Mutianyu

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Mutianyu Great Wall runs for 22 kilometer from the southeast to the northeast between Juyongguan Pass and Gubeikou. This section is of great strategic importance; there has been a wall there since the Northern Qi dynasty and many wars have been fought for control of it. During the Ming Dynasty General Xu Da supervised the construction of the Mutianyu Wall as it stands today.

The construction of this section is unique. The entire wall is built from granite, seven to eight meters high and about half that wide. The watchtowers very close set, only about 100 meters apart, proof of the need to station many more soldiers here than at other sections. The towers themselves are also unique. The Zhen Guan Tai Tower, with its eastward facing gate, is actually three interconnected towers, each with its own separate gate. Mutianyu also has merlons on both the inner and outer sides of the wall, whereas all other section of the wall have merlons on only the outer side. It may be that the wall was built this way because soldiers here faced threats from both sides of the wall.

There are two extensions of the wall that branch off of and defend the main section, one of which, the tail wall, is some 1,000 meters long. In this section there’s also a moat around the wall to prevent easy approach for either horses or soldiers seeking to climb the wall.

Another very unique and interesting feature of the Mutianyu Great Wall is the pass built in the wall in1404. This pass has interconnected thatched structures built along the top that serve as shelters as well as watchtowers.

Mutianyu is one of the most popular sections of the wall, perhaps second only to Badaling. Buses go there straight from Beijing, and there is a cable car to the top for those who do not wish to trek up the wall. Since Mutianyu is the longest ticketed section of the wall, you might as well conserve your energy for the long walk along the top.