GREAT WALL OF CHINA
There are several misconceptions about the Great Wall of China, which snakes its way through the Chinese countryside. It is not a single wall, but a series of fortifications (some of which run parallel to each other), and there is no truth to the legend that the Great Wall can be seen from space. Yet it is undoubtedly one of the most impressive pieces of architecture and engineering in history – a project that was ongoing for 2,000 years.
BUILDING THE WALL
The first walls were constructed to protect individual kingdoms in China from warring neighbours. The most common construction method in the seventh century BC was ‘rammed earth’ – packing soil tightly into a natural bulwark. Over the centuries, the Qin wall was added to by several dynasties. During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644, fears of a Mongol invasion led to extensive rebuilding using state-of-the-art techniques.