Visit the Great Wall of China with TourChina.com

The Great Wall is over 6,400 km long and is the best recognized symbol of the magnificent land of China. It's in fact made of several different walls and its construction was a long process that started at the 5TH century BC and completed only around the 16th century AC. The wall was not built to show wealth and power, but rather had the functional purpose of protecting the northern Chinese borders from "The Barbarians" - nomadic tribes named Xiongnu.

In spite of urban legends supported by popular media, the Great Chinese Wall cannot be seen from the moon. For the Earthly Visitors however, it makes an exquisite sight like no other and no trip to the land of China can be completed without walking on this outstanding structure. Travelers often confess of feeling owed by the energetic, almost overwhelming power of the place. Remembering the many generations of workers, architects, soldiers and Emperors whom lives have been intertwined with this great manmade creation, one cannot help but feeling small.

The best place and most accessible one to visit the Great Wall is the north of Beijing, where the stone construction has been well preserved and made safe for tourists, but there are several others. If you do choose to see the Wall in the Beijing area, remember that Juyongguan and Badaling, the two most popular sections, are packed with tourists and were reconstructed so many times that they have lost a great deal of their original structure and character. Travelers who are seeking to avoid this can choose to access the Wall sections Mutianyu or Huanghuacheng. There are other parts, a bit further from Beijing that are worth a visit, and will certainly satisfy the more adventurous travelers.

Other cities that have well-built, impressive and accessible parts of the Wall are Hebei, Gansu, Shanxi and Tianjin. Don't make the common mistake of assuming that seeing one part of the Wall means you've seen it all. Remember that the Great Wall is a general name for a massive structure which was built by different dynasties in different architectural styles. It looks completely different in different locations and a wise traveler should not miss that chance to view its diverse parts in varied locations.

However, don't assume that any part of the Great Wall is safe and accessible. Many sections of the Wall are in poor maintenance and are unattractive and at times unsafe. In some places the stones have been taken over the centuries for constructions and although parts of it are always being repaired, other areas are very badly preserved.