Beijing, the capital of China welcomes millions of visitors each year from all over the world. And most tourists will tell you that very high on their list of things to see is the Great Wall of China.

Although no one knows how long the Great Wall of China really is because it has been rebuilt in so many places over so many centuries it is thought to extend for approximately 3,700 km long. At the time of the Ming dynasty, the Great Wall was some 6,000 km. long. Today, if you were to include all the fortified walls constructed during all the different dynasties, the Wall would be some 31,000 miles in length.

China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuang (the same emperor who commissioned the construction of thousands of terracotta warriors, ordered that the walls which protected three northern regions be linked. This was the beginning of the construction of the Great Wall of China. His reason for doing this was to protect the northern regions from invasions from Mongols warriors in the north.

Most people think that the Great Wall of China is simply one continuous length of wall that stretches for hundreds of miles. It is actually made up of many forts, beacon towers and passes which were constructed to house soldiers and store food and weapons.

It is best to plan a visit to the Great Wall of China in late spring or early summer. Because the Great Wall is located near the mountains of Beijing, it can be quite cold during the winter and so you will want to avoid going at the time. Although it can be quite crowded during the spring and winter months, the scenery will be at its peak and you will never forget the breathtaking vistas you will behold as you stand at the top of one of the ramparts.

Hundreds of internally famous heads of state have visited the Great Wall of China since it was opened to the west in the 1970s. The most famous is probably Richard Nixon who was amongst some of China’s first western visitors in 1972.

Although you will certainly want to visit China’s famous Pandas, no visit to China is complete without a walk on the Great Wall. It is an experience you will never forget so be sure to tell your travel agent to include it on your itinerary.