If you are in a hurry, such a world heritage site can be quite annoying.
In China, two construction workers have achieved something incredible. When part of the world-famous Great Wall of China got in the way of them and their excavator, they did what they do best: they ripped a hole in the historic wall! Where stone upon stone once stood for centuries, only excavator marks can now be seen in the sand.
Abbreviation: check! Damage: double check!
As the police in Shanxi province in northern China announced, the two suspects – a man (38) and a woman (55) – were quickly caught.
A police statement said the ruthless use of excavators had caused “irreversible damage”. It is not yet clear what punishment the two construction workers will face. The authorities simply said: “Currently, the two suspects are in criminal detention in accordance with the law and the case is being investigated further.”
The destroyed part of the wall, also known as the 32nd Great Wall, dates from the times of the Ming Dynasty, which ruled until the 17th century. However, these are not the oldest sections of the wall: their construction dates back as far as 2000 years. In total, the Great Wall of China is more than 21,000 kilometers long.
At this point, large parts of the wall are covered by dirt and grass. In contrast to the parts known to tourists, many sections are no longer maintained and have not been restored. Nevertheless, they represent an important part of the most famous Chinese structure.
Sections of the Wall have repeatedly disappeared in recent years; around 30 percent are reported to no longer exist. Partly they fell victim to extreme weather conditions and erosion, partly it was removed by human hands. Again and again stones from the wall were stolen to build houses.