Discover the Amazing Human Structure That Took 2000 Years to Build

Some buildings and structures throughout human history are so large and magnificent to build that they take several hundred years to build. Sometimes, due to periods of turmoil or disasters, the building also gets stalled and takes longer than it should. For the human structure that took 2000 years to build, both of these situations led to a long delay in the completion

If you want to know which structure was so amazing that its construction continued throughout the various centuries, read below.

What Is the Structure That Took 2,000 Years to Build?

The Great Wall of China is the structure that took roughly 2,000 years to build. This isn’t all that surprising, considering the wall covers a span of 13,171 miles.

It was the first emperor of China, Qn Shi Huang, who started the process of building the wall. This was about 220 BCE. The wall was finished sometime in 1600 CE.

Not only was the Great Wall of China one of the longest undertakings in human construction, but it is also the longest structure ever built by people.

The wall reaches from Shanhai Pass along the ocean to the east to Jiayu Pass in the Gobi Desert to the west. It’s not a straight wall, but a winding path that goes through much of China.

Where Is the Structure Located?

If you haven’t heard of this magnificent wall before, it’s still pretty easy to guess which country the Great Wall is in. China is home to the Great Wall of China. It’s hard to give specifics on where the wall is in the country, as it’s over 13,000 miles long and winds through several different regions and provinces.

However, the most famous and crowded part of the Great Wall of China is in Badaling. Some other parts still around today are in Juyongguan, Huanghuacheng, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Jinshanling, and Suimatai.

History Surrounding the Human Structure That Took 2000 Years to Build

It’s a well-known fact that the Great Wall of China was built to prevent people from entering the country, specifically barbarian nomads. However, because of how long it took to build the wall, it didn’t do all that good of a job.

What it did do, though, was become a symbol of China and the people’s enduring strength.

The task wasn’t easy. Most of the laborers were prisoners and soldiers. Though the exact number isn’t known, it’s thought that over 400,000 people died while working on the wall. Many of those people were thought to be placed in the wall when they died, though there’s no proof that this actually happened.

Construction of the Great Wall

China went through some turbulent times. The Qin Dynasty might have started the process, but not much of the wall was built during this time.

China went through several dynasties afterward. During this time, the wall fell into disrepair. It wasn’t until the Northern Wei Dynasty took over that the wall was repaired and even extended a little.

The Bei Qi kingdom that lasted from 550 to 577 BCE built and repaired over 900 miles of the wall. The Sui Dynasty (581 to 618 BCE) also did their part, making several repairs to the wall.

After that, the next several dynasties again abandoned the wall, finding it to have no importance. Most of the construction and the parts of the Great Wall most recognizable to people today came during the Ming Dynasty.

This dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644 CE. However, it wasn’t until near the end of the 15th century that any progress was made to the wall. Specifically, it started around 1474 CE. The wall extended from Liaoning Province’s Yalu River to the Gansu Province’s Taolai River.

The Great Wall of China Now

Now, much of the Great Wall of China has fallen into disrepair. However, some of the wall, especially near Badaling, were rebuilt to honor the history of China and attract tourists. Out of the 13,000 miles of wall built in over 2,000 years, only 5,500 miles of wall still exist.

The Great Wall of China is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was first designated in 1987. It’s also considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Paul Bradbury/OJO Images via Getty Images