The Great Wall of China, which spans more than 21,000 kilometers through 15 provinces, 97 prefectures and 404 counties, includes dozens of sections beyond the well-known Beijing stretches, ranging from a Ming Dynasty fortress town in Gansu province to a riverside tower in Shanxi where the wall meets the Yellow River.
Great Wall sections from Beijing to Gansu offer varied access and preservation
The Great Wall of China, which spans more than 21,000 kilometers through 15 provinces, 97 prefectures and 404 counties, includes dozens of sections beyond the well-known Beijing stretches, ranging from a Ming Dynasty fortress town in Gansu province to a riverside tower in Shanxi where the wall meets the Yellow River.
Work on the Great Wall began more than 2,500 years ago, with origins dating to China's Spring and Autumn Period of around 770 BCE to 476 BCE, according to the article. Various sections were added across competing dynasties before construction stopped in the 17th century. Though often described as a single structure, the wall is not continuous.
The Yongtai Turtle City, located in Sitan Township of Jingtai County in north-central Gansu province, was completed in 1608 as part of the wall's 'Yellow River Defense Line' during the Ming Dynasty. At peak use it housed around 2,000 infantrymen and 500 cavalry units. Its oval layout, with gates positioned to resemble a turtle's head, flippers, and tail, gives the garrison its name. The article describes it as one of the most well-preserved walled cities remaining in China. Lanzhou, the Gansu provincial capital, is approximately 195 kilometers away by road, or 125 kilometers from Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport.
Mutianyu and Jiankou are two contiguous sections of the Great Wall stretching roughly 25 kilometers along Beijing's mountaintops. Mutianyu was restored in the 1980s and is accessible by cable car; Jiankou, to its west, is unrestored and requires no entrance ticket. As of 2020, hiking at Jiankou had become, according to the article, 'somewhat frowned upon by the local government because of safety concerns.' Both sections are less than a 90-minute drive from downtown Beijing without traffic.
Bataizi village, located 80 kilometers west of Datong in Shanxi province, sits within the Motianling section of the wall and contains the ruins of a Gothic church built in 1876 under the direction of a German missionary. The bell tower is described as the only part still standing. Zuoyun County, approximately 22 kilometers from Bataizi, is the nearest administrative center. A taxi from downtown Datong to Bataizi costs roughly 300 yuan, which the article converts to approximately $43.
Laoniuwan, in Pianguan County of Xinzhou city in Shanxi province, is where the Great Wall meets the Yellow River. The Laoniuwan Fortress was built in 1467 and the Wanghe Tower in 1544. The village sits just across the river from Inner Mongolia. Pianguan has no train station or airport; the article states that Shuozhou, 140 kilometers away, had an airport opening later in the year the article was published.
The Simatai section of the wall, construction of which began in 1373, contains the Fairy Tower, described as one of the best-known but least-visited towers due to difficult access. The article recommends viewing it from the nearby Wangjing Tower, located a few hundred meters away, via Tangjiazhai village in Beijing's Miyun district, 140 kilometers from downtown Beijing.
A piled-stone wall section at Dushikou, in Chicheng, Hebei province, was constructed during the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1507–1567) and stands up to seven meters tall in places. The article notes it was built without kiln-fired bricks, distinguishing it from other sections near Beijing. Infrastructure built for the 2022 Winter Olympics shortened the drive to Dushikou by approximately two hours, according to the article.
- The source does not state the publication date, making it impossible to determine when references to 'later this year' (Shuozhou airport) or 'as of 2020' apply.
- The source does not identify the author by name.
- The source does not state the current preservation or administrative status of Jiankou following the 2020 government safety concerns.
- The source does not provide independent or official visitor figures for any of the six sites.
- The source does not state the current entrance fees, if any, for Mutianyu, Simatai, or Dushikou.
- The source does not state whether the Shuozhou airport referenced as opening 'later this year' has since opened.