The Great Wall of China is a worldwide famous wall mostly possible in the older northern borders of country. It’s created for various reasons from protecting country to creating a market way. It’s known that first walls started to build in 7th century BC. In first years, all walls were separate and then China kingdom collected them to create The Great Wall of China. First important parts of wall built in Qin Shi Huang kingdom and then Ming Dynasty reconstructed various areas of wall. In the most important and strongest era of wall, it controlled all the Silk Road ways and market. How many kilometers The Great Wall of China are?
Today, The Great Wall of China is 21,196 km. Most important part of wall is Ming walls with 8,850 km. They are mostly built for protecting borders from attacks. In the war times, building of wall was fastening so it’s known that over a million workers died while carrying the stones from mountains or replacing them. Every year, king was taking a decision which area of wall must be reconstructed and it was being the vital point for China and border countries.
Another important development in China history of walls was against Mongolian Riders. Mongols were periodically attacking walls and Chinese people were trying to reconstruct walls after all attacks. Mongol’s strategy for attacking walls was not conquering China but weaken China Army’s power to attack Mongolian cities. In this era, over 25,000 watchtowers are built. In 1400s, building walls became popular in China and all cities started to build walls.
Main products used for building The Great Wall of China are stone, wood and rammed earth; it’s today possible to see that areas with easy to produce bricks are stronger than others.
Today it’s not possible to walk all the Great Wall of China. Most of parts on wall are renovated especially in Beijing because of touristic attractions. But in 1990s, some parts of wall became the target of vandalism and graffiti. These parts destroyed by government and reconstructed again.
It’s also known that some parts of wall will be lost because especially Gansu area of walls are effecting from sandstorms. There are lots of reducing works on this area of wall.
Today, some watchtowers and important points of The Great Wall of China is using by China Army. Also some meteorology offices are possible in wall. But watchtowers were mostly built from mud and they are not very secure for army. Also today there’s no serious danger coming from northern border of China as old countries left from China is possible on this area.
There are lots of rumors and claims about The Great Wall of China. Some of them are historical. Main claim that Chinese people believe mostly is Wall’s appearance from Moon. Myth started from William Stukeley’s book on 1754. Also lots of books were written since human walks on moon.
There were also scientific approaches that The Great Wall of China is not possible to be seen from moon because it’s on the same color of soil first of all; then it’s not high it’s only long. There are lots of buildings higher than wall. Its known clarified that wall is not possible to see from Moon. Also no lunar astronauts accepted that he has seen wall from moon.
Today the area is the popular place for gold miners because it’s known that wall’s edges were known as a good place for saving gold on the old eras. China government is trying to take measurements for this situation because sometimes it’s deeply destructing the wall.
