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The Great Wall at one
time stretched 4000 miles
across the border between
China and the Hun territories
in the north. It
started as a series of
earth works and was connected
in the Qin dynasty (221-206
B.C.) with each dynasty
adding to the height,
breadth, length of the
Great Wall. During the
Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
the watch towers were
redesigned, the brick
and granite reworked
and cannons added. After
this period parts of
the Wall were dismantled
to provide building materials.
Armies were garrisoned
along the length of the
Wall to provide a warning
of invasions and signal
fires were used to tell
the next tower where
an invasion was about
to happen. The Wall extends
along the mountain ranges
to gain height and provide
views.
The three sections of
the Great Wall near Beijing
are the Badaling, Mutianyu
and Simatai sections.
The easy to read is to
hire a car and driver
for the day or take an
organised tour.
Badaling Section
The
Badaling Section is 70
km from Beijign and the
closest to the city.
It is close to the Ming
Tombs. There is a chairlift,
fast food restaurants
and easy to walk along
the wall from here. Located
at Yanqn
Mutianyu Section
Mutianyu
is 90 km north of Beijing
and another popular place
to visit. There is steep
climb from the main gate
but there is a chairlift
to make it easy! A good
place for views across
the ridges and down the
valleys. Huairou
County (6162 6873)
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