"I do not think, at least in my eyes, there was some human construction visible to me. I have not met anyone who has told me that he has seen the Great Wall of China from Earth orbit. I have asked many people, particularly people from the ferry, which have orbited on China several times during the day, and those with whom I have spoken have not seen "(Neil Armstrong)
It was built to last thousands of years and part of its structure can still be seen. 20% is still standing, 30% is in poor condition and the rest has disappeared almost completely, but it is a World Heritage Site since 1987 and one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, besides being twinned with the Roman wall of Lugo in Galicia (Spain)
It is a work that has always aroused great curiosity and no wonder:
Is reputed to be the largest cemetery for the world buried her there are about 10 million workers who died in its construction.
It is a work that has always aroused great curiosity and no wonder:
Is reputed to be the largest cemetery for the world buried her there are about 10 million workers who died in its construction.
It has always been said that was the only building made by man visible from space, but it is not true. No astronaut has gotten her.
If a wall one meter thick and five meters high with bricks, stones and earth that were used in lift to rise, that wall would give more than one trip around the world. Counting its ramifications it is estimated to be 8,851 kilometers long with an average measure of six to seven meters high and 5 meters 4 wide.
Mongol attacks
We have to go back to the year 221. C. in the time of Emperor Qin Shihuang Di, the first emperor of China who reunified the various kingdoms and ordered to create a new barrier on the walls existing Yan and Zhao to defend pastoralists North since the fourth century. C. threatened them to get agricultural products steppe did not provide them.
For nearly a thousand years there was a balance between Chinese and barbarians broke in the early thirteenth century with the unifier of the steppe, the Mongol Genghis Khan. He began the conquest of China that would eventually completed by his grandson Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty.
The Yuan were dethroned after a peasant revolt, reigning in the second half of the fourteenth century Ming Dynasty. The Mongols did not want to give up China and in subsequent years began an intense activity of attacks that forced the Chinese in 1575 to strengthen and rebuild the wall to defend reaching the height of construction in time of Emperor Wanli.
A bright construction
This new Great Wall rose to consciousness. Until then compacted earth as raw material was used, but now would be used in most sections a combination of stone base and brick elevation. It is estimated that was much more expensive (one hundred times more according to some) but much more resistance was achieved. On a stone base two walls of brick rose, filling the interior with dirt, gravel and compacted sand.
The wall is composed of walls, gates, towers and watchtowers 24,000. The Jiayu step on its western edge, was the door that was used for the silk route, you can see a perspective of it in the photo below.
On the walls they were used materials available around the building. Near Beijing limestone was used, in other granite, baked brick, rocks with a high content of metal from the mining region of Shan Xi, which gave the appearance of being made with silver stones, although at present it is difficult see that aspect in the remains of the wall. They had reinforced cement but getting similar to this baking bricks at 1,150 degrees for one week resistance. But they possessed a secret ingredient that make getting harder mortar bricks themselves to such an extent that these have disappeared only remaining mortar. That ingredient rice flour was mixed with clay and lime.
Life in the wall
Guarded during the Ming Dynasty more than a million warriors, they lived in harsh conditions mitigate trying to trade with their nomadic enemies, despite having banned. In the play also they worked civilians, who were spared paying taxes and soldiers. In the defense towers, a garrison of between 30 and 50 soldiers took turns four months, with a very hierarchical organization officers had one, five or ten towers; others were in charge of certain sections of the wall or larger sections called "tracks." There were also watchtowers and walled cities where units of soldiers patrolling the area were.
The obsession defend nomads he made the Ming neglected his other enemies, and the Manchus took advantage to break through the wall and overthrow in 1644, with Mongolia annexed by the Chinese Empire and ceased to be necessary the Great Wall.
For nearly a thousand years there was a balance between Chinese and barbarians broke in the early thirteenth century with the unifier of the steppe, the Mongol Genghis Khan. He began the conquest of China that would eventually completed by his grandson Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty.
The Yuan were dethroned after a peasant revolt, reigning in the second half of the fourteenth century Ming Dynasty. The Mongols did not want to give up China and in subsequent years began an intense activity of attacks that forced the Chinese in 1575 to strengthen and rebuild the wall to defend reaching the height of construction in time of Emperor Wanli.
A bright construction
This new Great Wall rose to consciousness. Until then compacted earth as raw material was used, but now would be used in most sections a combination of stone base and brick elevation. It is estimated that was much more expensive (one hundred times more according to some) but much more resistance was achieved. On a stone base two walls of brick rose, filling the interior with dirt, gravel and compacted sand.
The wall is composed of walls, gates, towers and watchtowers 24,000. The Jiayu step on its western edge, was the door that was used for the silk route, you can see a perspective of it in the photo below.
On the walls they were used materials available around the building. Near Beijing limestone was used, in other granite, baked brick, rocks with a high content of metal from the mining region of Shan Xi, which gave the appearance of being made with silver stones, although at present it is difficult see that aspect in the remains of the wall. They had reinforced cement but getting similar to this baking bricks at 1,150 degrees for one week resistance. But they possessed a secret ingredient that make getting harder mortar bricks themselves to such an extent that these have disappeared only remaining mortar. That ingredient rice flour was mixed with clay and lime.
Life in the wall
Guarded during the Ming Dynasty more than a million warriors, they lived in harsh conditions mitigate trying to trade with their nomadic enemies, despite having banned. In the play also they worked civilians, who were spared paying taxes and soldiers. In the defense towers, a garrison of between 30 and 50 soldiers took turns four months, with a very hierarchical organization officers had one, five or ten towers; others were in charge of certain sections of the wall or larger sections called "tracks." There were also watchtowers and walled cities where units of soldiers patrolling the area were.
The obsession defend nomads he made the Ming neglected his other enemies, and the Manchus took advantage to break through the wall and overthrow in 1644, with Mongolia annexed by the Chinese Empire and ceased to be necessary the Great Wall.
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