How Long Is the Great Wall of China?

Great Wall of China is a massive fortress of a wall that was originally built to protect the northern Chinese border against invasions. It is a very popular tourist attraction that is considered one of the must see locations when visiting China.

Most people are intrigued by the sheer massiveness of the Great Wall of China. The most asked question is how long is the Great Wall of China? The Wall is about 5,500 miles long. The total length of the wall includes the wall, trenches and hills and other natural features. At its highest point, the wall is 20 feet tall.

Given the fact that this wall was built entirely by hand without the assistance of mechanical aids centuries ago makes its length and height quite impressive. The wall is composed of both hardened earth and bricks. This wall was built in sections and was initially built using stones, wood and earth.

As the construction of the wall continued, the builders decided to utilize bricks as well as lime and stones on other portions of the wall. These materials were selected over the hardened earth because the bricks are much stronger and hold weight better than the lime and stone. The bricks are able to maintain their shape as opposed to the hardened earth.

Current Condition of the Wall

The Great Wall of China is ancient and because of this the condition of the wall varies in different areas. The parts of the wall that are mainly accessible for tourist activities are the best maintained. The portions of the wall that are most visited by tourists have either been preserved or restored. Some say this was done to ensure a level of safety for those that visit the Great Wall of China.

There are certain sections of the wall that are less maintained and in some cases completely dilapidated. The portions of the wall that are made from hardened earth are more likely to be eroded.

Sand storms are responsible for eradicating many portions of the Great Wall of China. In fact, in 2009 there was a newly discovered portion of the Great Wall of China that had gone unnoticed because it was greatly deteriorated by sand storms. There are some people that claim that within twenty years certain portions of the Wall will be completely obliterated.

Popular Tourists Regions of the Great Wall

The most popular areas of the Great Wall are in the Beijing region and have been very thoroughly maintained to ensure the safety of the tourists. Some of the most popular regions of the Wall include the North and West Pass, the Pass of Shanhaiguan, Mutianyu Great Wall and the Jiumenkou.

All of these sections can be toured with or without a guided tour. Many people like to partake in the architectural beauty of the different portions of the wall as all portions of the wall are not built the same.

• The Mutianyu Great Wall is known for its bordering of mountains.
• The Jiumenkou is the only portion of the wall that is built as a bridge.
• There is also a portion of the Great Wall that looks silver because of the metals that are in the bricks and materials that were used to make this section of the wall.

Security and Safety on the Great Wall of China

Anyone wondering how long is the Great Wall of China should merely wonder and not attempt anything too brazen while touring this architectural masterpiece. While it may be tempting to look over the edge of the wall or climb a portion of the wall, this is not advised on any level. 

There have been many instances of people, mainly tourists, falling off the Great Wall and suffering severe injuries. There are certain sections of the wall that are very unstable which can result in the wall giving way and the occurrence of a possible injury. Likewise, part of the Great Wall of China is surrounded by steep inclines and mountains making a fall from these areas very hazardous and in some cases deadly.