Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park, Archaeological park with city wall ruins in Chaoyang District, China
Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park is a long green corridor in northern Beijing built around surviving sections of the earthen walls that once marked the edge of the Mongol capital. A continuous path follows the old boundary line through several districts, passing open lawns, trees, and exposed sections of the original wall.
The walls were built in 1267 under the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and formed the northern edge of the capital city known as Dadu. When the Ming Dynasty took power in 1368, they moved the city center southward and left the old earthen ramparts behind.
The park displays sculptures of people from the Yuan Dynasty that you encounter while walking through the grounds. These figures help visitors understand who lived during this period and what roles they held.
The park runs in a line through several districts, so it helps to enter near a subway stop and walk just one section rather than trying to cover the whole length. Spring and autumn work well for a visit, as the trees along the path take on good color in both seasons.
Parts of the earthen ramparts are still made from the original 13th-century rammed earth, never replaced by stone as happened with most other Chinese city walls of that period. After centuries in the open air, the packed earth is still visible and shows how durable this simple building method can be.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
