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Great Wall of China

Explorer · ages 7 and underAdapted from Wikipedia
The Great Wall of China near Jinshanling, stretching across the hills under a bright blue sky.

What Is the Great Wall?

The Great Wall of China is a very long line of walls and forts in China. It is so long that it stretches across the land from the east to the west. It is one of the most famous places in the world.

Why It Was Built

Long ago, people built the wall to help keep their land safe. The first walls were built more than 2,600 years ago. The Qin dynasty joined many of them together. Later, the Ming dynasty built the parts that people know best today.

The wall had watchtowers where soldiers could stay. People used smoke or fire to send signals. The wall was also a path for moving people and goods. It helped control trade along the Silk Road.

Names and Facts

Long ago, people wrote about the wall as the "Long Wall." Later, some people called it the "Ten-Thousand Mile Long Wall." The word "ten-thousand" simply means "countless."

The wall is about 21,196 kilometres (13,170 miles) long. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007.

Many people say the Great Wall can be seen from space. This idea is doubtful. The wall is long, but it is too narrow to stand out from far away.

Quiz time!

3 questions about Great Wall of China

Question 1 of 3

Where is the Great Wall?

Pictures

A photograph of the Great Wall of China taken in 1907, showing the long stone wall winding across the landscape.
A historical Chinese map from 1136 showing China and the surrounding foreign peoples. This copy was made from a stone rubbing and annotated in pencil for a French journal in 1903.
An 1853 engraving showing a section of the Great Wall of China, the long stone fortification built across northern China over many centuries.
A section of the Great Wall of China from the Han dynasty, near Yumenguan pass in Gansu Province.
The gate towers of Jiayuguan Fortress in Gansu Province, China, a historic fort built during the Ming Dynasty.
The Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, photographed in 2015. This part of the wall winds over the hills north of Beijing.
A 1793 technical drawing by Henry William Parish showing the plan, cross-section, and elevation of the Great Wall of China and a tower near the Gubeikou pass, made during Lord Macartney's visit to China.
A long stretch of the Great Wall of China winds through the countryside, showing how this ancient structure stretches across the land.
Two satellite views of the Great Wall of China. In the right image, the wall is outlined in red so it is easier to see from space.
The Great Wall of China at Badaling, a famous section of this ancient fortification that stretches across northern China.
A map showing the route of the Great Wall built during the Qin Dynasty, drawn in red, with the modern border of China shown in yellow.
A map showing the route of the Great Wall of China during the Han Dynasty.

Keep exploring

China
Ming dynasty
Silk Road
New 7 Wonders of the World

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Great Wall of China, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.