What’s the Great Wall of China?

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The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous historical megastructures and the longest man-made structure in the world, even bigger than the pyramids and other colossal constructions. Despite a popular claim to the contrary, it is not visible from the Moon, although it is barely visible from near Earth orbit.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Wall of China is a protected space that has gained even more fame over the past decade due to international efforts to preserve sections that are falling into decay. Vandalism is one of the reasons the wall has suffered tremendously over the past two decades. Local vendors often choose it to sell parts to tourists.

The Great Wall of China was begun in the 5th century BC by the Qin Dynasty to protect the kingdom from attacks by the Xiongnu people. However, when the construction started there were already numerous towers and fortifications already standing. The construction of the wall was intended to unite the different forts into one long structure and took centuries to complete. Started, stopped, demolished and rebuilt along the way, the Great Wall of China as it stands today was finished in the 16th century.

The structure is 4,000 miles (6,400 km) long and up to 26 feet (8 meters) high. It has many watchtowers and towers along its length. The most popular sections with tourists are those near Beijing, especially the Juyongguan Pass and the Mutianyu Great Wall. The Shanhaiguan Great Wall, built as a bridge, is another popular stop for tourists walking along the wall. Most of it is built in brick, although the first parts are made of stones, earth and tiles. To modern visitors, it looks remarkably similar along its length, but this is mainly due to the effect of wind erosion on the wall’s surface.

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