Great Wall in Beijing
Unesco World Heritage
In Chinese history, Beijing was not only one of the ancient capitals, but also one of the most strategic cities in the north. To defend their territory, many rulers have actively ordered to build Great Wall here. The Great Wall in Beijing totals 573 kilometers (356 miles). Those from Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the last dynasty engaged in Great Wall construction, amount to 526 kilometers (327 miles). They are distributed in Pinggu, Miyun, Huairou, Yanqing, Changping, and Mentougou.
Juyongguan Section
Juyongguan Great Wall is one of the three most famous passes along the Great Wall of China, together with Jiayuguan and Shanhaiguan. 37 miles (60 km) from downtown Beijing, Juyong Pass was a solid stronghold encircling a valley, which was the northern direct access to Beijing in ancient times. Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains on two sides, it has long been a military stronghold. It was first built in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC) and Warring States Period (476 – 221 BC) by Yan State as a fortification, and was linked to the Great Wall of China in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (386 – 589). Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), ordered the pass to be rebuilt to protect the northern borders from Mongol invasions. The extant pass was built then, and renovated in 1992. The mountain to the east is the 492 feet (150 meters) high Cuiping Mountain, with 4,921 feet (1,500 meters) of wall on its ridges. To the west is 1,152 feet (351 meters) Jingui Mountain, with 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) of wall built on it. The walls on the two mountains look like giant arms cradling the buildings of the valley. The pass is roughly circular with a perimeter of about 4,530 yards (4,142 meters) long. The widest point of the wall is 18 yards (16.7 meters), while the narrowest measures only 1.3 yards (1.2 meters). It consists of two gates, one in the south and the other in the north, respectively called Nan (south) Guan (gate) and Bei (north) Guan. Two high watchtowers were built at each gate. There is a high platform called Cloud Platform in the center of the pass. It is a white marble construction. There used to be buildings on top of the platform, but they were destroyed by fire and only the marble base remains. An arched doorway penetrates the platform. On the walls of the doorway, statues of four heavenly gods and sutra scriptures were carved. source: www.travelchinaguide.com
Unesco World Heritage
In Chinese history, Beijing was not only one of the ancient capitals, but also one of the most strategic cities in the north. To defend their territory, many rulers have actively ordered to build Great Wall here. The Great Wall in Beijing totals 573 kilometers (356 miles). Those from Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the last dynasty engaged in Great Wall construction, amount to 526 kilometers (327 miles). They are distributed in Pinggu, Miyun, Huairou, Yanqing, Changping, and Mentougou.
Juyongguan Section
Juyongguan Great Wall is one of the three most famous passes along the Great Wall of China, together with Jiayuguan and Shanhaiguan. 37 miles (60 km) from downtown Beijing, Juyong Pass was a solid stronghold encircling a valley, which was the northern direct access to Beijing in ancient times. Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains on two sides, it has long been a military stronghold. It was first built in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC) and Warring States Period (476 – 221 BC) by Yan State as a fortification, and was linked to the Great Wall of China in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (386 – 589). Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), ordered the pass to be rebuilt to protect the northern borders from Mongol invasions. The extant pass was built then, and renovated in 1992. The mountain to the east is the 492 feet (150 meters) high Cuiping Mountain, with 4,921 feet (1,500 meters) of wall on its ridges. To the west is 1,152 feet (351 meters) Jingui Mountain, with 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) of wall built on it. The walls on the two mountains look like giant arms cradling the buildings of the valley. The pass is roughly circular with a perimeter of about 4,530 yards (4,142 meters) long. The widest point of the wall is 18 yards (16.7 meters), while the narrowest measures only 1.3 yards (1.2 meters). It consists of two gates, one in the south and the other in the north, respectively called Nan (south) Guan (gate) and Bei (north) Guan. Two high watchtowers were built at each gate. There is a high platform called Cloud Platform in the center of the pass. It is a white marble construction. There used to be buildings on top of the platform, but they were destroyed by fire and only the marble base remains. An arched doorway penetrates the platform. On the walls of the doorway, statues of four heavenly gods and sutra scriptures were carved. source: www.travelchinaguide.com