| Great Wall Station | |
| Native Name: | 长城站 |
| Native Name Lang: | zh |
| Settlement Type: | Antarctic base |
| Flag Size: | 110px |
| Flag Border: | no |
| Mapsize: | 350px |
| Pushpin Map: | Antarctica |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of Great Wall Station in Antarctica |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Great Wall Station in Antarctica |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | -62.2168°N -58.9619°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  |
| Subdivision Type1: | Location in Antarctica |
| Subdivision Name1: | Fildes Peninsula King George Island |
| Subdivision Type3: | Administered by |
| Subdivision Name3: | Polar Research Institute of China |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Elevation M: | 10 |
| Population As Of: | 2017 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Summer |
| Population Blank1: | 60 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Winter |
| Population Blank2: | 13 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Type |
| Blank Info Sec1: | All-year round |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Period |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Annual |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Status |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Operational |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Activities |
| Code1 Name: | UN/LOCODE |
| Code1 Info: | AQ GWL |
| Website: | Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration |
The Great Wall Station (Chinese: 长城站; pinyin: Chángchéng Zhàn) is the first Chinese research station in Antarctica and opened on 20 February 1985. It lies on the Fildes Peninsula on King George Island, 960km (600miles) from Cape Horn. It is sited on ice-free rock, about 10m (30feet) above sea level.[2]
The station is about 2.5km (01.6miles) from the Chilean Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva. A 3km (02miles) long unpaved road, Zhongzhi Gonglu, provides convenient vehicle access from the station to Frei, Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport and Bellingshausen Station.[3] The station collaborates with logistical support and sharing of facilities with other nearby stations from Chile, Russia, Uruguay, Korea and Brazil.[4]
In 1984, China organized its first scientific expedition to Antarctica, and Guo Kun was named the leader of the 591-member expedition team. The team departed Shanghai on 20 November 1984 on two ships, the Xiang Yang Hong 10 and the J121, and arrived at King George Island off the coast of Antarctica on 30 December.[5] A main part of their mission was to construct China's first antarctic base, the Great Wall Station. As the Xiang Yang Hong 10 was not an icebreaker, the team had to leave before the end of the antarctic summer and had only a short window of opportunity to complete their mission. Under Guo's supervision, the team worked 16 to 17 hours a day in often severe weather conditions, and completed the construction in only 40 days. Construction of the station was completed on 14 February 1985.[6]
In summer, the station holds up to 60 people;[1] in winter, 14. The station's No. 1 Building, erected in 1985, lies at the centre of the station and has a total floor area of . It marks the beginning of China’s presence in Antarctica and its Antarctic research program.
In 2012, the Antarctic Treaty System designated two sites at the station as Historic Sites and Monuments in Antarctica following nominations by China: a monolith erected to commemorate the establishment of the station and the station's No.1 Building.[7]