Great Wall in Beijing

Chinese started Wall building as protection in primitive society (Great Wall begun in B.C. 214), and national scales Great Wall construction took place in Qin Dynasty (221B.C-206B.C), when the country’s capital was at Chang’an, west part of China, now named Xi’an well known for its terra cotta warrior. However, most sections of the Great Wall we see today were built in Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) – European Renaissance of the 14th–17th centuries. No time were lost for the Great Wall construction after Ming emperor drove Mongolia back to the Prairie and established his capital in Beijing.

Seeing the strategic location of Beijing as capital, Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) saw a huge project of Great Wall construction as an important means to protect Beijing against hassles and invasion from Mongolia.

The wall snakes on mountain of northern part of Beijing for with passes at strategic points. The main sections include Badaling, Juyongguan, Huanghuacheng, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Jinshanling, and Simatai.

Of the eight sections, five sections are officially open to the public - Badaling, Juyongguan, Mutianyu, Jinshanling and Simatai (closed for maintenance on June 17th, 2010). These five sections (100 kilometers) had all been renovated to make them safe to tourists to walk on it. Though all the five sections of the Great Wall are in Beijing, yet each has their own unique features. You may choose any of the five sections of the Great Wall or combined for hiking. Irrenovated or wild Great Wall is not recommended for ordinary travelers in consideration of safety.

In addition to the Great Wall Tours in Beijing, we also organize Great Wall excursions beyond Beijing: the old dragon's head by the sea (the eastern starting point of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall), Jiaoshan Great Wall, and Huangyaguan Great Wall

View All sections of Great Wall in a larger map