Often included on lists of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China is one of the most well-known monuments in the world, but there may be a few things you might not know about it yet. The wall that weaves through China’s countryside holds many stories and quirks unknown to most. Learn about this amazing feat of mankind with these 10 fun facts about the structure.
- The Great Wall of China became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1987.
- The wall is the longest man made structure in the world, with a total length of about 13170.7 mi or 21196.18 km.
- Made over the course of hundreds of years, the wall was built by over 6 different Chinese dynasties, and is over 2,300 years old. The most famous of the dynasties was the Qin dynasty, during which the northern walls were connected.
- One of the many legends surrounding the wall tells of a helpful dragon who drew out the tracks for the wall, which the workers then followed.
- A popular myth is that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space with the naked eye. Unfortunately, a high-tech lens is required to see the wall from the moon.
- The wall is actually not a continuous line. It has spurs going in different directions, and breaks where mountains or lakes offer protection.
- During the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976) bricks from the wall were used to build homes, farms, reservoirs and other buildings.
- The most visited section is known as Badaling and is near Beijing. This portion had almost 63,000,000 visitors one year, and can reach a visitor flow of 70,000 people per day during peak season.
- Apart from minor restoration, no work has been done on the wall since 1644.
- The most well-known and popular legend of The Great Wall of China is the story of “Men Jiangnu’s Bitter Weeping,” which tells of a woman whose husband was killed building the wall. Her tears were so bitter that the section of the wall collapsed to reveal her husband’s bones so she could bury him.
Next time you’re ready to hop on a plane for an adventure, don’t forget about the treasures China has to offer, including the awe-inspiring and incredible Great Wall of China.
