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Putin to Revive Russia’s ‘Great Wall’

The 17th-century defensive wall ran for 800 kilometers through southern and central Russia. Michel Koinov / mkoinov.livejournal.com

President Vladimir Putin has hinted that he could help reconstruct Russia's version of the Great Wall of China during a stopover in the country’s central Lipetsk region, the Znak.com news website reported Wednesday.

A local archeologist had urged Putin to spearhead reconstruction of the Belgorod fortified line, which was built in the 17th century to protect Russia from southern invaders. 


					The 16th-century Belgorod fortress was the main fortress along the 800-kilometer defensive line.					 					Vladimir Lobachev / Wikicommons
The 16th-century Belgorod fortress was the main fortress along the 800-kilometer defensive line. Vladimir Lobachev / Wikicommons

Parts of the 800-kilometer line’s ramparts, redoubts and ditches have been preserved, the archeologist, Alexander Bessudnov, was quoted as saying.

“Of course this [reconstruction] is in the president’s powers. I know you support archeology and you support tourism,” Znak.com quoted Bessudnov as saying.

“This would be a great tourist route,” the Lipetsk archeology organization leader added.

Putin said he’ll forward the request to state tourism agencies.

“I’ll ask the relevant agencies that deal with domestic tourism before I gather the governors; let's go through them and see what can be done,” Putin said, as quoted by Znak.com. 

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