The Great Wall of China on Late Holidays
The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest wonders of the world and was listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1987. It's a favourite for tourists looking for late holidays as in China most rain falls in the summer months of July and August. The Great Wall stretches some 5,500 miles across the east to west of China and has a history of over 2000 years. Unfortunately some parts of the wall are now in ruins, but it is still one of the greatest tourist attractions in the world, revered for its architectural grandeur and historical significance.
The Great Wall was started over 2000 years ago by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Ch'in Dynasty. The emperor connected and extended four old fortification walls along the north of China, which had been in existence since 700 BC. Armies were stationed along the wall and gave notice of any impending attack by nomadic hordes by lighting flares. Most of the present day Wall's construction was carried out during the period of the Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644). It's one of the largest building construction projects ever attempted. It starts at Shanhaiguan in the east and ends at Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that is roughly on the borders of Inner Mongolia. The Wall itself is composed of packed earth, stones, rocks and masonry. The thickness of the walls range from 15 -30 feet and in some places the walls are up to 25 feet high.
People come to the Great Wall on cheap flights determined to walk part of the wall. There are many touristy places along the wall and many tour operators offer guided tours of the more well-known areas. One of the most remarkable areas, when it was first built, must have been 'The Silver Wall' section. Located at 16 miles west of Lao Tian Ling, this part of the wall is now only 2 or 3 stones high. Records say that this part of the Wall gleamed silver, probably because the stones used came from the Shan Xi district, known for its silver mines. Analysis of the rocks show that the rocks do have a high silver content, but because of their age, the silver is not discernible now. Three miles north of Yulin City in the Shaanxi Province, Zhenbeitai has the biggest terrace on the Wall. Built in the Ming dynasty, it served as an observation platform for maintaining order at the Horse Trade Market when Nomadic tribes would sell wild horses to the Chinese Army. The tower here is 98 feet tall and is on 4 levels. Half a mile from here is another famous scenic spot - Hong Shi Xia (Red Rock Gorges) where inscriptions have been carved on the cliffs.
In 2009, an additional 180 miles of previously undiscovered section of the Wall, built during the Ming Dynasty were uncovered. The section ranged from the Hushan mountains to Jiayuguan. This section had been submerged over time by sandstorms, which moved across the arid region. This section of the wall is usually walked in the autumn by tourists on late deals as it can be quite hot in the summer months. Contrary to popular rumour, The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from the moon!
The Great Wall was started over 2000 years ago by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Ch'in Dynasty. The emperor connected and extended four old fortification walls along the north of China, which had been in existence since 700 BC. Armies were stationed along the wall and gave notice of any impending attack by nomadic hordes by lighting flares. Most of the present day Wall's construction was carried out during the period of the Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644). It's one of the largest building construction projects ever attempted. It starts at Shanhaiguan in the east and ends at Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that is roughly on the borders of Inner Mongolia. The Wall itself is composed of packed earth, stones, rocks and masonry. The thickness of the walls range from 15 -30 feet and in some places the walls are up to 25 feet high.
People come to the Great Wall on cheap flights determined to walk part of the wall. There are many touristy places along the wall and many tour operators offer guided tours of the more well-known areas. One of the most remarkable areas, when it was first built, must have been 'The Silver Wall' section. Located at 16 miles west of Lao Tian Ling, this part of the wall is now only 2 or 3 stones high. Records say that this part of the Wall gleamed silver, probably because the stones used came from the Shan Xi district, known for its silver mines. Analysis of the rocks show that the rocks do have a high silver content, but because of their age, the silver is not discernible now. Three miles north of Yulin City in the Shaanxi Province, Zhenbeitai has the biggest terrace on the Wall. Built in the Ming dynasty, it served as an observation platform for maintaining order at the Horse Trade Market when Nomadic tribes would sell wild horses to the Chinese Army. The tower here is 98 feet tall and is on 4 levels. Half a mile from here is another famous scenic spot - Hong Shi Xia (Red Rock Gorges) where inscriptions have been carved on the cliffs.
In 2009, an additional 180 miles of previously undiscovered section of the Wall, built during the Ming Dynasty were uncovered. The section ranged from the Hushan mountains to Jiayuguan. This section had been submerged over time by sandstorms, which moved across the arid region. This section of the wall is usually walked in the autumn by tourists on late deals as it can be quite hot in the summer months. Contrary to popular rumour, The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from the moon!