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The Great Wall

Near Jiayuguan · China

Background

World Heritage since
1987
Type of site
Cultural
Qin to Ming
c. 220 BC–1644

In about 220 BC, under Qin Shi Huang, sections of earlier fortifications were joined together to form a united defence system against invasions from the north. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty, when the Great Wall became the world's largest military structure; UNESCO says its historic and strategic importance is matched only by its architectural significance.

The wall as we know it is a series of walls built at different times: the Qin wall of 221 to 207 BC, the Han wall, a Jin wall of around 1200, and the Ming wall of 1367 to 1644 that appears in the photographs. Badaling, 80 km from central Beijing, was built in 1504 and was the first section opened to tourism, in 1957; it is now visited by millions each year.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 214 BCQin Shi Huang orders the first Great Wall
  2. 205–127 BCThe Han dynasty builds its wall
  3. 1367–1644The Ming build the wall that stands today
  4. 1504The Badaling section is built to guard the Juyong Pass
  5. 1957Badaling becomes the first section opened to visitors
  6. 1987Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Mutianyu
    Restored, well-watchtowered and far less crowded than Badaling; the GoGo guide goes here, with a cable car up and a toboggan down.
  2. 2
    Badaling
    The most visited section, fully restored and very busy, with a high-speed train station.
  3. 3
    Jinshanling to Simatai
    The wild, half-restored wall over the ridges, about 2.5 hours from Beijing.
  4. 4
    Juyongguan
    The pass nearest central Beijing.
  5. 5
    Huanghuacheng
    A lakeside section whose builder was beheaded for waste.
  6. 6
    Jiayuguan
    The western end of the Ming wall, in Gansu.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Leave by 7:30
Be on the wall at Mutianyu before the tour buses.
Train to Badaling
High-speed trains from Beijing North stop at Badaling Great Wall station; bus 877 runs from Deshengmen.
Cold on the Ridge
Wikivoyage: expect to lose 5°C between Beijing and the wall, and more in the wind.
Each Section Charges
Hiking from Jinshanling to Simatai means paying twice.
Plan a Full Day
Set aside a whole day for the wall, especially when visiting a section farther out from Beijing.
Jinshanling Is Farther Out
Jinshanling is partially restored and more distant from Beijing; joining a tour is the easiest way to get there.

The Wall at Mutianyu

From the GoGo Beijing guide · Open the Beijing Guide ›

  1. 08:30
    Walk the Great Wall at Mutianyu5 hrs
    Watchtowers, cable car up and toboggan down.
  2. 19:00
    Peking Duck Dinner90 min
    Back in the city, duck carved at the table.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Apr–May, Sep. Freezing days in Dec–Feb.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Jun (24 mm), driest Feb (1 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The Ming Tombs and their Sacred Way are on the road to Badaling; Beijing's palaces and temples fill the rest of a week.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 438 · Wikipedia: Badaling · Wikivoyage: Great Wall of China (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Beijing guide · UNESCO listing