Gubeikou Great Wall is located in Miyun county, 140 kilometers away from downtown Beijing.

Gubeikou was first built during the Northern Qi dynasty (550-557). In the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644), General Xuda was ordered to rebuild it. To enhance its defensive capability, more stones were add. Unfortunately, not many can be found today. The best-preserved is called the Big Flower Watchtower (Dahualou), because of its square shape with 12-arrowed windows, which resembles a blossoming flower when seen from afar.

When Qi Jiguang was appointed the chief commanding officer of the Ji Garrison (one of the eleven garrisons during the Ming dynasty), he ordered to lay another layer of bricks standing side by side the original one, forming the unique...

Gubeikou Great Wall is located in Miyun county, 140 kilometers away from downtown Beijing.

Gubeikou was first built during the Northern Qi dynasty (550-557). In the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644), General Xuda was ordered to rebuild it. To enhance its defensive capability, more stones were add. Unfortunately, not many can be found today. The best-preserved is called the Big Flower Watchtower (Dahualou), because of its square shape with 12-arrowed windows, which resembles a blossoming flower when seen from afar.

When Qi Jiguang was appointed the chief commanding officer of the Ji Garrison (one of the eleven garrisons during the Ming dynasty), he ordered to lay another layer of bricks standing side by side the original one, forming the unique double-layered Great Wall.

It goes for over 20 kilometers and comprises of the four parts: Wohushan, Panlongshan, Jinshanling and Simatai. Gubeikou was a strategic pass of the Great Wall in ancient times, and Panlong Mountain and Wohu Mountain are connected by it with the Chao River flowing across Gubeikou Great Wall, offering an important access to Inner Mongolia and northeast of China. This section is the most intact and well preserved, original section of all the sections in Beijing.

Wohushan Section
“Wohushan” literally means a mountain resembling crouching tigers, as it looks like two tigers: one lying on its back and the other on its stomach. The Wohushan section features the unique “Sister Towers”. The Elder Sister Tower to the north is higher than the Younger Sister Tower to the south. Seen from afar, they are like two pretty ladies hand in hand. The Sister Towers were used to station troops, store weapons and foodstuffs during the wartime.

Panlongshan Section
The Panlongshan section features the General Tower and 24-Window Tower:
The two-storey General Tower was the commanding office. It is square in shape, with a side length of about 11 yards (10 meters) and a door on each side. There are four windows on the eastern and western sides respectively, and three windows on the northern and southern sides. The tower is pretty symmetrical. However, the crenels on the top were seriously damaged during the war. Hence, the top has been exposed to the substance ever since.

The 24-window Tower is the last watch-tower at Panlongshan section. It has three storeys, which is unique. There are three windows on each side on the first and second storey and teeth-shaped crenels on the third storey. The 24-window Tower worked as a partner with the General Tower during the wartime. However, the northwestern side of the tower has now collapsed, leaving behind the eastern and southwestern walls standing firm and still.

This section has 143 beacon towers. The inside of these towers has different designs. Some towers have a flat ceiling. Some have an arched ceiling, a domed ceiling, or an octagonal. Each tower consists of two floors, six archways, and ten arched doors, allowing garrisoned soldiers to advance and retreat freely.