The construction of the Great Wall of China took over 2,300 years, spanning from around 680 BC to 1681 AD. It was built, rebuilt, and extended by more than nine dynasties over this extensive period
. Key points about the timeline include:
- The first sections were built during the Spring and Autumn Period (771–476 BC), with the earliest wall constructed by the Chu State over 24 years (680–656 BC)
- The Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC) was the first to link various walls into a continuous structure, completing this connection in about 20 years around 214–204 BC
- The Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) and later dynasties also built and repaired significant sections.
- The most famous and well-preserved parts of the wall were constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), which spent approximately 276 years building and fortifying the wall, including adding wide paved walls and towers
- Construction effectively ceased in the late Qing Dynasty around 1878, marking the end of the building phase.
Thus, the Great Wall is not a single continuous construction project but a series of building efforts over more than two millennia, making it one of the longest-lasting architectural endeavors in history
