colder due to the biting winds.

Can you really see the Great Wall from Outer Space?  No. This myth dates back centuries before man entered space, and has been thoroughly debunked.

 While the Great Wall of China is not one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it is typically included in the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World.  In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) placed the Great Wall on its list of the world’s great national and historical sites.  That the Great Wall is a single, continuous wall built all at once is a myth. In reality, the wall is a discontinuous network of wall segments built by various dynasties to protect China’s northern boundary.

 During its construction, the Great Wall was called “the longest cemetery on earth” because so many people died building it. Reportedly, it cost the lives of more than one million people.  The Great Wall of China is also known as the wanli changcheng or Long Wall of 10,000 Li (a li is a measure of distance, approximately 1/3 of a mile). The main wall is around 2,145 miles (3,460 km) long with an extra 1,770 miles (2,860 km) of branches and spurs.

 Because the Great Wall was discontinuous, Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan (“universal ruler”) had no problem going around the wall and they subsequently conquered most of northern China between A.D and They ruled all of China until 1368 when the Ming defeated the Mongols.