The Great Wall Of China

 Helpful info:
Admission fee: CNY 40 (Nov - Mar), CNY 45 (Apr - Oct)
Opening hours: 06:40 - 18:30
Visit time: 2,30 hours
Bus route: 919.
Tourist Bus: 1 (at Front Gate), No2 (at Beijing Railway Station), Lateral No2 (at the West Gate of Beijing History Museum), No3 (at East Bridge), No4 (at Xizhi Gate or Beijing Zoo)

Said to be the only man-made structure that can be seen from the moon and one of the 8 wonders of the world, the Great Wall is probably the best known of all the Chinese attractions. It runs through 5 provinces from Shanhaiguan Pass in the East to Jiayuguan Pass in the west along a length of 6,700 kilometres. It winds like a great dragon around deserts, grasslands and mountains and just outside Beijing it is possible to climb up onto a section of the wall where you can enjoy an unforgettable view that will stay with you for ever.

 

The section of the wall close to Beijing is called the Badaling Great Wall, and standing at over 1,000 metres above sea level, was built in 1505 using huge granite stone slabs at its base. At an average of 7.8 metres high it is possible for ten people to walk along it shoulder to shoulder and is on average 6.5 metres wide. The outside or ‘rampart’ wall, built for defence using bricks, contains watch holes along the edge and peepholes underneath.

 

Inside the outer wall are low walls with parapets one metre high. At the highest places are signal fire platforms which were used in times of war to signal the amount of the enemy army.The top of the wall is neatly paved with square bricks making a smooth orderly surface. The beauty of the Great Wall changes with the seasons and whatever the time of year, the visitor will be assured of a spectacular view and memorable experience.

Timbuktu

 

Timbuktu is widely used to describe a place extremely far away and regarded by many as a myth. In reality it's a city in Mali, West Africa, of such great historical importance that in 1988 it was designated a World Heritage Site.Situated on the southernmost edge of the Sahara Desert, Timbuktu is about eight miles from the Niger River -- closer during the rainy season. It was founded in the twelfth century by Tuareg nomads. By the fourteenth century it had became a major center for the trans-Sahara gold and salt trade as well Islamic scholarship and culture, the Oxford University of the Sahara, despite the rise and fall of powerful dynasties around it.

Awesome Destinations - Temple of Heaven, China

Built in 1420 during the Ming dynasty the Temple of Heaven is bigger than the Forbidden City covering a massive 2,700,000 square acres. Lying about 6 km to the South in the Chongwen district the temple was used for making sacrifice to Heaven. The North area which represents Heaven is higher than the South area which symbolises Earth. In this way the emperors showed that Heaven is higher than Earth.



Among the buildings not to be missed are the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. Also the Palace of abstinence where during the summer and winter solstice the Emperor’s spent the last day of their three day fast with the first two days taking place in the Forbidden City. On the day of the winter solstice the Ming and Qing dynasty emperors would sacrifice to Heaven at the Circular Altar to thank Heaven and pray for a good future.



The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest has a circular roof and 28 huge posts inside the building. Divided into 3 circles the inner 4 post represent the 4 seasons and the middle 12 represent the 12 months. The outer 12 posts represent the old way of counting time – the Shichen - which equalled two hours and therefore give the 24 hour day.

 
 


The Imperial Vault of Heaven was used for placing memorial tablets of gods and is blue with a gold roof. Connected by the Vermilion Steps Bridge the emperors of the past believed they could pass from the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest over the bridge to the Imperial Vault of Heaven. The South end is accordingly lower than its North end.




Outside the gate of the Imperial Gate of Heaven you will find the Three Echo Stones. If you speak while standing on the first stone you will hear one echo and then standing on the other stones two or three echoes respectively. Encircling the Imperial Vault of Heaven is the Echo Wall. Two people standing at the East and West roots of the wall can easily hear the other person’s whisper!