The Great Wall (Changcheng) is the the only man-made structure visible from outer space. Construction of the Great Wall started in the 7th century BC. The vassal states in the northern parts of the country each built their own walls for defense purposes. When China's First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang unified the country in 221 BC, he joined the walls to hold off the invaders from the north and extended them to more than 5,000 kilometers. The Great Wall has been renovated several times; the one that exists today is the result of a major renovation in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). We visited the Wall at Badaling, which is about 42 miles northwest of Beijing, near the Ming Tombs.
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