025 China - The Great Wall (WHS)

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire or its prototypical states against intrusions by various nomadic groups or military incursions by various warlike people or forces. Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built between 200-206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Since then, the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained and enhanced; the majority of the existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty. A comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 6259 km (3889 mi).

This section of the wall is called the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall. Gubeikou is a town of Miyun County in northeastern Beijing. The area is one of the important passes of the Great Wall, serving as an ancient chokepoint for travelers between the Northeast and Beijing. As of 2011, it had 4 residential communities and 9 villages under its administration.

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Liu Chi Ho (direct swap) sent from Honkong on 29.08.2013