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| Jinshanling Great Wall Map |
Chinese Name: 金山岭长城 (jīn shān lǐng cháng chéng)
Admission Fee: CNY 50 (Apr.1 to Oct.31); CNY 40 (Nov.1 to Mar.31)
Cable Car: CNY 30 (single trip); CNY 50 (round trip)
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
Best Time to Visit: Spring and Autumn especially April, September and October
Location: Located in the Yanshan Mountains which lie on the border of Luanping County, Hebei Province and Miyun County, Beijing. Jinshanling Great Wall is 140 kilometers (87 miles) northeast from Beijing city.
Introduction: As one of the most well-known sections of the Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall is connected to the Simatai Great Wall the east. It stretches 10.5 kilometers (about 6.5 miles) from Longyukou Tower in the west to Wangjinglou Tower in the east. This section of the wall is strategically situated with an extensive view over the surrounding area. Most of the surrounding mountains have steep cliffs and deep valleys. So, it is quintessential for security among all sections of Great Wall. In 1991, Jinshanling Great Wall was selected as one of the top tourist attractions in China.
History: Originally, there was once a section of wall built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577). After being ruined by wars, the large project of Jinshanling Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty after Emperor Zhudi moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. It later experienced a 16-year reconstruction from 1570 by Qi Jiguang, a Chinese military general and national hero during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Even after more than 400 years, most of the Jinshanling Great Wall still remains in its original condition.
Overview of Jinshanling: With an altitude of 700 meters (2,296 feet), Jinshanling Great Wall has 5 passes, 67 watchtowers and 2 beacon towers in total. Watch towers are densely located in various shapes, either one-tiered or double tiered, with flat, arched quadrangular, octagonal roofs. Moreover, the only room still standing on the Great Wall beside a warehouse tower, which was supposedly be the military commanding center. The unique treasures of this section of the Great Wall are a barrier wall, a block with characters (ancient Chinese characters), and a horse barrier wall.
Nearby Attractions: Beside the magnificent view of the Jinshanling Great Wall itself, the natural scenery of this area is charming, especially the misty impregnable passes, an auspicious sunrise, red afterglow and great meteor showers. Emerald green vegetation and variously colored flowers cover the mountains in Spring. Whilst in Winter, it is clad in snow-white. Simatai reservoir in the east and Miyun reservoir in the south of Jinshanling reflect the great mountains and the splendid Great Wall in the water. Standing on the Wangjinglou Tower, visitors can view the outline of Beijing City. In addition, recreational activities like go-karting downhill, as well as the specially built Night Great Wall are also attractive. If lucky, visitors may catch some exhibitions, modeling competitions, or even TV shoots held on the wall.
Jinshanling Transportation:
A. Take Bus No. 980 at Dongzhimen to Miyun Long-distance Bus Station, and a local bus, taxi or mini bus to Jinshanling Great Wall.
B. Take a long-distance bus from Beijing Liuliqiao Bus Station to Chengde and get off at Jinshanling Intersection. Then, take a taxi, local bus, or walk to Jinshanling Great Wall.
Dining: Local food is representative in the imperial style of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), especially for game delicacies from the north of the Great Wall. Jinshanling Restaurant has VIP rooms and a dining hall which can seat 300 people for dinner at the same time. Local products like hawthorn, walnut, day lily, bracken, chestnut, soybean food and mushroom are also provided there.
Accommodation: Jinshan Hotel can offer accommodation for 200 people. Guest rooms are either apartments of two-bedroom, three-bedroom or four-bedroom or courtyard houses such as Siheyuan and detached houses. The price differs from CNY 298 to CNY 498 per room per night.
Recommended Travel Itinerary With Jinshanling:
A. Beijing → Jinshanling Great Wall → Chengde Mountain Summer Resort → Mulan Royal hunting Ground (4 days)
B. Beijing → Jinshanling Great Wall → Chengde Mountain Summer Resort → Qinhuangdao (7 days)
C. Beijing → Jinshanling Great Wall → Baiyun Ancient Cave → Grassland in North Beijing (3 days)
D. Beijing → Mt.Lingwu → Jinshanling Great Wall (2 days)
E. Beijing → Jinshanling Great Wall (2 days)
F. Hiking: Gubeikou Great Wall → Jinshanling Great Wall → Simatai Great Wall (2 days)
Travel Tips:
a. There is an additional admission charge of CNY 50 if visitors want to continue to the Simatai Great Wall, and a fee for crossing the suspension bridge is CNY 5.
b. Please take care when walking along the precipitous mountain paths and dangerous sections of the Great Wall, hold hands with tour guide or companions if necessary.
