Fun Facts About the Great Wall of China for Kids

The Great Wall of China is the world’s longest construction and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is the world’s longest Wall, having been built since the dawn of civilization. To familiarise you with the Great Wall of China, we’ve compiled a list of Great Wall of China Facts for Kids. These Great Wall Of China Facts can teach you and your children about China’s largest wall’s historical structure and construction.

History About the Great Wall of China

As glorious as the structure is, the history of The Great Wall of China is equally great, resulting in a fascinating read. Here are some fascinating historical facts regarding the wonder of the world:

• Qin Shi Huang (also known as the First Emperor) effectively united China under his authority as early as 220 BC. He managed the task of unifying the existing divides. It was initially constructed mainly of rammed earth and wood.
• Emperor Qin Shihuang made one of the most important contributions to the Wall’s construction, preserving northern Chinese tranquillity and laying the groundwork for future generations’ defense. Thus, it gives witness to China’s cultural and historical development and past.
• The Great Wall Of China’s first built date was Between 770 B.C. and 1633 A.D. On the other hand, its construction occurred throughout many dynasties and administrations. A new wing was built during the Ming Dynasty.
• The Wall was built to resist northern invaders such as the Mongols. While China has constructed several smaller walls throughout the centuries, Emperor Qin Shi Huang intended a single, massive wall to protect his country’s northern boundaries.

Location of the Great Wall of China

Geography nerds will love these facts about the location of The Great Wall of China:

• A stretch of the Great Wall of China at Shanhaiguan is a famous tourist site in the Chinese province of Hebei.
• The Great Wall of China stretches east-west across northern China for more than 6,000 kilometers. It runs from the Shanghai pass on the Hebei coast in the east to the Jiayu Pass in the west, passing through the provinces of Hebei and Gansu. Along the Great Wall of China, archaeological sites may be located in fifteen different Chinese regions.
• The Great Wall of China spans northern China, following the region’s ancient boundaries. It is located in northwest China, near the Chinese-North Korean border. It travels through Beijing before continuing west to Jiayuguan City, where it all started.
• From Beijing’s city center, drive 73 kilometers (45 miles) or take a cab to the Mutianyu portion of the Great Wall (about 2 hours). To reach the Mutianyu section, you may take a tourist bus or a shuttle provided by many tourist agencies in their tour packages.

Height And Length Of The Great Wall Of China

One of the most exciting things about the structure is that its width varies from point to point. Take a look at the following details about its height and length:

• The wall is around ten meters (33 ft) tall, seven to eight meters (23 ft to 26 ft) wide at the base, and between four and five meters high (13 ft and 16 ft).
• It is a square-shaped, four-story tower with an almost 30-meter height (98.4 feet).
• It occupies a 5056-square-meter area. It is 269 meters long in the north, 76 meters long in the south, and 64 meters long in the east and west.
• Between the Shanhai Pass on China’s eastern coast and the Jiayu Pass in modern-day Gansu Province, the Great Wall is estimated to be around 7,300 kilometers long (4,500 miles).

Construction of the Great Wall of China

Here are some facts and figures about the construction of the Great Wall of China:

• The Great Wall of China was constructed over many years by China’s rulers to safeguard their kingdom. It now runs hundreds of kilometers along China’s traditional northern border with Mongolia.
• Consequently, the Wall’s builders made every effort to use locally available materials, such as stone for building the mountain area, and rammed earth for the other sections. Instead of rammed Earth, more bricks and stone were utilized in the Ming Dynasty’s wall building, which lasted from 1368 to 1644.
• For almost 2,000 years, various imperial dynasties and kingdoms have constructed and rebuilt these walls, while old structures have been enlarged and reconfigured. The most recent imperial construction was completed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and was over 6,000 kilometers in length (3,700 miles).
• The oldest part of the Great Wall Of China is claimed to have been built during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC), finished during the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), and maintained as a defensive barrier during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

Visibility of the Great Wall of China

Considering its length and excellent appearance, there are many interesting facts about its visibility. Some facts regarding the visibility of The Great Wall of China are:

• The Great Wall of China can be seen from low Earth orbit only under ideal weather circumstances.
• While the Great Wall of China seems majestic from the ground, it is almost undetectable from space (100 km upwards).
• The materials used to construct the Wall are practically impenetrable from the air or the Earth’s surface. The Wall is visible from low orbit only under specific weather and light conditions.
• According to NASA, from low-Earth orbit, the Great Wall of China remains impenetrable to the naked eye. Due to the Wall’s length and narrowness, it is almost undetectable. According to astronauts, nothing made by humans is visible from orbit.

