Ming City Walls Ruins Park

Ming City Wall Ruins Park 北京城池

Ming City Walls, Beijing. — Ming City Wall Ruins Park 北京城池

Original Ming Dynasty walls
Once partially demolished in the 1950's
Soldiers' graffiti etched in the walls
Part of Ming City Wall Ruins Park
Close to Beijing Train Station & South East Corner Watchtower

Running along the northern side of Chongwenmen Dongdajie from Chongwen Men to the South East Corner Watchtower is the reconstructed Ming City Wall Ruins Park (Tel: 10 6527 0574), one of the Chinese capital's most pleasant parks to walk and relax.

The area has been tastefully laid out with lawns and flowers and many trees have been planted including apricot, peach and ginkgo.

The 1 km-long wall south of Beijing Railway Station was rebuilt with both original and new stones fitted using a traditional lime-and-plaster cement.

History

Opened in 2002, the landscaped park is free to enter and a pleasant place to stroll after visiting the Watchtower. The wall is illuminated after dark.

Along with Huangchenggen Relics Park, (Imperial City Wall Relics Park) in downtown Beijing, the Ming City Wall Ruins Park are the only two surviving sections of Beijing's original four Ming Dynasty walls: the Forbidden City wall, the Imperial City wall, the inner city wall and the outer city wall.