The Great Wall of China

A symbol of ancient Chinese civilization, the Great Wall of China is one of the world’s oldest and most magnificent man-made scenes, which can even be seen from the space. It enjoys the same reputation with another two landmarks of China – Forbidden City and Terracotta Army. Given its outstanding architectural achievement and remarkable historical influence, the Great Wall was listed as a UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage site in 1987, the first of its kind in China.

The Great Wall was originally built over 2500 years ago during the West Zhou Dynasty, and served as a functional military defense to prevent the invasion of the northern nomadic minorities. It had been playing a crucial role in wars in ancient Chinese history, therefore, the walls were continually to be extended in the next 2000+ years, till the end of Ming Dynasty. As a result, the Great Wall was expanded to 15 provinces and municipalities in China, and formed in a beautiful shape of "Long" (Chinese style dragon). There are Northern Great Wall and Southern Great Wall, according to location. With its original thousands of miles length (Northern Great Wall), it was widely named “Wan Li Chang Cheng” (Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li). But actually the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty is 8851.8 km or 20,000 li long, much longer than the original 10,000 li.

Through thousands of years and the replacement of the dynasties, many parts of the Great Wall have been severely damaged from erosion, and some are even endangered and have disappeared. The present preserved Great Wall was mainly built in 14 century, hence called Ming Great Wall, which starts in the Hushan in Liaoning Province and end in Jiayuguan of the eastern point. Today, Beijing, Chengde in Hebei Province, Yulin in Shannxi Province and Jiayuguan in Gansu Province are the top destinations for Great Wall sightseeing or hiking. And the most famous sections of China Great Wall include Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, Simatai, Jiayuguan Pass, Juyongguan Pass and Shanhaiguan Pass. Among them, Mutianyu section is most recommended to international travelers. While Jinshanling and Simatai sections are best for hiking or trekking.

The Great Wall is a place steeped in history and offers a lot to discover. For those who are fascinated with it and greedy for knowledge about it, on this page, you will find massive information of Great Wall, the historical development, the background stories, the building glamour and its facts and figures. The introduction of some wild Great Wall in Beijing is provided as well.

Obviously, a Great Wall tour is a must when you’re in China. So we have crafted dozens of Great Wall tour packages, and here list the best-selling ones for you. Please feel free to send us an inquiry. Besides, to ensure you a best Great Wall experience, we provide you very useful travel tips about the hiking routes, transportation, accommodation, restaurant, as well as the Great Wall maps.

No matter you are a history-loving traveler or a freak of natural landscape, you will never get tired of the Great Wall -- one of the seven wonders in the world.