Wanping Fortress, Ming Dynasty fortress in Fengtai District, Beijing, China
Wanping Fortress is a Ming Dynasty fortification in Fengtai, Beijing, built with thick stone walls and a rectangular layout containing multiple gates and bastions. The structure features inner courtyards and defensive positions that now serve partly as exhibition spaces.
Built during the Ming Dynasty as a defensive structure on Beijing's southern frontier, the fortress gained historical importance when military clashes near the nearby Marco Polo Bridge in July 1937 sparked the wider conflict. The location remained strategically significant throughout the following years of war.
The Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression housed within tells stories of this period through objects and documents that reflect its importance to Chinese history.
The site is accessible by Beijing Subway Line 16, exiting at Wanpingcheng station where clear signage guides visitors to the fortress entrances. The grounds are walkable year-round, though visiting in mild seasons offers more comfortable exploration.
The south wall preserves visible crater marks from grenades and shells that struck during the 1937 battles, serving as physical evidence of the intensity of fighting at that location. These scars remain clearly visible on the stonework today.
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