Great Wall at Mutianyu

Great Wall at Mutianyu is a famous section of Ming Dynasty Great Wall, also a well-known attraction in Beijing. Connecting Juyong Pass Great Wall in the west and Gubeikou Great Wall in the east, it is about 45 miles north of Beijing in Huairou County. The scenic area is covered with overlapping mountain ranges and equipped with top level cable cars. It’s not as crowded as the nearby Badaling Great Wall and many foreign leaders have been to here during their visit in China.

History

Due to the important location, Great Wall at Mutianyu has been the military garrison to guard Beijing and imperial mausoleums for generations. Many wars happened here in the past centuries. As early as in Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557), Great Wall was built at Mutianyu. In the following dynasties, the section was ruined. The present Great Wall at Mutianyu was rebuilt out of the former ruins in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by General Xuda. In 1569, two famous patriotic generals Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang renovated it when they guarded this strategic pass. As a result, Great Wall at Mutianyu becomes one of the best preserved Ming Dynasty Great Wall.

Features

The 5400-meter-long Great Wall at Mutianyu winds through lofty mountains and high ridges. Mainly built with granite, the wall is like a dragon along the steep cliff to keep out the nomadic tribes in the north. The top is 4-5 meters wide while the wall is 7-8.5 meters high. Great Wall at Mutianyu possesses unique characteristics in its construction compared with other sections of Great Wall.

Watchtowers are densely placed along this section of the Great Wall. Visitors can see a watchtower almost every one hundred meter.

The pass is very unique. The Mutianyu Pass consists of three watchtowers standing on the same terrace. The one in center is big while the two on both sides are smaller. They are connected with each other inside.

Both inner and outer walls have parapets with square embrasures to defend against enemies coming from the two sides. This is a feature very rare on other parts of the Great Wall.

External branch walls are built along the mountain range to assist the main wall. Watchtowers are built on the branch walls to control the advanced position.

The forest-coverage rate is over 90 percent. The beautiful scenery is breath-taking with different beauty in four seasons.

Great Wall Museum

There is a museum with ancient architecture style in the scenic area. The museum has three theme halls exhibiting the history of Huairou County, model of the Great Wall at Mutianyu as well as the cultural relics unearthed from the Great Wall at Huairou. Tourists can get to know the history of the Great Wall at Mutianyu by visiting the museum.

Mutianyu Village

At the foot of the wall is its namesake Mutianyu Village, which combines harmoniously with the wall with its complex of ancient architecture style. Visitors can have an authentic experience of rustic life in the village by staying overnight at a farmhouse or tasting special dishes.

China Stone City

It is the first theme park dedicated to stones, also one of the largest stone parks in the world. The park has large collections of weird and beautiful stones from all over China, attracting more and more funs of stone to appreciate it.

Within the scenic area, the cable car is installed along the ridges above to help visitors up from the foothills to the level of the wall Alternatively, people can also take a single-rider personal wheeled toboggan along the slide way to descend from the highest point to the valley. Besides, the Great Wall at Mutianyu is also popular among hikers because of its proximity to the challenging Jiankou Great Wall.

How to Go to Mutianyu

Take the No. 867 Tourist Bus at Dongzhimen Gate (7:00am and 8:30am)