The Great Wall of China
Did you know that you can see the Great Wall of China from space with your naked eyes? Or can you? The Great Wall of China is one of the most iconic structures in the world and there are definitely some myths and misconceptions surrounding it. Let's learn something new today and see why it was built, who built it, why it's considered so great, and whether you can actually see it from space. Let's go!
When and why was it built?
In ancient China there was a constant threat looming from the north, the nomadic tribes like the Mongols and Huns. These groups were fierce and often raided Chinese settlements and trade routes. To defend against these constant attacks and to defend the Silk Road, defensive structures where built as early as 2700 years ago. The Qin emperors later decided to connect these existing structures to form a massive wall around 200 BC. However, a lot of that wall was more like an earth dam, and not much of that original wall is still intact today.
Later on, in the 13th century, the Ming dynasty ousted the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, and tried to expand northwards. After decades of conflict, the Ming emperors decided to switch into defensive mode and started building more and more walls to repel the invaders. They also stepped up their fortification game, especially around the capital Beijing, and built the massive brick wall that most people think of today when they think of the Great Wall of China.
The Great Wall of China at Badaling (Source)
Building anything of that scale is obviously not a one-man show and, as usual, people at the bottom of the social hierarchy did the grunt work. Hundreds of thousands of people worked on the Great Wall over the centuries and many of them lost their lives in the process. The workforce consisted mostly of three groups: soldiers, prisoners, and local people living along the wall.
Why is it so great?
The Great Wall of China has been included in many "Wonders of the World" lists for good reasons.
First of all, it's old. Not many things built by humans stay relevant for 2700 years. Nothing is forever though, thus many parts of the wall that go through rural areas have fallen into disrepair or got dismantled by the locals to build houses. Some of its western parts are furthermore exposed to erosion by sand storms and have already been grinded down to half their original height. On the other hand, some parts of the wall have been meticulously restored to attract tourists and will most likely not go anywhere in the centuries to come.
A not so well preserved part of the Wall
Second, it's huge! The Wall stretches over 21,000 kilometers (over 13,000 miles), making it the longest structure ever built by humans. You could wrap it half-way around the earth along the equator, that's how long it is. It starts in the Bohai sea in the east and runs all the way to the desert in Gansu province in the west.
The Great Wall towards its western end (Source)
Where the Great Wall meets the Bohai Sea in the east (Source)
Lastly, it looks cool. If it was just old and long, people would maybe not get as hyped about it. But when you stand on it and see how it cuts through the landscape across mountains and along precipitous cliffs, that's a sight to behold. And it's not just a wall. There are also thousands of watch towers and garrisons.
The Great Wall cutting through the landscape
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Did the Great Wall actually work?
Well, sometimes. The wall originally had quite a few gaps and invaders or pillagers could just walk around them. These gaps got closed eventually, but it was still very much possible for a person to scale the Wall. I was actually surprised when I saw the Great Wall in real life, because it is not as high as I had imagined.
But you know who is not good at climbing? Horses. And mongols were notoriously famous for being deadly archers on horseback. Preventing them from entering China with their horses drastically reduced the threat they posed. So while the wall could not provide perfect protection, it still made it very hard for armies to invade.
A much bigger problem was the human component. The strongest defense is useless if an insider opens the door for the invaders. For instance, the Manchus were able to bribe their way through the Wall, leading to the fall of the Ming dynasty and the establishment of the Qing dynasty. Afterwards, the Great Wall was simply not useful because the Chinese empire stretched far beyond it.
Can you really see the Great Wall of China from space?
There's a popular myth that the Great Wall can be seen from space with the naked eye. I'm sorry to tell you, but that is not true, not even if you have eagle eyes. The Wall is at most 6 meters wide, and from space, it is no more visible than any other human-made structure. While we are at it, let me disappoint you a bit more by telling you that there is not really one Great Wall. In reality it's more like a network of walls and fortifications that stretches from east to west.
Closing thoughts
Even though you can't see it from space, the Great Wall of China is pretty awesome. Walking along the wall and imagining all the stories it holds is a cool experience. It's also extremely interesting historically, so, if you get the chance, definitely check it out!
Until next time 🙂
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