The Great Wall of China was not just a wall. The Great Wall sections close to Beijing like the Badaling section and Mutianyu section were built during the Ming Dynasty.Ī breach in the Great Wall at Shanhai Pass in 1644 by Manchu forces signaled the end of Han control in China for the last and final Chinese dynasty, the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). It also signaled the end of construction and maintenance of the Great Wall, until the Badaling section was restored by the government of the Peoples' Republic of China, and opened to the public in 1957 as a tourist attraction. Most of the remaining Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty, and is known as the Ming Great Wall. The Great Wall was systematically rebuilt in a 100-year project to prevent further northern invasion. The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)Ĭhina flourished during the Ming Dynasty and its military might swell.

Building of the Great Wall, not surprisingly, ceased during the Yuan Dynasty, as China and Mongolia to the north were one. The Great Wall had done a good job of preserving Han China for 1,500 years. The Yuan Dynasty was the first dynasty in which the whole of China was controlled by a non-Han people, the Mongols. The Great Wall of Han Dynasty Map The Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) The earliest was probably built between the states of Lu and Qi around 650 BC, which later became part of the Chu State Wall. Early Wallsĭuring the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) and the Warring States Period (475–221 BC) when the eastern and central region of what is now China consisted of many small states or princedoms, the princes ordered independent walls be built along state borders to protect their states. The Great Wall of China’s history began in the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) and was last rebuilt as a defense in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). The Great Wall of China has a history of more than 2,000 years. See more on How Long Is the Great Wall of China? The History of the Great Wall of China In 2009, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage first published data on the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, which measured 8,851 kilometers (5499 miles). The data came from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. The length of the Great Wall of China is 21,196.18 km (13,170.7 mi).

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