Throughout the world we can find monuments and buildings that are authentic treasures and witnesses of what became ancient civilizations. However, few buildings in the world are as impressive as the great wall of chinawhich we will talk about in the following article.
The great wall of china It is one of the best known monuments in the world and also one of the most visited. So impressive is it that the belief was even propagated that it could be seen from space, although this is nothing more than a kind of popular urban legend that has stood the test of time (the wall is too narrow for can be seen from space). However, this belief, despite being false, only shows us how the magnificence of this construction has amazed all those who have approached it for centuries. Do you want to know a little more about the history of the mythical Great Wall of China? So, read on!
The Great Wall of China, one of the wonders of the world
The great wall of china It is a fortified construction made up of various sections and stretches of wall that have been rebuilt and improved over time. Its construction had, as it cannot be otherwise, a clearly defensive purpose. Of course, its construction took place over many years.
The construction of the great wall of china it is divided into several periods, the oldest remains corresponding to periods prior to the 5th century BC. C. and the most modern additions, to the 16th century, not counting the most recent restorations. Depending on the historical moment we are talking about, the additions and improvements made to the original wall responded to different reasons. For example, one of the most famous parts of the wall, the one built by order of Qin Shi Huang from 221 a. C., had as its objective the protection of its newly unified territory from the invasions of the Xiongu from the north while, in the late 16th century, the Wall protected the Ming dynasty from the Manchus, who finally managed to surpass it in the year 1644.
Therefore, the Great Wall of China is actually a set of united walls built, reformed and improved over the centuries for the protection of China from different threats and enemies. A fortification that stretched across thousands of miles of land, isolating and protecting China from potential foreign invaders.
The Great Wall of China as it is considered today has 21,196 km2. Despite its magnificence, it may surprise us that it did not become a significant monument in China until the Contemporary age. In fact, it was the foreign visitors who talked about the wonderful Wall that made it famous, especially since the opening of China after the Opium WarsMid-nineteenth century.
Various versions have been given as to why the Chinese did not traditionally attach much importance to a monument such as the Great Wall. Many specialists defend that it ended up being considered as a symbol of oppression and repression which was a far cry from the impression her foreign visitors received of her. Some specialists have even emphasized the fact that the Great Wall of China can be considered the largest cemetery in the world, since it has been calculated that more than 10,000 people died during its construction. However, despite this, it is currently one of the most recognized symbols of China worldwide and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
However, despite its fame, it is a monument whose state of conservation is very problematic. Given its popularity among visitors, those sections with the highest concentration of tourists are the ones that are best preserved, such as those that are linked to the city of Beijing. They have been restored several times and present the tourists his best version. But, when we move away from the most visited places, we discover that the Great Wall suffers serious conservation problems which has caused the virtual disappearance or collapse of some of the canvases. Even, in many of its parts, due to the negligence of the authorities, there are many traces of graffiti and even spaces that have disappeared because the inhabitants of the place have used the materials of the wall for their own constructions. Therefore, it is likely that several kilometers of wall will disappear in the coming decades due to conservation problems.
In any case, the Great Wall of China remains one of the most famous monuments in the world and it is expected that the number of visitors who come to it will only increase over time. Its popularity has only increased thanks to the annual events that feature it, such as the famous marathon that takes place inside it every year or the Yingyang electronic music festival, which brings together thousands of people on its stones. The importance of the Great Wall of China continues to grow, in a way very different from the reasons that prompted its construction millennia ago.
Great Wall of China video
If you want to know more about the Great Wall of China, we recommend that you watch the following video:
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