Enjoyed the Great Wall so much I
thought I'd post some more photos......



This section of the wall is old--really old--dating back to the year 386 and these restored remains were rebuild during the Ming Dynasty around the year 1368.










There are 22 blockhouses and watchtowers along this remaining stretch. The blockhouses still have the fireplaces in them--it gets freezing during the winter here. This particular section was definintely built as a military defensive position rather than a barrier. The upper openings are located approximately four feet apart and are designed to allow a cannon barrel access while the smaller holes near the floor were for archers and are sloped downward so the arrows would be pointed toward any invaiders charging up the side of the mountain.
In the end, though, it didn't work and the swarming Mongols overran it and controlled China for centuries. Just like the Iron Curtain, the Berlin Wall, the proposed barrier with Mexico, and the West Bank barrier stones and mortar can't contain human ambition.

Gonna try to visit the Temple of Heaven tomorrow.....