Article content

Voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the 6,400 km (4,000 mile) Great Wall of China snakes its way across 11 Chinese provinces and draws millions of tourists every year, mostly to restored sections near the capital, Beijing. But away from the tourist trail, some parts of the wall are being allowed to crumble away. Photos from Reuter’s photographer David Gray have capture huge sections of the wall that are decaying and overgrown with vegetation. The pictures, taken near Xiang Shui Hu village, located 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Beijing, reveal how nature is slowly taking over where the wall once proudly stood.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or A hidden section of the Great Wall of China that tourists don't get to see Back to video

View more photo galleries — Follow NP Photos on Twitter

Find the National Post on Facebook