Ruins of Tianbao City

The ruins of Tianbao City

The ruins of Tianbao City are a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The ruins of Tianbao City are located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.

Tianbao City and Diobao City were two important military fortresses built during the Taiping Rebellion. Tianbao City is situated on Xifeng Mountain, now within the Purple Mountain Observatory, constructed atop a sheer cliff with a panoramic view of the entire city. Diobao City lies at the foot of Xifeng Mountain, outside Taiping Gate, featuring a sturdy artillery position. The two fortresses worked in tandem, making them easy to defend but difficult to attack.

After the Taiping Rebellion established its capital in Nanjing in 1853, two heavily fortified military strongholds—Tianbao City and Diobao City—were built using locally sourced hard tiger-striped stone. Tianbao City was constructed at the summit of Tianbao Peak, which stands 267 meters above sea level, and at Longbo Ridge on the mountain’s northwest slope. These fortresses served as strategic outposts controlling potential enemy incursions from the northeast (Yaohua Gate, Chalukou, etc.) and southeast (Qilin Gate, Shangfang Gate, etc.). In the later stages of the Taiping Rebellion, when the Taiping Army clashed with the Xiang Army, it was only after the Xiang Army captured Tianbao City in 1864 that they were able to take Nanjing. Today, remnants of Tianbao City’s western, southern, and eastern walls still stand.

Further reading:

· First and second batches of protected cultural heritage sites of Jiangsu Province