Chongwenmen, Former city gate site in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
Chongwenmen is a former city gate located at the intersection of inner and outer streets in Beijing's Dongcheng District, where it once controlled southeastern entry to the inner city. Today no original gate structure remains visible, though the site is marked by a major transport hub and surrounding commercial buildings.
The gate was built during the Yuan Dynasty and originally named Wenmingmen, though locals called it Hadamen after a Mongol prince whose residence was nearby. The Ming Dynasty retained it as part of the inner city walls, but it was later demolished to make way for modern development.
The location once served as a formal entry point to the inner city and now functions as a busy commercial intersection. Visitors notice how the site has shifted from a gatekeeping role to a modern shopping and transport hub where traces of its past are mostly absent.
The area is easily reached via Chongwenmen Station, which connects subway lines 2 and 5. Visitors should expect crowded streets during the day, with heavy traffic and busy commercial activity throughout the neighborhood.
Just east of the former gate site sits the Ming City Wall Relics Park, displaying a substantial intact section of Beijing's original Ming-era fortifications. This park allows visitors to see and walk along the actual stone structure that once defended the medieval city.
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