Fun Fact: You know how the Great Wall of China is the only man made structure visible from space? Bad news… Multiple astronauts have actually dispelled that myth, stating that even in low orbit the wall cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This complex of natural barriers, trenches, and.. actual walls, lies south of the border between China and Mongolia. The Great Wall of China mostly runs through the Gobi Desert, although many sections are farther south and a few are actually in Mongolia. The entire structure has been variously estimated to cover distances of 5,500 miles, to as much as 13,000 miles including all of its branch extensions.
The wall was initially erected piecemeal by several states as monumental defensive barriers to invading hordes from the north, only becoming unified into a coherent single structure after several hundred years of use. From the Qin through the Han and Ming Dynasties, the wall achieved its enduring status as a protective barrier for a unified China. Building materials for the wall ran the spectrum from packed earth and mud through the more durable stones and lime to bricks, the latter being the development that spurred the fastest growth for the wall during the Ming Dynasty.
Ming Dynasty builders were responsible for much of what exists today, and all of what we now think of as the Great Wall. Those scenic stretches of stone and brick that weave through the countryside. Although, only about 30 percent of the wall is made of brick.
Perhaps the most visited portion of the wall is near Beijing where the state has renovated and maintained it for tourism. These sections of the wall are open year round, but Beijing weather is wettest during July and August, and winter months see frequent snowfall and freezing temperatures. Spring and Fall bring not only more comfortable climate and colored foliage, but also heavy crowds.
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