Great Wall of China impresses members of Missão Internacional Porto & Mar 2026

The ancient structure was visited by members of Missão Internacional Porto & Mar 2026 (Alexandre Lopes)

Few places in the world are capable of creating such an immediate impact as the Great Wall of China. Seen up close, the scale of the structure is far more impressive than photographs and historical records can convey. For members of Missão Internacional Porto & Mar 2026 who had the opportunity to visit the monument on the outskirts of Beijing, the experience was described as overwhelming, exhausting, and unforgettable.

More than simply a tourist attraction, the wall conveys the tangible sensation of standing before one of humanity’s greatest engineering achievements. Amid the mountains, the structure appears endless, winding through steep landscapes and creating an image difficult to compare to any other monument on the planet. The impact begins upon arrival. Part of the journey to the wall can be made by cable car, allowing visitors to observe the impressive extent of the structure from above. Once there, however, the real physical challenge begins.

The climbs are steep, the steps uneven, and the route requires physical endurance and constant attention. Accessibility is limited in several sections, especially in the higher areas, requiring visitors to exercise caution throughout the walk. Along the route, each person decides how far they intend to continue along the wall.

Some visitors advance to higher points, informally known as “advanced posts”, where personalized medals are awarded to symbolize completion of that section of the climb. For many members of the Brazilian delegation, the experience was marked not only by the physical effort, but also by the feeling of witnessing something virtually impossible to replicate on a human scale.

Section of the Great Wall of China: the structure stretches over 21,000 kilometers in total and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Alexandre Lopes)

History

Construction of the Great Wall began more than two thousand years ago, initially during the periods of the ancient Chinese kingdoms and later expanded by different dynasties, especially during the Ming Dynasty, between the 14th and 17th centuries. Its primary purpose was to protect Chinese territory against invasions from the north. Over time, the structure also served as a military surveillance route, a strategic communication system, and a mechanism for border control.

Today, the wall is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and stands as one of China’s greatest historical and cultural symbols.

The numbers help explain the monument’s grandeur. Chinese studies indicate that the total length of the Great Wall exceeds 21,000 kilometers, considering all of its branches and structures built over the centuries. If placed in a straight line, the distance would be enough to cover more than half of the Earth’s circumference.

Another striking aspect is the diversity of the construction itself. Depending on the region, the wall was built using stone, bricks, wood, and compacted earth, adapting to the geographical conditions of each area. The sections near Beijing are among the best preserved and most visited in the country. Regions such as Badaling and Mutianyu attract a large share of tourists and offer infrastructure designed to accommodate visitors from around the world.

Even as one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations, the in-person experience continues to surprise first-time visitors. The sensation of walking along a structure initiated more than two millennia ago, surrounded by mountains and immersed in a monumental landscape, transforms the visit into something difficult to capture through images alone.

The visit to the Great Wall also represented direct contact with China’s historical dimension — a country that today impresses with its technological advancement while preserving a millennia-old heritage capable of transcending centuries and continuing to inspire admiration throughout the world.