99.Great Wall Sections

Home / Great Wall / Sections

Great Wall Sections

Click the map to enlarge it, or go for more Great Wall Maps

Like a giant dragon, the Great Wall meanders over deserts, grasslands, and mountains until finally arriving at its destination - Bohai Gulf. Zigzagging 8,851.8 km (5,500 miles) from Jiayuguan Pass in the west to Hushan Mountain in Liaoning in the east, the wall crosses over  ten provinces and cities, including Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, and Liaoning. The wall had witnessed many changes through several thousand years of history, from the Warring States to the Ming Dynasty. 

Famous Sections 

 Beijing: 
In Beijing, there are many relics of the wall, most of which were built around 1540. The notable sections include:

• Badaling
• Mutianyu
• Juyongguan Pass
• Simatai
• Jinshanling
• Gubeikou
• Huanghuacheng
• Jiankou
• Shuiguan

Badaling, Beijing

Shandan, Gansu

 Gansu: 
In Gansu, numerous cultural relics of the Silk Road can be found, such as the Mogao Caves and Maijishan Grottoes. Also it played a very important role in the ancient military defense. A lot of Great Wall relics have been found in this region. The most famous one is Jiayuguan Pass in Jiayuguan City, which is the western beginning of the Ming wall. Additionally, the Overhanging Wall is worth a visit.

• Dunhuang
• Jiayuguan
• Juyan Fortress
• Yangguan
• Yumenguan
• Overhanging Great Wall
• Shandan

 Hebei:
There are a large number of Great Wall relics in Hebei Province. Most of them were built in the Ming Dynasty. In the east of Hebei stand the Wall of Laolongtou, Shanhaiguan Pass, Xifengkou&Sandaoguan, Zijingguan, Jiaoshan,  Qingshankou, Malanguan, etc. In northwestern Hebei, you can see Zhangjiakou, Changyukou and Qingbiankou Great Wall. And in the southwest of Hebei, Wulonggou, Futuyu,  and Chajianling can be seen.

• Shanhaiguan Pass
• Xifengkou & Sandaoguan
• Zijingguan Pass
• Great Wall in Zhangjiakou City

Shanhaiguan Pass, Hebei

Great Wall in Inner Mongolia

 Inner Mongolia: 
Inner Mongolia boasts the largest number of Great Wall relics. Its total length covers one third of the whole length of China Great Wall. However, a great many remains were destroyed and even some of them have died out. For instance, in the area of Juyanhai Lake, ten fire towers have disappeared.

  Liaoning : 
It's thought that the eastern beginning of the Great Wall is the Shanhaiguan Pass in Hebei. However, in recent years, people find that its beginning is in Liaoning Province. Most of the Wall in Liaoning was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In that period, the Wall was divided into nine districts, called Nine Important Towns on the Border. The wall in Liaoning was administered by Liaodong Town. Now, it's uncommon to see its relics. The remains mainly distribute in the northwest of this region.

• Hushan
• Jiumenkou

Jiumenkou, Liaoning

Hongguozi Great Wall in Ningxia

 Ningxia: 
In Ningxia, the Sanguankou (Three Passes) is highly recommended. In the Ming Dynasty, the Tartar and Wala tribes of Mongolia often came into the northwest China from Sanguankou. For the sake of safety, Sanguankou was built.

 Shaanxi: 
In Shaanxi, the Great Wall mainly distributes in Shenmu, Fugu, Jingbian and Hengshan in Yulin, Wuqi and Fuxian in Yanan and Dali, Heyang, Pucheng, Chengcheng, Baishui and Hancheng in Weinan. In length of more than 2,000 kilometers was built ranging from the Warring States Period to the Ming Dynasty.

• Great Wall in Yulin
• Great Wall of Wei Dynasty
• Zhenbeitai

Zhenbeitai, Shaanxi

Yanmenguan Pass, Shanxi

 Shanxi: 
In history, Shanxi was a point of battle. Thus, a lot of Great Wall remains can be found there. The wall there comprises inner and outer walls. The inner wall is the second line of defence. In Shanxi, many famous passes can be found, such as:

• Guguan Pass
• Niangziguan Pass
• Ningwuguan
• Pianguan & Pingxingguan
• Yanmenguan Pass

 Tianjin: 
The Great Wall in Tianjin was mostly built in the Ming Dynasty. And most of them were stone-structured. Only the Huangyaguan Pass was made up of bricks. Tianjin Walls has a complete defensive system, including walls, terraces, passes, fire towers, fire pools, ovens and fortresses.

• Huangyaguan Pass
• Taipingzhai

 Top Tours including the Visit to the Wall:

Group China Tour: 8 Days of Beijing - Xian – Shanghai Splendid China Tour: 13 Days of Beijing - Xian - Shanghai - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Hong Kong