Places & Landmarks
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is an extensive network of fortifications built across northern China during many dynasties and historical periods.
The Great Wall of China is a vast defensive system extending across northern China. It is not one uninterrupted wall but a network of walls, passes, fortresses, watchtowers, beacon towers, shelters, and related routes constructed and rebuilt during many historical periods.
Early fortifications were connected and expanded after the unification of China in the third century BCE, while later dynasties added new sections. Many of the best-known masonry portions date to the Ming dynasty. UNESCO lists the complete route at more than 20,000 kilometers and designated it a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Quick facts
- The Great Wall is a network of fortifications rather than one continuous structure.
- Its surviving system includes walls, fortresses, passes, watchtowers, beacon towers, and shelters.
- Construction and rebuilding occurred under multiple Chinese states and dynasties over many centuries.
- UNESCO describes the complete route as extending more than 20,000 kilometers.
- The Great Wall became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
A surprising fact
Some ancient sections were made from rammed earth, while many famous Ming-era sections use brick and stone.