THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

Construction on the Great Wall of China began as early as the 7th century B.C. and was continued by several different Chinese dynasties to protect the borders of the country from intrusion. It took hundreds of years to complete the Great Wall, which is over 21,000 kilometers long. Millions of prisoners were forced to work on the wall and it is believed that nearly one million lives were lost during its construction. Made of stone, brick and wood, this 2,000yearold wall still stands today, attracting millions of visitors annually.