Simatai
Encyclopedia
Simatai a section of the Great Wall of China
located in the north of Miyun County
, 120 km northeast of Beijing
, holds the access to Gubeikou, a strategic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall. It was closed in June of 2010. Some reports have suggested October 1, 2012 as the reopening date.
by Qi Jiguang
, this section of Great Wall is one of the few to retain the original features of the Ming dynasty Great Wall.
Simatai Great Wall is 5.4 km long with 35 beacon towers. This section of the Great Wall incorporated the different characteristics of each section of the Great Wall. A specialist on the Great Wall, Professor Luo Zhewen, has said "The Great Wall is the best of the Chinese buildings, and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall." UNESCO
has designated Simatai Great Wall as one of the World Cultural Heritage
sites.
Simatai Great Wall is separated by a valley into eastern and western parts. The western part appears gentle with 20 well-preserved watchtowers dotting along the wall. The eastern part is much steeper, following more rugged terrain that includes cliff edges and kilometre-high peaks.
Hanging precariously onto the Yanshan Mountain, Simatai Great Wall is known for its steepness. Open Air Gondolas provide a way to ascend partway up the wall. The 17 watchtowers are relatively closely spaced and provide spectacular views.
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
located in the north of Miyun County
Miyun County
Miyun County is situated at northeast Beijing. It has an area of 2,227 square kilometers and a population of 420,019...
, 120 km northeast of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, holds the access to Gubeikou, a strategic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall. It was closed in June of 2010. Some reports have suggested October 1, 2012 as the reopening date.
General
Originally built during the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577) and rebuilt in the Hongwu years of the Ming dynastyMing Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
by Qi Jiguang
Qi Jiguang
Qi Jiguang was a Chinese military general and national hero during the Ming Dynasty. He was best remembered for his courage and leadership in the fight against Japanese pirates along the east coast of China, as well as his reinforcement work on the Great Wall of China.-Early life:Qi Jiguang was...
, this section of Great Wall is one of the few to retain the original features of the Ming dynasty Great Wall.
Simatai Great Wall is 5.4 km long with 35 beacon towers. This section of the Great Wall incorporated the different characteristics of each section of the Great Wall. A specialist on the Great Wall, Professor Luo Zhewen, has said "The Great Wall is the best of the Chinese buildings, and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall." UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
has designated Simatai Great Wall as one of the World Cultural Heritage
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
sites.
Simatai Great Wall is separated by a valley into eastern and western parts. The western part appears gentle with 20 well-preserved watchtowers dotting along the wall. The eastern part is much steeper, following more rugged terrain that includes cliff edges and kilometre-high peaks.
Hanging precariously onto the Yanshan Mountain, Simatai Great Wall is known for its steepness. Open Air Gondolas provide a way to ascend partway up the wall. The 17 watchtowers are relatively closely spaced and provide spectacular views.
Features
- Tower 12- the last accessible tower, generally manned by a guard preventing access to the more dangerous sections further on.
- Tower 14 - Cat's Eyes Tower (Mao Yan Lou)
- Heavenly Ladder: Climbing the mountainside at a steep 80-degree gradient, the Heavenly Ladder leads to the Fairy Maiden Tower. Stretching upward along the abrupt mountain ridges, the narrowest part is just half a meter wide.
- Tower 15 - Fairy Tower (Xian Nu Lou): With a sculpture of twin lotus flowers above the arched doors, it is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all towers and is known for its architecture. Legend goes that it was the dwelling place for an antelope reincarnated in the form of an angel who fell in love with a shepherd.
- Sky Bridge: As little as 40 centimeters wide in places, this 100-meter-long segment of the wall connects the Fairy Tower to Watching Beijing Tower.
- Tower 16 - Watching Beijing Tower (Wang Jing Lou): At an elevation of 986 meters, it is regarded as the summit of the Simatai Great Wall as well as the highest cultural relic in Beijing. Its name comes from the fact that at night (with good visibility), one can see the lights of Beijing shimmering in the distance 120 km away. The bricks used to build the walls here even stamped with the date on which they were made and the code numbers of the armies that made them.
- Tower 17 - Ju Xian Lou - accessible from the East, from the village of Tangjiazhai.