Badaling

For the town, see Badaling Town.

40°21′15″N 116°00′25″E / 40.35417°N 116.00694°E / 40.35417; 116.00694

The Great Wall of China, Badaling Section
The Great Wall at Badaling
The scenery around Badaling from the Great Wall

Badaling (Chinese: 八达岭; pinyin: Bādálǐng) is the site of the most visited section of the Great Wall of China, approximately 80 kilometers (50 mi) northwest of Beijing's city center, in Badaling Town, Yanqing District, Beijing municipality. The portion of the wall running through the site was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location's strategic importance. The highest point of Badaling is Beibalou (北八樓), approximately 1,015 meters (3,330 ft) above sea level.

Badaling Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty (1505) to occupy a commanding and strategic position for protecting the Juyongguan Pass (Juyongguan section of the Great Wall) to its south, further protecting the city of Beijing.[1]

The portion of the wall at Badaling has undergone restoration, and in 1957, it was the first section of the wall to open to tourism.[2] Now visited annually by millions, the immediate area has seen significant development, including hotels, restaurants, and a cable car.[3]

  1. ^ "Badaling Great Wall" ChinaTour.Net Accessed 2014-1-18
  2. ^ "A Guide to Exploring the Great Wall of China from Beijing". 4 May 2017.
  3. ^ "A Guide to Exploring the Great Wall of China from Beijing". 4 May 2017.