The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China runs 13,171 miles west-to-east. It starts in the Hushan Mountains in Liaoning Province in to the east and ends at the Bohai Gulf. Construction of the great wall began during the Qin Dynasty under emperor Shi Huagti. It great wall took hundreds of years to complete. It was not finished until the Ming dynasty; they added watch towers and expanded the width and height of the wall. The original wall was started during the Warring States Period, when the Qin emerged as the victorious state. During the Han Dynasty, the first emperor used the wall for defense purposes and for regulating trade along the silk road. Each Dynasty contributed and repaired the wall until the Ming Dynasty. They did major reconstructions to stops nomads from Mongolia invading. The Ming add 25,000 massive watchtowers, 20 feet across the bottom, 15 feet across the top and ranging from 16-26 feet in height. 

Interesting Facts:

·       The Great Wall of China has been called the longest cemetery on Earth. Over a million people died building the Wall and archaeologists have found human remains buried under parts of the wall

·       The Great Wall of China is threatened with erosion. The northwestern sections (e.g. in Gansu and Ningxia provinces) of the Great Wall are deteriorating so quickly. It is believed that these sections may disappear within 20 years, due to demolishment by nature and human. 

http://www.ancient.eu/Great_Wall_of_China/
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