The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest, and perhaps the most famous, historic stone walls in the world. The original base of the Great Wall was built in the 200s BC, and was built in part to repel barbarian hordes, especially the Huns and Mongols. The Great Wall has been extended many times to become the giant 4,000-mile-long stone wall that is now visited by tourists from all over the world. Many parts of the wall are over 2,000 years old.
This structure was named by UNESCO in 1987 as a world heritage site. The Great Wall of China can be seen from outer space.
Hadrian's Wall was built to separate modern-day Scotland from the rest of the British Isles by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the AD 120s. This wall was meant to separate Roman-controlled England from the Pict tribes of Scotland, who sensed weakness and raided south. Hadrian's Wall isn't nearly as widely known as many other historical walls, despite its age and impressiveness. The original stone wall was 12 feet tall and anywhere from 6 to 12 feet thick. A ditch was placed in front of the wall, which had "mini-castles" every mile or so that housed up to 64 Roman soldiers per section. The wall isn't completely intact anymore, as it was often used as a source of stones for northern tribes, but large sections have been restored and maintained for modern tourists and history buffs to visit.
The Wailing Wall is located in Jerusalem, and is also commonly known as "The West Wall." This wall is on the southwest corner of the Temple Mount, which is considered a holy spot for three different religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. This historical wall is visited by locals and pilgrims alike. Prayer occurs here at virtually every hour of the day. This is a common stopping point for tourists in the Jerusalem area, even those who are not devoutly religious.
