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Top five ancient walls that you must see

Top five ancient walls that you must see

Walls signify fortification and creation of personal space. The ancient Chinese regimes erected walls to mark their territory and fortify it against enemy attacks. There are many natural walls; however, some walls that exist around the world are manmade wonders that have withstood the passage of time. We bring you top five ancient walls that you must see ones in your life.

Great Wall of China, China

The Great Wall of Chine is the most famous wall that is standing today though it is more than 2000 years old. It was built to protect China’s northern border from invaders and to act as a barrier for tax collection for goods that were being traded on the Silk Road. The 14h Century Ming Dynasty built some sections of the wall and added many more fortifications.

Hadrian’s Wall, England

The claim to fame of Hadrian’s Wall is that it runs across the entire length of England. Built by its namesake emperor to mark the northernmost point of the Roman Empire in Great Britain, it stretches for 84 miles from the East to West coast and a trail runs for almost the entire length of the wall. Parts of the wall have eroded over time though there is still a major portion that is intact.

Walls of Constantinople, Turkey

These walls were built in the fourth and fifth centuries to surround the city of Constantinople (now called Istanbul). Originally built by emperor Constantine as a single structure with towers spaced at even distances, these walls has been rebuilt several times over the centuries to connect earlier structures with Istanbul’s sea walls. However, the thriving city spread beyond these boundaries and the original wall was brought down to build the Theodosian Walls, which was named after a later ruler.

Sacsayhuaman, Peru

Sacsayhuaman is the greatest standing example of engineering genius of the ancient Inca Empire. It was built with stone that were cut to fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The zigzag fortifications are located 12,000 feet above sea level. Locals generally use the open space between the walls as a public park.

Kano city wall, Nigeria

These walls were built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries and further extended in the 1500s. The Kano Walls of Nigeria are the greatest examples of the ancient fortifications in Africa and have been built entirely using earthen building materials. Kano was a major stop along the trans-Saharan trade route and the Kurmi Market that was first established in the 1400s is still conducted in these parts.

Summary:

Most of ancient walls are subject to damage due to lack of awareness among locals or lack of funds. A lot of conservation work is still being done to preserve these monuments of human ingenuity that connects us with our past.

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