Top 10 facts about the Great Wall of China - Mesmerising facts about this world wonder!

The wall was initiated by the first Chinese emperor who died in 210 BC. At the time the wall was suggested, the threat was from the Xiongnu. Even though most assume that the great wall of China was built in order to repel the Mongols out, this is not historically factual. It was only in the late 14th century the confrontation with the Mongols occurred during the Ming dynasty.

It is said that getting bricks, sand, stone and other requirements to the construction site was one of the most tedious parts of the project. In order to do so, people had to carry bricks on their backs or shoulder, they had to form lines to get the bricks and sandbags to the top. Legend has it that some of the equipment and requirements were transported with the use of animals. The wall got the colloquial name as 'longest cemetery in the world' as many people had died during the construction. People who died during the construction of the wall are said to be buried under the wall itself.

The wall is believed to have been under construction for hundreds of years during six Chinese dynasties. It is said that the wall is about 2300 years old even though it has been under construction for many centuries. The wall is a staggering 21296.18 kilometres in length but it is not a continuous line as it breaks and takes different angles at different locations depending on the terrain.

It is a popular myth that the great wall of China can be seen from the naked eye from space. However, the truth is that you are able to see it with assistance from technology such as a high-tech lens. During the Cultural Revolution in China which took place between 1966 to 1976 bricks from the wall had been used to build homes, bridges, walls, farms, reservoirs and other buildings. Apart from some minor projects, no major restoration work has been required to be done on the wall.

Most people visit the wall from Badaling located in Beijing. Hotel accommodation at times includes a guided tour to the Great Wall as this is a must-visit location in China. At one point this specific part of the wall has more than 63 million visitors and during the peak season around 70,000 people are expected on a daily basis. If you are staying at a location such as the Pan Pacific Beijing it is only a short drive from the hotel to Badaling from where you can take a walk to the Great Wall of China.

As amazing as the construction is there are some terribly saddening stories connected with the construction of the wall. One such popular story is 'Men Jiangnu's Bitter Weeping'. According to legend when she found out that her husband has died during building the war she had wept so bitterly that the wall collapsed in the area where her husband's bones lay, allowing her to give him a proper burial.