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| Nanjing (CN) - a marble bridge |
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Nanjing, the capital of China several times throughout history, is a fascinating place to explore. It is steeped in history, and has plenty to offer.
The Heaven Dynasty Palace is a nod to China’s greatest philosopher, Confucius. Nearby, Zhonghua Gate towers over the city and is a remnant of the city’s Ming Wall, which when built were the longest city wall in the world, at over 33 km long! Today only about 2/3 of it is still standing, and much of it can not be travelled on. Zhonghua Gate itself is a massive complex of towers, gates and storerooms, which at the time, could hold 3,000 troops.
Right beside Zhonghua Gate is the Grand Canal. Built about 1500 years ago, it was 1800 km long and linked Beijing and Shanghai, stopping in many cities in between. It was very important to commerce in China. These days, it is only about 1100 km long. However, given that it is only 3 m deep in places and covered by old stone bridges in many places, it value to commerce is neglible. [edit text]
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