Beijing city fortifications

Beijing city fortifications are massive defensive walls that once enclosed the entire city in multiple rings, with different sections still standing today. The most accessible area is the Ming Wall Relics Park in the southeast, where original stonework, tower structures, and sections of the perimeter remain clearly visible to visitors.

Construction began under the Yuan Dynasty and continued through major renovations under the Ming Dynasty that reshaped the walls. These Ming-era changes defined the appearance that the structures retained until their partial demolition in the 20th century.

The fortifications incorporated traditional Chinese urban planning principles, with nine gates in the inner city and seven gates in the outer city.

The best place to explore these structures is the park in the southeast, where paved paths run along the wall and offer different vantage points. Access is straightforward, and visitors can walk freely to understand the wall's course and scale from multiple angles.

The wall was not simply a single barrier but consisted of multiple nested defensive zones that together formed a complex system. This layering allowed different parts of the city to receive varying levels of protection depending on their importance.