Review: Jiayuguan Great Wall Review

[Bryan]

Summary

The Jiayuguan area features the Jiayuguan fortress and many interesting Great Wall features. Jiayuguan represents the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall.

Access

Jiayuguan is located in Gansu province. It can be reached by car or train. A train from Beijing takes about 33 hours. A train from Xi’an takes about 19 hours. You can also fly to Jiayuguan from Xi’an or Lanzhou.

Condition

The Jiayuguan fortress has been partially restored and is in very good condition. The Great Walls at Xuanbi and Shiguanxia to the north of the Jiayuguan pass have been rebuilt. The remaining Great Wall areas around Jiayuguan are in their original condition and are for the most part impressively well preserved. Many areas are weathered and deteriorated, and some have been destroyed.

Description

The Jiayuguan fortress and Great Wall are very interesting to visit.

Jiayuguan Fort

The Jiayuguan fortress (C on map) represented the end of the Great Wall along the Silk Road. It was restored in 1987. It’s a huge building with walls of 17 meters in height. It also features a large museum with very interesting and unusual exhibits pertaining to Jiayuguan and the Great Wall in general.

Number One Tower

The Number One tower (D on map) is located where the Great Wall begins (or ends) at the Taolai river.

Xuanbi Great Wall

The Xuanbi Great Wall (E on map), commonly known as the Overhanging Great Wall, was rebuilt in 1987.

Shiguanxia Great Wall

The Shiguanxia Great Wall (F on map) was rebuilt in 2002.

A Rail station
B Hotel area
C Jiayuguan fort
D Number one tower
E Xuanbi
F Shiguanxia
Red lines Great Wall

[JoeCool]

Great photos!

They make me want to take that long trip to jiayuguan great wall when I go to china.