Great Wall of China Facts

One of the most well-known (not to mention the largest) man-made structures in the world, the Great Wall of China is truly a marvel. This Wall has a history that spans centuries and this structure has been built and rebuilt countless number of times. The Great Wall of China stretches through the length of China; from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Nur in the west. Given below are some Great Wall of China facts for kids and adults alike.

Great Wall of China: Facts and History

• If you're wondering as why was the Great Wall of China built, then you need to know that the Great Wall of China was originally built to protect the country by keeping off invasions by nomadic groups and by Mongolia.
• In the year 1987, the Great Wall managed to find a place in the list of 'world's great national and historical sites' which was formulated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• One of the most well-known myths is that the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon. This is not true, as no man-made structure is visible from the moon. The origin of this rumor is unconfirmed but this rumor is not true, nonetheless.
• One of the sad Great Wall of China facts is that the region of the Wall that is present in the Gansu province is eroding at a fast pace; so much so, that it may not be in existence twenty years from now.
• According to the history and timeline of the Great Wall of China, although the Great Wall was initially built more than 2000 years ago, which is, around the year 221 BC., most of the current Great Wall of China that is widely visited, was built during the Ming dynasty, that is, between the years 1368 and 1644.
• One of the facts about the Great Wall of China is that when this Wall was being constructed, it had become notorious and reportedly got the name 'the longest cemetery on earth' because it is said that more than one million workers died while trying to build this wall.
• Initially, when the construction of the Great Wall had just started, mostly rammed earth and stones and some wood was used to build it. It was during the Ming dynasty that more firm materials, like bricks, tiles, lime, etc. were used to build the wall.
• It is difficult to give a definitive answer to the question 'how long is the Great Wall of China', because the Wall is broken, built and rebuilt in many different parts along its length. However, it is said that the Great Wall is around 5,500 miles long.
• Many American Presidents have visited the Great Wall of China, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama.
• One of the interesting Great Wall of China facts is that legend has it, that a holy and helpful dragon was responsible for demarcating the course that the Great Wall would take and the builders followed the dragon to establish the path of the Great Wall.
• It was the Chinese that invented the wheelbarrow and made use this while building this magnificent structure, which is mistakenly said to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Great Wall of China is not one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, although it figures in the list of Seven Wonders of the Medieval World.
• When the Great Wall was used to protect the country from invasion, there were watchtowers that were made at regular intervals along the length of the wall. These were used for keeping an eye out and would house troops and supplies required by them.

These were some of the Great Wall of China facts that must have surely left you awestruck. Many pains have been taken to make this structure that stands tall and defiant and symbolizes the grit and efforts taken by the Chinese to make this marvel for mankind. Thankfully, since it has become a huge tourist spot, efforts are being made to preserve this structure so that future generations can also admire the beauty that is the Great Wall of China.