The Great Wall

There is an old saying in China that He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.The Great Wall was the military project built to ward off invasion of the north horde in ancient China. It continues about ten thousand meters from east to west hence the name Wanli Changcheng (literally Ten Thousand Leagues Long Fortification). Mostly, the current relic of the Great Wall is the Ming Great Wall built in the 14th century, which begins from Jiayu pass in the west and ends to Donghu Mountain in the east. With the length of 8851.8km (5497 miles), the width of 4-5 meters (16.4 ft) and the height of 6-7 meters (23 ft), the Great Wall crosses 8 provinces including Hebei, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu and Liaoning. The construction history of the Great Wall could be traced back to 9 B.C. More than 20 Leud States and Feudal Dynasties have constructed the Great Wall; the large-scale constructions were concentrated in Qin, Han and Ming Dynasties during which the length of the construction has been over 10 thousand meters.

The Great Wall is one of the greatest miracles created by the ancient people as well as the witness of China’s long history. The Great Wall, together with Tian'anmen Square and Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses are recognized as the symbols of China. Only a great nation can built such a great project, praised by Nixon, the former president of USA.

The majestic Great wall snakes over the mountaintops.	You should not miss the opportunity to explore the Great Wall with your own feet.

The Great Wall is not an individual rampart but an integrated defense system formed by fortifications including ramparts, watch towers, beacon towers, barrier walls, battle walls, fortresses and passes, etc. This huge project is peerless not only in China, but also in the world. The Great Wall was listed as one of the seventh miracles in the ancient world hundreds years ago; it was recorded in World inheritance name list by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. "In 220 B.C., under Qin Shi Huang, sections of earlier fortifications were joined together to form a united defence system against invasions from the north. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), when the Great Wall became the world's largest military structure. Its historic and strategic importance is matched only by its architectural significance.", commented by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO.

The Great Walls for current visit are mostly built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) including Badaling, Mutianyu and Juyong Pass Great Wall which are all in Beijing.

The remedy of the Great Walls and the complement of the facilities made the visiting more convenient now.

However, there are more unexploited Great Walls which are called “Wild Great Wall”. Beijing has about 600km (372.6miles) wild Great Walls, the famous ones are Jinshanling, Simatai and Jiankou Pass Great Wall. The natural beauty makes the wild Great Wall looks time-beaten. It is still dangerous to hike the wild Great Wall because the lack of safety facilities.

A General Map of China Great Wall and Brief History Introduction (Click to Zoom)

Great Wall Group Tours & Activities

Bus Tours	Hiking Tours	Great Wall Marathon

Top Great Wall Tours

Recommended China Tours with Beijing