File:Badaling Great Wall (6170369160).jpg

Badaling, to the left (from the right part)

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups. Several walls have been built since the 5th century BC that are referred to collectively as the Great Wall, which has been rebuilt and maintained from the 5th century BC through the 16th century.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that all the walls measure 8,851.8 km. This is made up of 6,259.6 km sections of actual wall, 359.7 km of trenches and 2,232.5 km of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

Badaling is the site of the most visited section of the Great Wall of China, approximately 80 km north-west of urban Beijing city in Yanqing County, which is within the Beijing municipality. The portion of the wall running through the site was built in 1505 during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location's strategic importance. The highest point of Badaling is Beibalou, approximately 1,015 metres above sea level.

The portion of the wall at Badaling has undergone heavy restoration, and the immediate area has seen significant development, including hotels, restaurants, and a cable car.