Wonders of the World series: The Great Wall of China

2 months ago 23rd Jun 16:45

Contrary to popular urban myths, the great wall of China cannot actually be seen from space, but nevertheless should be a must-see place on any intrepid explorers wish list.

Although many people claim that the wall can be seen from outer space, this is not strictly true as the Great Wall is a maximum 9.1m wide and is about the same colour as the soil surrounding it, therefore, (and here’s the science bit) seeing it from space is the same as being able to view a human hair from 2 miles away. Not surprisingly, no lunar astronaut has ever claimed seeing the Great Wall from the moon.

The wall was organically built, rebuilt and maintained between the 6th century to protect the Northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during the rule of successive dynasties.

The Great Wall itself twists and turns over approximately 6,700 km (4,160 miles) of china, from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west. At its peak, the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men.

The wall we see now is not exactly the same as the original ones which were made from rammed earth. The wall which stands now is made from bricks and stone in order to make it stronger and successful withhold enemies; as Mongol raids continued periodically over the years, the Ming devoted considerable resources to repair and reinforce the walls.

If you do visit the wall, there are three main areas which you must see, firstly, the "North Pass" of Juyongguan pass, which is known as the Badaling. This section has had many guards to defend China’s capital [Beijing]. Made of stone and bricks from the hills, this portion of the Great Wall is 7.8 meters (25.6 ft) high and 5 meters (16.4 ft) wide.

If you're looking for jaw-dropping scenery though, then head to where the wall climbs extremely steep slopes and offers fantastic views. This is particularly apparent in the Ming section of the wall, which runs for 11 kilometers (7 mi), and ranges from 5 to 8 metres ( in height. Wangjinglou is one of 67 watchtowers and stands at 980 meters (3,215 ft) above sea level.

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