The Great Wall of China, 10 Fascinating Facts You (Maybe) Don't Know

The Great Wall of China, known all around the world, is one of the seven wonders of the world. Its construction dates back over 2,000 years, around 700 BC, and was commissioned by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of the Qin dynasty.

It is said that during the time when China was divided into many small states, many of these kingdoms already had defensive walls used to protect their borders. Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi had the great merit of unifying all the kingdoms (and consequently the walls) by strengthening the existing protections.

During the Han dynasty (from 206 to 220 BC), the Qin Wall was restored and extended. At this time, moreover, China had developed a thriving trade activity and the Wall traced the path of the Silk Road. However, it was during the Ming dynasty, a full 13 centuries later, that the Great Wall was expanded and enriched with towers and cannons, reaching nearly 6,400 kilometers in length.

Today, the Great Wall stands amidst the mountains north of China, surrounding the entire territory northwest of Beijing. It is constructed of brick, stone, and rammed earth. The width varies depending on the segments and ranges from 4.5 meters to 9 meters; its height, on the other hand, reaches about 7 or 8 meters in different areas.

It represents one of the largest works ever constructed and, due to its greatness and uniqueness, the Wall has always been the subject of legends and curiosities.

1. There has never been a true and general master plan for the construction of the Great Wall; the work was built incrementally over the centuries.

2. From the very beginning, in the days of the Qin dynasty, glutinous rice flour was used to glue the bricks that make up the wall.

3. The Wall, due to its narrow width, is not visible to the naked eye from space, as testified by many astronauts who reported this news to NATO headquarters.

It seems impossible to identify it even at an altitude of one hundred kilometers unless using a telescope.

4. Every year, the Great Wall is visited by over 10 million tourists. It is one of the most visited structures in the world offering unique and stunning vistas.

5. The workers who constructed the Wall - several million people - were mostly slaves, soldiers, farmers, prisoners, and rebels.

6. The first banknote that featured an image of the Great Wall dates back to 1914. At that time, it was worth 2 jiao (20 cents of Yuan) and today holds an invaluable worth for collectors.

7. In Hebei province, there is a section of the Great Wall submerged underwater and is called "Xifengkou."

8. In China, it is called Wan-Li Qang-Qeng which literally means "wall 10,000 Li long" (equivalent to almost 5,000 kilometers).

9. Today, the total length of the Great Wall is 8,851 kilometers. However, it is believed that over the centuries many segments have been destroyed and that its total length has reached 21,196 kilometers at some points (over half of the circumference of the equator, which is 40,075 kilometers).

10. The Great Wall of China is referred to as the longest cemetery on earth, because over a million people who worked on it died during its construction. Supporting this claim is the discovery of many human remains buried along the wall, found by archaeologists during various excavations in different historical periods.

Author: Paola Toia