how tall is the great wall of china
The Great Wall of China is not a single uniform wall , so its height varies a lot along its length.
Quick answer
- Average height: about 6–8 meters (20–26 feet) above the ground.
- Tallest sections: up to roughly 14 meters (46 feet) in some heavily fortified parts.
Why the height varies
Builders adjusted the wall’s height depending on:
- Terrain: steeper slopes often have lower walls , while flat or strategically important areas are higher and thicker.
- Defense needs: key passes and gates (like Jiayuguan) were built taller and stronger to withstand attacks.
Heights of famous sections
Here’s how tall some well‑known stretches are today:
| Section | Typical wall height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Badaling (Beijing) | 6–9 m (20–30 ft) | [1][3]Most visited; relatively high and well preserved. |
| Mutianyu (Beijing) | 6–9 m (20–30 ft) | [1][3]Steep but tourist‑friendly; similar height to Badaling. |
| Jinshanling (Hebei) | 5–8 m (16–26 ft) | [3][1]More rugged; good for hiking and photography. |
| Jiayuguan (Gansu) | ≈10.7 m (35 ft) | [1][3]Western “first pass under heaven”; among the tallest surviving sections. |
Altitude vs. wall height
People sometimes confuse how high above sea level the wall sits with how tall the wall itself is.
- Highest point: around 1,439 meters (4,722 feet) above sea level at Huanglouwa.
- Lowest point: at Old Dragon’s Head (Laolongtou) , the wall meets the sea at roughly sea‑level altitude , though the structure itself is still several meters tall.
If you’re planning a visit, the wall you’ll walk on will usually feel like a very tall rampart —roughly two to three stories high in most tourist sections.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.