Tourism for the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China has some interesting tourist facts. Some of these are:

• While Badaling Great Wall is more accessible, Mutianyu Great Wall offers excellent vistas. This location has an incredible toboggan run that connects the Wall and the bottom of the hill.
• Beijing is around four and a half hours away from all of them. As such, we choose Mutianyu as our ultimate destination over Badaling or Juyongguan.
• Jinshanling Great Wall is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Beijing. The journey to Jinshanling is longer, but the vistas from this section of the Great Wall make it worthwhile. If you have just one day to view the Great Wall, make your way to Jinshanling.
• Beijing residents may visit one of these cities in a single day. These two stretches of the Great Wall have remained underbuilt since the Ming Dynasty. Jiankou should only be attempted by experienced hikers owing to the hazardous and steep inclines that await.
• Consider Huanghuacheng, Simatai, and Shanhaiguan for those returning to the Wall or wishing to prolong their stay.
• Repaired portions of the Great Wall include challenging climbs and uneven staircases due to the strategy for the Wall being atop mountains – for military defence. You can ascend a rebuilt section to observe the Great Wall in its original configuration.
• The Mutianyu and Jinshanling hikes are pretty easy for most guests. The natural, unrestored portions of the Great Wall demand many arduous climbs over slippery rock and loose bricks.
• Camping on the Great Wall is usually prohibited. The Gubeikou portion of the Great Wall has a watchtower where tourists may spend the night while on the Wall.

Myths About the Great Wall of China

Although the Great Wall of China is thousands of years old, various myths are surrounding it that children should be educated about. Some of these are:

• China’s Great Wall was an enormous success in repelling invaders.
• The Great Wall was constructed in a single year as it is a single long continuous wall.
• Even from orbit, one can see portions of China’s Great Wall.
• The Wall was built to prevent the Mongols from further expanding into China. Numerous sections of the Wall have been rebuilt.
• The Wall is constructed entirely of mud and stones.
• Soldiers were the only ones permitted to access the barricaded region.
• Over half of the length of the Great Wall has already been discovered.
• The Wall’s sole aim was for great defense; it was built to keep people secure from invasion.
• A dragon determined the course of the Wall.
• There have been no natural catastrophes that have resulted in damage to China’s Great Wall.
• It is not at all what is shown in the photographs.
• Qin’s First Emperor, who ruled from 206 BCE to 210 BCE, oversaw the construction of the Great Wall.
• The Great Wall of China is a natural marvel of the globe.

Other Interesting Facts and Information About the Great Wall of China for Children

The following are the other fascinating facts and information about the Great Wall of China designed explicitly for children:

• China’s Great Wall is the term given to a network of fortifications.
• The Great Wall of China was constructed over many centuries by a succession of Chinese dynasties.
• Around 700 BCE, the Chinese began work on the Great Wall.
• Between 1368 and 1644, the Ming dynasty built the Great Wall of China in the country.
• The Great Wall of China is more than a physical barrier. The defensive system includes trenches, barracks, and walls.
• This Wall was to be 13,170 kilometers long.
• There is no trace of China’s Great Wall remaining.
• The Great Wall of China crossed fifteen provinces. Provincially, there are Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, and Hebei.
• China’s Great Wall is the world’s most extended manmade structure. It is situated in the People’s Republic of China.
• The Great Wall Of China’s highest point reaches 46 feet at its highest point and an average of 20-23 feet at its lowest point.
• The Great Wall of China is about 30 feet tall at its widest point.
• The most renowned section of the Great Wall of China is known as the Ming Wall.
• The Ming Great Wall was about 5,500 kilometers long.
• During the Ming era, the Great Wall of China was defended by a million Chinese troops.
• Each year, over 10,000,000 tourists visit the Great Wall of China.
• The Great Wall was repurposed to construct dwellings during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).
• The Great Wall of China was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
• The Great Wall Marathon’s organizers started training in 1999. The Great Wall of China Marathon is now underway.
• According to legend, human bones were used to construct China’s Great Wall. While this is incorrect, sticky rice was utilized in the mortar. The Great Wall has stayed intact for millennia as a result of this strategy.
• According to popular belief, the Great Wall of China is visible from space. The European Space Agency and American astronaut Gene Cernan claim to have seen the Great Wall of China from low Earth orbit, around 100 to 200 miles above the Earth’s surface. You will, however, need to know where to seek and live in a comfortable climate.
• From the moon, a glimpse of China’s Great Wall is reportedly conceivable. With a 200-mile radius, observing the Great Wall of China from 239,000 miles distant seemed impossible.

Many young children are fascinated by the breathtaking visuals they see and believe they are in China. Also, to assist your children in becoming well-rounded persons by sharing these amazing facts about the Great Wall of China with them.

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