Top 10 Fun Facts About the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is widely regarded as one of the most important landmarks and a must-see attraction for any trip to China. 
With a history spanning thousands of years, it’s full of stories and mysteries. We've listed the 10 most unexpected fun facts about the Great Wall of China you may want to know. Take a look below!

Different Sections of the Great Wall

1. How Long Did It Take to Build the Great Wall?

Over 2000 years! By several dynasties and kings.
It is thought that the first parts of the Wall were built as far back as 771 B.C.E., during the Spring and Autumn period (8th - 5th centuries BC).
In 221 BC, after Qin Shihuang, the first emperor in Chinese history, connected and expanded these walls to protect the northern frontier. Later dynasties continued to repair and extend the Wall, with the largest construction taking place during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). 
Today, the best-preserved and most visited sections near Beijing were largely constructed during the Ming Dynasty.

2. Is the Great Wall An Uninterrupted Long Structure?

No. The Great Wall is not a single continuous wall, but a series of separate sections. Today, it exists in different stretches that cannot be walked end to end without interruption.
As we mentioned before,these sections were built by various dynasties along an east–west line across the northern frontier of ancient and imperial China.

3. Where Does the Great Wall Start and End?

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan Pass in Hebei Province in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu Province in the west. Near Jiayuguan, the Wall meets the vast desert, offering a strikingly different landscape.
However, the most popular and well-preserved sections are located around Beijing, including Mutianyu, Jinshanling, and Badaling.

4. What's the Great Wall Made of?

Most parts of the Wall are built with stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other unremarkable materials.

But a surprising material was found in the wall - glutinous rice (sticky rice) flour! Because glutinous rice has good cohesive properties, it was used in making mortar or blinding material to bind bricks as early as the Qin Dynasty.

5. What Is the Length of the Great Wall?

The whole length of the Great Wall of China is about 21,196 kilometers (13,171 miles), according to an archaeological survey done by China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage. It is the longest structure ever built by humans.
The best-preserved section of the Great Wall is approximately 8,850 kilometers (5,499 miles) long built by the Ming Dynasty.

6. Is It One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?

No. The Great Wall of China is not one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. That list includes landmarks such as the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The Great Wall was constructed much later, mainly during imperial China. It is not officially part of any historical “Seven Wonders of the Medieval World” list.

7. Can the Great Wall Be Seen From the Moon?

No. The Great Wall of China is not one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. That list includes landmarks such as the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The Great Wall was constructed much later, mainly during imperial China. It is not officially part of any historical “Seven Wonders of the Medieval World” list.

8. Why Is It Called the Longest Cemetery?

The human cost of the Wall construction is huge. It has been estimated by some authors that over one million people died building the wall during the Qin Dynasty only. Human remains have been found under parts of the Wall by archaeologists. As such, the Wall has been described as the longest cemetery on Earth.

9. How Many People Were Recruited to Build it?

The wall's construction required the participation of almost a million people, including soldiers, commoners, and convicts.

According to estimates, 400,000 workers lost their lives while building the Qin wall. Since the work was very dangerous, it used to be a common punishment for convicts since the Qin Dynasty.

10. Has the Great Wall Ever Been Breached?

Yes, many times. Although the Great Wall was built to defend against invasion, some enemies throughout history have successfully penetrated it. According to legend, from 1501 to 1529, the Great Wall was breached 14 times by the Mongolian army.

Customize Your Trip to the Great Wall

Do you want to see the Great Wall of China with your own eyes after learning these ten unexpected fun facts? You are welcome to contact us for any inquiry or question related to planning a China Tour with the Great Wall.