Gateways to the past
Even though they are hundreds and, in some cases, thousands, of years old, many ancient walls still stand across the globe. Some of these structures, such as the Great Wall of China, are major tourist attractions, while others are crumbling, mostly forgotten relics that give history buffs a chance to come face-to-face with the past. There are even a few instances where ancient walls have survived urbanization and now stand amidst malls and skyscrapers as a reminder of a city’s ancient roots.
Except for a few famous examples, these structures are often overshadowed by historic castles or artefact-filled museums. But they really are living parts of the past, providing a chance to experience the ancient world outside of a sterile exhibit space. Here are 10 walls that bring visitors face-to-face with history. (Text: Josh Lew)
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1. Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is by far the most well-known and most visited ancient wall standing today. It was built to protect what was then China's northern border. This was an on-going construction project, with the first barriers built well more than 2,000 years ago. These original fortifications have eroded away over time. The main goal of the early and later walls was to repel invaders from the north, though in addition, the wall acted as a barrier for tax collection purposes for goods traveling on the Silk Road.
During the 14th century, the rulers of the Ming Dynasty built the sections of the wall that became known as the Great Wall. Using brick and building more than 20,000 towers, these fortifications were stronger and better defended than their predecessors. Today, people visit the sections of this Ming wall, with the parts that run along the tree-covered mountains near Beijing being the most crowded. Most people come to the wall as part of a day trip, although multiple-day guided tours are also available.
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2. Aurelian Walls, Italy
Surrounding all seven of Rome's famous hills, the Aurelian Walls were built in the third century by the Roman emperor Aurelian. More than 10 feet thick and about 26 feet high, they originally ran for 12 miles, protecting the 5.5-square-mile centre of the city. During the fifth century, the height was almost doubled and more defensive features were added.
These impressively thick walls were used for defense for more than 1,000 years, last seeing battle in the 1800s. Because the city relied on them for defense, the structures were repaired and renovated over the years and remain in good condition today. Some sections of the wall sit next to roadways and often show up in unexpected, everyday places around Rome.
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3. Hadrian's Wall
Actually more than a century older than the Aurelian Walls, Hadrian's Wall runs across the entire length of England. It was built by its namesake emperor and marked the northernmost point of the Roman Empire in Great Britain. Stretching for 84 miles from the east to west coasts, parts of the wall have been broken down or eroded over the years. Sections still remain largely intact however. A trail runs for almost the entire length of the wall and much of the surrounding area is undeveloped. This makes it easy to picture what the structure must have looked like when it was built. The trail is broken down into six walkable sections, making a weeklong trek possible.
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4. Chester City Walls, England
The city walls of Chester, in Cheshire, England, date back even further than Hadrian's Wall. First built with earth, these walls were eventually reinforced with sandstone by the Romans. When the fortifications required repairs, any available stones were used, including some gravestones, which were excavated in recent times and can now be seen in local museums. Extensions, towers and gates were added over the centuries. The wall now makes an almost complete two-mile circuit around the historic centre of the city. Since it was used for defensive purposes throughout its history, the structure has always been well preserved. It is now a major tourist attraction and people can walk along the top of the wall and even visit several sections that date to Roman times.
5. Walls of Constantinople, Turkey
Built in the fourth and fifth centuries, these walls have surrounded their namesake city (now called Istanbul) for centuries. The first wall, built by the famous emperor Constantine, was a single structure with towers spaced an even distance apart. However, the city thrived in the following century and spread well beyond this original barrier. The Theodosian Walls, named after a later ruler, expanded the reach of the original wall. These newer walls have a number of gates and towers that still stand thanks to rebuilding efforts after strong earthquakes shook Istanbul.
Over the centuries, other walls were built to connect the earlier structures with Istanbul’s sea walls, which saw heavy combat during the Crusades of the 13th century. Some of Istanbul’s walls run right through the city centre. These urban walls were restored in the 1980s and now sit side by side with modern buildings and roadways.
6. Xian City Walls, China
The Great Wall is not the only historic site of its type in China. The ancient city of Xian, best known as the home of the famous Terracotta Warriors, has its own ancient ramparts. The impressive wall was built in the 1300s. The wall surrounds an area of roughly 6 square miles, and even today it remains one of the most imposing fortifications of any era. Averaging more than 50 feet in thickness, the structure remains almost completely intact. The top of the wall is used as a kind of promenade, with tourists and locals alike strolling along it and taking in the sights of the ancient city from on high. There are ramparts spaced evenly all around the wall and four massive gates that were used to enter and exit the city. Because the walls of Xian were almost completely impenetrable, the only hope for attackers was to break through the gates.
7. Walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia
The most accessible walls on our list are in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Located along the Dalmatian Coast, Dubrovnik's first defensive structures were built in the seventh century. Many additions and renovations took place over the next thousand years. The city walls that stand today were constructed during the Middle Ages and define the geography of Dubrovnik, even today. Running uninterrupted for more than 6,000 feet, they reach a height of more than 80 feet, while the distinctive towers are even higher.
8. Sacsayhuaman, Peru
South America's entry onto our list is found in Cusco (sometimes spelled Cuzco), Peru, the city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Sacsayhuamán is a great example of this ancient empire's engineering feats. Built without mortar, the stones that make up the wall were cut to fit together like a giant upright jigsaw puzzle. The fortifications zigzag through the site, which sits over 12,000 feet above sea level. The traditional Incan festival of Inti Raymi is held here each year during the Southern Hemisphere's Winter Solstice, and many locals use the open spaces between the walls as a kind of public park.
9. Phoenician Wall, Batroun, Lebanon
Batroun is one of the world's oldest cities. Located along the Mediterranean coast in northern Lebanon, this city is known for its ancient castles and churches, quality citrus fruits, and beaches and modern nightlife. Batroun was a Phoenician metropolis that was established more than three millennia ago. The remnants of an ancient sea wall, built by the Phoenicians to protect against tidal waves, still stands along the coastline. This is not the longest or most-intact wall on our list, but it is certainly the oldest.
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10. Kano city wall, Nigeria
Built in the 11th and 12th centuries and extended in the 1500s, the walls in the Nigerian city of Kano are among of the most interesting examples of ancient fortifications in Africa. Because of the earthen building materials used and the lack of a conservation movement until very recently, the walls of Kano are not nearly as intact as most of the other examples on this list. However, sections are still well preserved, and the walls have been submitted to UNESCO as an important natural and cultural heritage site, the first step in becoming a World Heritage Site. Kano was, and still is, a major stop along the trans-Saharan trade route. The Kurmi Market, first established in the 1400s and still used today, is a living example of the colourful past when goods from all across Northern and Western Africa were traded in its narrow lanes.
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