Great Wall Holiday Tourism Favourite and Popular In World Of China

The Great Wall of China was originally constructed to keep out nomadic tribes who raided China’s northern frontier. Your trekking challenge starts in Jinshanling with a vigorous trek that loops along the mountains either side of the Gubeikou Gateway. Each day you will trek approximately 12kms along the stony path, twisting and winding its way along the mountains, interspersed with crumbling watchtowers. It is demanding but also very rewarding, particularly on a clear day when you can look at the vast and beautiful mountain ranges.
Your imagination will take you back several centuries to when the wall was the frontline defense of Imperial China. On completion of your challenge you will return to Beijing to explore some of the many attractions of China’s capital city: the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple.

The Great Wall was begun around 2000 years ago during the Zhao State period but the main early construction linking existing structures was undertaken during the Qin Dynasty by the Emperor Qin (the same man as was responsible for the Terracotta Warriors) from 221 – 206 BC. There were further periods of construction which culminated in the 6,700km Wall of the Ming Dynasty built from 1368 – 1644 during a wide variety of environments from desert to forests. The Walls were primarily built for defence and were not always brick structures, they could be made from rammed earth and straw.

The Great Wall was abandoned as a line of defence in 1644 with the collapse of the Dynasty, with some parts still under construction. It then began to crumble partly due to natural processes such as weathering and earth movements and also because it was a ready source of building materials or was removed to make way for communication links such as roads and railways. Sometimes it was also the victim of warfare. Since it was opened to visitors in 1952 the Chinese government and the Beijing Municipality government have placed greater emphasis on the preservation of the Great Wall and its conservation. In 1987 the Great Wall was added to the World Heritage List, one of the first heritage sites in China.

 Throughout its history it has always been seen as an important structure. William Lindesay who founded the group International Friends of the Great Wall has said ‘The Great Wall shows itself as something more than a building, it is a succession of varied landscapes, more than history alone, but part of the country’s geography that has attracted the attention of cartographers for centuries.’

This photograph was taken in 2006 early in the morning before the arrival of the visitors. This part of the Great Wall is one of the most visited as it is accessible from Beijing, being about 75 kilometres north west of Beijing. The opening of a motorway recently has increased the access and reduced the journey time. This part of the Wall attracts the most visitors and it is typical of the Wall during the Ming Dynasty. Tourist facilities are encroaching on the site. On the left of the photograph is a car park and the area is crowded with administrative buildings and commercial areas which are shown in some of the hotspots.